---
title: Chisel Tool
order: 1
---

The Chisel tool is Chisel's tool in the 3D View: its icon is last in the tool bar, and `Alt + Q` picks it from any tool. Most of Chisel's keys (the pie, the right-click menu, `D`, `Tab`) work only while it is active. Its keys are listed in [Keymap](../keymap.md#chisel-tool-object-and-edit).

![the Chisel tool active: its icon last in the tool bar, its settings row above the view](../assets/tool-toolbar.webp)

## Object and Edit

The tool has two states:

| State | The left mouse button | Shows |
|---|---|---|
| **Object** | Does what the [Mode](#modes) says | Shapes and modifier handles |
| **Edit** | Selects and moves points | The points of the selected shapes: an Ngon's, a path's, a Sweep's, a Bisect fence's, a Lattice cage's. See [Edit Mode](edit-mode.md) |

**Edit** in the tool settings row, **Edit** in the `D` popup, and `Tab` switch between them. `Tab` does so on a Chisel shape or with nothing active; on any other object it stays Blender's Edit Mode. Each switch is an undo step. Blender itself stays in Object Mode.

> [!warning] Text shapes and `Tab`
> With the Chisel tool active, `Tab` on a [Text](../primitives/text.md) shape switches the tool to Edit instead of opening Blender's text editing. To type into the text, switch to another tool first (for example `W`), then press `Tab`.

## The tool settings row

![the tool settings row in Select mode](../assets/tool-header-select.webp)

| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Chisel Disable** | Sets the scene's render engine to *EEVEE* and every 3D View to *Solid*. When Chisel is not the engine, a red **Chisel Enable** takes its place: it sets the engine to Chisel and every 3D View to *Material Preview* |
| **Edit** | Switches the tool to Edit; pressed in while in Edit |
| **Mode** | What a left drag does: **Select**, **Create**, **Block** or **Bisect**, see [Modes](#modes) |
| *the mode's settings* | Create, Block and Bisect add their settings here, see below |
| Gizmo icons | Show or hide the Tape tree and the gizmo families, see [Gizmo icons](#gizmo-icons) |
| Gizmo drop-down | Every gizmo switch, one by one, see [Gizmos](gizmos.md#tool-bar-switches) |
| **Drag** | Blender's select tool for a left drag in Select mode: Tweak, Select Box, Select Circle or Select Lasso. In the other modes it reads *Active Tool*, so a drag draws |

## Modes

![the Mode list](../assets/popover-mode.webp)

| Mode | A left drag |
|---|---|
| **Select** *(default)* | Selects, with the Blender select tool picked in **Drag** |
| **Create** | Draws a new shape where you drag, sized by the drag |
| **Block** | Draws a base on a surface and pulls it to a height, see [Block Mode](block-mode.md) |
| **Bisect** | Draws a cutting line across the selected Chisel shapes |

A left click without a drag selects in every mode.

### Create mode

![the tool settings row in Create mode](../assets/tool-header-create.webp)

Release, `Space` or `Enter` keeps the shape; `RMB` or `Esc` cancels. A drag under 4 pixels makes a near-zero shape, so a stray click does not drop a full-size one.

#### Shape

![the Shape list](../assets/popover-shape.webp)

**Sphere**, **Box** *(default)*, **Oblong**, **NGon**, **Cylinder**, **Cone**, **Torus**, **Capsule**, **Prism**, **Trapezoid**: the shape a drag draws. Each is described under [Standard Shapes](../primitives/shapes/index.md).

#### Operation

The same setting serves Create and Block mode.

![the Operation list](../assets/popover-operation.webp)

| Operation | What the new shape does to the selected Chisel shapes |
|---|---|
| **Add** | Nothing: it stands on its own |
| **Difference** *(default)* | Cuts them, see [Boolean](../joins/boolean.md) |
| **Union** | Joins them |
| **Intersect** | Keeps only the overlap |
| **Slice** | Cuts them and keeps the cut-off part as a separate copy |
| **Emboss** | Raises their surface where it overlaps, see [Emboss & Engrave](../joins/emboss-engrave.md) |
| **Engrave** | Recesses their surface where it overlaps |
| **Carve** | Cuts them with its solid grown by an offset, and keeps rendering, see [Carve](../joins/carve.md) |

Every operation except **Add** needs at least one selected Chisel shape.

#### Align

![the Align list](../assets/popover-align.webp)

| Align | The new shape's Z axis |
|---|---|
| **Normal** *(default)* | Along the surface normal under the cursor |
| **World** | The world axes |
| **Local** | The axes of the object under the cursor |
| **3D Cursor** | The 3D cursor's rotation |

### Block mode

![the tool settings row in Block mode](../assets/tool-header-block.webp)

**Shape**, **Operation** and **Align** are described in [Block Mode](block-mode.md#the-tool-settings-row-in-block-mode).

### Bisect mode

![the tool settings row in Bisect mode](../assets/tool-header-bisect.webp)

![the Bisect Shape list](../assets/popover-bisect-shape.webp)

| Bisect Shape | The cut |
|---|---|
| **Line** *(default)* | One drag: one cutting plane |
| **Polyline** | A drag for the first segment, then a click for each corner; `Space` or `Enter` keeps it, `Backspace` removes the last corner. The cut is a fence of joined planes |

While drawing, `F` flips which side is kept and `Ctrl` toggles angle snap. Each selected shape gets its own [Bisect modifier](../modifiers/bisect.md).

### Edit

![the tool settings row in Edit](../assets/tool-header-edit.webp)

| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| **All** | Selects every point of the selected shapes (`A`) |
| **None** | Deselects every point (`Alt + A`) |
| **Invert** | Inverts the point selection (`Ctrl + I`) |

They are greyed out while no selected shape has points. The **Mode** list is hidden in Edit.

## Gizmo icons

![the gizmo icons](../assets/tool-gizmo-icon-row.webp)

| Icon | Shows or hides |
|---|---|
| **Tape Tree** | The [Tape tree](tape-tree.md) |
| **Outlines and Origins** | The cutter outlines and the dots on modifier targets |
| **Modifier Gizmos** | The modifier handles: Bisect, Array, Bend, Twist, Solidify, Sweep, Lattice |
| **Shape Gizmos** | The shapes' own handles: an Ngon's dots, the path handles of a Tube, Lathe, Outline or Rail |
| Drop-down | **Chisel Gizmos**: every family and the adjust arcs, one by one |

All four are on by default.

## The D popup

`D` opens the tool's settings at the cursor. **Edit** runs across the top; in Object, a rail of the four modes runs down the left, and the body holds the picked mode's settings, the same as in the tool settings row.

![the D popup in Select mode](../assets/d-menu-select.webp)

What the popup adds to the row:

| Body | Adds |
|---|---|
| Select | **Select Method** (**Active Tool**, **Tweak**, **Select Box**, **Select Circle**, **Select Lasso**) and the buttons for how a box, circle or lasso changes the selection: set, extend, subtract, invert, intersect |
| Block | **Properties**, a fold (closed by default) with the plane options of [Block Mode](block-mode.md#align) |
| Bisect | A reminder of the drawing keys |
| Edit | **All**, **None**, **Invert** and a reminder of the point keys |

![the D popup in Block mode, Properties open](../assets/d-menu-block.webp)