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Author Topic: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?  (Read 4338 times)

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Offline dimwittedmoose51

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A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« on: February 28, 2013, 01:09:42 AM »
This thing is cool looking, but what is it's mission in life???

TIA


DM&FS
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Offline Bill Houghton

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2013, 02:04:25 AM »
Stone work?

Making pretty shapes from cauliflower?
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Offline anglesmith

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2013, 02:47:53 AM »
Star punch/pinking iron, used for decorative leather work, particularly saddlers.
Graeme
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Offline Papaw

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2013, 04:37:23 AM »
Must be pretty soft then Graeme. Look at the head, how beat up it is. Would it need to be struck that hard on leatherwork?
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Offline amertrac

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2013, 04:59:47 AM »
 A moulding/ furniture chisel ?  bob w.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2013, 05:03:00 AM by amertrac »
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Offline RedVise

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2013, 07:15:24 AM »
Quote from: Papaw on February 28, 2013, 04:37:23 AM
Must be pretty soft then Graeme. Look at the head, how beat up it is. Would it need to be struck that hard on leatherwork?

If you ask the old timers, I am pretty sure they will tell you the cows, and leather, were a lot tougher in the old days...




ahem, I couldn't resist !!

Brian L.
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Offline thiggy

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2013, 07:48:21 AM »
Could it be a stone carver's tool?
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Offline Branson

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2013, 08:01:05 AM »
Graeme has it -- a pinking punch.  Here's an example.   A couple of strikes and it will make the star-like leathers that go under the conches on saddles and other western wear.  A few years of being pounded through heavy leather will mushroom the head.
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Offline scottg

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2013, 10:51:54 AM »
Saddle and boot leather is sometimes ~1/4" thick! It gets heavy.
 Many tools meant to be pounded leave the shank intentionally soft to absorb shock and not break.
You are supposed to grind/file off the mushroom every once in a while!
I have heard stories of destroyed eyeballs over mushroomed tool heads.
  I reduce them back to a safe lace as soon as I get one.

I only have one of these too, but they were made in lots of sizes. A guy could probably round up 8 or 10 different sizes. 
 yours Scott
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Offline Bill Houghton

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2013, 12:01:47 PM »
Quote from: scottg on February 28, 2013, 10:51:54 AM
A guy could probably round up...
Driveby pun alert!
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Offline anglesmith

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2013, 04:13:57 PM »
DWM, One of the reason why many old tools mushroomed like that (apart from they didn't bother or see the need to dress them!) is that the body was made from wrought iron with the working end steeled. I'll be surprised if your one hasn't been steeled it certainly looks old enough!
I will add, that I suspect that wrought iron doesn't fly and chip like modern alloy chisel steels but I haven't use a wrought iron tool long enough to prove it! We have probably all seen old socket mortise chisels (wrought iron) hammered down to a 1" stub!
Graeme


Added futher thought
« Last Edit: February 28, 2013, 04:31:26 PM by anglesmith »
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Offline dimwittedmoose51

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2013, 05:37:48 PM »
Thanks all

DM&FS

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Offline wvtools

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Re: A Cauliflower Chisel?? Why?
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2013, 07:35:04 AM »
Quote from: anglesmith on February 28, 2013, 04:13:57 PM
DWM, One of the reason why many old tools mushroomed like that (apart from they didn't bother or see the need to dress them!) is that the body was made from wrought iron with the working end steeled. I'll be surprised if your one hasn't been steeled it certainly looks old enough!
I will add, that I suspect that wrought iron doesn't fly and chip like modern alloy chisel steels but I haven't use a wrought iron tool long enough to prove it! We have probably all seen old socket mortise chisels (wrought iron) hammered down to a 1" stub!
Graeme


Added futher thought


Even with all steel chisels and punches, the working end is usually more tempered and the head is not.  As Graeme said, you want the head to mushroom a little instead of chip.
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