This chisel has that "black patina" - it doesn't have rust. It needs a handle and some work on the socket end. At one point. the end was peened over a small amount and the previous owner began the process of filing it down, but he never finished. If you have a handle and do the work on the socket (not much left to do) and polish the back, you will have a REALLY great Witherby chisel, one of the great edge tools makers in our history. This chisel has been sharpened (again by previous owner) - it only needs to be polished on the back to be ready to use. The cutting edge is over 6" long (9 3/4" OAL) - it will be at least 15" with a proper handle. It is a full 1/4" thick at the end of the cutting edge and will last a lifetime when finished. Thanks for looking - if you have a few minutes, I have many other tools listed among the items in my Ebay store.   (LR 2 - 3/24  E/F)