What are these chisels used for?

[Quonset6015]

A while back i bought some blacksmithing tools from a seller. They had these chisels and I had never seen them before so I bought the batch. They have very sharp edges on the tips. One or two look like they were forged into shape the other appear machine made.

Can anyone ID their purpose and use? (I'll bet someone here can. . . .)

Thanks for helping me along. . . .

Henry Votel
Forest Lake, MN

[ironclad]

they look like plugging chisels to me, some look like they're modified a bit though. plugging chisels are used for cleaning out the mortar from between brick joints.

[Jim Kehler]

I would think they might be for cutting keyways and oil grooves and suchlike.

[Kevin W]

I've got two simmilar to those pictured left. I don't know what they are for but I can tell what you can do with them. I've used mine to cut a channel int mild steel as the first step to inlayin copper wire. The second step using a tiney cold chissel to make undercuts out of the square corners of the channel left by the type of tool pictured. I think they're called gravers.

[Dick L.]

I have a couple straight ones a bit smaller then what you have which I've always known as Cape Chisels. Used them for dressing keyways and cutting oil paths in bronze and babbitt lineshaft bearings and large bushings.
Dick

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

Caping Chisel for cutting keyways.

[Kevin W]

I didn't have a pic of just the channel it left, thats mostly gone over with for making the undercut.

[bigfootnampa]

They are called "cape" chisels. They are used to cut grooves or keyways. Here's a link for more info:

http://toolmonger.com/2009/09/10/get-out-of-a-bind-with-a-cape-chisel/

[IRON FIST RICH]

we call them cape chisels also. they work great for cutting out the bushings on head glands on hydraulic cylinders

[Old N Rusty]

Cape chisels , see MT Richardson " Practical Blacksmithing" vol #2 .

[pkrankow]

The left ones look modified to cut in deep holes, the right ones are a more normal profile.

Phil

[Quonset6015]

Thanks to all for the ID.

Now yo find a use for them.

Best regards,

Henry Votel
Forest Lake, MN

[Michael]

I've started picking up cape chisels whenever I see them at flea markets and garage sales. Useful tools. In my experience, they are Very useful for concentrating a LOT of cutting force in a very small area, usually inaccessible with any other tool. Much more precise than a cold chisel.

[John B]

I've started picking up cape chisels whenever I see them at flea markets and garage sales. Useful tools. In my experience, they are Very useful for concentrating a LOT of cutting force in a very small area, usually inaccessible with any other tool. Much more precise than a cold chisel.

Cape chisels are not a term I am familiar with here in the UK, Are they not classed as a cold chisel themselves? Intended to cut oilways and other applications, cold into cast iron, copper, bronze, brass, babbit etc

The ones shown are known to me as Cow mouth chisels used for cuttiing in oiling grooves,

we also have Cross cut for cutting keyways etc

Diamond point for cleaning up or undercutting

Triangular point for undercutting

And flat ones

All asre also used in applications where they are convenient to use.