OldTools Archive

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276125 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2022‑08‑11 Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
GG's

Just created a Flickr album showing a front and side view of a mystery (
presumably ) leatherworking tool.

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA2vxJ

The business end looks like it would cut a narrow square-sided groove.

The purpose of the offsets, and the adjustable brass parts, is a total mystery.

What was this tool used for?

Best Galootish Regards,
John Ruth
276126 Kevin Foley <kevin.foley.135@g...> 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
John,

My guess is that it would be a stitch groover.  It would cut a channel a set
distance from the edge of the leather work piece to recess stitches.

Kevin, enjoying the calm after the storm in Chantilly after a couple hours of
continuous thunder.
276127 John M. Johnston <jmjhnstn@m...> 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
John, it doesn't look like any leather working tool I've seen. However, with the
addition of some dental floss it looks like it would be great for cleaning
between one's teeth. (Ducking and running) 😎

John Johnston


John M. Johnston

“P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.


________________________________
From: oldtools@g...  on behalf of John Ruth via groups.io

Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2022 9:27:48 PM
To: Oldtoolslist 
Subject: [oldtools] Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click
links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and trust the content
is safe.


GG's

Just created a Flickr album showing a front and side view of a mystery (
presumably ) leatherworking tool.

https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fflic.kr%2Fs%2F
aHBqjA2vxJ&data=05%7C01%7Cjmjhnstn%40memphis.edu%7C72588f6f97314b75085a08da7
b38b798%7Cae145aeacdb2446ab05a7858dde5ddba%7C0%7C0%7C637957780778158895%7CUnknow
n%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%
3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=AAhUWmQ9IwO6t3obDAtOvsJnboGppkjNK%2BOcTXnN3iQ%3D&am
p;reserved=0

The business end looks like it would cut a narrow square-sided groove.

The purpose of the offsets, and the adjustable brass parts, is a total mystery.

What was this tool used for?

Best Galootish Regards,
John Ruth
276128 Rock Harris <nombre7@g...> 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
My initial inclination was an edge beveler. The square nature and the line cut
in the top side portion gave me pause. The idea of a stitch groover is also a
possibility. The crook neck throws me off, as does the contraption on the top.

I do a fair amount of leatherworking, which is why I’m answering. But I’ve not
seen a device like this before.

rock harris
lesser programming deity, tyro woodworker, and aficionado of obsolete machinery
314.221.5941

sent from my BatPhone....
276129 Kirk Eppler 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
John, those are horrible pictures.  It makes it look like it has two
parallel arms with the shadows (unless it really has two parallel arms,
then they are OK pics). But your contrast is low, no 3d view, really hard
to visualize what it is.


But seriously now.

Here is a great place to start, poke around his vintage tools for sale.
I’ve nailed down one or two of mine that way.

https://brucejohnsonleather.com/

He is sort of active in a certain FB group, so I can post it there later if
you strike out.

I don’t recall ever seeing it in a catalog, but there are lots of obscure
ones here that I have not been thru yet.  You can probably skip Osborne,
and look back pre 1945 or so, in my guess.

https://archive.org/details/internationaltoolcataloglibrary?query=Leather&sort=-
date

Kirk in Half Moon Bay, planning an auction pick up tomorrow. But nothing we
talk about here, I didn’t win those.


On Wed, Aug 10, 2022 at 6:27 PM John Ruth  wrote:

> GG's
>
> Just created a Flickr album showing a front and side view of a mystery (
> presumably ) leatherworking tool.
>
> https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA2vxJ
>
> The business end looks like it would cut a narrow square-sided groove.
>
> The purpose of the offsets, and the adjustable brass parts, is a total
> mystery.
>
-- 
Sent from my iPad, apologies for the Auto Correct errors. Kirk


-- 
Kirk Eppler in Half Moon Bay, CA 
276131 Phil E. <pedgerton66@g...> 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
Could it be a gun checkering too?. (I know nothing about checkering,
but not knowing has never stopped me from taking the opportunity to
look ig'nernt.)

Phil E.
276132 Kirk Eppler 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
In my little tiny knowledge of checkering, I would expect the business end
to be a Vee shaped rasp like thing.  Can't see that level of detail.

Kirk in HMB, CA

On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 1:24 PM Phil E.  wrote:

> Could it be a gun checkering too?. (I know nothing about checkering,
> but not knowing has never stopped me from taking the opportunity to
> look ig'nernt.)
>
> Phil E.
>
>
> 
>
>
>

-- 
Kirk Eppler
*Planned Time Off*
*Oct 26 - Nov 7*
Principal Engineer
Pharm Dev Processing
eppler.kirk@g...
650 225-3911


-- 
Kirk Eppler in Half Moon Bay, CA 
276133 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
Kirk and assembled Galooterati:

Maybe I should apologize for my inept cell phone photographs!

The tool is/was for sale at a local flea. The vendor is an elderly Hungarian
immigrant who's retiring from the flea market. He said this Saturday will be his
last session.  I've identified a number of Old Tools for him, so it seemed
natural that he'd ask me what this mystery tool might be.

So, I just snapped a couple of pictures in the bright sunlight right at the Flea
table.

I'm impressed with the volume of thoughtful replies!  

I looked at the archive.org catalogs until ran out of time, without finding
anything even vaguely like it. The business end looks more like it would make a
pair of very thin grooves rather than a single flat-bottom groove.

It might very well be a stitching groover with a sort of "hop over" feature to
clear some obstruction.  Leather is used for so many items that it may be
impossible to identify what items this was intended for. ( Military
accoutrements, harness, saddles / saddle bags, etc, just to name a few. )

I'm sure I'll never see another one! Maybe I should buy it.

John Ruth
276134 gtgrouch@r... 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
Maybe? 

We need a new acronym: WWAGS for what would a Galoot say?

Gary Katsanis
Albion New York, USA

	-----------------------------------------From: "John Ruth" 
To: "Kirk Eppler (KEPPLER)"
Cc: "Oldtoolslist"
Sent: Thursday August 11 2022 4:55:52PM
Subject: Re: [oldtools] Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took

 Kirk and assembled Galooterati:

 Maybe I should apologize for my inept cell phone photographs!

 The tool is/was for sale at a local flea. The vendor is an elderly
Hungarian immigrant who's retiring from the flea market. He said this
Saturday will be his last session. I've identified a number of Old
Tools for him, so it seemed natural that he'd ask me what this mystery
tool might be.

 So, I just snapped a couple of pictures in the bright sunlight right
at the Flea table.

 I'm impressed with the volume of thoughtful replies!

 I looked at the archive.org catalogs until ran out of time, without
finding anything even vaguely like it. The business end looks more
like it would make a pair of very thin grooves rather than a single
flat-bottom groove.

 It might very well be a stitching groover with a sort of "hop over"
feature to clear some obstruction. Leather is used for so many items
that it may be impossible to identify what items this was intended
for. ( Military accoutrements, harness, saddles / saddle bags, etc,
just to name a few. )

 I'm sure I'll never see another one! Maybe I should buy it.

 John Ruth

 



Links:
------
[1] https://groups.io/g/oldtools/unsub
276138 Mike Rock <mikerock@m...> 2022‑08‑11 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
That would describe a purfling tool.
My friends on Leatherworker.net came up with zilch for leather tools.  
One guess was a picture frame grooving rebate, but this is pretty small 
for that.
What is the dimension across the cutting face??

Mike
276142 Richard Wilson <yorkshireman@y...> 2022‑08‑12 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
Well, as time is pressing for you, I’ll offer up ‘purfling cutter’ - if only it
were sharp (ened?)

Old and Hungarian? I can convince myself that a skalled man would use it against
a straight, or curved edge, or does the adjuster work in such a manner as to act
as a very short stock, such as would be needed to negotiate a tight inside
curve?

Time was, skilled people used all manner of simple things to achieve astounding
results.


Back to me heatwave in Northumbria now….

Richard Wilson





> On 11 Aug 2022, at 21:55, John Ruth  wrote:
> 
> Kirk and assembled Galooterati:
> 
> Maybe I should apologize for my inept cell phone photographs!
> 
> The tool is/was for sale at a local flea. The vendor is an elderly Hungarian
immigrant who's retiring from the flea market. He said this Saturday will be his
last session.  I've identified a number of Old Tools for him, so it seemed
natural that he'd ask me what this mystery tool might be.
> 



-- 
Yorkshireman Galoot
in the most northerly county, farther north even than Yorkshire
IT #300
276147 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2022‑08‑15 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
Richard and GG's

Please patiently await further photos because _I conformed to the Galoot Code
and bought this probably-never-to-be-used tool from the old gentleman!!!_

There are several details which don't show in my previous photos! Among other
things, the metal cap on the back has knurled sides, suggesting that perhaps it
unscrews!

The adjustable brass "stop" remains a puzzle.

I'll try to get views from several directions without strong shadows.

And the old gent, with whom I've been transacting flea market business for at
least 20 years, gave me some good news.  He'll be back in November. It's just an
extended trip, not permanent absence! :)

 John Ruth
276152 mike.lietzow@g... 2022‑08‑15 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
GGs,

On Sun, Aug 14, 2022 at 04:25 PM, John Ruth wrote:  "I conformed to the Galoot
Code and bought this probably-never-to-be-used tool from the old gentleman!!!"

Fully appropriate. The key word there is "probably," suggesting an ever-so-faint
chance that you might need it someday, thusly justifying the acquisition.

We're here to help.
Cheers!
Mike
276153 Kirk Eppler 2022‑08‑15 Re: Mystery ? Leatherworking ? Took
Oh heck no.  Once we tell him what it is, he will realize he's been needing
it his whole life, but the needs have passed.

Kirk in Half Moon Bay, CA, added some shelving to the garage over the
weekend.

On Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 8:54 AM  wrote:

> GGs,
>
> On Sun, Aug 14, 2022 at 04:25 PM, John Ruth wrote:  "I conformed to the
> Galoot Code and bought this probably-never-to-be-used tool from the old
> gentleman!!!"
>
> Fully appropriate. The key word there is "probably," suggesting an
> ever-so-faint chance that you might need it someday, thusly justifying the
> acquisition.
>  1
>


-- 
Kirk Eppler in Half Moon Bay, CA 

Recent Bios FAQ