Wow, Ted, thank you! I love that word kerf: kerf, kerf, kerf! So, a kerf is a kind of skinny mortis? I didn't know end to end was the weakest: I had thought it was the strongest, because being rougher would make the glue bond to the wood better.
Um--I am uncertain as to what you mean by chisels. My dad had what he called a chisel: a short-but-fairly-thick metal rod, tapered on one end. You put the tapered end against the wood and hit the other end with a hammer. I call the (electric) tool to cut holes a hole saw. Is it also a chisel? (A chisel on steroids, maybe? ) It is a friend when a lock needs to be installed, that's for sure. My father used a plane to smooth wood (prior to the sanding stage). Is a chisel better? Are they better than files? (I really ought to take a class...)