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How to use an SDS plus chisel

Updated: 2026-10-23

The new chisel skates across the tile, or it spins and polishes a shiny circle in the plaster. That usually means the drill is still in hammer-drill, not that the steel is blunt. This is how to use an SDS plus chisel on a UK rotary hammer: power off, seat the shank, lock the angle, select hammer-only, and let the blows work. The steps follow the Bosch GBH 2-26 manual, and the same idea in DeWalt’s SDS plus tips. Your own manual wins if a symbol differs. The ten listings are on the [SDS plus chisel comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/sds-plus-chisel). Prices are GBP, and our links may earn a commission.

The new chisel skates across the tile, or it spins and polishes a shiny circle in the plaster. That usually means the drill is still in hammer-drill, not that the steel is blunt.

Our top picks

Nucraft Nucraft 4-piece chisel set

Best overall

Nucraft Nucraft 4-piece chisel set
7.9/10about £18.90
View offer
Bosch Bosch 2607019457 3-piece set

Rank 2

Bosch Bosch 2607019457 3-piece set
9.4/10about £19.95
View offer
Hilka Hilka 40 mm SDS chisel

Best value

Hilka Hilka 40 mm SDS chisel
9.3/10about £4.84
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Fit the shank
  2. 2.Set hammer-only and the angle
  3. 3.How hard to push
  4. 4.When it sticks or snaps

Fit the shank

Clean the grooves, then add a thin film of grease. The Bosch manual’s practice is that light coat, not a handful that flings into your eyes. Push the shank in until it clicks. A fitted chisel still slides a few millimetres. That float is the hammer hitting the shank. If it does not slide, it is not seated. Tug it with the collar back and confirm it stays in. Nucraft’s listing is only for SDS plus hammers with a rotation-stop. A wood chisel, a hex shank or an SDS max steel will not click in. Do not grind a shank to force a fit. Which edge to buy is on the SDS plus chisel buying guide.

Set hammer-only and the angle

Change mode only with the tool switched off. On the GBH 2-26, Vario-Lock is not a working mode. Turn the holder to the angle, then select chiselling, rotation to the right. The DRE and DFR versions offer 36 positions. DeWalt’s tip is the same sequence: set the angle, then hammer-only. If the chisel spins, you are still in hammer-drill. A drill with only rotary and hammer-drill cannot stop the rotation. Do not hold the blade to stop the spin. Tile angle is on the tile removal page. If the body says SDS max, the plus chisel will not enter.
Nucraft Nucraft 4-piece chisel set

Testsieger

Nucraft Nucraft 4-piece chisel set
7.9/10about £18.90
View offer

How hard to push

Let the hammer work. Enough pressure to keep the edge on the cut is enough. Leaning on a 75 mm blade overloads a small drill, and prising snaps shanks. UK reviews on Hilka, HPMAISON and WORKPRO include snaps in the chuck, sometimes within minutes. A broken end left in the chuck can take the drill out of service. HSE says blunt breaker chisels lengthen exposure. INDG175 says a modern hammer-action tool is likely to reach 2.5 m/s² A(8) after about 15 minutes and 5 m/s² A(8) after about one hour, under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. That is a class indicator, not a measured time for any chisel here. For concrete, mortar or stone, HSE’s chasing guidance is class M or H extraction and respiratory protection at assigned protection factor 20. Wear eye protection for tiles.

When it sticks or snaps

Switch off and unplug, or remove the battery, before you fight a stuck shank. Let the chuck cool, hold the collar back, and pull the chisel straight out by hand. If it stays, the drill needs a repair. Do not run the motor to eject it. If the shank has already snapped inside, stop. Another £4.84 Hilka chisel will not clear a fragment, and Hilka reviews include snaps on soft plaster that left a DeWalt unusable. Call a professional for suspected asbestos, services you have not located, a structural wall, or a reinforced slab.

Common questions

Why is the chisel spinning?
The mode is still hammer-drill, so the chuck rotates while it hammers. Switch the tool off, then select hammer-only, the chisel symbol with no drill bit. If the drill has only two modes, it cannot stop the rotation, and it is the wrong machine for this accessory. Do not hold the blade to stop the spin.
How do I set the angle?
With the power off, use Vario-Lock or the bit-rotation position, turn the chisel to the angle you need, then select chiselling. On the Bosch GBH 2-26 DRE and DFR that is one of 36 positions, with rotation to the right for chiselling. Vario-Lock is not the mode you work in. Your manual’s symbol names override a different brand’s drawing.
Does every SDS drill chisel?
No. You need hammer-only, sometimes called chipping or a rotation-stop. A drill that only offers rotary and hammer-drill will spin the chisel. Nucraft’s listing states that limit on the box. An SDS max body will not accept these plus shanks at all.
Should I grease the shank?
Yes, lightly, after the grooves are clean. That is the Bosch manual’s practice for SDS shanks, not a brand of spray. A dry, gritty shank sticks. A shank drowned in grease throws oil onto the work and does not lock any more firmly. Refit and check the click and the small slide.
What if it will not come out?
Power off, remove the battery or unplug, and let the chuck cool. Hold the collar back and pull the chisel straight out. If it stays, stop. A fragment already broken off inside the chuck is a repair, not another chisel from the same order. Do not run the drill to eject it.
Can I lever with it like a crowbar?
No. The blows should lift the material. Prising loads the neck until it snaps in the chuck, which is a repeated review on several wide and cheap flats in this comparison. Move along the cut, or change to a wider cranked blade, instead of using the drill as a lever.

Related pages

SDS plus vs SDS max

SDS plus chisel

Best SDS plus chisel for plaster, chasing or tiles

SDS plus chisel set: point, flat, spade or tile blade

SDS chisel to remove tiles: width, crank and length

Sources

Sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026.

  1. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE INDG175, hand-arm vibration (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. HSE, vibration controls (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. HSE, chasing concrete and raking mortar (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Bosch Professional UK, chisels (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Bosch GBH 2-26 manual (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. TEH Tools, SDS-Plus vs SDS-Max (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. GOV.UK, General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)