Chipping is an all too common occurrence in nature, ubiquitous in various aspects of home and outdoor experience. While it can have deleterious consequences, it can also be harnessed to advantage in such diverse areas as manufacturing, health care, biological evolution and anthropological tool reproduction. This article outlines the fundamental science of chipping, with a broad selection of illustrative case studies. While the focus will be on those solids most susceptible to chip fracture, namely those of an intrinsically brittle nature, the generality of the underlying mechanics will be a central theme.