Mystery Tool?

[AndyT]

I'm pretty sure I've solved the tool mystery. Looking for something else, I happened across an old catalogue of printer's supplies.

I can't post a picture but this link should lead to an image of the right page:

http://www.archive.org/stream/convenientbookof00allirich#page/n16/mode/1up

Have a look at the bottom left - the lead cutters. I think it's one of those.

(Btw 'leads' were long thin pieces of type metal used to space lines of type the right distance apart. They would have been fairly soft but tough enough to need a well-made tool to cut them.)

 

[mahking51]

Andy T: Well done, finally solved, top man! =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>
Useful archive link which I have saved.
Cheers,
Martin

 

[bugbear]

I'm pretty sure I've solved the tool mystery. Looking for something else, I happened across an old catalogue of printer's supplies.

I can't post a picture but this link should lead to an image of the right page:

http://www.archive.org/stream/convenientbookof00allirich#page/n16/mode/1up

Have a look at the bottom left - the lead cutters. I think it's one of those.

(Btw 'leads' were long thin pieces of type metal used to space lines of type the right distance apart. They would have been fairly soft but tough enough to need a well-made tool to cut them.)

Doesn't look the same at all - and the tool in question doesn't have a sharp blade, and the forward/backward adjust on the table makes no sense for a leading trimmer.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Now just a minute! This is the best theory so far! :lol:

Bugbear wrote

and the tool in question doesn't have a sharp blade

but Martin said in his original post:

It is very well made indeed; sharp blade, adjustable table, boxwood handle.

Granted, it's an anvil cut where other models have a shearing cut, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work. (I'm assuming that the back part of the blade is concealed by a guard, but is functional all the way back, and that the top of the anvil is level with the beds.)

I agree with you that there is no clear purpose in the front-back adjustment; leads would all be the same breadth (ie a bit less than the type height), but on the other hand, this tool is about the right size, and has a finely adjustable stop to set the cut length, which seems to be a common feature of other models. It does seem to be left-handed though.

Here's a selection of commercially made US models:

http://excelsiorpress.org/photos/slugcutters/index.html

If it helps anyone who can be bothered with further searching, the leading I'm talking about is also called reglet.

 

[jimi43]

Well it's £21 of something anyway! :mrgreen: 8)

Jim

 

[toolsntat]

Well it's £21 of something anyway! :mrgreen: 8)

Jim

Yeh and £20 of it were mine :roll:
Should have left a higher bid but there you go
Wonder how high they would have gone :?:

Not sold on your theory Andy as the cutters are ground at just less than 90* for a powerful shear cut with the surplus being pushed away from the "knife"...
By the way cheers for that link as I can now definitely say my gizmo is a printers mitring machine 8)
Cheers
Andy