Anyone Familiar with old tools?

[Ripcon]

I found this tool at a Mississippi plantation site I was hunting at yesterday.
Yes, it looks like a screwdriver but this is nothing like anything I've ever seen before.
It's a solid piece, very large, with unusual handle.
Does anyone have an idea of an age?

 

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[Georgivs]

maybe a chisel? Definitely screw driver shaped though.

 

[Tony in SC]

Looks like an early kit screw driver. The old steam traction engines and later tractors came with a portable tool box that had basic tools.

 

[bowwinkles]

If you clean the handle part up I believe you will see holes that held wood handle pieces to the metal. It is definitely a vintage screw driver. https://www.google.com/search?q=vin...oAhURbKwKHQEkDyYQ7Al6BAgHEDw&biw=1252&bih=552

 

[A2coins]

Yepper its a old screw driver

 

[Plug N Play]

Billings and Spencer made similar drop forged screwdrivers. Late 1800's ... probably pre 1920's ?

"Billings No. 21 9 inch forged screwdriver, marked "The B&S Co." and "Made in U.S.A." with the B-Triangle logo forged into one flange, and with "Hartford, Conn. U.S.A." forged into the opposite flange. The shaft is stamped with the "No. 21" model number, as shown in the inset."

 

[Idahodutch]

Billings and Spencer made similar drop forged screwdrivers. Late 1800's ... probably pre 1920's ?

"Billings No. 21 9 inch forged screwdriver, marked "The B&S Co." and "Made in U.S.A." with the B-Triangle logo forged into one flange, and with "Hartford, Conn. U.S.A." forged into the opposite flange. The shaft is stamped with the "No. 21" model number, as shown in the inset."

View attachment 1809277

Plug N Play,
Very well put together response post.
Idahodutch

 

[Ripcon]

Thanks guys!

 

[Tony in SC]

See them sometimes in the swap meet section at antique tractor shows.

 

[desertexplorer]

These screwdrivers turn up at swap meets quite often. Some are marked VLCHEK, Craftsman, Billings. Most of them that you see are marked Fordson, either stamped in the shank or cast into the handle and were sold with the Fordson tractor by by the Ford Motor Co. You find them in farmers fields sometimes when they’ve fell off the tractor since the screwdriver also doubled as a chisel as well as a drawbar pin.

 

[Ripcon]

Great information. Thanks!