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Chisels are extremely useful tools that every pensioner should have in their homes.
They were first developed in the 9th century and were originally made from wood and metallic ores which occurred naturally on Chisel Beach near Portland in Dorset.
Today, chisels come in an extensive range of widths – from ⅛” (3mm) to 4’ 8” (1.42m) (railway gauge) – and can be used for a wide variety of everyday tasks including flossing, juggling, salad tossing, ear wax removal, pinning the tail on the donkey, pinning the grey squirrel on the garage and eating Chinese food.
The manufacture of chisels was the cornerstone of the prosperity of Chiselhurst in Kent and the town’s renowned Chisel Museum houses a collection of more than 18,000 tools, including that used by Scott of the Antarctic to chip off his frost-bitten toes, the chisel that was used as a baton by the Pacific islands of Mortiss & Tennon in their debut relay performance at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and the chisels used by Harry Corbett to prise Sooty off Sweep in the notorious Glovegate scandal of 1964.
Chisels are the third most popular gift with pensioners, behind Damart gift vouchers and self-adhesive elbow patches.