I recently acquired an old cut devil. My question is, is it a hot cut tool or a cold cut tool? How where they used and by whom? This one has a railroad stamp. What would have been it's likely use? Any comments are welcome.

Apparently they used these to cold cut rails. We have had threads about these before. They are fairly common... I have a couple.

I have a couple, but don't use them. Been eyeing them for repurposing as small straight peen hammers but don't need any more hammers.

RR tool.....I tried parting a rail after scoring it and didn't have any luck. I watched the ''Botero Team'' hot cut through a 1 1/4''x5'' flat bar on edge with one of these in one heat at Rapid City and the boy swingin' the sledge was no wimp........ B)

As cheaply as they can be found, they are well worth having around. A bit of grinding on the cheeks and some reshaping of the edge... and you have a hot-cut that will last for a thousand years!

Cold cutting RR rail
This is how I was told it was done year ago.
The rail was spiked down to ties the rail was scored all around where the cut was to be.
Jacks were uses to apply pressure then with hot rail from the sun or a torch ice was applied and the rail would brake at the cut line.

Growing up, we always used them for splitting firewood. Always had a couple around......still do, as Dad still heats with wood. Maybe I should give it go cutting railroad rail!

Cold cutting RR rail
This is how I was told it was done year ago.
The rail was spiked down to ties the rail was scored all around where the cut was to be.
Jacks were uses to apply pressure then with hot rail from the sun or a torch ice was applied and the rail would brake at the cut line.

Good info, 781. Much appreciated. Do you know how the jacks were used?

I have split some pieces of track. I cheated a little and cut partially through with a chop saw rather than scoring with one of these, but it still broke without too much trouble. There is a more in depth discussion over in the problem solving section.