Mystery tool.

[scockram]

Evening all

So I've got two questions this evening! Here's the first.

I picked these pair of what I thought were secateurs up from a car booster recently. I've just looked at them again and now wondering if they're actually some kind of scissors instead, maybe for some special application. Any ideas?

They're a lovely piece of work. Solid steel, apart from the leather closing strap. They look like top quality, with some nice touches, like the knurled handles. I'd be interested to know the age of them. I thought antique originally, but the leather is still completely sound so maybe not. The only marking is
FRCOL ITALY. Google is of no help. Anyone heard of this make before?

 

[Stanleymonkey]

They do look almost identical to old fashioned secateurs.

Is it for something more refined in the garden? Topiary wok or dead heading small flowers?

 

[Stanleymonkey]

https://www.crocus.co.uk/product/_/...MI4vzbr6StgAMVyfrtCh1hew3dEAQYBSABEgLICPD_BwE
Quick google shows a type of topiary clippers with similar long blades like yours

Also something called hand shears that looks similar.

Hopefully a gardening expert will be along soon .

 

[MarkAW]

Look like tin snips to me

 

[scockram]

They do look almost identical to old fashioned secateurs.

Is it for something more refined in the garden? Topiary wok or dead heading small flowers?

Yep I had similar thoughts about something refined. Bonsai snipping I speculated, though that wouldn't quite make sense as they're Italian.

 

[scockram]

Look like tin snips to me

I think they're too delicate for that.

I was going give them a quick tickle up as they're not very sharp, though still cut well, but I couldn't ascertain the angle with my dodgy eyes. It looked to be only a bit more than 90 degrees. Maybe that gives a clue to their usage?

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Sheep sheering shears

But probably work fine in the garden!

 

[pgrbff]

Secateurs

 

[pgrbff]

Old version of these.

 

[Adam W.]

It is what one uses when harvesting cut flowers for the house, innit.

 

[niall Y]

'Forged Flower Snips' Lee Valley sell a pair almost identical.

 

[TPK]

Probably use to to prune the grape vines

 

[scockram]

Probably use to to prune the grape vines

This is a definite contender. You'd need something long and slender like these to thin out bunches of grapes for instance.

 

[squib]

For pruning vines, loads for sale in Italian antique markets.Really useful for delicate pruning.

 

[scockram]

Thanks. It's good to get confirmation.

Mystery solved!

For pruning vines, loads for sale in Italian antique markets.Really useful for delicate pruning.

 

[John Hall]

Yep…grape snips..

 

[DRC]

Evening all

So I've got two questions this evening! Here's the first.

I picked these pair of what I thought were secateurs up from a car booster recently. I've just looked at them again and now wondering if they're actually some kind of scissors instead, maybe for some special application. Any ideas?

They're a lovely piece of work. Solid steel, apart from the leather closing strap. They look like top quality, with some nice touches, like the knurled handles. I'd be interested to know the age of them. I thought antique originally, but the leather is still completely sound so maybe not. The only marking is
FRCOL ITALY. Google is of no help. Anyone heard of this make before?

View attachment 163438View attachment 163439View attachment 163440

They almost look like in Snips ???

 

[C.R. Miller]

The clue is in the bevel angle. If you say it's almost 90 degrees then it's made for cutting very thin metal. Maybe not so much tin snips but possibly copper or brass snips.