About Time We Had a Mystery Tool

[mudman]

So here's one I picked up in a car boot sale for 50p some time last year.
It's been sitting on my bench for a few months and every time I look at it I wonder what it might be for.
The only thing I can think of is it's some sort of smoothing tool. I did think that it might be a plane float but aren't they triangular?
There does appear to be a maker's mark on it but unfortunately I can't make it out.

So if anyone has any idea, I would love to know.

 

[Gary M]

I wondered where my toothbrush got to !! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Does look like some sort of float for something that needs a deep groove. Are gun stock floats always round bottomed (guessing so, since barrels tend to be )

other thought was some sort of repair iron to loosen a hot glue joint.

 

[sparky]

i wonder if it is for a sliding dovetail. :-k

maybe to clean out the bottom...in place of a router plane :?:

sparky

 

[JesseM]

Looks like a heavy duty trowel.

 

[DomValente]

Or something used on a loom ?

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Swmbo thinks it's for applying glue in sliding dovetails or glue on sheet materials, I think it's some sort of iron.

 

[bugbear]

So here's one I picked up in a car boot sale for 50p some time last year.
It's been sitting on my bench for a few months and every time I look at it I wonder what it might be for.
The only thing I can think of is it's some sort of smoothing tool. I did think that it might be a plane float but aren't they triangular?
There does appear to be a maker's mark on it but unfortunately I can't make it out.


So if anyone has any idea, I would love to know.

Hmm. Heavily built, yet clearly single handed, so the build isn't for strength. Does it show signs of being heated - the only reason I can conceive for all that iron is heat retention, possibly for (OLDTOOLS joke) leather work.

BugBear

 

[mudman]

I wondered where my toothbrush got to !! :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol:

 

[mudman]

Some good ideas here. Not sure about spreading anything though as I can see the clean-up afterwards being a bit awkward, the 'teeth' are quite close together (couple of mm from memory) and getting residue out from in between might be difficult.

I haven't noted any evidence of it being heated, although I didn't think of looking for it.

I did wonder about leather working, maybe for stretching leather over something or other? But then, wouldn't it be easier to use something with a set of small pins to give a better grip? Unless you don't want it marker perhaps?

Quite frankly, I haven't really got a clue.

 

[bugbear]

If you don't mind removing the "patina", the makers name could be very informative.

BugBear

 

[mudman]

If you don't mind removing the "patina", the makers name could be very informative.

BugBear

I think it is partly worn away, but I'll have a look this evening and report back.

 

[bugbear]

If you don't mind removing the "patina", the makers name could be very informative.

BugBear

I think it is partly worn away, but I'll have a look this evening and report back.

Can't be worse than this one:

http://galootcentral.com/portal/compone ... wotsit.JPG
http://galootcentral.com/portal/compone ... t_logo.JPG

BugBear

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

It is defintely a handtool. You hold it up against the edge of a board, then run your Stanley #71 router plane at it to create through dovetails.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[mudman]

I've cleaned up the maker's mark and it is clearer than I thought.
It reads:

G. TUMMON (although the T may be a D).
SHEFFIELD

WARRANTED
CAST STEEL

Derek,

Have you seen one of these before?
I can't quite picture your description of how it works. Could you elaborate please?

 

[MIGNAL]

Looks like some form of Broaching tool but for what purpose I've absolutely no idea.

 

[mudman]

Looks like some form of Broaching tool but for what purpose I've absolutely no idea.

I had to look that one up.
Not sure though, I think the teeth are all the same length, but I will check.

 

[MIGNAL]

More answers here:

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbth...&Number=3031792&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=

 

[bugbear]

After making allowances for wear and/or corrosion, do the lower "teeth" edges appear sharp?

BTW, I'm not happy with Todd Hughes' idea of octagonal barrel bedding - since the flat is quite large, the octagon that matched it would be HUGE!

Todd's normally right though :-(

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

I've cleaned up the maker's mark and it is clearer than I thought.
It reads:

G. TUMMON (although the T may be a D).
SHEFFIELD

WARRANTED
CAST STEEL

Searching reveals that Tummon is a common Sheffield name, and Dummon isn't, so we'll go with Tummon

BugBear