Bosch 1-1/2 In. x 10 In. Wide Chisel SDS-plus Bulldog Xtreme Hammer Steel

Why I reached for this wide chisel

I reach for a wide chisel any time I need to peel up brittle masonry, knock down high spots, or break a slab into manageable chunks. Bosch’s SDS-plus wide chisel fits squarely in that category: a 1.5-inch spade, 10-inch overall length, and an SDS-plus shank that drops into any mid-size rotary hammer. I put it to work on a small patio demo, some cinder block clean-up, and a bit of heavy scale removal on a steel fixture. It’s not a magic wand, but it’s a capable, durable bit of hammer steel that rewards good technique.

Setup and compatibility

This is an SDS-plus shank chisel, so make sure you’re pairing it with an SDS-plus rotary hammer in hammer-only (chisel) mode. It won’t fit SDS-max hammers. I used it with a 1-inch-class rotary hammer, and that felt like the sweet spot—enough impact energy to keep the tip moving without overpowering the spade and stalling out. Inserting and indexing the bit is the usual painless SDS-plus affair; it locks with minimal play and can be rotated to suit the working angle.

Design and build

A few details stand out:

• 1.5-inch flat spade: Wide enough to move material quickly, but still narrow enough to steer.
• 10-inch length: Shorter than demolition chisels, which actually helps in tight work—under steps, between forms, along footings, and inside block webs.
• Reinforcement ribs: The blade is ribbed and braced to counter flex and chatter. That translates to better contact with the surface and less tendency for the spade to “skip” when you’re feathering material.
• Heat-treated steel and a long spade section: There’s more usable wear material before you’d need to toss it. Bosch also claims a self-sharpening edge geometry; in practice, the tip maintained a crisp wedge profile after several hours of work.

Fit and finish are excellent. My sample came straight, true, and free of surface defects. The profile transitions are clean, which matters for how stress flows through the steel under impact.

Performance in concrete and masonry

On a 4-inch patio slab, I used a combination of scoring and chiseling to break it into roughly 18-by-18-inch sections. The wide spade excels at initiating and propagating fractures once you’ve introduced a relief. It’s not a point chisel—don’t expect it to punch through dense concrete in one spot—but once a crack starts, the 1.5-inch edge quickly lifts and levers chunks free. I was able to work consistently without overheating the bit or the hammer, and I appreciated how the tip stayed flat rather than mushrooming.

On cinder block (CMU), the chisel is almost tailor-made. The spade spans webs and cleaves away faceshells cleanly. It’s easy to feather thin layers when you want to preserve a backing surface. Mortar knock-down goes fast as well; the blade width gives you coverage without needing to overlap a dozen passes.

For concrete spatter and high-spot removal, the stability from those ribbed flanks helps. The tip stays planted, and the edge holds its bite long enough that you can “plane” proud areas without skating.

Beyond concrete

While it’s not marketed for steel, I did use it to chip heavy slag and laser-cut burrs from a thick chute assembly. The edge took some abuse without rolling or snapping. In this kind of off-label use, control is everything—lower the hammer cadence if your tool allows, keep a shallow approach angle, and don’t pry. I stopped once to dress the edge with a stone, more out of habit than necessity.

Precision and control

A common issue with wide chisels is deflection: you start a pass, the blade catches, and it hops out of line. The ribbed design mitigates that. With a slight forward bias and a shallow angle, I could shave in a straight path. The 10-inch length also helps your body mechanics—you’re closer to the material, which gives better feedback and reduces the lever arm that causes chatter.

If you try to take huge bites in hard concrete, you’ll bog the tip and waste energy. The trick is:

• Score or pre-drill relief holes (1/2 inch works nicely) if you’re taking down thick or very hard sections.
• Keep the chisel flatter than you think—let the edge wedge under the surface rather than stabbing into it.
• Advance in overlapping passes rather than trying to peel a 1.5-inch swath in one go.

Used this way, progress is steady and controllable.

Durability and edge retention

After a day’s worth of work—several hours on slab and block—the edge still presented a sharp working face. I didn’t see mushrooming at the shank end, and there was no visible bending or twist in the spade. The “self-sharpening” claim manifests less as magic and more as a geometry that tends to renew the wedge as it wears. The heat treat seems spot-on: not so hard that it chips, not so soft that it folds. I wouldn’t hesitate to put this chisel into repeated service for medium demolition and surface prep.

Ergonomics and handling

A 10-inch bit is easy to manage in awkward positions. Working under a stair landing and along a foundation, I could keep the tool compact without smacking the handle into surrounding surfaces. The wide spade also damps vibration a bit by distributing impact over a broader face; combined with good gloves and a modern rotary hammer, fatigue was very manageable.

Where it shines

• Breaking slabs after relief cuts or holes are introduced
• Removing CMU faceshells and trimming block openings
• Knocking down high spots, humps, and concrete spatter
• Scaling off thin overlays, mortar, and hard-setting adhesives
• Working in confined areas where a longer SDS-max chisel won’t fit

Where it falls short

• Not a substitute for SDS-max if you’re doing heavy demo all day; impact energy of the hammer becomes the bottleneck
• The wide blade will stall if you bite too deep into very hard, aggregate-rich concrete
• The 10-inch length is great for tight spaces but won’t reach deep into forms or thick walls
• If you need surgical precision for crack chasing or anchor cleaning, a narrower chisel is better

None of these are flaws of this chisel so much as natural trade-offs of a wide SDS-plus spade.

Comparisons and alternatives

If your work leans toward heavy demolition—thick monolithic pours, reinforced footings—an SDS-max wide chisel paired with a larger hammer will move material faster and with less effort. On the other end, a 1-inch or 3/4-inch flat chisel provides more control for delicate trimming and cleanup. For tile and flooring removal, a purpose-designed scaling chisel with a slightly different geometry might reduce gouging in substrates.

Within the SDS-plus class, Bosch’s wide chisel stands out for its stability and wear life. The ribbing and long spade section aren’t gimmicks; they pay off in consistent contact and a longer useful edge.

Value

Given the construction and how well it holds an edge, the value is strong. You’re not paying a premium just for a logo here; you’re buying predictable performance and a service life that outlasts many generic chisels. It’s made in Italy, the machining is clean, and the heat treat is uniformly good—things you notice only when they’re missing.

Tips for best results

• Use hammer-only mode and a mid-size SDS-plus rotary hammer.
• Pre-drill or score on hard slabs to set up controlled breaks.
• Keep a shallow attack angle; let the width do the work.
• Back off the trigger when the blade starts to chatter; re-approach with lighter, faster passes.
• Occasionally rotate the shank to even wear across the spade.

Recommendation

I recommend this Bosch SDS-plus wide chisel to anyone doing medium-duty concrete and masonry removal with a mid-size rotary hammer. It’s compact, stable, and durable, with a 1.5-inch edge that moves material efficiently without surrendering control. If your workload is mostly heavy demolition, step up to SDS-max. If you need precision trimming, pair this with a narrower chisel. For everything in between—slabs after relief cuts, CMU cleanup, surface prep in tight spaces—this chisel is an easy choice that earns its spot in the kit.