Hi, John, and GGs,
When I react to the notion of fine chisels being reground into SCA spears, I am
harking back to my own years in the SCA, literally over half a century ago
(1967-1972; I was at the Fourth Tournament, less than a year after the SCA was
founded). At that time, in my late teens and clueless, I thought that regrinding
a socket chisel into a spear head was a great idea; and it was specifically the
socket that was the appeal, since I was unable to think of a way to make a
medieval socket on my own bat. In the end I never did it, mostly because I was
too cheap to pay the cost of a viable chisel, partly because a chisel socket
would have been too small for a spear socket. But the memory is still in there
like a metaphorical bit of shrapnel under the skin, and once in a while it
twinges to remind me not to do something stupid---or makes me say something ill-
natured. Also, I illegitimately conflated entirely separate comments from
different people about Barton chisels and repurposing unspecified-maker socket
chisels.  If I caused offense to anyone, I apologize. The level of craftsmanship
and knowledge in the SCA has moved a long way since my day.

Of course I agree that there are legitimate uses for the poor mangled remains of
what were once superb chisels. Use as hand router blades or other specialty
plane blades is first in my mind right now, since I am reviewing the innumerable
variations on wooden routers for a bookbinding student who wants to make her own
wooden equipment. Also, even if the socket is not viable, a tang might often be
welded into the stump of the socket, or a new socket might be made and welded
on. I'm a bottom-feeder, and I've developed rather a taste for as-found socket
chisels, especially if the remains of the wood handle are still encased in the
mushrooming; it is amazing how often a gross enormous mushroomed end will turn
out to have actually left plenty of viable socket intact, particularly with the
support of the wood stump. The real killer is when the weld in the socket
separates, leaving the viable length of socket half an inch or an inch less than
it seems from the mushrooming alone. I wish I had brazing equipment but I don't.
If there is under an inch of viable socket left I aim to make the chisel a push-
don't-pound tool, by using a very short handle (to reduce sideways stress on the
fragile remnant of the socket) and by leaving off my usual leather washers on
the butt. I've tried to restore a number of chisels that were beyond any
reasonable hope of restoration, and of course I have sometimes failed. But they
are still there to be someone else's router or butt plane blades, and in a
context of usable tools instead of the trash bin. But anyone rational would have
left them alone. Alas, alas! I always have the hope that there will be enough
socket left for light use.
Tom Conroy


John Ruth wrote:  
" I feel sick being told about Barton chisels being reground into SCA spears,
they are rare..."

I wrote, or at least _tried_ to write, about socket chisels which have been
mushroomed beyond any reasonable hope of restoration.  I tried to mention the
blades with the socket beaten down to a nubbin by steel hammers. Some have
actually had the useless remnants of the socket amputated.

The only discussion about regrinding into spear points was directed at these
abuse victims. They are beyond any use as socket chisels!...