# What's this tool?



## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

*Marking Hatchet?*

This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.

The axe is just over 12" in length. Has a 2" rounded blade that is not sharp and appears to never have had a bevel applied to it. The iron looks hand forged (not mass produced). The handle seems rather slender for a hatchet, or even a hammer of this size. The end opposite the blade makes a stamp of "*T5*" if struck on a piece of wood. The only other noteworthy part about it's condition is that the handle near the iron head has some charring all the way around it.

My guess is that it may have been used for marking lumber or logs, though the wimpy blade makes me think it might have been used for something softer than wood.










Any ideas what this was used for? Is T5 an old grade of wood or timber?


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## christopheralan (Mar 19, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


Mabey to bust through the bark and drive in the spout…? I donno. Good luck.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


as you say it cuold be fpor marking logs as a persenly stamp
I have seen sommething like this in Denmark when they
walk in the forest in summertime and mark those trees
they has to cut down in the winther they mark it with 
a painted X and the mark to tell that this is one there has to be feld

cuold also bee one to mark those holes in marpletrees where they
draw syrup from to tell other people this is my tree stay away


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


That might make sense that the blade is for removing a small bit of bark. It doesn't seem suited for doing much more than that.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


I believe these were used by fellers to mark the logs they felled. I'm sure there are some old timber cutters on here.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


I'm not a feller, just a regular fellow ;-)) Sorry, I just couldn't resist!! That is what it looks like to me, a log marking tool.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


Thanks fellers …errr fellas. I've kept an eye out at antique shops, other places where i buy old tools and various internet sources and haven't found anything to match it. It's not really a useful tool and maybe thats what gnaws at my curiousity about it.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


Somebody named Dan left this comment on my other blog. I copied it here because it addressed the question I asked and was pretty helpful. Thanks Dan, I appreciate the information.

*Dan wrote:*
Your hatchet with the hammer side showing T5 is for marking logs as they leave the woods and come to a mill. Sometimes the mill would have them as well to mark that they had been scaled and in the inventory.

US Forest Service still uses them, but without the hatchet which was for checking rot in the logs and shaving a flat spot if needed to stamp the T5.

DD


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Marking Hatchet?*
> 
> This odd hand axe belonged to my Great Grandfather (Living in Swain NY in the first half of the 1900's). He was a farmer, ran a small saw mill and made maple syrup among many other things. This hatchet may have been connected to one of these activities. If anyone knows more about this particular marking axe, I'd enjoy hearing about it.
> 
> ...


thank´s for the update Steve 
always nice to know what a tool has been developed for yesrerday

take care
Dennis


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

*Wooden Paddles*

My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.

The tri-square blade in the photo is 6" long


Anyone recognize them for what they might be?

Here is the rest of the look inside the old toolbox for anyone that has a fascination with old woodworking tools.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


They might have been used as wedges in say coopering?


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## uffitze (Apr 23, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


They might be gluts.

Or, the could have been used to "motivate" his apprentice.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


I second motivators for apprentices ….............lol

niice toolbox thow

Dennis


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


a1Jim, Coopering wedges … I did a search and couldn't find anything related to what they might look like so I'll have to do some more digging. To my knowledge and judging by the other tools in the box, he was more of a finish carpenter in the housing trade rather than a barrel maker …but maybe he was trying to branch out.

uffitze, I thought about them being used as gluts, but there is no sign that the ends of the handles were ever hit with a mallet. I thought they might be wedges used to keep lumber from binding while ripping it, but they are too thick for that. I also joked with my brother that they were used to keep people from getting to close to the tools in the box or to motivate somebody into doing something. It brought us both a good laugh. My great uncle had no children so they were not intended for keeping his kids in line.

While checking out Jim's idea of coopering wedges, I did come across lead dressing tools 
http://www.toolbox.co.uk/lead-dressers-2289-0000
which seem to be used for bending or forming lead or copper roofing materials (called chase wedges, bossing sticks, setting in sticks, dressers and bending sticks) The modern versions of these all seem to be less than a foot in length though. I would also expect that if these tools were used to form metal roofing materials that the tips would be discolored heavily where they rubbed against the metal to change its shape.


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## dustbunny (May 18, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


Could these have been honing boards ?
I know some strops are made from hard balsa
to simply remove the burr off the sharpened chisel.

Lisa


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## KayBee (Jul 6, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


Backscratchers!

Maybe jammed in to hold something in place until a nail is driven in. Sorta like clamps, just wedges.


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## Newton (Jun 29, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


I've seem similar tools used to shape molten glass. Are there any scortch marks on them?


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


Maybe something along the lines of a "stuffer"? Like for stuffing the edges of a linen along the inside of a padded box,or…coffin? Thanx for the photos, I love looking at old stuff.


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## ratchet (Jan 12, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


Did you uncle make his own beer as was common at one time back when. If so these look like mash paddles.


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## BrianA (Feb 8, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


Handles too short for mash paddles?

Brian


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## uffitze (Apr 23, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


True, gluts would have wear marks from being whacked, and a finish carpenter from the '30s probably wouldn't have a use for them.

The only other idea that I can come up with is that he used them to shim up doors when he was hanging them.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


@dustbunny - I suppose it is possible they could be honing boards. Though there was a strop in the toolbox so I am not sure he would need two honing boards. Especially since these took up a fair amount of space in his toolbox. I'll have to look deeper into those.

@Kaybee - that was something I was thinking about. Temp wedges or something like that.

@Don Newton - No scorch marks. Interesting idea though.

@Nomad62 - I like that explanation as it would make sense why there wouldn't be a lot of wear on the business end of the paddles. Every carpentry related use I can think of would lead to more wear/damage on the paddles

@ratchet & BrianA - Mash paddles… That's great. He could have been into making beer or whatever, not really sure. But my guess is that he wouldn't waste valuable toolbox space to carry around two mash paddles. He was a tradesman lugging this toolbox from job to job. I would think the only things in there would be essentials. Of course that didn't stop me from sniffing them to see if I could smell the hoppes … nope, no odd smells. Just that musty smell that old wooden tools acquire.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


"The only other idea that I can come up with is that he used them to shim up doors when he was hanging them."

uffitze that's brilliant! I think you hit on it exactly. I bet the flat one was used to set one edge of the door to height and then the curved one was used to make small adjustments up and down by placing a foot on it. That makes a lot of sense to me. I'm hoping someone else with old carpentry knowledge can confirm that….or tell us we are completely wrong


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## bobkberg (Dec 26, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


Fascinating! Thanks a lot for starting this thread swirt.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Wooden Paddles*
> 
> My Great Uncle was a carpenter back in the 1930's. I recently had the chance to go through his old toolbox and marvel at some of the old tools. Most of them I could figure out, but these two have me scratching my head.
> They are wooden paddles. One with a straight wedge design (the lighter colored one) and the other has a slight curve to it. The handles have a lot of patina so they saw a lot of use, but there is no heavy wear or damage to the paddles themselves that would indicate lots of pounding or abrasion.
> ...


I have seen paddles like those used for keeping kids in line.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

*Circle Cutter*

Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.

(The tri-square in the photo is 6" long)
The arms are fully adjustable in length from roughly a 1/2" radius out to ~3" So it could mark out a circle out to about 6" in diameter. Given the design, the outer edge of the circle could never be less than ~1 1/2" in radius.

The center post (pivot) has no threads on it and is tapered, so it could fit into a small hole, but could not make the hole deeper (so it is not like a drill).

The ends of the pointed arms are sharpened so it is designed to cut when moving in a circular arc.

I did find a few of these on ebay and they were identified as leather washer cutters. I am not sure if this is accurate or not. It would make sense that it was intended to cut something thin, like leather, because it could not drill deeper on its own. What I haven't been able to wrap my brain around is why there would be a need for leather washers that large. (who needs a 6" diameter leather washer??) And more importantly why would a finish carpenter in the 1930's need to make leather washers on the job site?

One idea occurred to me that it may have been intended for making leather washers, but he may have re-purposed it for scribing circles on a surface (like a plaster wall) and then used a compass saw to cut the circle out. Today it could probably cut the hole in drywall with no problem, but in the 1930's walls were plaster and lathe, which would not cut well with this tool by itself.

Anyone know what big leather washers were used for or have other ideas why this would have been in his toolbox? Thanks in advance for any help provided in working out this little puzzle.

Again anyone interested in old tools can read the rest of my look inside the old carpenter's toolbox.


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


Pump cups?

http://www.wdmoore.com.au/PumpsComponents/PumpCupBuckets/tabid/118/Default.aspx


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## rsharp (May 6, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


I'm guessing outside the box, but one thought would be to use them as some type of heat shield around ceiling mounted light fixtures (and the such), where fire hazzards would be a concern. Conventional light kits have insulation and foil for that purpose. In the 30's, perhaps it was leather?


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


Leather washers are used for chisel handles and mallet faces. Might have been used to cut leather circles to mount over a mallet face to help prevent marring of the workpiece.

David


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


I have 2 of my grandfather's a large and a smaller one. He was a welder/ machinist. The story he told me was this. Back in the good ol'e days remember all the belts and pulleys and levers that were in the shops for powering machines. He said they were used to cut leather and fibers washers as well as light tin for the pulleys and belt system. I guess they use to lather up the leather with grease sometimes to act as a type of bearing deal for parts that slid back and forth. They were also used for pump washers that needed to be replaced. This was the story he told me when I was a kid. Fact or fiction it made sense to me then.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


@JJonhnston Pump cup leathers would seem to be the right size. That would make sense for the tool. I'm not sure how many hand pumps were in use in the 30s in Rochester NY maybe quite a few…. not really sure when municipal water started up there.

@Randy some kind of heat shield might might sense. Though I would think that would be more the job of the electrician. ... not sure how much jobs overlapped back then. There were no wire cutters or anything remotely electrical in the toolbox.

Perhaps scribing holes for metal chimneys? It can scribe concentric circles (2 at a time) or if set to the same size it can scribe one circle twice as fast.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


My thought was that perhaps a leather washer that size would be for wagon wheels.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


@Gregn - That makes a lot of sense to me. Leather washers all lubed up would probably do the job you describe pretty well.

@David - I thought about that too… Chisel handles or mallet faces made sense at first until I tried scribing some circles and realized that it couldn't make washers small enough for chisel handles and if it were used for mallet faces they would have a hole right in the middle of the strike zone.


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


Sorry i don't know to much about the tool in question, but I have the same square in my shop…BC


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## uffitze (Apr 23, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


I've worked on a few old houses, and have yet to see a leather washer of any size in one. I'm a sparky, and have not seen anything like that used as insulation in light fixtures (they didn't seem to think that insulation was necessary back in the day).

6" is probably too small for a chimney.

Sorry I'm not more help on this one.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


a1Jim, I've never seen them but probably wagon washers would be the right size and function the same way Gregn describes. So it would be a good use for the tool.

I guess I keep banging up against the notion that he probably used this tool for something other than it was intended…. I know I have a few tools in my toolbox that serve a different purpose for me than they are originally designed for. (Hmmm maybe I should start leaving notes in my toolbox for the days when my grandkids are puzzling over what I used them for. LOL)


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


@blackcherry That tri-square was also part of his toolbox. Was yours made by SOHACO - Southington Hardware Co. ? That is the stamp on it. Here is a link to an old Southington catalog from 1930 Funny to look at the prices of the tools. http://toolemera.com/Manufacturers%20%26%20Merchants/Mfg.%20stu/mfg.-southington.html Apparently this tri-square sold new for between $2 and $4 (only because I am not sure which one it is by number).

@uffitze actually you provided some great info. ... no old time leather insulation and chimneys on old stoves were bigger than this would scribe … So I can cross two of the possible uses off the list. It is not the homerun you hit in the other thread with figuring out that the wedges were probably used for hanging doors, but it is useful info just the same.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


Scribing holes for toilet toilet drain pipes perhaps?


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


I found this link it looks something like you have.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310223788292&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WV
Which would coincide with the story my grandfather told me.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


"It's time to make the doughnuts"


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


Back in 30's the men used to do more than just carpentry. They also did the plumbing, wiring, tinsmithing, et. Sub-trades were not here yet. I believe that tool may have been used to cut washers for hot water radiator systems in homes. (gaskets)
Not that I was here in the 30's. but THEY SAY !
My grandfather (born in 1896) was the local blacksmith, carpenter,plumber, electrician. "German nickname was *Tischler*" I was always told that meant "*Jack of all trades*"


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


@Gregn, I found that one one ebay too. It is the first bit I found that cllued me in for it being used to make leather washers. That particular seller seems to really specialize in old tools so the tool description is probably right.

@canadianchips , I'm not sure if that is true everywhere. or at least maybe not in this case. The other contents of this toolbox are pretty focused on finish carpentry. No wire cutters, no pliers, no soldering torch irons. If the toolbox was just a collection of assorted tools from all the trades, I wouldn't be puzzeling over this so much. It's mainly this one tool that seems out of place. (it kind of eats at me….I like mysteries)


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## TwinLeather (Jun 10, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


http://www.twinleather.com/birdtoys/rounds.html
We make 5 3/4" leather hydrant washers ( see W-14)
Also … Chisel, hammer and knife handle washers 
http://www.twinleather.com/twnhandl.htm

richmond
brockton, ma


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## uffitze (Apr 23, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


So, it looks like the thing is used for making leather washers. So, the question then becomes did your uncle repurpose it, and if not, where the heck in a house are leather washers used? I bet that canadianchips hit on it with the gaskets in radiators suggestion.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

swirt said:


> *Circle Cutter*
> 
> Back in my Great Uncle's Old toolbox (he was a finish carpenter in the 1930's) I found this odd circle marking / cutting device that is used in a brace.
> 
> ...


I might have to go find a ouiji board to get the answer to that.


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