2' Screwdriver

[Neil Lawton]

I give some time to the local Men's shed in normal times. If things are donated they don't need they are put to one side for sending to another shed or they are put in a free box. I quite like wooden handled screwdrivers and picked this up with a few others as I was intrigued by the length and the ferrule connection.
The business end looks like it always was a screwdriver but the handle end has obviously been modified. Any ideas?

 

[AJB Temple]

I have seen some screwdriver quite similar to that being used by steam train engine mechanics. However, my vague recollection was that the demountable handles were T shaped.

 

[Neil Lawton]

It has been modified in some way but my FIL's mother worked in the Lancashire cotton mills and he reckoned these long reach things might be able to adjust something under a running loom

 

[Inspector]

When I was an aircraft mechanic I preferred long handled screwdrivers when applicable because they allowed one to keep the shaft perpendicular to the head of the screw so they wouldn't cam out when applying lots of force. Much harder to do the same with a short one. Reaching into small and crowded places is also nice. What specific trade used that one I can't say but they are nice to have in ones arsenal of tools.

Pete

 

[novocaine]

It's a scotch pattern turnscrew and it doesn't look to have been modified in any way.

 

[Neil Lawton]

Really? the tang looks crudely hacksawed?

 

[novocaine]

It does. But im afraid sir, they are all like that.

 

[Harken in Wood]

London screwdriver?

 

[novocaine]

London screwdriver?

London pattern was a flat shank extending beyond the feral. very similar but not quite.

unlike a Birmingham screwdriver.