Chisels have a wide variety of uses. Many types of chisel have been devised, each specially suited to its intended use. Different types of chisel may be constructed quite differently, in terms of blade width or length, as well as shape and hardness of blade. They may have a wooden or plastic handle attached using a tang or socket, or may be made entirely of one piece of metal.
Woodworking chisels range from small hand tools for tiny details, to large chisels used to remove big sections of wood, in 'roughing out' the shape of a pattern or design. Typically, in woodcarving, one starts with a larger tool, and gradually progresses to smaller tools to finish the detail. One of the largest types of chisel is the slick, used in timber frame construction and wooden shipbuilding.