Abstract: In a dovetail shaper metal-cutting tool that is utilized in a chip-type machining process to cut into a metal workpiece a specified dovetail-shaped slot having a specific right hand and left hand dovetail angle and a specified bottom dimension, the improvement comprising: a plurality of cutting teeth at least one of which has a both a right hand dovetail cutting edge to cut into the workpiece the specified right hand dovetail angle and a right hand bottom cutting edge that measures at least one-half of the specified bottom dimension of the dovetail slot to cut into the workpiece at least one-half of the specified bottom dimension, and at least one other of which has both a left hand dovetail cutting edge to cut into the workpiece the specified left hand dovetail angle and a left hand bottom cutting edge that measures at least one-half of the specified bottom dimension of the dovetail slot to cut into the workpiece at least one-half of the specified bottom dimension.