Lost my best scraper in a stubborn creosote pile

I was cleaning out this old farmhouse chimney, and the creosote was baked on like concrete. My go-to scraper got wedged in a crack, and when I yanked it, the handle snapped right off. Now I'm stuck with my backup tools, which just don't cut it for tough jobs like that. Lesson learned, always bring a spare of your favorite gear.

3 comments

3 Comments

quinn6067d ago

Chimney creosote can weld tools in place. Tough break on the handle.

stone.daniel7d ago

Actually, creosote doesn't really weld things... it's more like it turns into a super sticky glue when it's hot and then hardens like rock. Once it cools down, it grips onto anything stuck in it. Your scraper probably got locked in by that hardened gunk. I've seen tools bend before they break free from that kind of buildup... that's why it can feel welded, but it's just really stuck on there.

derek_hill6d ago

That bit about it hardening like rock really made sense. I always called it welding too, but your glue idea changed my mind. My own scraper got locked up once, and I bent the handle trying to pull it out. Now I see it was just that cooled gunk holding on tight.