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Cartographer's Chisels are one of the most commonly used currency items once you reach the Atlas and start running maps regularly in Path of Exile. Their purpose is simple but important: each chisel increases the quality of a map, and quality directly increases the item quantity of that map. In short, more quality = more loot. Because of that, most players try to maintain a good supply of chisels as they push mapping progression, especially in mid-to-late endgame.

However, chisels can feel expensive early on, and buying them from trade every time isn't always ideal. That's where vendor recipes come in. These recipes allow you to convert maps and other items into chisels without spending extra currency — perfect for keeping your mapping flow smooth.

Below is a clear breakdown of all the main vendor recipes for Cartographer's Chisels, along with tips for when and how to use them efficiently.

Recipe 1: 1 Normal 20% Quality Map → 1 Cartographer's Chisel

Outcome: 1× Cartographer's Chisel

Recipe:

• 1× Normal (white) map
• The map must be 20% quality
• Rarity must be normal only (not magic, rare, or unique)

If the map is magic or rare, Scour it first, then quality it up.

When to use this recipe:

• Good early-game method when chisels are expensive
• Useful if you have a lot of low-tier white maps you don't plan to run

Personal tip: If you're progressing Atlas for the first time, be careful not to trade away maps you still need for completion.

Recipe 2: Any Maps Adding Up to 40% Total Quality → 1 Cartographer's Chisel

Outcome: 1× Cartographer's Chisel

Recipe:

• Any maps of any rarity
• Combine enough maps so their total quality = 40%

Example:

• A 10% + 10% + 10% + 10% = 40% → 1 chisel
• A 20% + 20% map = 40% → 1 chisel

Important Rule:
You cannot combine leftover quality. For example:
6 maps with quality values: 19%, 13%, 15%, 9%, 17%, 7%
Total = 80%, but the vendor still gives only 1 chisel, not 2.
The reason is that each individual combination must sum to 40% on its own.

Best use case:

• When you have many low-value duplicate maps
• When you don't care about running certain tiers anymore

Personal tip: Don't waste your high-tier progression maps in this recipe. Use leftover or unwanted maps only.

If you ever find yourself short on chisels while mapping, just remember this recipe is a great way to turn those leftover maps into extra value. And if you're trying to speed up progression overall, you can always buy PoE Currency cheap at U4N to keep your build and mapping rolling smoothly.

Recipe 3: 1 Gavel (20% Quality) + 1 Map → 1 Cartographer's Chisel

Outcome: 1× Cartographer's Chisel

Recipe:

• 1× Gavel with 20% weapon quality
• 1× Any map (any rarity, any quality)

How to get a 20% Gavel easily:

• Use Blacksmith's Whetstones on a normal (white) Gavel — they apply more quality to normal items.
• For example, if the gavel is white, each whetstone gives +5% quality, so it only takes 4 whetstones.

When to use this recipe:

• If you're short on maps to trade but have extra whetstones
• Early-game when Gavel drops are common and maps are limited

Which Cartographer's Chisel Recipe Is Best?

General advice:

• Avoid trading away high-tier progression maps unless you're already past that point.
• Always quality maps to 20% before running them when you can — the payoff in extra drops is worth it.

Summary

Cartographer's Chisels help boost map quality, which increases loot. The vendor recipes are a reliable way to keep a steady supply going without relying on trading:

1. Normal 20% Map → Chisel (simple, costs maps)
2. Maps totaling 40% quality → Chisel (use extras/duplicates)
3. 20% Gavel + Map → Chisel (great early if maps are scarce)

With these recipes in mind, you'll be able to maintain map quantity, keep farming efficiently, and avoid the frustration of running out of chisels at crucial times.