Cold Chisel
A hardened steel chisel for cutting and shaping metal, driven by a hammer.
What is it?
The cold chisel is a hardened tool used with a hammer to cut, break, or shape metal. It is struck on the head to shear metal, remove rivets, or split nuts, and must be held at the correct angle.
What is it used for?
- Cutting sheet metal
- Splitting rusted nuts and bolts
- Shaping and mortising metal
How to choose
Choose width to the job; a cape chisel is narrower for slots, a flat chisel wider for cutting. Safety glasses are essential because chips fly.
Anatomy
Understanding the parts of a cold chisel helps you use, maintain, and buy it with confidence.
- Body: the main working portion of the tool
- Working end: the part that contacts the material
- Handle: the part you grip for control and leverage
Materials & construction
Quality cold chisels are made from hardened, heat-treated steel (often chrome-vanadium or high-carbon) chosen for strength, edge retention, and resistance to wear and corrosion.
Safety & maintenance
- Wear safety glasses; struck chips and fragments are a hazard
- Dress any mushroomed striking face with a file
- Inspect for cracks and replace damaged tools
- Strike only with a properly fitted tool designed for impact
Also known as
flat chisel, masonry chisel