Unknown tool

[Jim Rouse]

Greetings from a new member.
I am interested in all kinds of hand tools, particularly saws and axes.
I have a photo here of something I cannot identify. It looks like a mortise axe, but it's edge is two sided. The other end is a hammer. It is 7 1/2" long. It's probably blacksmith made. Does anyone have any ideas about what this might be?
Thank you

[Lamar Keeney]

I'm pretty sure it was used by a blacksmith for cutting thicker steel much like a cold chisel. It could be struck by using the handle or placed a hit by another hammer.

Welcome to the forum.

Regards, Lamar

[Karl Andersson]

sure looks like a mortice ax with the blunt end meant for hitting with a maul, not used as a hammer. The handle isn't very big because you don't swing the tool, it just holds the head in place while you strike it. Many of the antigue ones in books/ web look to be double-beveled, so that may be correct. Of course, I'm not an expert and can't go through past-life regression right now...

[Lonnie Gallaher]

I knew working in a blacksmith shop would come in handy. This is a "hot cut chisel". The hole is obviously to accept a sledge hammer size wooden handle. The tool is held by the blacksmith with the chisel edge on the material to be cut; the blacksmith also holds the hot material to be cut with a pair of tongs, while the blacksmith helper "striker" hits the pall end of the hot cut chisel with a sledge hammer. The cut is performed on the anvil with a piece of scrape steel between the work and the top of the anvil. This keeps from damaging the anvil and the chisel.

If I can indulge the creeker's with a true story. Imagine the above process. This cutting process would be most often used to cut off the tapered forging of a cold chisel, a welders chipping hammer or the chisel end of a pry bar to form the edge where the chisel cutting surface will be. Now consider what happens to the small end of the work being cut. It sometimes takes off like it was shot from a gun.

Now the story. When the "striker" hit the hot cut chisel the cut off always goes some where. We never paid much attention to where until one day when the cut off landed on the template table for a plate burning machine. This machine was about 60 feet from the blacksmith shop, but in the same building. Seeing something land on the template table the operator of course was curious. A piece of steel, about the size of a quarter that has been cut in half, that is 1800 to 2000 deg. F. does not cool off much flying 60 feet through the air. Needless the say the plate burning machine operator did not look long at his new found treasure.

[Trevor Walsh]

I agree, hot cut Chisel, the "hammer end" would be struck with a blow from the apprentice while the master held the tongs+hot metal and the hot cut in the other hand.

[george wilson]

You should not cut the part completely off,but cut it nearly off,except for a hair,then wiggle it loose to avoid shrapnel,and to avoid dulling the cutter by striking it on the anvil face. That sounds dangerous,to let things go flying. They don't do that in Williamsburg.

[harry strasil]

It's best to cool the small offcut in water then just a tap or moving it just a bit lets it break off and fall to the floor or in the scrap container without danger of someone getting burned or starting a fire from dropping in/on some flammable object. Most smiths use a copper or soft iron plate laid on the anvil to protect the anvil from the cutting edge and the cutting edge from the anvil.

[ray hampton]

when you hold a hunk of metal in one hand , swing hammer with other hand, whom are holding the chisel, the holes in the anvil are for holding the chisel , then the metal can be held on the chisel and hit with hammer, right oir wrong way to do it by your self