Timeless Tools and Treasures

I have asked a hundred people what they think this little tool is – many theories, but no one is certain. It’s 6.5″ long and .35″ thick. It is very clean and nicely finished. There is a Patent date of Jan. 24, 1893 and it is marked New York on the reverse. The steel piece attached at the working end is not sharp enough to cut anything harder than clay or mortar or something like that. It might be for leather work or for applying pressure to a small defined area of something. Any thoughts?

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There have been many theories about the original purpose for this tool, from something to form lead (for a plumber) to a printing press for business cards. It is shown here lying on its back.There is a small plate with three screw holes for mounting on a wall or post. The stationary frame would not hold anything viscous, but could be used for a few lines of type.

The lever on the left raises and lowers the small plate to meet the framed area.

Here is something not as exotic as the others, but still not readily identifiable. It looks like either an extremely sturdy screwdriver, or a very short chisel. Perfect handle, but no maker name.

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Dozens of people have been asked to identify this item. It had a wooden handle that was broken off, so I have no way of knowing how long the handle was. It’s about 13″ long. No one can say if it’s a gardening tool, an auto tool, or what. It has a patent date of Nov. 11, 1919. The patent date has not offered any clues.

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Here is a group of items I found in a tool chest along with carpentry and plumbing tools. Each of these is approximately 5″ high. The sides create a corner of approximately 42 degrees. When I stand them up, they lean at about 65 degrees. They are not precisely formed and each one is different.

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Attention Galoots and all the rest of you who love to identify mysterious old tools! As I collect old tools from various barns, auctions and estate sales, I often find devices that are unknown to their owners and don’t appear in any of my references. So, each week I will post a new one and look forward to your ideas about its origin and purpose. I might even send a little gift to the person with the best idea.

So here is this week’s offering:
It’s 17.5″ long and has two interlocking “arms” that can slide up and down the neck area. The longer arm can hook into the other and act as a lever, but this does not seem to have any effect on the device. It is very nicely finished.