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ASME B107.45-2002 — Ripping Chisels and Flooring/Electricians’ Chisels
🔨 ASME B107.45-2002 is an American National Standard issued by the ASME B107 Committee (Hand Tools and Accessories). It establishes performance and safety requirements for two families of struck hand tools: ripping chisels and flooring/electricians’ chisels. The Standard supersedes the 1998 edition (B107.45M-1998) and was approved as an American National Standard on September 16, 2002. Its lineage traces back to the ANSI/HTI B209 series; when the B209 Committee merged with the B107 Committee in 1996, the B107 scope was expanded to embrace safety considerations, so this document functions not only as a product specification but also as a guidance reference for selecting, testing, and safely using the tools it covers.
💡 Ripping chisels and flooring/electricians’ chisels are struck tools — they are driven by a hammer against the struck face and work on wood rather than metal. The Standard embraces the concept of “equivalent” designs: any alternative structure is acceptable as long as it provides an equal degree of performance and safety.
1. Scope and General Framework 📌
Section 1 of the Standard defines the scope: it provides performance and safety requirements for ripping chisels and flooring/electricians’ chisels intended for cutting wood and light prying, such as cutting the tongue of installed flooring sections and raising and removing floor planks. The Standard emphasizes that it:
- Serves as a guide in selecting, testing, and using the tools covered;
- Does not specify details of manufacturing — any material that meets the performance and safety requirements is permitted;
- Is intended to guide the development of manuals, posters, and safe-work training programs;
- May be used by state authorities or other regulatory bodies in formulating laws or regulations, and is intended for voluntary use by establishments that use or manufacture the tools.
Companion requirements are drawn from ANSI Z87.1-1998 (Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection) and ANSI Z535.4-1998 (Product Safety Signs and Labels), which govern eye protection for operators and the warning labels applied to the products.
⚠️ The scope is strictly limited to cutting wood and light prying. Using a ripping chisel to pry metal, concrete, or applying excessive leverage is out-of-scope use and typically causes chipped edges or bent bodies — a frequent source of injuries.
2. Nomenclature and Technical Requirements 🔧
Section 3 defines each part of the chisel (see Figs. 1 and 2 of the Standard), creating a common vocabulary between manufacturers and users. The principal parts and their functions are summarized below:
| Part | Definition / Function |
|---|---|
| Struck Face | The end surface that receives hammer blows; must be flat with adequate area to prevent the hammer from slipping. |
| Chamfer | The angled flat surface or equivalent radius between the struck face and the body, encircling the perimeter of the struck face to prevent edge spalling under impact. |
| Body | The straight portion between the chamfer and the taper; the main element for gripping and transmitting impact force. |
| Bevel | The angular or curved portion adjacent to the cutting or prying edge, extending to the taper; it defines the edge angle. |
| Cutting Edge | The edge formed by the bevel, located directly opposite the struck face. |
| Nail Pulling Slot | When provided, the V-shaped slot or opening used to grip and pull nail heads. |
| Hardness | The condition of the chisel resulting from heat treatment, verified by Rockwell hardness testing per ASTM E18. |
A principal change in this edition is the allowance of any material that meets the specified performance and safety requirements. Instead of prescribing specific steel grades, the Standard adopts a results-oriented acceptance approach: hardness after heat treatment, cutting-edge performance, and the permanent set test determine conformity. Hardness is measured in accordance with ASTM E18-00, and the heat-treatment balance between edge retention and body toughness is the key manufacturing control.
🚨 Hardness is a double-edged sword: too hard, and the edge stays sharp but becomes brittle; too soft, and the edge rolls over quickly. The Standard constrains this balance through the permanent set test and hardness limits. Never re-quench or re-grind the bevel of a chisel yourself — doing so voids its safety performance.
3. Test Method: The Permanent Set Test 🧪
Section 5 specifies the test requirements. The core test is the permanent set test (Fig. 3 of the Standard): the chisel is supported in a defined fixture, a drop weight of specified mass is released from a specified height to strike the struck face a stated number of times, and the residual (permanent) deformation is then measured. The edge and body are inspected for cracks, chips, or damage affecting safe use.
- Support arrangement: the chisel is simply supported or clamped per Fig. 3 to reproduce the most unfavorable loading in real use;
- Blows and energy: a specified number of impacts at a specified energy tests the impact resistance of the body and edge;
- Acceptance criteria: the permanent set must not exceed the allowed value, and no visible cracks or detached fragments are permitted.
4. Safety Requirements and Limitations of Use 🛠️
- Eye protection: wood chipping produces splinters and debris; operators must wear eye and face protection conforming to ANSI Z87.1;
- Correct striking practice: strike the struck face only with a suitable hammer — never use another chisel or a metal object as a hammer;
- Routine inspection: discard or redress any chisel whose struck face has mushroomed, whose edge is chipped, or whose body is bent;
- Product marking: products should carry safety signs and labels per ANSI Z535.4 stating the correct use and protective requirements;
- Training: employers should use the Standard to build operating manuals and training material so workers understand the hazards of out-of-scope use.
5. Engineering Practice Essentials ⚙️
- Selection: choose by job — ripping chisels for demolition and prying wood, flooring/electricians’ chisels for cutting floor tongues, routing cable, and light prying in electrical work;
- Maintenance: resharpen dull edges on a grinding wheel at the original bevel angle, keeping the steel cool to avoid annealing;
- Procurement acceptance: request a supplier conformance statement based on the Standard’s tests, especially permanent set and hardness data;
- Compliance: cite the Standard in purchase contracts as the basis for internal and government quality acceptance.
6. Frequently Asked Questions ❓
❓ Q: What is the difference between a ripping chisel and a flooring/electricians’ chisel?
A: Both are struck woodworking tools for light prying. The ripping chisel has a thicker, wider edge for leverage and demolition, while the flooring/electricians’ chisel is optimized for cutting floor tongues and light prying in electrical work. Refer to the manufacturer’s data and the Standard’s nomenclature figures.
A: Both are struck woodworking tools for light prying. The ripping chisel has a thicker, wider edge for leverage and demolition, while the flooring/electricians’ chisel is optimized for cutting floor tongues and light prying in electrical work. Refer to the manufacturer’s data and the Standard’s nomenclature figures.
❓ Q: Does the Standard specify steel grades?
A: No. The 2002 edition explicitly allows any material that meets the performance and safety requirements, provided hardness, edge performance, and the permanent set test are satisfied — giving manufacturers flexibility in material choice.
A: No. The 2002 edition explicitly allows any material that meets the performance and safety requirements, provided hardness, edge performance, and the permanent set test are satisfied — giving manufacturers flexibility in material choice.
❓ Q: Can a mushroomed struck face still be used?
A: No. The mushroomed (upset) edge can flake off under impact and injure hands or eyes. Discard the tool; inspect struck faces regularly during service.
A: No. The mushroomed (upset) edge can flake off under impact and injure hands or eyes. Discard the tool; inspect struck faces regularly during service.
🔍 Q: What is the relationship between this Standard and the ANSI/HTI B209 series?
A: The B209 Committee merged into B107 in 1996; the earlier version of this Standard was ANSI/HTI B209.7-1990, and B107.45-2002 is its successor and further development.
A: The B209 Committee merged into B107 in 1996; the earlier version of this Standard was ANSI/HTI B209.7-1990, and B107.45-2002 is its successor and further development.
