Another mystery tool, any ideas?

[carpenteire2009]

This one is a bit of a conundrum- looks to be blackmith-made from a single piece of steel, cut and forged into shape. Measures approx. 12" in length overall, the bottom (long) leg tapers and is ground to a crude chisel/ screwdriver blade shape; the 3 other legs/ arms look like they are designed to be struck. This was part of a box of old junk that I purchased on a whim. I'm puzzled as to what it could have been used for, any ideas?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Killing vampires?

 

[Inspector]

Take it to a church.

Pete

 

[kwigly]

looks like a large spider gauge (for checking set on saw teeth)

 

[dannyr]

?stonemason/quarryman tool? - a chisel/'drill'/'jumper' - the side bars to be hit from the other side to get the chisel out without splitting the stone by levering too much --- seen something a bit similar but longer

The other tool with sidebars is a scythe 'anvil' - stick it into any stump of wood by the field being harvested and then peen your scythe on top - again the side-bars to get it out

interesting, anyway

 

[Cabinetman]

Possibly a manhole cover lifter? I know they are fitted with keyhole slots now but they weren’t always. Ian

 

[carpenteire2009]

Some great suggestion there, thank you all. I did think it might be a stone working tool- a jumper, but it is small, maybe for a monumental stone worker perhaps?

The Scythe peening anvil is also interesting, although the anvil face is very small. If only these tools could talk!