Another boot sale find- any idea what this is?

[carpenteire2009]

We passed a boot sale on our way to visit family yesterday, so I persuaded my wife and kidsthat we had to stop off while I had a quick look, although we were running late for lunch! No pics of the rest yet, but I scored this lot for a tenner:

2 x Rabone Chesterman 6" precision rules, one new in plastic wallet the other a little damaged but perfectly useable.
Ram pin/ pushpin.
2x 8" adjustable wrenches one Irega (Spain), the other Rothenberger (Germany)
A beautiful little ratchet screwdriver by Lyris, smallest I've seen.
2 quality pliers- 1 "Heart" brand by Wynn Timmins, the other Elliot Lucas.
Spanner by King Dick
Tube of Rocol ASP grease, new and unused (this stuff is expensive I believe)
An usual pry bar/ tack lifter of some sort- this is the subject of my inquiry, can you help?

It measures about 12.5" overall, stainless steel blade, plastic handle, no makers name but well made and very substantial. I wondered initially if it was maybe some kind of butchers tool on account of the stainless but google hasn't confirmed that for me. Otherwise I was thinking maybe it might be a carpet fitters tool, perhaps a tack lifter, seam cutter (the v-notch is quite sharp). Or maybe a mechanics pry bar of some sort, who knows? Or maybe I'm completely wrong altogether- maybe it is in fact a "gardening tool" from LIDL or Aldi! Any ideas?

 

[Graham Orm]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-195mm- ... Swe-FU4UtD

 

[D_W]

We call those thistle pullers or dandelion weeders here in the states.

 

[carpenteire2009]

Thank you D_W, just checked google images for dandelion weeders and you're on the ball! Not terribly exciting but a useful addition to the garden tool shed for under 1 euro!

 

[Graham Orm]

It's a tack lifter.

 

[Rorschach]

Yeah looks to be a dandelion weeder from a google search, the tip is the wrong shape for tack lifting.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

Isn't that a tool for the wife?

 

[Eric The Viking]

Blunt off the corners slightly and it might be really good for paint tin lids, as long as the stainless is strong enough. I'm using a tack lifter presently, but with plastic masonry paint lids, and I'm a bit nervous about punching through. The slight extra width would be perfect.

You got some really good brands in that haul - good catch.

E.

 

[D_W]

Thank you D_W, just checked google images for dandelion weeders and you're on the ball! Not terribly exciting but a useful addition to the garden tool shed for under 1 euro!

If you have dandelions, it's quite useful. The head on that one is a bit small, but that's what you get for a euro, I guess. When you get the knack with them, you can get under the root and just pop out the whole dandelion in one shot.

If you get tired of working at ground level, you can extract the metal bits and put them in a longer handle with a ferrule and work standing up (I have one like that - works a treat and you can get two hands on the handle, lever the root to pop it loose and send the dandelion flying when you pull it out.)

 

[carpenteire2009]

Great stuff, thanks for all the responses! As it happens I have an excellent "paint tin lifter", which is "vintage" ( at least 30 years old as far as I know), see pic. This type of "lifter" is far better at opening lids without distorting them than any screwdriver, a simple tool- it just works well!

As for my boot sale booty, I got them all cleaned up, of course I forgot to take a before pic, but you can guess how bad they were. Although I must admit I've become quite quick, and somewhat expert at rehabbing old tools- it's amazing what some oil, Autosol, nylon pot scrubs and my Lidl ultrasonic cleaner can do. I think I did ok for a tenner!