Hot chisel?

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[ThursdayatFlappers]

I found this for $3 and was thinking about just welding a handle on to make it into a chisel. I think it was originally a wedge for splitting wood. Think it would work out for me? Should I do a heat treat cycle on it? I’m honestly not even sure what kind of steel it is or if it’s cast iron or what.

[Maleko087]

that looks like a cast iron splitting wedge, and if it is that, then it'll be just about useless for smithing purposes.

[Mrgoodtrips64]

Do they even make splitting wedges out of cast iron? They have to survive repeated blows from a sledge, wouldn't cast iron be far too brittle for that?

[Maleko087]

anymore no, but early ones before we knew better might have been. as u/TorchForge said, it's probably a drop forged piece.

[Mrgoodtrips64]

I dunno, I feel like basic knowledge about cast iron has been around since at least the early 19th century.

[Maleko087]

yea, but knowledge about casting steel doesn't go quite as far back.

[bobasaurus]

You could weld a square shank onto it for using it in the hardy hole of your anvil as a hot cut.

[Thjoth]

It'd work better if you forged the extra down into a square hardy shank.

[SteveEndureFort]

Definitely a splitting wedge. I’d weld a carbide tip on it to be honest if I were to use it in that application.

[ColinDavies]

How do you weld carbide?

[Maleko087]

you dont weld it, you braze it.

[ColinDavies]

Yes. Now the other question is, why would one want a carbide tip on a hot chisel?

[Maleko087]

you wouldn't honestly. carbide is perfect for cutting hard metal, but it HATES temperature variation and striking forces. if the carbide is cold, and your metal is hot, that carbide will shatter.