Mystery Tool

[AndyT]

When I was in Bristol Design last week, on a very pleasant shopping trip, I was shown this tool, and asked if I knew what it was. I don't, and nor do they, so it's over to the wisdom of the forum, for wild guesses, harebrained speculation, or positive identification backed up by incontrovertible evidence!

At first glance, it looks like a nice slender socket chisel.

The handle looks like it was designed to be struck with a mallet

but the business end is not sharp and doesn't look as if it used to be sharp

In section, the body of the tool is part of a circle along one side (like a gouge) and two flats along the other (like a bevel edged chisel with bevels so wide that they meet each other)

but the arrises are not sharp, and it doesn't look as if it was ever ground along the length, or at the tip for that matter.

There is a nicely filed curve at the end of the shaped part of the body which makes me think "French" but with no justification for doing so.

So, what is it? Slender and nicely made, designed to be hit, but with a blunt tip that doesn't have any obvious wear. It must have been useful for something!

 

[bugbear]

I don't recognise it at all.

Is the main body parallel or tapered in thickness over its length?

BugBear

 

[woodiedonald]

Possibly a stone carving tool but I wouldn't be sure, I have no experience of that trade. I'd imagine a stone carving tool doesn't need to be as sharp as a chisel for woodwork?

Cheers
Donald

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Possibly a tool used for lead work or embossing?

Regards Mick

 

[AndyT]

BB- It's parallel.

Donald - as far as I know, stone mason's tools do need to be sharp! (Round here, where there is plenty of softish Bath stone, masons sometimes favour old woodworking chisels for detailed work.)

 

[beech1948]

At first glance I thought it was a Japanese dovetail chisel -- it has a metal ring around the top of the handle, long slim socket, lands which come to a peak over the middle of the blade, shallow lands. Has it a hollow on the rear of the blade. The front circular piece is a mystery unless its just never been shaped or sharpened.

 

[bugbear]

BB- It's parallel.

Donald - as far as I know, stone mason's tools do need to be sharp! (Round here, where there is plenty of softish Bath stone, masons sometimes favour old woodworking chisels for detailed work.)

Yeah, masons use sharp chisels.

My best guess is that it's a specially made key/punch/drift for assembling (or taking apart) some
special corner or part of a large machine or engine.

But this is from analysis and thought, not identification or recognition.

BugBear

 

[Woodchips2]

Just a guess "tapping hoops onto barrels?".

Regards Keith

 

[tobytools]

Looks like a japanese chisel, or of Asian province
As for it's use could be used for turning, either soft metal or wood.

TT

 

[rafezetter]

At first glance I thought it was a Japanese dovetail chisel -- it has a metal ring around the top of the handle, long slim socket, lands which come to a peak over the middle of the blade, shallow lands. Has it a hollow on the rear of the blade. The front circular piece is a mystery unless its just never been shaped or sharpened.

Looks like that to me too - the front bit could be sharpened oddly for a reason - if cleaning dovetails then the curved face might have the same effect as a skew?

 

[bugbear]

Looks like a japanese chisel, or of Asian province
As for it's use could be used for turning, either soft metal or wood.

Ara Japanese chisels for turning soft metal common in your neck of the woods?

They rare as h*ll down my way!

BugBear

 

[tobytools]

Looks like a japanese chisel, or of Asian province
As for it's use could be used for turning, either soft metal or wood.

Ara Japanese chisels for turning soft metal common in your neck of the woods?

They rare as h*ll down my way!

BugBear

Who knows what some use and for what!!
After all this is a mystery thread.....
I use a old putty scraper as a marking knife, are those rare up your way?

TT

 

[MIGNAL]

Does it have the hollow back?
Certainly seems like a Japanese dovetail chisel to me, modified for some strange purpose.

 

[Graham Orm]

Some sort of caulking tool for knocking hemp into a joint, or lead?

These are all I could find on Google, most are steel end to end.

 

[tobytools]

Maby a button hole chisel but japanese style

TT

 

[jimi43]

I'd say caulking too....just because it has to be blunt to do that job.

Jimi

 

[bugbear]

Caulking is certainly plausible.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Caulking would fit with the blunt end and socketed handle. I wonder if it could be for putting packing material into some sort of small circular plumbing or engineering fitting. Has anyone come across such a thing?

I think we can discount turning as a use unless anyone can show us turning tools with socketed handles - I don't think they exist.

 

[Eric The Viking]

It looks perfect for opening paint tins (ducks and runs for it...)

But my real vote is for caulking.

 

[bugbear]

I think we can discount turning as a use unless anyone can show us turning tools with socketed handles - I don't think they exist.

Not only socketed, but hooped for striking. "unusual" for a turning tool.

BugBear