Saturday, June 8, 2013

Mystery Tool II


Well I've lost track - anyway, I think this is the second mystery tool...

I picked this up in the tool section at a local thrift store. It was in a box labeled "plane parts". It does appear to have the adjustment wheel from a Stanley block plane as one of its parts, but I really don't see how this could be related to planes function wise.

Take a look:




My first reaction was a homemade version of those screen door tools, but those are so cheap I'm not sure why anyone would take the time to make one. Unless, they were in a remote location maybe...

Oh, I forgot to say it's about 5 inches long.

Any thoughts?


20 comments:

  1. Dan,

    Before I read your text, I was also thinking that it was for pressing in a spline for a screen door.

    Chris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I'm not sure it isn't a spline roller. I just can't imagine going to that much trouble when you could just use an appropriately sharpened stick...

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. I was leaning more towards think-a-ma-bob, but I could be wrong.

      Delete
  3. Looks like a custom splining tool to me. Is it a standard width? I could see someone who spend a lot of time doing screen repair wanting a tool that was a spline tool at one end and a screwdriver at the other end to cut down on the number of tools they had to keep track of...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andy - I think you might be right. The wheel is an 8th of an inch. And the flat of the wedge is slightly more than a 16th. But I think the flat might not be for screws, but for setting the spline in the corners - seems I've used a screwdriver for that job before... I'll test it next time I have to rescreen a door.

      Thanks!

      Delete
  4. I have two thoughts. Has the wedged end been sharpened in the past? Could it have been a wheeled low angle cutting tool?

    Or could it be a device to sharpen chisels and plane blades?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Steve - The wedge has actually been ground down flat. While on that subject - I thought the "handle" was made from a cold chisel - but after reading another comment (which has gone missing)I now think it could be from a huge screwdriver.

      As for cutting - hmm, hadn't thought of that, but I don't think there is enough of a clearance angle - yup, just checked, it rides a bit back from the end of the wedge.

      Not much there to rest a blade on, but maybe...

      Thanks for the ideas!

      Delete
  5. Andy - what happened to your comment?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Is it not a spline tool? Looks like it is something or other a long those lines of a hand tool

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  7. Looks like a tool for chair caning. One end for pushing it in and the flat end for wedging it out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, chair caning - didn't think of that! Now I'm going to have to try caning a chair! Thanks!

      Delete
  8. This is all rather interesting. I love it when things like this catch my eye, especially if it involves mysteries and new adventures! Ha ha! my favorite!!!

    How is it Mr. Klauder that you find the most fascinating things?

    well, anyway... wait, where was I?

    .......

    Ha ha! well forget that. I dearly hope you and your family are doing well and keep up the awesome work:)

    ~ Georgie N. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well thanks Georgie! I think the most important part in finding is looking - being curious. "Hmm, I wonder what could be at the bottom of that box of junk?"
      Thanks for commenting!

      Delete
  9. You are most welcome:)))

    Ha ha! you have never failed to make me laugh!!! Thank you, I needed that:)

    Oh, and I'm sorry for deciding to reply at such an ungodly hour. I'm a night person.


    p.s. I hope you don't mind me looking through your AWESOME stuff and commenting on things. If you do, please don't hesitate to tell me. I don't want to offend or anything.

    Thanks!

    ~ Georgie N. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No worries Georgie - in general I leave all comments up, unless they are completely off topic or obvious spam - in which case they get deleted - while I yell "Feel my wrath!"

      Kidding.

      Sort of...

      Delete
  10. Oh...

    Thanks!

    ~ Georgie N. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great blog Dan, just found it. We may be coming at this from a woodworker's point of view, so I wonder if its a machinist's tool, or maybe something specialized like leatherwork. - Philo

    ReplyDelete

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