Cylinder Head Chisel?

Tom Wesenberg

Tom Wesenberg

Well-known member
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Last year I found this chisel at a swap meet and thought it would be ideal to use to lift tight cylinder heads. I asked the seller what it was used for, as I'd never seen one like it before. He said it was used to lift cylinder heads, but when I looked up "chisel" in the dictionary, they show this identical chisel and call it a floor chisel. It's 3" wide by 12" long, with a thin blade. Has anyone used this as a floor chisel, and how is it used? Thanks
 
Hello Tom, I have and I believe it is used to chip away old grout left over from floor tile. I used it before laying a laminate floor.
 
Tom,

I would hesitate to use the tool for head removal. There is a potential to damage the head or block surface. An oak wedge can be as effective without damage.
 
I worked at GM and years ago their shop flooring was blocks of wood sized approximately 3 1/2" X 5 1/2" X 2" thick. Creosote treated blocks were laid over the concrete floor and then hot tar was poured to seal them in place. The floor chisel would be used to size blocks for tight places.
It made for easier standing, the wood naturally had more give than the concrete, and if something heavy dropped in the machine shop the concrete didn't get gouged. I think the blocks went out with OSHA or the EPA, something about the hot tar being poured. The maintenance crew did it during work hours, and the smoke and odor was pretty bad. I think I'd follow Cajun's advice.
 
yo tom,
i am not a fan of hammering anything between to mating surfaces. that chisel might be better used for chiseling
 
Assuming a two piece copper head gasket with a material in between, one could place that tool between the copper and it should work ok. (I would use wood myself)
 
That looks like a longer-shank version of a brick chisel... for cutting / trimming bricks...

I don't think I'd want to try using that to remove a cylinder head...
 
That looks just like the pneumatic hammer chisels that we used in the ford foundry that i retired from. Was used to remove excess flashings from the engine blocks we made there. Looks like the end was removed that locked it in the air gun.
 
I found one just like that laying in the grease of a D8 CAT chassis, I was taking a head off, when the head was off there were marks on the block that matched the nicks in the blade of it
 
the handle is a bit longer, but I have a chisel like that which I bought years ago from a hardware store that is used for chipping mortar from bricks.
 
Mike V. Florida said:
Assuming a two piece copper head gasket with a material in between, one could place that tool between the copper and it should work ok. (I would use wood myself)
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I've had to remove a couple very stuck heads, and I start by driving the knife edge of a kitchen knife between the copper layers. It may take a few knives on both sides of the head. Once it's up a little I'd use this to lift it more, rather than use a screwdriver with little surface area. I have never found loosening the head nuts, then starting the engine to be of any help.

I helped a friend with his engine, and even after using the head puller, still had to drive in knives to get it to move.
 
I think the guy that said it's for working on bricks is right. But a friend made me some tapered aluminam pieces to seperate the head and block that work very well and don't hack up either part. I have used them a lot with good results. I would not use that for the job , it would wreck both surfaces , even with the copper gasket. I have done that also.
 
Gregg & I sliced a thin oriental meat cleaver into 4 wedges, drove them into head gasket filler material & was able to remove my REALLY seized head without even one scratch on the head or block. There were 5 studs totally rusted to the head, almost like they were "WELDED" to the head! Bill W.
 
I think Vince is onto something. When you take the cover off the manifold heater you've got a pretty good grille. Put that thing in your tool bag.
 
Today I needed to remove a head from an engine on the shop floor. A year and a half ago I bought a head puller from Gord Baverstock - Gord B by the Bay. It stayed in my drawer until today. I pulled it out and read and re-read the instructions. It took me 20 minutes to pull the head without breaking a sweat. Most of the time was spent looking for five 7/16 in bolts and nuts. It was expensive (over $100) but was the easiest head removal that I have ever done. Money well spent.
Vic:)
 
Looks like a brick chisel .I got one just like it .I guess one could use it for what ever he wanted to .Probably the most mis-used tool there is ,next to a screwdriver ..Just my opinion .Course you know what they say about opinions .
 
Judging by the shape of the blade, I think it is a french toast spatula. Either that or a large screwdriver that is turned with a socket wrench.
But I wouldn't use it for prying on critical surfaces. Brass or aluminum would be much better.
 
joe plumber said:
Looks like a brick chisel .I got one just like it .I guess one could use it for what ever he wanted to .Probably the most mis-used tool there is ,next to a screwdriver ..Just my opinion .Course you know what they say about opinions .
Click to expand...
Joe,
And just what do "THEY" say about opinions???:confused::confused:
And who are "THEY?" Could they be the really BAD guys in that group over there who can't hear us B.S.'ing? Bill W.
 
Looks like a masonry chisel (a bolster here in UK).

Like Mr Wesenberg above I have a collection of dead kitchen knives that I use as wedges where necessary, then steel wedges with with a more progressive angle than that pictured, most usefully between two knives that I've worked into the gasket, one on top of the other, to spread the load. This is for when they are really stuck.

Works for me. Your results may vary....
 
Tom, I don't believe for a second you would drive that between the head and block of your Model A. But, yep that's a floor chisel! the floor chisel and concrete chisel are (I believe) are one and the same tool depending on who ownes it. A brick set (chisel) has a much different profile -- about a 45 degree angle on the cutting edge, they are used for cutting brick and block -- an art form that is going away due to diamond wheels. None of these tools should be used on a Model A. I have taken about a hundred heads off without a scratch; I use a block of wood and a BFH (4lb hammer) place the block under the front edge of the head and give it a whack or two -- it will pull away from the block, drive a couple of pre-made wooden wedges half way back to be used as a fulcrum to rock the head back and forth as you add more wedges. Works every time, and, it won't cost you a dime. So, if you have the money, a place to store the "thingy," and don't want to expend the energy, buy the $100 tool. Regards, E LaBrash
 
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