Ice Chisel

This heavy metal tool at Smith’s Tavern was used as part of the process of harvesting ice.  Men with saws (or horse-drawn ice ploughs) would cut deep grooves into the surface of a frozen pond.  About 2/3 of the thickness of the ice was using this method.  If the ice was cut too deeply, it might break and the men and horses could fall into the water.

Then, a man with a heavy ice chisel would jam the tool into the deep groove between two ice blocks and pop them apart.  The ice would usually break smoothly along the line of the groove.

Reference:  http://www.woodsholemuseum.org/icehouse/tools.html

Catalog Items:

Item T102

Location:	Floor, Open Shelves
Length:	90 cm
Width:	10 cm
Weight:	1530 g