What are these?

[phreddy]

A friend inherited a tool chest. These things are amongst the contents. Any idea what they are? We both think they might be burnishers, but can’t figure out why one of them has a curvy blade. I also thought maybe drawbore pins, but the short one would be useless as such. Any help please? Thanks.

   

[TraditionalToolworks]

A friend inherited a tool chest. These things are amongst the contents. Any idea what they are? We both think they might be burnishers, but can’t figure out why one of them has a curvy blade. I also thought maybe drawbore pins, but the short one would be useless as such. Any help please? Thanks.

Well, the curvy blade resembles a checkering tool, which were used to cut checkering in gun stocks typically. But I think the 3 look like burnishing tools to me. Probably the wavy one was intended for a specific shape/curve. Just a guess, probably as good as any...

[phreddy]

Well, the curvy blade resembles a checkering tool, which were used to cut checkering in gun stocks typically. But I think the 3 look like burnishing tools to me. Probably the wavy one was intended for a specific shape/curve. Just a guess, probably as good as any...

Yeah, I was thinking the wavy one might be useful to get into hard to reach places on a gooseneck scraper. Also a guess, and probably as good as any. Thanks for the input.

[DCarr10760]

A friend inherited a tool chest. These things are amongst the contents. Any idea what they are? We both think they might be burnishers, but can’t figure out why one of them has a curvy blade. I also thought maybe drawbore pins, but the short one would be useless as such. Any help please? Thanks.

Hi, Lost my Login info and didn't want to spend the time to figure out what it was so I've been MIA for awhile.  It's rare that I can answer definitively on these whatsit posts but this time I can.

These are handles for a set of pattern-maker's gouges.  I have a set of these, both incannel and outcannel.  They are designed to use specialized gouge-tips (about 4-inches long, hardened tool steel tubes with one closed end, with a tapered hole to receive the handle.  One handle is straight, one is cranked and then there is a short one.  I don't have any pics here, but the incannel ones are sized by diameter of the sweep in fractional sizes.  I think from about 1/4-inch to 1-inch or more.  To use you insert the conical tip into the receiver at the end of each gouge and drive the end on.  It's pretty rock solid, given the taper.  To remove you have to use a small hammer.  

They are very handy and take the place of a full set of straight, curved, and incannel gouges for light duty or occasional work.  I'm not sure who manufactured them, but they were sold by the Wellman Tool Company of Cleveland Ohio.  Or at least they were with a chest of patternmaker's tools I bought years ago where most of the tools were marked Wellman Tool Co.

Interestingly they came with a poorly made divided tray that I thought was user-made, until recently when similar sets were sold on Jim Bode and Patrick Leach's sites with virtually identical, poorly made trays.  Edit: On Jim Bode's website there is a small set of outcannel gouges.  They show the short handle only and are marked "Adams and Nelson"  I can't post pictures here (I forgot how) but if you go to his site and search you'll find it.


David Carroll

[phreddy]

Hi, Lost my Login info and didn't want to spend the time to figure out what it was so I've been MIA for awhile.  It's rare that I can answer definitively on these whatsit posts but this time I can.

These are handles for a set of pattern-maker's gouges.  I have a set of these, both incannel and outcannel.  They are designed to use specialized gouge-tips (about 4-inches long, hardened tool steel tubes with one closed end, with a tapered hole to receive the handle.  One handle is straight, one is cranked and then there is a short one.  I don't have any pics here, but the incannel ones are sized by diameter of the sweep in fractional sizes.  I think from about 1/4-inch to 1-inch or more.  To use you insert the conical tip into the receiver at the end of each gouge and drive the end on.  It's pretty rock solid, given the taper.  To remove you have to use a small hammer.  

They are very handy and take the place of a full set of straight, curved, and incannel gouges for light duty or occasional work.  I'm not sure who manufactured them, but they were sold by the Wellman Tool Company of Cleveland Ohio.  Or at least they were with a chest of patternmaker's tools I bought years ago where most of the tools were marked Wellman Tool Co.

Interestingly they came with a poorly made divided tray that I thought was user-made, until recently when similar sets were sold on Jim Bode and Patrick Leach's sites with virtually identical, poorly made trays.  Edit: On Jim Bode's website there is a small set of outcannel gouges.  They show the short handle only and are marked "Adams and Nelson"  I can't post pictures here (I forgot how) but if you go to his site and search you'll find it.


David Carroll

Excellent! Thanks!

[castguy2003]

Excellent! Thanks!

They were sold by pattern supply houses like the late Freeman Supply and Kindt-Collins Co.
My father had a set but unfortunately for me my older cousin snapped them up before I could.