# Sovereignty Module: Strike the Chisel

## Complete Chisel and Punch Forging: From Bar to Edge

Chisels and punches are essential tools for woodworking, masonry, and metalworking. This campaign covers cold chisels, wood chisels, punches, and proper heat treatment for each.

### Chapter 1: Chisel Types

| Type | Material | Edge Angle | Use | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold chisel (flat) | Medium-high carbon steel | 60-70° | Cutting cold metal | HRC 52-56 |
| Hot chisel (hardy) | Medium carbon steel | 30-40° | Cutting hot metal on anvil | HRC 48-52 |
| Wood chisel (bench) | High carbon steel | 25-30° | Paring and chopping wood | HRC 58-62 |
| Wood chisel (mortise) | High carbon steel | 30-35° | Chopping mortises | HRC 56-60 |
| Masonry chisel (point) | Medium carbon steel | 60-70° | Breaking stone | HRC 50-54 |
| Cape chisel (narrow) | Medium-high carbon steel | 60-70° | Cutting grooves in metal | HRC 52-56 |

### Chapter 2: Cold Chisel Forging

Cold chisel forging: 1) Start with 3/4 inch octagonal or round tool steel (S7, H13, or 1060). 2) Cut to length: 6-8 inches. 3) Heat one end to bright orange. 4) Forge cutting end: draw out to flat, 1-1.5 inches wide. 5) Forge edge angle: 60-70 degrees (blunt for cold metal). 6) Shape head end: slight chamfer (prevents mushrooming). 7) Heat treat: harden cutting end (quench 1 inch of edge in oil). 8) Temper to purple/blue (500-560°F). 9) Head should be softer than edge (absorbs hammer blows without chipping). 10) Grind edge to final angle.

| Dimension | Small Chisel | Medium Chisel | Large Chisel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock diameter | 1/2 inch | 3/4 inch | 1 inch |
| Length | 5-6 inches | 6-8 inches | 8-10 inches |
| Edge width | 1/2-3/4 inch | 3/4-1 inch | 1-1.5 inches |
| Edge angle | 60-70° | 60-70° | 60-70° |
| Temper color | Purple | Purple | Purple |

### Chapter 3: Wood Chisel Forging

Wood chisel forging: 1) Start with high carbon steel bar (1/4 x 1 inch for 1-inch chisel). 2) Forge blade: maintain flat, even thickness. 3) Forge tang: draw out to 3/8 inch round, 2-3 inches long. 4) Blade should be flat on back (critical for accuracy). 5) Grind bevel on front: 25 degrees for paring, 30 degrees for mortise. 6) Heat treat: harden blade (quench in oil). 7) Temper to straw/dark straw (400-430°F). 8) Flatten back on stone (must be perfectly flat). 9) Sharpen bevel on stones (coarse to fine). 10) Fit handle: hardwood with brass ferrule.

| Chisel Width | Stock Size | Tang Length | Handle Length | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 inch | 1/4 x 1/4 inch | 2 inches | 4-5 inches | Detail work, small mortises |
| 1/2 inch | 1/4 x 1/2 inch | 2 inches | 5-6 inches | General purpose |
| 3/4 inch | 1/4 x 3/4 inch | 2.5 inches | 5-6 inches | General purpose |
| 1 inch | 1/4 x 1 inch | 3 inches | 5-6 inches | Mortises, heavy paring |
| 1.5 inch | 1/4 x 1.5 inch | 3 inches | 5-6 inches | Wide paring, cleaning |

### Chapter 4: Punch Forging

| Punch Type | Tip Shape | Use | Stock | Temper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center punch | Sharp point (60°) | Mark drill locations | 3/8-1/2 inch round | Purple |
| Drift (round) | Tapered cylinder | Open and size holes | 1/2-1 inch round | Blue (tough) |
| Drift (oval) | Tapered oval | Size hammer eyes | 3/4-1 inch | Blue |
| Slot punch | Rectangular | Punch slots (hammer eyes) | 3/4 inch square | Purple |
| Decorative punch | Various (star, circle, etc.) | Stamp patterns in hot metal | 3/8-1/2 inch round | Purple |
| Nail header | Tapered hole in plate | Hold nail for heading | 3/8 inch plate | N/A |

Round punch forging: 1) Start with 1/2 inch round tool steel, 6-8 inches long. 2) Heat one end to bright orange. 3) Forge taper: round cross-section, tapering to point. 4) Point diameter: size of desired hole. 5) Chamfer head end (prevents mushrooming). 6) Heat treat: harden point (quench 1 inch in oil). 7) Temper to purple (tough, resists chipping). 8) Use: heat workpiece, place punch on mark, strike with hammer.

### Chapter 5: Maintenance and Safety

| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Mushroomed head | Repeated hammer strikes | Grind head back to chamfered shape |
| Chipped edge | Too hard, wrong angle, or hitting too-hard material | Re-temper softer, check edge angle |
| Bent chisel | Striking off-center or too-thin stock | Straighten while hot, use thicker stock |
| Dull edge | Normal wear | Regrind to original angle |
| Flying chips | Mushroomed head or brittle edge | Grind head, check temper |

### Reference Card

1. Edge angle matches the material (60-70° for cutting cold metal, 30-40° for hot metal, 25-30° for wood; using the wrong angle causes chipping or poor cutting). 2. The back must be flat (a wood chisel with a flat back registers against the wood surface and produces accurate cuts; a convex back makes the chisel dig in unpredictably). 3. Temper harder for cutting, softer for impact (a wood chisel edge needs to be hard (straw temper) to hold an edge; a cold chisel needs to be tougher (purple temper) to absorb impact). 4. Grind the mushroomed head (repeated hammer strikes spread the head of a chisel into a mushroom shape; these thin edges break off and fly like shrapnel; grind the head back to shape regularly). 5. A cold chisel cuts cold metal (the name means it cuts metal that is cold, not that the chisel is cold; it is designed with a blunt angle to withstand the impact of cutting unheated steel). 6. The punch makes the hole (a punch driven through hot metal creates a clean hole without removing material; the metal displaces around the punch). 7. Oil quench for tool steel (most tool steels should be quenched in oil, not water; water quenching is too aggressive and causes cracking in high-carbon and alloy steels). 8. A matched set of chisels is a woodworker's foundation (a set of bench chisels in 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch widths handles most woodworking tasks; they are among the first tools to forge).