Any info on this old screwdriver?

[RickyPetite]

My father-in-law recently passed away and I was given this old screwdriver (I'm the only one in the family who would be interested in such things...). It was given to him by his father-in-law who was a carpenter. The initials JN are stamped on the blade which I suspect correspond with the original owner's initials rather than the tool brand. As such, it is well over 100 years old (my father-in-law was 89 when he passed). I plan on restoring it for sentimental reasons but was wondering if anyone had any knowledge to pass on. It may be simply an "ordinary", no name item but I thought I would run it up the Garage Journal flagpole! Thx

 

[d42jeep]

I suggest trying to clean off the ferrule with steel wool to see it it has any markings that might indicate the manufacturer. If that screwdriver held sentimental value to me, I would try to find another wood handled screwdriver of around the same size to use as a handle donor.
-Don

 

[kaymccampbell]

It's the cursed son-in-law screwdriver. Put it in the back left corner of the lowest leftmost drawer of your toolbox. Never put a good handle on it, or use it, or all your projects will turn to ****.

 

[RickyPetite]

It's the cursed son-in-law screwdriver. Put it in the back left corner of the lowest leftmost drawer of your toolbox. Never put a good handle on it, or use it, or all your projects will turn to ****.

OMG, so true. Although the original owner (wife's great-grandfather) was a carpenter, the last owner (my father-in-law) couldn't screw in a lightbulb. He thought that duck tape could magically fix just about anything (he even covered digital clocks flashing 12:00 to avoid having to learn how to set the correct time)!

 

[RickyPetite]

I took it apart and cleaned it up. The only markings are on the blade "JN" or "JM" (hard to tell). Although the last name of the original owner started with N, my mother-in-law can't think of any family members with the initials "JN". Looking at the tang, I wonder if it was handmade and the initials are those of the blacksmith. It was likely made/purchased in the Springfield area of Massachusetts if that helps. Not sure if it was customary for a blacksmith to stamp their initials on both sides of the blade.

 

[RickyPetite]

Sorry guys, I’m losing my marbles. The engraved initials are SN or SM (not JM etc). Looking into old toolmakers in Massachusetts are that time.