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Chisels are one of the oldest tools used by early humans, examples have been found from the stone, bronze and iron ages. The first chisels were made from flakes of flint in the early stone age, these were then used to cut and shape softer stone tools and wood. As the ice age was ending humans became less nomadic and started building permanent houses out of wood, the chisel became one of the most important tools for their survival. Using chisels, axes and the adz they were able to "turn wood into an almost universal building material, for a host of new things was now possible, such as dugout canoes of oak, paddles and framing for hide-covered boats, sledges, skis, wooden platters and ladles, as well as other household gear."(Hartenberg)

Once people realized that naturally occurring metals such as copper and iron could be worked into different shapes they began using metal for tools as it would hold an edge better and was more resistant to breaking. Copper was the metal of choice at the beginning of this era since it was much easier to work with due to it being more malleable than iron and became stronger through cold working. As metalworking techniques became more advanced people began adding different metals to their copper to enhance the material properties, in doing so they created bronze. The Egyptians used copper and bronze chisels to create the pyramids.

When metalworking techniques like annealing and casting came about iron became much easier to work with and therefore became the metal of choice for tools due to its strength, ductility and edge retention properties. This brought about the modern steel chisel, however, there have been many advancements in chisel shapes used to perform a specific job. There has also been advancements to the blades of chisels that allow harder materials to be cut like embedding diamonds or using very hard alloys.

Hartenberg, Richard S. “Neolithic Tools.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/technology/hand-tool/File

Lowe, Maria. “To Use or Not to Use a Minoan Chisel? Ancient Technology in a New Light.” EXARC Journal, 15 May 2014, https://exarc.net/issue-2014-2/ea/use-or-not-use-minoan-chisel-ancient-technology-new-light

“The Egyptian Pyramid.” Smithsonian Institution, https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/pyramid#:~:text=Egyptians%20had%20copper%20tools%20such,cut%20the%20relatively%20soft%20stone.&text=Workmen%20may%20have%20used%20an,with%20the%20drills%20and%20saws