What is it?

[Jagmandave]

My great grandfather left me his tool box, full of wood working tools from when he used to build homes between 1880 and 1940.

I found this in the box and have no idea what it is or what it's used for, so calling on the collective wisdom of the board!

 

[ChevyEFI]

it's a coarse-thread pressing tool. It wouldn't be for a tight interference fit of metals. More like putting dowels into something? I don't know.

 

[unslow1]

I hope you find out. I inherited one a few years ago and don't know either.

 

[Mintgrun]

I am going to guess that it is a nut cracker.

I googled [ vintage screw nut cracker clam shell ] and a few similar ones came up.

Here's one of them

 

[unslow1]

That looks like it. My Grandfather had it in with tire patching stuff. He must have been using it to glue patches on inner tubes.

 

[Johnno]

definitely looks like one of the nut crackers my grandparents always had in the kitchen

 

[lardy1]

I found one in a bunch of old tools and speculated for awhile until Whatshername told me it's a nutcracker.

 

[logical]

I did bushels of black walnuts with one of those as kid...and just as many with a 6" section of train rail and an old claw hammer.

Sent from my garage.

 

[bwringer]

Yup, nut cracker.

Most tire patching widgets have a much deeper "throat" and a much wider pressing bit, or a wide claw for use with vulcanizing patches.

Man, y'all remember vulcanizing tube patches? Those things worked SO well. Too bad the fumes were basically poisonous.

 

[RTM]

Yup, I am in the nut cracker camp too.

 

[Jagmandave]

Wow, thanks everyone! Why the hole in the bottom? And why do you suppose it was in his tool box?

 

[B_Bimmer]

The hole is to give the nut something to seat in and it was probably in his toolbox because he liked walnuts.

 

[PelicanPines]

Wow, thanks everyone! Why the hole in the bottom? And why do you suppose it was in his tool box?

You never know when you are going to need to crack someone's nuts.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

Garlic press? LoL

 

[powhitehorn]

They call it a Master. It was one of the first paintless dent repair tools crated by Heir Flag. Just kidding its a nut cracker. Grandad had one in his barbershop.