Vintage turnscrew

sonnycrockett84 · 2026-07-15T11:14:12-0400

Is anyone able to identify or have any information on this turn screw? I have never seen one so ornate. There's no manufacturer's marks anywhere. It's over a foot long. It appears to have been used very little.

four.cycle · 2026-07-15T11:51:01-0400

At first glance, it's too perfect to be real.
I'm thinking "presentation piece", maybe?

Like an "Annual Award for Best Screw Turner" or something?
Maybe a salesman sample?
You see any sort of wear on the business end of the thing?

RTM · 2026-07-15T12:05:08-0400

A toolmonger friend says those fancy ones are often home made, or user embellished, to the point that no references to the original maker are left.

Nice find.

four.cycle · 2026-07-15T13:46:45-0400

Jeff speculated that it might be an instance of the previous owner testing his capabilities of engraving, OR possibly (as I speculated above) some sort of "presentation piece". (e.g, "Screw Turner of the Year Award")

The Cobbler · 2026-07-15T13:51:00-0400

looks wood lathe toolish to me

sonnycrockett84 · 2026-07-15T16:58:58-0400

four.cycle said:
four.cycle said:

At first glance, it's too perfect to be real.
I'm thinking "presentation piece", maybe?
Like an "Annual Award for Best Screw Turner" or something?
Maybe a salesman sample?
You see any sort of wear on the business end of the thing?

Click to expand...

Not really wear. I'd call it patina. It does look like it was "sharpened" after it was etched, but that may have just been the process of creating the flat.

four.cycle · 2026-07-15T17:14:21-0400

The Cobbler said:
looks wood lathe toolish to me

^ agreed. the handle doesn't look at all like "production screwdriver handle". (at least not to me.)

RTM · 2026-07-15T17:40:23-0400

four.cycle said:
^ agreed. the handle doesn't look at all like "production screwdriver handle". (at least not to me.)

Looks like a lot of my bigger turn screws, not the little ones so much that may have been factory made. Pix later.

Edit: maybe not. Can't find my two biggest ones in the garage.

Time to see if I can find pics online.

bigredcornhead · 2026-07-15T17:43:21-0400

I was going to say some akin to piano tuning equipment

paulsomlo · 2026-07-15T18:28:45-0400

"Bring me the royal screwdriver!"

four.cycle · 2026-07-15T20:58:53-0400

Steve G. thinks "home made" as well.
Also speculated that the handle may have been re-purposed from a chisel.

four.cycle · 2026-07-15T21:03:31-0400

bigredcornhead said:
piano tuning equipment

piano tuning wrench is just a tiny socket on a handle, generally. some are double-headed (two sockets). some use interchangeable sockets.
no idea why they call it a "Hammer"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/800303960239

crguy · 2026-07-16T00:13:55-0400

The Cobbler said:
looks wood lathe toolish to me

It's not.

RTM · 2026-07-16T01:34:36-0400

Here is one of my big ones, front edge of the tailgate, 22” long, made from a file. Ferrule looks relatively normal for a turnscrew.

Here is a 16.5” Marples

sonnycrockett84 · 2026-07-16T02:58:07-0400

sonnycrockett84 said:
Is anyone able to identify or have any information on this turn screw? I have never seen one so ornate. There's no manufacturer's marks anywhere. It's over a foot long. It appears to have been used very little.