Planing a broad field to sound paint — that is the pull scraper's job; the chisel excavates, the pull finishes, and using the chisel to do both leaves a gouged, over-worked surface.
A bent chisel is not a wrecking bar; lever on it and you bend the blade or snap it.
The pry-and-scrape tool in this line is the 45600 bent bar, forged for it.
Do not drive the 12000 with a mallet — only the hammer-scraper heads are built around a striking design ⚑; mauling a handled chisel scraper mushrooms the handle.
Fine or finish work — it is a heavy-duty excavator, not a delicate blade.
How the pros run it
01
Grip and drive
hand wrapped on the 5-1/2" handle, drive from the shoulder and lean your weight into the push; the bend keeps the wrist neutral. Angle: low and under the material — you are shearing at the bond line, not gouging into the substrate. The failure mode is gouging: all your force arrives at the leading corners, so on wood you intend to keep, ease off before you dig — excavate the failure, then hand the finish to a pull scraper or sandpaper. Edge care: carbon steel takes a keen chisel edge and holds it; dress it square with a mill file when it dents or rolls. Filed back over years, a fixed carbon blade like this is a career tool that never goes blunt mid-job for want of a spare.
Asked at the counter
BUYER QUESTIONS ANSWERED BEFORE THE CART, NOT AFTER THE RETURN
Push or pull?
Push — you drive it away from you to excavate. Pull scrapers plane; this chisels.
What's the 20° bend for?
Knuckle clearance and edge-at-attack-angle on horizontal work, with a neutral wrist.
12000 or 12060?
Same blade and bend; the 12000 is the compact one-hand version, the 12060 the 8"-handle two-fisted one for stubborn floors.
Can I hammer it or pry with it?
No to both — striking is for the hammer-scraper heads , prying for the 45600 bar.
Do I use it instead of a pull scraper on siding?
No — with one: break heavy blisters with the 12000, then plane the field with a pull scraper.
