What is this tool used for and what is it called?

[Mctoolface]

Hi, my wife bought an apartment and the previous owners left a bunch of stuff in the basement. There were a bunch of these tools in different sizes, here is the largest of them. The smaller ones were basically shrunk versions of this one. Any clue what this is used for and what it is called?

 

[parvum]

It is a reamer, used to create accurately sized holes after drilling a slightly undersized hole. Not much use to woodworkers!
regards Paul

 

[Sideways]

It's called a reamer.
Used to finish a drilled hole to a smooth and precise size.
They are a tool for use in metal and at that size will need quite a lot of force to turn.
They are used with thin oil and turned at slow speed under a fair amount of pressure. The chips produced are very fine.
I have a few for use on my metal lathe but that's a brute by my standards.

 

[niall Y]

It is a reamer, used to create accurately sized holes after drilling a slightly undersized hole. Not much use to woodworkers!
regards Paul

Except there are the likes of - 'Violin Peg Hole Reamers' and similar, for use on wood . They are also used to size the internal diameters of wooden wind instruments - both tapered and straight.
I use a set of ordinary, metal-working ones to enlarge the finger-holes, for tuning the whistles I make, from time -to-time.

 

[guineafowl21]

Yes, hand reamers.

They are very dangerous. For your own safety, please post them all to me for safe ‘disposal’

 

[BillHoughton]

And then there are various versions of tapered reamers used for the holes in certain types of rustic chairs. But the pictured one, yes: originally intended for metalworking.

 

[Fergie 307]

Joking aside, if they are in good condition then they are worth a few bob.

 

[saab9002]

This is actually a hand reamer which is slightly tapered at the start so it can be started in the drilled hole, the finished size starts approximately half way up the length.