Ice Chisels

You can't take just any piece of steel, temper it, and make a cutting tool out of it. The hardness or softness of steel is controlled by the amount of carbon in the steel's composition. The degree and quality of the temper is controlled by the location of the carbon in the molecular structure. Think of it as a circle surrounded by carbon. Tempering, the act of heating and quenching, controls how much carbon gets inside the circle. Top grade tools are made from spring steel and high carbon tool steel because both of these steels have a lot of carbon to move around in the tempering process.

I asked my blacksmith to make me an ice chisel with a socket head so I could add a long wood handle. This would be handy when chopping through thick ice, and could be used as a sounding pole when walking on thin ice. He made me 6, I have 4 left. They are made from spring steel, heated and straightened, reheated and tempered as only he knows how to do. The sockets are pipe, mortised to accept the blade, and welded into place.

Ice Chisel

$45.00

Ice Chisel Sheath

$20.00