What is this tool used for?

[scrimper]

I know it's a screwdriver of sorts but when I first received it I assumed it was a normal drive that someone had made into a slotted driver however looking at it more closely I think it was made like this.

Is it used in Clock repair or perhaps something to do with guns like a turnscrew?

Anyone have any ideas?

There are some names stamped on it one is Downton but as I received several old tools with that name stamped on them inc chisels and planes I think it's one of the previous owners names. The other name on the handle looks like Morton?

 

[JohnFred]

My guess is that's it's a driver for handsaw split nuts.

JF

 

[Harbo]

Yes I think so too.

Rod

 

[scrimper]

I wondered about that and it could be right but it is rather small and why does it have those indents and markings on the side? It seems quite elaborate for just tightening saw nuts?

 

[Orraloon]

My guess it is a gunsmiths tool. Perhaps as part of a boxed set where the cleaning gear came as part of the deal.
I googled and morton was a Dublin gun maker.
http://ramrodantiques.blogspot.com.au/2 ... maker.html
Regards
John

 

[bugbear]

I know it's a screwdriver of sorts but when I first received it I assumed it was a normal drive that someone had made into a slotted driver however looking at it more closely I think it was made like this.

Is it used in Clock repair or perhaps something to do with guns like a turnscrew?

Anyone have any ideas?

There are some names stamped on it one is Downton but as I received several old tools with that name stamped on them inc chisels and planes I think it's one of the previous owners names. The other name on the handle looks like Morton?

How big is it - overall length?

BugBear

 

[scrimper]

It is 5 3/4" (145mm) from end of tip to top of handle, the blade width at the tip is 5/16" and the cut out bit is about 5/32".

 

[scrimper]

My guess it is a gunsmiths tool. Perhaps as part of a boxed set where the cleaning gear came as part of the deal.
I googled and morton was a Dublin gun maker.
http://ramrodantiques.blogspot.com.au/2 ... maker.html
Regards
John

That is interesting, I never thought of looking up Morton but you could be correct. The reason I first thought it might be to do with guns was that I remember watching an episode of Lovejoy where he had a pair of duelling pistols and the turn-screw was missing, when he found it it was a small screwdriver.

 

[bugbear]

It is 5 3/4" (145mm) from end of tip to top of handle, the blade width at the tip is 5/16" and the cut out bit is about 5/32".

Heh - I was going to use the overall length and pixel counting to work out the tip size, but you've saved me the trouble! Thank you!

It sounds too small for a saw-nut driver.

BugBear

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I think it's a gun screwdriver as well - though not so much for a gunsmith as for the owner of a high-end sporting gun. The filed decoration to the blade and the rosewood handle don't really fit with a tradesman's tool, but they very much do with a 'gentleman's' piece. That might explain why they don't crop up more often, too - the sort of owner prepared to pay the premium for a tool like this has always been relatively less numerous than, for example, working farmers with a shotgun or two.

Such items are still available (though to updated designs), along with such things as pewter gun-oil bottles, hand-made leather cartridge cases and the like, to accesorise the sort of guns with fine engraving on the action, hand-fitted selected walnut stocks, and a six-figure price tag.

Nice find, actually!

Modern examples - scroll down the page a bit - https://www.williampowell.com/gunroom/s ... ning/?pi=2

Not every gunsmith will be rushing to fill their tool chests at £35 - £40 a pop for individual turnscrews!