What is a cold chisel primarily used for?

A cold chisel is specifically designed for cutting and shaping metal. It is made from hardened steel, which allows it to withstand the high impact of striking with a hammer without deforming. The blade of a cold chisel is flat and can be sharpened to a point, making it effective for slicing through metal surfaces. This tool is often used in metalworking applications for tasks such as removing burrs, carving out shapes, or splitting apart pieces of metal.

The other materials mentioned, like wood or plastic, are typically better suited for tools like saws or knives designed for those specific applications. A cold chisel's properties are optimized for metal cutting and shaping, making it inefficient and unsuitable for materials like wood or plastic. While chisels can be used on stone, there are specialized chisels better suited for that purpose. Thus, the primary use of a cold chisel firmly resides in the realm of metalwork.