Abstract: A self-sharpening nosepiece with skirt construction for attack tools including a nosepiece which replaces a conventional cutting element on the tip of the work engaging end of the tool to provide improved longevity and cutting characteristics and produce less dust, and a skirt which overlays portions of the side of the work engaging end of the tool and the nosepiece to support the nosepiece and to prevent the erosion of the tool and the dislodgment and loss of the nosepiece, the present nosepiece and skirt construction being adapted for use with attack tools for mining, excavating, removing highway road surfaces and the like, and optionally including a layer of a super hard material on the outer surfaces thereof to provide even greater wearability and durability.

Abstract: An insert for mining attack tools comprising a body portion having a longitudinal axis with a head end portion extending outwardly from one end thereof, the body portion having an endless side wall and being sized and shaped for insertion into a socket of an attack tool such that the head end portion extends outwardly from the attack tool for engaging a surface to be mined, the head end portion having a rounded tip end surface portion and an adjacent annular tapered surface portion extending from the endless side wall of the body portion to the tip end portion, and a layer of polycrystalline diamond compact attached to the head end portion of the insert.