A chisel unlike any other....

[Tom Miyata]

Pulled this little guy out of an estate sale in God-knows-where, Arizona.

To say I cannot accurately identify its origin would be an understatement.

I could be wrong, but I've identified four distinct stampings on this chisel. Each stamping seems to be independent of the other three. Follow my logic here:

Stamping #1 seems to be the numerals "3", "11", and "11". These numbers seem to be the same font and style, but the spacing isn't even. Neither are they level with one another.

Stamping #2 is the broad arrow running down the middle. This reminds me of the Butcher arrow stamping. But this doesn't strike me as a British chisel.

Stamping #3 is the phrase, "CLEAN CLIPPER" written between the "11" stamps. I don't even have a guess about this one.

Stamping #4 is the "Wright" and "Wilhelmy Co" written on the edges.

No other markings exist on this chisel. This seems to be a 3/4" chisel with an overall length of approx. 8 1/4"

If anyone can tell me the story as to how this chisel was hammered with these stampings, I would be most grateful.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers!
Tom

[Jim Koepke]

My guess is it was a chisel used in a high school shop class. The numbers were likely stamped on it for identification so it could be tracked to the student to whom it was issued for the class' duration. Alternatively the numbers could indicate the date of purchase.

jtk

[Gary Ragatz]

Wright & Wilhelmy was a wholesale hardware company, operating out of Omaha, started in the early 1900's. I don't think they're in business any more.

Don't know about the numbers - they don't look like they were put there by the manufacturer. Jim's suggestions seem plausible - a date of purchase in 1911 would fit (though I'm not sure why you would stamp a date of purchase on a chisel).

[Jim Koepke]

a date of purchase in 1911 would fit (though I'm not sure why you would stamp a date of purchase on a chisel).

A date was just one thought on this. It could be dated for inventory control or knowing how long a particular chisel might last.

It could also have been an employee number or locker number of someone who used it in a shop.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I would grind the deformed edged off, make a new handle for it, sharpen it, put it to work and. . . .

brag about it on this forum. :)