Unknown Hand tool - any ideas what it is?

[StevieO]

I bought a job lot of tools at auction and in amongst them was this tool.
Only thing on it says "Germany" (in English !)

It is about 6 1/2 inch long.
There is a sliding bar that can be locked in place which also aligns with a short scale (see photos).
There is a spring and locking screw on the top which I cannot fathom does anything.
Very intricate patternwork on the handles.

Wild guess would be something to do with sheet metalworking.

Any ideas?
and - (thinking of my depleting bourbon stocks) is it worth anything do you think??

Cheers. Steve

 

[Jamesc]

I have one very similar it is a saw set

 

[StevieO]

Thanks James - fast answer!! How do they work?

 

[Jamesc]

I will have to go and dig mine out of the workshop to give a proper description. I haven't used it for a few years.

 

[Alasdair]

I had one similar that was for steel plate circular saw blades. You can adjust it to put a certain amount of set on the teeth. They are very scarce. Havent seen one in years
Alasdair

 

[StevieO]

Now I know the name of it I've found lots on ebay, none the same, but similar. This one certainly has some fancy work on it. Based on the others it's probably only a tenner! Oh well - replenishing the bourbon will now take longer!! 8o)

 

[Alasdair]

Nice thing to have. The workmanship on old tools is incredible.
Alasdair

 

[pe2dave]

Sorry, that Paul Sellers again.

 

[heimlaga]

That is a must have tool for all serious hand tool users. You need it every time you sharpen a handsaw.

Unfortunately that very model doesn't work very well for the finer teeth of backsaws and such but for handsaws it is excellent. I have a bunch of them set up and ready for setting various saws. Saves a lot of time compered to figuring out the correct amount of set by trial and error every time.

Those that were made for cirkular saw blades and pit saws and logger's crosscut saws are significantly larger but otherwise look fairly similar.