Another 'what is it?' thread...

[Eric The Viking]

(Text: "Cooke London 14", or possibly "L4")

(Text: "4 Archer St. Soho")

I think this is a knurler of some sort, but it might be a leather-working tool, or something else entirely:

I found it amongst my wife's grandfather's tools, whilst tidying up a bit, as you do. I think the handle is a mahogany of some sort. The business end rotates freely, but has no obvious bearing - I haven't attempted to undo the slotted screw in the centre as I don't want to damage it (it appears to be rusted-in quite well).

The lettering might be a false trail: possibly not an actual maker, as my grandfather-in-law was surnamed Cooke. He had an interesting life: at various times he sold Rolls-Royces, worked in the diamond trade at one point, and was in military intelligence in WWI, tasked with interrogating captured officers. I doubt it was an instrument of torture though! Will ask the in-laws if he ever lived in Soho.

Thoughts appreciated.

E.

PS: image-Googling using "knurling" and "leather decoration" (and an image) doesn't turn up anything -- I have tried, a bit at least!

 

[Andy Kev.]

It looks like a leatherworkers fudge wheel:

http://www.tooltique.co.uk/antique/old- ... p/page/30/

See picture at bottom of page. I don't know what its precise use was though.

 

[NazNomad]

If you've ever seen this around the side of a shoe ... by hand, you'd use a fudge wheel.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Thanks both - that would make sense, although I have no idea presently why he might have wanted one.

Can't raise in-laws today but will ask when mother-in-law calls to inquire what we've been doing for the last 36 hours or so...

... death, taxes, call from mother-in-law when there's something good on telly we're watching together...

 

[bugbear]

As per the OLDTOOLS running joke, it's a leather working tool.

But in this case, I think it really is a leather working tool.

(A Salaman book I don't have )

BugBear

 

[NazNomad]

Hang on ... Leather working and a Soho stamp? He didn't have a 'sideline' in fetish gear, did he? :-D

 

[Eric The Viking]

Hang on ... Leather working and a Soho stamp? He didn't have a 'sideline' in fetish gear, did he? :-D

It's possible... but it would probably have been in around 1920. He died just before the millennium, aged 104.

I don't think Soho was what it used to be back then, if you see what I mean.

 

[Stanleymonkey]

The link to the old tools websites lists it as a 'saddlers or cobblers tool'

Could it for a different line of leatherwork?

 

[AndyT]

Well, I do have a copy of Salaman's Dictionary of Leather-working tools, so now that Andy has identified Eric's find, I can see what else it says.

The book is arranged by trade, and this sort of wheel only appears in the section on Boot and Shoe making - not in harness making etc. There are other wheeled tools with sharp points to mark holes for stitching and they cross over between different leather trades, but the fudge wheel, also known as a welting wheel or a boot rand wheel, was used as NazNomad said, to indent the leather round the welt of a shoe and so make the stitching more regular, or at least, appear more regular.

They came in different sizes and had from eight to eighteen teeth per inch. Some had interchangeable wheels stored in the handle. They were used hot, but not so hot as to damage the leather or stitching.

Eric - I wonder if your future descendants will wonder how such a tool, found in your possessions, was used on those strange old computers back in the 21st century? What was great grandfather Eric up to? :wink:

 

[Woodchips2]

It's for crimping the edges of a Bristol pasty :lol:

Regards Keith

 

[BearTricks]

I have no idea presently why he might have wanted one.

That never stopped the rest of us.

 

[NazNomad]

I have no idea presently why he might have wanted one.

That never stopped the rest of us.

''Because it's there'' - George Mallory. :-D