Always use a cold chisel that’s slightly wider than what you’re cutting. Wet the chisel’s edge with a drop of machine oil. That lubrication helps it slip through hardened metal grains.

Good advice: To cut pavers, use a rubber mallet and a cold chisel -- not a woodworking chisel -- made from high-carbon steel. Draw a line on the paver with a pencil, then make a scratch, known as ...