Got this in an estate sale years ago, no idea what it is...

[nextlevel]

I purchased a bulk lot of furniture from an estate sale about 7 years ago, and I found this item wedged behind a drawer in an antique nightstand-sized piece of furniture.

I have asked several dozen people, I have posted on several sites over the years whenever I think about it, and nobody has been able to offer any evidence of what it may be.

What I can tell you about it:

The only marking on it is the number you see on the brass plate, 79246.

When you pull the "trigger" the little gears move in all sorts of directions, and a small pair of scissor-like sheers spins around, and makes a "cutting" movement.

It moves flawlessly as if it was well used, and maintained.

I've tried pulling the leather handle cover back as far as possible to see if anything was branded on the metal handle itself, but did not see anything in the areas I was able to expose.

Any help would be great!

 

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[mojjax]

sheep shearer

 

[Bev]

Does it look as though it could be used for cutting or making barbed wire?

 

[diggummup]

The scissor like sheers spinning around is what confuses me. Scissors and spinning doesn't mix. When I think scissors, I don't think spinning, I think back and forth motion. Where are the cutters or scissors, are they shown in the 3rd photo?

Are the gears free flowing? In other words does it keep spinning with one pull of the trigger or does it only turn while your pulling the trigger over and over?

 

[nextlevel]

The scissor like sheers spinning around is what confuses me. Scissors and spinning doesn't mix. When I think scissors, I don't think spinning, I think back and forth motion. Where are the cutters or scissors, are they shown in the 3rd photo?

Are the gears free flowing? In other words does it keep spinning with one pull of the trigger or does it only turn while your pulling the trigger over and over?

I would post a video of its mechanical motion, but oddly enough, I have no idea where it is right now. I moved a couple months ago, and haven't unpacked everything. The photos were taken the last time I posted about this item online a couple of years ago.

To answer your question best I can, If you look in the 3rd photo, near the center you can see a piece of metal that is spiral in shape. When the trigger is pulled the piece of metal spins, and the little scissor like piece I was talking about spins (because it is on top of that spiral piece of metal). The scissor piece is about an inch above that spiral part in the photo; it is a bronze color, and curves the the left. As that piece spins, the shears open and close - as if it is meant to cut something.

At the same time, there is a metal arm, viewable on the far right side oh the 2nd photo, that swings back in forth over the entire mechanism.

Also, when you let off of the trigger, all of the mechanical motions do the exact same thing but in the opposite direction, meaning you pull it and it does something, you let go and it goes back to its original stationary positions. So nothing is free flowing at all, every movement is mechanical, and operated by pulling, and releasing the trigger.

I will see if I can find it in the next few days, and if I do I will post a video of what it does.

 

[nextlevel]

Does it look as though it could be used for cutting or making barbed wire?

Someone years ago mentioned that it looked like something that could have been used to create barbed wire back before machines did everything, but after talking about it for a while with that person, we came to the conclusion that it did not seem strong enough to handle a thick metal wire. Although we both were uncertain, and have left that as a possibility in hopes that one day it will be disproved, or proved correct.

My personal thoughts is that it may have been used to twist, and cut some sort of leather cord, or twine maybe. But like I have mentioned in my original post, I have no idea, and have not been able to find anyone who does, nor have I been able to find anything like it anywhere. Unfortunately.

 

[aka da Prof]

if that's a patent #, you might check there--

 

[clovis97]

Is it a wire stripper?

A metal crimper?

A banding tool of some sort, used for banding steel straps around something in a packing room?

The movement you described tells me that something went in, and the movement, when reversed, allowed the item to come back out.

It is odd to see that it has so much wear on the trigger...must have been used a lot.

 

[Bev]

Do you think the leather strap goes around your leg to keep it stabile? Have you tried feeding a rope or wire hanger through it (gently)?

 

[doolittle]

If you put a piece of string in it will it tie a knot. It Seems like I saw one when I was young. I think it was used in a Cotton Mill.

 

[diggummup]

if that's a patent #, you might check there--

That number returns with a Morse & Collins edge tool grinder from 1868. It doesn't look like this tool.
http://tinyurl.com/6pagbnp nice thought though.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

if that's a patent #, you might check there--

That number returns with a Morse & Collins edge tool grinder from 1868. It doesn't look like this tool.
http://tinyurl.com/6pagbnp nice thought though.

I didnt even bother to look it up, the number was too low. Its must be a part or serial number.

 

[Bev]

Send it to this guy- He might know and even use the picture on his site!

http://www.antiquefarmtools.info/page14.htm

 

[diggummup]

if that's a patent #, you might check there--

That number returns with a Morse & Collins edge tool grinder from 1868. It doesn't look like this tool.
http://tinyurl.com/6pagbnp nice thought though.

I didnt even bother to look it up, the number was too low. Its must be a part or serial number.

Yeah, I actually looked it up to see what year it did correspond with, just for sh!tz and giggles. We'll figure it out sooner or later. He said he found it "wedged behind a drawer in an antique nightstand-sized piece of furniture," maybe that is a clue in itself as to it's actual use. When I first looked at it, before I read the description, I though it was some sort of hand held sewing device. Then when I read the description, that thought went out the window.

 

[doolittle]

It is a Boyce weavers knotter. Used in textile Mills. Here is the site

http://blossommerz.com/blog/index.php?id=4432634010256791426

 

[Bev]

NICE JOB!

 

[GoGoGopher]

So all of that just to tie 2 pieces of different color thread (yarn) together...hmmm....

HH,

 

[NOLA_Ken]

This is the second one of these I've seen on here, there was another maybe a few years ago I think. Finally solved!

 

[Nirros]

Darn....I was gonna say Super Duty Fantastic Pasta Maker! Great Job!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

This is the second one of these I've seen on here, there was another maybe a few years ago I think. Finally solved!

I thought it looked familiar but I doubt I could ever find it.

It is a Boyce weavers knotter. Used in textile Mills. Here is the site

http://blossommerz.com/blog/index.php?id=4432634010256791426