Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
I am chopping out the dovetails for the top drawer blade that will dovetail into the leg. First one went effortlessly. Nothing shows here so I can oversaw them for enhanced waste removal. Chisel is 1/2" LV PMV11, 25 degrees, Unicorn-lite to strengthen the bevel.

On the 2nd I encountered a knot of astonishing hardness and tenacity, hidden and centered in the dovetail socket. Now that takes "luck". Chisel penetration with normal bashing was nil. I suppose I could have removed the knot with micron slices but that is not my idea of getting on with it. I bashed the chisel harder than ever before to get some penetration and pried to get interlocking waste to release.

Results: The very corner of the bevel tip broke off, a few thousandths inch I estimate. The rest of the Unicorned bevel was intact as best I could tell at 10X magnification. The chisel pared the cross grain base of the dovetail easily to level it.

Never had a chisel tip break before, but then I never encountered a knot like this one before.

I was able to pound the dovetail together with the heel of my hand-Success!