STRUCK OR HAMMERED TOOLS
Cold Chisels | Hot Chisels | All-Steel Wood and Ripping Chisels | Hand Punches | Blacksmiths' Round Punches | Blacksmiths' Backing Out Punches | Drift Pins | Star Drills | Brick Chisels and Brick Sets | Wood Splitting Wedges | Nail Puller Bars | Nail Sets

INTRODUCTION
This section deals with the use-related tools that are struck with the tools described in Section III.

A knowledge of the basics of good tool design will be helpful. The striking and struck faces of tools are designed to direct the force of blows toward the center or body of the tool. Blows struck off center are not directed toward the body of the tool where they can be absorbed, but rather travel directly along the sides of the tool where there is insufficient back-up material. The net effect is shearing which is dangerous.

The angle and thickness of the cutting edges of tools are designed to give maximum cut and durability. When the cutting edge becomes dull, not only does the cutting ability decrease, but the durability is drastically reduced. Many failures are caused by dullness.

COLD CHISELS

Description. With the exception of the blacksmiths' pattern, cold chisels may be made from round, square, hexagon or octagon steel stock. The blacksmiths' cold chisel is fitted with a handle.

Proper Uses. Cold chisels have a cutting edge at one end for cutting, shaping and removing metal softer than the cutting edge itself such as cast iron, wrought iron, steel, bronze, copper, etc. and a struck face on the opposite end.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use cold chisels for cutting or splitting stone or concrete. Never use a dull chisel or one with a mushroomed head. Never use a blacksmiths' cold chisel with a loose or damaged handle.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any chisel if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle. If cutting edge is dull, it may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

HOT CHISELS

Description. Hot chisels or hot cutters are very similar to blacksmiths' cold chisels except that the cutting edge or bit is wider and the blade is thinner.

Proper Uses. Hot chisels are designed for cutting hot steel.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use hot chisels for cutting cold metal, stone or concrete. Never use a dull chisel or one with a mushroomed head. Never use a chisel with a loose or damaged handle.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any chisel if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle. If cutting edge is dull, it may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

ALL-STEEL WOOD AND RIPPING CHISELS

Description. This type of wood chisel is made from a single piece of steel comprising blade, handle and struck face.

Proper Uses. These are heavy-duty wood cutting tools designed for rough work.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use an all-steel chisel with a mushroomed struck face or a chipped or dull cutting edge. Never use on metal.

When to Replace. Discard any chisel if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If cutting edge is dull, it may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

HAND PUNCHES

Description. Hand punches are made in the various patterns illustrated from square, round, hexagon or octagon steel stock.

Proper Uses. Punches are designed to mark metal and other materials softer than the point end, drive and remove pin and rivets, and align holes in different sections of material.

RIGHT

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a punch with a mushroomed struck face or with a dull, chipped or deformed point.

When to Replace. Discard any punch if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If point is dull or deformed, it may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

BLACKSMITHS' PUNCHING ROUND

BACKING OUT

Description. Blacksmiths' round and backing out punches are made from a solid piece of steel. The punch end of the round punch is tapered from point to body, whereas the punch end of the backing out punch is the same diameter from point to body. Both types are fitted with handles.

Proper Uses. Blacksmiths' round punches are designed for drifting holes, aligning and driving pins. Blacksmiths' backing out punches are designed for backing out bolts, rivets and pins.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a punch with a mushroomed struck face or a chipped or deformed point. Never use a punch with a loose or damaged handle.

When to Replace. Discard any punch if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. If point end is deformed, it may be redressed as instructed in Section V. If handle only is damaged, replace it with an equivalent new handle.

DRIFT PINS

Description. Drift pins are made from round steel stock. The Plug or Standard type has an abrupt taper at one end and a longer taper at the other end. The Barrel type has equal tapers at both ends.

Proper Uses. Drift pins are designed for aligning holes in metal.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a drift pin as a punch. Never strike a drift pin if either end is chipped or mushroomed.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any drift pin if it is bent or either end shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. Deformed points may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

STAR DRILLS

Description. The cutting end of a star drill resembles four chisels joined at their cutting edges to form a cross.

Proper Uses. Star drills are designed for drilling holes in masonry (stone, concrete, brick, etc.). They should be struck squarely with a hand drilling hammer or sledge, and the drill should be rotated after each blow.

RIGHT

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a star drill on anything but masonry. Never use a star drill with a dull cutting edge or with a chipped, battered or mushroomed struck face.

When to Replace. Discard any star drill if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or excessive wear. If cutting edges are dull, they may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

BRICK CHISELS AND BRICK SETS

Description. These types of chisels and sets are made from a single piece of steel comprising blade, handle and struck face. The chisel has a double bevel; the set, a single bevel to form the cutting edge.

Proper Uses. These chisels and sets are designed for scoring and cutting, adjusting and trimming bricks or blocks. They should be struck with a hand drilling hammer or sledge-not a bricklayers' hammer or a nail hammer.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use these tools on metal-they are strictly masonry tools. Never use a chisel or set with dull cutting edge or with chipped, battered or mushroomed struck face.

WRONG

When to Replace. Discard any chisel or set if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. Dull cutting edges may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

WOOD SPLITTING WEDGES

Description. Wood splitting wedges are usually made from a solid piece of steel. They are made in various patterns, the ones illustrated being the most commonly used.

Proper Uses. Wood splitting wedges are designed for splitting logs, firewood, staves and other wood products. Always use a wood-choppers' maul or an axe to make a starting notch. Wedges should be struck with a sledge or wood-choppers' maul having a larger striking face than the struck face of the wedge.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a wedge with a mushroomed or chipped struck face.

When to Replace. Discard any wedge if it shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or excessive wear. If splitting edge is dull it may be redressed as instructed in Section V.

NAIL PULLER BARS

Description. Nail puller bars are made from bar steel stock. The claw ends are formed at an angle to pull nails.

Proper Uses. The nail puller bar is designed or extracting deeply imbedded nails. The claw is driven into the wood under the nail head by striking the heel of the claw with a heavy hammer such as a hand drilling hammer or sledge. The nail is then extracted at an angle by pulling the bar in the direction of the user.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a nail hammer to strike a nail puller bar. The striking face is too small and may chip.

When to Replace. Discard any bar that is bent or has a chipped or broken claw or a rounded or dull bevel.

NAIL SETS

Description. Nail sets are made from bar steel stock and have a cupped point end opposite the struck face.

Proper Uses. Nail sets are used to drive finishing nail heads below a wood surface.

Abuse/Misuse. Never use a nail set for punching holes in metal, marking metal, aligning holes or driving pins or rivets.

When to Replace. Discard any nail set if it is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming or excessive wear. Discard – do not redress.

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