To remove mushroom from used chisels/punches or not?

[Mohawk Dave]

Ok, when picking up old chisels/punches from yard sales etc, do you guys taper the striking end back down or leave the mushroom?

Of course, it takes 10 seconds with a flap disc to get the taper back on (think of the way the SO punches look), but then you have a smaller striking area.

Is it better to have a little mushroom for striking area? Common sense would assume so.

What you say? Here's a google pic of clean ends with the taper.

 

[Bob-B]

The first thing I do is to taper them back down just like you show in your pic on a bench grinder. I have seen parts of a large mushroom head break off and become a projectile.

 

[A_Pmech]

It's always good shop practice to grind off the mushroom. When striking the end of a mushroomed tool it is possible for portions of the head to break away with enough force to penetrate skin and eyes.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Right on. Thanks fellas!

 

[Outlawmws]

It's always good shop practice to grind off the mushroom. When striking the end of a mushroomed tool it is possible for portions of the head to break away with enough force to penetrate skin and eyes.

 

[glenmore]

I have some garage sale chisels with giant mushrooms that I am practicing on.

It has taken a bit of grinding to get them back to normal.

Is there any concern for temper on the striking end of a chisel?

 

[signcrafter]

It's always good shop practice to grind off the mushroom. When striking the end of a mushroomed tool it is possible for portions of the head to break away with enough force to penetrate skin and eyes.

When I was a little kid my step dad was working on an axle, don't remember what axle or what he was doing but it was in our driveway on jackstands. He was using a chisel and hammer on something that wasn't cooperating with him. The mushroomed head broke away and shot into his knee. As soon as my mom got home from work we went to the hospital and sat for a long time while they dug all the metal parts out of his knee. Good learning experience for me, not so much for him! I always dress my chisel heads now.

 

[Scotsman1886]

Ouch! I have always ground them off.

 

[2oolhound]

I have some garage sale chisels with giant mushrooms that I am practicing on.

It has taken a bit of grinding to get them back to normal.

Is there any concern for temper on the striking end of a chisel?

Yes, always have a container of water near the grinder and dunk the tool frequently to keep the temp down. Specially the cutting edges.

 

[rlitman]

Yes, always have a container of water near the grinder and dunk the tool frequently to keep the temp down. Specially the cutting edges.

Look closely at the picture of those Snap On chisels and punches. They are heat treated at both ends (just like my Starrett punches).

 

[E.Marquez]

It's always good shop practice to grind off the mushroom. When striking the end of a mushroomed tool it is possible for portions of the head to break away with enough force to penetrate skin and eyes.

THIS ^^^^^
Taught that way 30 years aon in High School Auto shop, been doing it every since,, and helped more than one tech remove shards of steel out of an arm or hand from a mushroomed chisel Thus validating my education

 

[sberry]

This is a drawer that has grown on my service cart, I am going to strip about 60% of it off in short order, weight for nothing. I use about 10% of it and some of the other modern tools have really reduced the need for a lot of this, made it work easier. The modern 4 1/2 grinder has actually reduced the need for a lot of chisel and rough punch work that used to be common. I got a 5 gallon bucket of that stuff, its nice to have a little extra to modify a tool without having a guilt trip but truth be known could get buy with a set or 2 I seen pictured here at the 99% level.

 

[sberry]

Pile of extra.

 

[2oolhound]

The modern 4 1/2 grinder has actually reduced the need for a lot of chisel and rough punch work that used to be common.

This is so true but the chisel doesn't throw the sparks and you don't have to plug it in so will always be good to have around.

 

[sberry]

I agree, not entirely gone but I would say we beat way more stuff apart when I was a kid, now if I can help it put a bit in an air gun give it a little whack. Most chores I find in general are small, probably use a punch way more than a chisel but even that is nothing compared to channelocks or combo/adjustable wrenches. You can chisel a nut off if you got to, I would have to think the last time I really used a chisel.

 

[sberry]

I wrench, I plier, I hammer, I drill, I grind, I chop saw, I sawzall, I rarely file. Way after torch and plasma cut.

 

[crewchief888]

this happened quite a few years ago, i was rebuilding a front axle on a loader/ BH kingpins were seized in the axle housing, finally got the housing cherry red, and started with my trusty 16 lb sledge hammer, mechnaic next to me was holding a pin hammer, after several heavy blows the pin started to move.
i felt something hit me in the leg, but i wasnt stopping till the pin was out.
when the pin finally hit the floor, i looked down to my leg and saw a small hole in my pants just above the knee, pulled my pants leg up, and i had blood running down into my boot.

checked back of my leg or an exit wound, nada
trip to the emgency clinic for exrays, found a chuck of metal about the size of a pencil eraser in my leg. i was sent to the hospital ER, and a sugeon met me there. what started as a small entrance wound ended up as my leg laid open about 4 inches to retrieve the chunk. sewed back up and sent on my way with instructions to visit the surgeon in his office the next day.
took no pain killers that night, i was fine.
next morning i get up, my leg is bent backwards at the knee, i swear he stiched my foot to my azz
took several days of muscle relaxers before i could straighten my leg

 

[Mohawk Dave]

^ I lol'd.

 

[srmofo]

It's always good shop practice to grind off the mushroom. When striking the end of a mushroomed tool it is possible for portions of the head to break away with enough force to penetrate skin and eyes.

or fall down into places where you dont want little chips of steel.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

or fall down into places where you dont want little chips of steel.

ohh..never thought of that. Nice.

 

[lilredex]

An "old school" method of safe ending chisels.....

 

[wafrederick]

Here is what can happen if a chisel or punch is mushroomed at the 9:16 mark shaking hands with danger

 

[diesel research]

brazed striking cap, ingenious. bet a water bath would reduce chance of drawing the shank.

 

[aluminum13]

And here I was, didn't even know this was a thing that could cause problems.

I can't braze, but I can grind and quench. Good to know.

 

[2oolhound]

By the same token you could machine the end down to round for 1/2" or so then drill the same diameter hole in the end of a bronze shaft and slip it over the end. You could sweat it into place with a propane torch.

 

[Haveblue]

I dress the ends...its not worth the risk. The mushroom really doest give you any more striking area as it has peeled away from the shank, is just useless metal that can fragment. I put a very slight taper on mine. Grind the mushroom as staight as you can to the shank, and then, a slight taper angle around the stiking surface. and btw, If you are going to beat the piss out of a puch or chisel, hold it with vise grips, pliers, or whatever..get your hand out of harms way!

 

[Exceller8]

It's always good shop practice to grind off the mushroom. When striking the end of a mushroomed tool it is possible for portions of the head to break away with enough force to penetrate skin and eyes.

^^^^^ This ^^^^

 

[greasemonkey44]

i put a slight taper on them; the cheaper the punch the more often you have to

 

[carcajou]

Guys watch your hammer faces too. Last winter when removing a pin a coworker stopped to see if the pin was moving when i stuck it. Unfortunately a small piece of hammer face come off and entered one of his eyes. He lost his eye and several months of work. Yes he did have safety glasses on but they are not 100% effective when bending over, we found out. Now i watch chisels, punches and hammers very closely. Live and learn

 

[CWP1616L]

I won't use a punch or chisel that's been mushroomed. I never let my punches and chisels get to that point anyway.

 

[Exceller8]

I won't use a punch or chisel that's been mushroomed. I never let my punches and chisels get to that point anyway.

But you get the best deals used when they look like that. I get them for a quarter and 5 minutes on the grinder and she is as good as new.

 

[diesel research]

If you are going to beat the piss out of a puch or chisel, hold it with vise grips, pliers, or whatever..get your hand out of harms way!

there is a proper tool for that.

 

[blacK20]

I just grind off the thinner edges of the mushroom so that pieces don't come flying off, but don't completely remove it. I feel the punch is more stable when there is a slightly larger striking surface.

 

[Provincial]

I know a fellow who was using a drill drift (tapered wedge) to remove a Morse Taper drill bit from a sleeve. The drift had a slight mushroom on it, but not bad. A small piece broke off and entered his eye. He recovered, but lost partial vision. The worst part is that he had taken off his safety glasses to eat lunch, then decided to remove the drill before he ate!

The lesson is that even a small mushroom can split off and be dangerous.

 

[kevin47]

This ( mushrooming ) is common with wood splitting wedges, too...Use an Oxy-Ace torch to clean them up...You want them soft so they do mushroom...To a point...Until they start to "work-harden" ( Plastic Deformation ) then torch or grind it off before it's hardness causes it to break-off and hurt yourself...Should be inspected before each use...Unless of course your an idiot...Fair warning...Don't forget your safety glasses...

 

[kevin47]

By the same token you could machine the end down to round for 1/2" or so then drill the same diameter hole in the end of a bronze shaft and slip it over the end. You could sweat it into place with a propane torch.

Your wife has a list of **** she would like you to do but you just don't seem to have the time...

I don't wonder why...

 

[kevin47]

I know a fellow who was using a drill drift (tapered wedge) to remove a Morse Taper drill bit from a sleeve. The drift had a slight mushroom on it, but not bad. A small piece broke off and entered his eye. He recovered, but lost partial vision. The worst part is that he had taken off his safety glasses to eat lunch, then decided to remove the drill before he ate!

The lesson is that even a small mushroom can split off and be dangerous.

Here's what I do...You put on your safety glasses as you get out of your car to go into work...You take them off as you leave the parking lot...Some people never learn...This is a really lousy way to learn by experience...Most shops require you to enter the building with your safety glasses on...One stupid way to live and learn...

 

[kevin47]

I just grind off the thinner edges of the mushroom so that pieces don't come flying off, but don't completely remove it. I feel the punch is more stable when there is a slightly larger striking surface.

Some folks say the same thing about "*****", too...But their just mis-glided...Good thing you have help...

 

[TheGrooveking]

Of note if OSHA comes into your workplace they may inspect your tools, One company I worked for was dinged because a few machinists had punches that were mushroomed. Same goes for loose hammerheads and mid- shaped screwdriver tips.

TheGrooveking

 

[rlitman]

brazed striking cap, ingenious. bet a water bath would reduce chance of drawing the shank.

I don't see this as a good idea at all. Temper starts to get drawn at temperatures as low as 300F in these tool steels (chisels are not HSS). Brazing only starts to adhere when the metal is glowing. Any brazing will absolutely kill the temper. It may not draw out the shaft, but better chisels have harder striking surfaces.

I just grind off the thinner edges of the mushroom so that pieces don't come flying off, but don't completely remove it. I feel the punch is more stable when there is a slightly larger striking surface.

Learn to hit straight with a hammer. A larger striking surface makes it LESS stable, because you now can accidentally hit it off center.