Mystery tool.

[MJP]

At this morning's first bootsale of the season I bought two carrier bags full of small hand tools for £30 - result!

Amongst them was this oddity - appears to be a gimlet but look how large the screw tip is - it's a full 7mm across at its widest.

Anyone got any idea if it's something specialised? It seems unlikely to be just a run of the mill gimlet to me.

Martin.

 

[Lons]

I'm probably way off track but it reminds me of a carvers screw maybe someone has modified one and fitted a handle

 

[MJP]

I'm probably way off track but it reminds me of a carvers screw maybe someone has modified one and fitted a handle

I'd never heard of a carver's screw so I've just Googled it Lons and yes indeed it really does look as if it could be a modified one of those, especially with the thick shaft.

The thot plickens.

 

[TheUnicorn]

not sure what you'd call it but would it not be used like a cork screw for pulling out for instance dowels?

 

[MJP]

not sure what you'd call it but would it not be used like a cork screw for pulling out for instance dowels?

Yes, could be - someone on a FB woodworking group suggested that it was for pulling out old Rawlplugs.

Will we ever know?

 

[Sachakins]

For removing really stubborn ear wax or a stringy boggie!!!!

 

[Devmeister]

For removing really stubborn ear wax or a stringy boggie!!!!

That is just gross! I was thinking it might be one of my ex girlfriend’s toys. The industrial look suits her like a glove!

 

[dannyr]

I have very similar, I think it's a kind of bradawl for starting holes for screws, but doesn't seem to work better than the other shapes.
Could maybe be Good for someting like a brass screw into hardwood where some go to the extent of first putting in a steel screw, taking it out then the brass.?
Or maybe for making a careful starter before auger drilling.?

 

[Lons]

I'd never heard of a carver's screw so I've just Googled it Lons and yes indeed it really does look as if it could be a modified one of those, especially with the thick shaft.

The thot plickens.

I do some carving occasionally and have one somewhere, if it's handy I'll dig it out and post a photo.

 

[Rustic Mike]

At this morning's first bootsale of the season I bought two carrier bags full of small hand tools for £30 - result!

Amongst them was this oddity - appears to be a gimlet but look how large the screw tip is - it's a full 7mm across at its widest.

Anyone got any idea if it's something specialised? It seems unlikely to be just a run of the mill gimlet to me.

Martin.

View attachment 133326

View attachment 133327

It looks

At this morning's first bootsale of the season I bought two carrier bags full of small hand tools for £30 - result!

Amongst them was this oddity - appears to be a gimlet but look how large the screw tip is - it's a full 7mm across at its widest.

Anyone got any idea if it's something specialised? It seems unlikely to be just a run of the mill gimlet to me.

Martin.

View attachment 133326

View attachment 133327

is it a calliper for measuring.

 

[Limey Lurker]

It's a Screw-starter.

 

[MJP]

For removing really stubborn ear wax or a stringy boggie!!!!

Haha - If only! - that strikes closer to home than you expected - I suffer from excessive earwax and have to have them suctioned regularly.

 

[Henniep]

It's a Screw-starter.
View attachment 133360

I agree. I've got a very old one which is a bit thinner.

 

[schnapps95]

At this morning's first bootsale of the season I bought two carrier bags full of small hand tools for £30 - result!

Amongst them was this oddity - appears to be a gimlet but look how large the screw tip is - it's a full 7mm across at its widest.

Anyone got any idea if it's something specialised? It seems unlikely to be just a run of the mill gimlet to me.

Martin.

View attachment 133326

View attachment 133327

The photo and measurements of the tool match the dimensions of a acetylene burner as per photo enclosed. It could be for making the thread or restoring the thread. Acetylene burners were used in motorcycle carbide lamps in the 1920's

 

[MJP]

The photo and measurements of the tool match the dimensions of a acetylene burner as per photo enclosed. It could be for making the thread or restoring the thread. Acetylene burners were used in motorcycle carbide lamps in the 1920'sView attachment 133419

Well Schnapps, I think we're getting there - I'm certainly of the opinion that this item is designed for a specific purpose and looking at Acetylene burners via google I can quite see the resemblance.

As a youngster I well recall making very pleasing explosions with water and a nut of carbide in a screw top pop bottle, hastily thrown away.

Those were the days!

Martin.

 

[tonywatkins]

It's absolutely a simple screw starter, as @Limey Lurker said. I bought one identical to this about 25 years ago. It can give screws a better start than an ordinary gimlet can as those tend to have fairly small threads.

 

[MJP]

It's absolutely a simple screw starter, as @Limey Lurker said. I bought one identical to this about 25 years ago. It can give screws a better start than an ordinary gimlet can as those tend to have fairly small threads.

And I'm inclined to think that you've hit the screw on the head, Tony - Here's a currently available screw starter:
https://www.sears.com/kings-county-tools-universal-screw-starter-set-of/p-A082580263#Imagezoom
I think that settles it.

Thanks all, I can sleep easy tonight now, knowing that I'm the possessor of one of these indispensable tools (!!)

Martin.

 

[Jonm]

This could be the start of a new TV game show.
Is it a
1. Modified carvers screw
2. a tool for starting screws
3. a tool for Cleaning/recutting carbide Lamp threads
4. a dowel/wall plug remover

I would watch it.

 

[MJP]

This could be the start of a new TV game show.
Is it a
1. Modified carvers screw
2. a tool for starting screws
3. a tool for Cleaning/recutting carbide Lamp threads
4. a dowel/wall plug remover

I would watch it.

Yes, we've certainly seen a whole spectrum of choices here Jon.

I wonder if there's more?

- hope not!

Martin.

 

[Jonm]

And I'm inclined to think that you've hit the screw on the head, Tony - Here's a currently available screw starter:
https://www.sears.com/kings-county-tools-universal-screw-starter-set-of/p-A082580263#Imagezoom
I think that settles it.

Thanks all, I can sleep easy tonight now, knowing that I'm the possessor of one of these indispensable tools (!!)

Martin.

Looking at the photo of the sears advert, copy below. It shows the screw starter with some hinges. Could it be that the wider, less tapered head than normal is to centre the starter hole in the centre of the hinge hole? I would appreciate some comments from the expert woodworkers out there.