Turn Screw

[SReynolds]

Anyone know what the  item is?(Turn Screw) It seems to be a common item for guys to forge when they are simply "mess'n 'round" in the smithy. I tend to believe it is a slang term used to describe a common item but I don't recognize the slang term. You know, the blacksmithing gangs in the inner-city Columbus. The hood. They have slang terms for items. Terrorizing the hood with their anvil's ring and coal smoke.

I have worked with a guy who enjoys adding a twist to square stock after he forges a particular item. When he was describing iten in question he mentioned a term I had never come across. I forget what the term was but it had nothing to do with adding the twist. But I found out that was EXACTLY what he was doing. That slang term throws me off.

I asked my neighbor what for engine his Class 8 truck has and he replied "it is an achex"  ????????????? (Cummins  model X)

[SmoothBore]

In America, we call it a "Screwdriver".

 

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[ThomasPowers]

Not a slang term in the UK;  

I've watched while certain slang terms I've used start spreading out with my students and vice versa like stinky hammer for the rawhide mallet used to true up work when you don't want to mess up details and "Frenchie" for the french pattern crosspeen that I stick in a lot of my student's hands as it was in a factory fire in WWII and is dead soft (and so can'e mark the anvil for people with *no* hammer control)

[John B]

3 hours ago, SmoothBore said:

In America, we call it a "Screwdriver".

 

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My understanding of turn screws in the UK are what are also turned wing nuts or butterfly nuts, basicall they have some method of turning them withoput resorting to tools like screwdrivers or hexagon/allen/torq tools.

 

[Glenn]

Like this?

By Jr. Strasil

By Uri Hofi

[John B]

Exactly like those Glenn Thank you.

I understand it was also used as a slang term referring to the gaolers in medieval times when they used the rack, thumbscrews and other types of torture equipment.

[Alan Evans]

I have come across turn screw to describe a fairly stubby screwdriver, well the ones I have seen are stubby. The main difference is that the tip of the blade that goes into the slot is ground so that it is parallel. It is not a continuation of the taper. The idea being that they will not twist out of the slot and mark the head of the machine screws which are used to hold an assembly which is frequently dismantled for servicing. They also tend to be made to fit narrower slots than standard wood screws.

They were/are used in specialist trades like gunsmithing and horology.

Alan

PS I have just thought of a reason they may be called turn screw rather than screw driver. If you think of driving a nail in or driving a screw in, the turn screw does not have the connotation of pushing forward/driving. It is merely a rotation, and could be used for adjusting the timing on a clock or tension or alignment on a mechanism for instance...sounds logical to me anyway...  

[SReynolds]

Like the ones pictured above. That is what I envision, but again, I don't know. If it's meant to be a simple screwdriver, why not simply say screwdriver? If the term Turn Screw is from the colonial times and in reference to a screw driver then all is well and I won't hurt anyone. But if it's one of these "progressiveism" terms or new age, then yeah. I'm not pleased. 

[Alan Evans]

23 minutes ago, John B said:

Exactly like those Glenn Thank you.

I understand it was also used as a slang term referring to the gaolers in medieval times when they used the rack, thumbscrews and other types of torture equipment.

Turn-key?

Alan

 

[SReynolds]

Just now, Alan Evans said:

Turn-key?

Alan

 

That is how I had my shop constructed....said no blacksmith. Ever.

[SLAG]

Glenn's devices look a lot like gigantic wing nuts.

(come to think of it, I have been called a wing nut by a few fellows.).

SLAG.

[Alan Evans]

8 minutes ago, SReynolds said:

That is how I had my shop constructed....said no blacksmith. Ever.

Sounds a delight to me...

Turn key...Turkey...Turkish Delight...new shop...keep up...keep up.

Alan

[Frosty]

A turn screw is basically a screw version of a "wing nut" more commonly known as a thumb screw. A modern "thumb screw" shouldn't be confused with the inquisition version which was more like a C clamp to prevent the nerves in thumbs or other fingers and toes from atrophying.

Frosty The Lucky.

[gote]

On July 8, 2016 at 1:22 PM, Glenn said:

Like this?

By Jr. Strasil

Really nice little pieces Glenn, Thank you for showingl I get ideas 

[Wayne]

Hi

To my knowledge there are two forms of turns crew, the first is an early name for screwdrivers. In the 1870 catalogue for William Marples and sons in Sheffield there are a range of different sized screwdrivers but they are described as turns crews ie -

Long handled cabinet makers turns crew, Scottish pattern turns crew.

A nice little book on the history of screws is - One good turn by Witold Rybczynski, ISBN 0-7432-0850-1

The other turns crew dates to the Victorian prison system, the Victorians were of the idea that the devil made works for idle hands.

So they came up with various ideas to keep the prisoners busy - breaking rocks, dig a hole and fill it in then dig it out again as well as what was effectively a giant hamster wheel that the prisoners walked up on the outside like a endless stair case and then there was the Crank. Imagine a post rising from the floor on top of which was a box, in the box was a wheel and on the outside was a crank to turn the wheel. Also on the box was a screw, the prisoner would be sentenced to turn the crank so many thousand times.

Now depending on his sentence or the guards the screw could be turned one way to release friction on the wheel or the other way to increase friction, think of how a modern exercise bike works..... The crank did not actually do anything it was to occupy the prisoner, if he did not complete the required amount of turns on the crank he would be further punished.

This led to the guards acquiring the nick name Turns crews which was later shortened to Screws. Sometimes if you see an old black and white British film you may hear a crook say some thing like "look out here come the screws"

There is a replica crank in the old Victorian prison in the grounds of Lincoln castle if you are ever that way.

 

Hmm for some reason my tablet does not like turnscrew. As one word.

The Birmingham firm of Timmins and sons tools pattern book of 1845 also uses the term turnscrews for screwdrivers.

[SmoothBore]

"Hmm for some reason my tablet does not like turnscrew. As one word."

 

The thing we call "technology", is often misunderstood.

There is a tendency to think it simplifies our lives, ... when in reality, it often places an increased burden on our own faculties.

 

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[boisdarc]

Me being a correctional officer and all, I was waiting for that last comment.