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Can you ID this tool ?

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  • Member since
    December 2002
Can you ID this tool ?
Posted by Bossman on Saturday, June 10, 2017 1:45 PM

Over the years I've inherited some tools and some of them - well . .  their purpose simply escapes me.  This is one of them.  

I saw it in a box of old stuff that belonged to my Dad and at first I thought it was just an exacto blade handle containing a broken blade.  Dad was a wood carver and I know he used those blades at times as I've seen them in other bags of his carving tools.

This was in a tool box that contained some drafting tools and machinists tools.

The "business end" has a spring loaded collar that turns and then moves axially to lock into position.

In the locked position, there are three sections of metal on the top surface that all line up at the same angle, but at different heights.

In the unlocked position, the collar and the two outer metal sections withdraw back so that the three metal pieces are at the same height, but now the middle section is tuned at about a 45 deg angle.

From a different angle . . .

I'm cluelessTongue Tied

Chris

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Saturday, June 10, 2017 4:19 PM

It's called a screw starter---in this case, of the 'slotted' variety. Used to position said screw in its hole in close quarters, to be followed up with a regular screwdriver.

Link here

A close friend's father was a machinist; he had a whole selection of them.

Cheers

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
fox
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Narvon, Pa.
Posted by fox on Saturday, June 10, 2017 7:24 PM

Right on the nose Greg. They really come in handy sometimes.

I did a couple of years with a tool company and sold them. One of my coustomers was a machinist and ground the blades of a few of them for me so I could use them on my R/C gear. Still have them and they still work great.

Jim  Captain

 Main WIP: 

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  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Longmont, Colorado
Posted by Cadet Chuck on Saturday, June 10, 2017 8:04 PM

I thought it was something the dentist used on me, last time......

Gimme a pigfoot, and a bottle of beer...

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Saturday, June 10, 2017 9:02 PM

Cadet Chuck

I thought it was something the dentist used on me, last time......

It actually has the look of something Dr. McCoy might have used on Star Trek---with a suitable warbly electronic sound effect, of course....

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    December 2002
Posted by Bossman on Saturday, June 10, 2017 9:22 PM

Thanks Greg !   And what a bonus that it's not some obscure instrument that I can't use - looks like I'll have to practice it a few times tonight and keep it in a memorably accessable location for when I need it for real.  (That memorable part always bites me in the  . . .       huh . . .       I forget where it bites me - but it always bites me there.)

Chuck,  I'll be sure to mumble "blurbleblurbleblurble" in a weird tone whenever I use it.  I might even say "Darn it Jim - I'm doctor - not a screw driver from the 20th century !"

Chris

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Sunday, June 11, 2017 12:40 PM

Bossman
I might even say "Darn it Jim - I'm doctor - not a screw driver from the 20th century !"

Which reminds me, I had Bewitched on for background noise the other day, and overheard Doctor Bombay saying to Sam "I'm a doctor, not a <something>".

Got me wondering who stole what line from whom?? Surprise

And that was a very cool observation that the tool looks like something McCoy would have used. It truly does!

 

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