Little Turtle Forge Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Hey guys, today my neighbor brought me two of these and said they were in the garage when he moved in 10 years ago. Neither of us knew what they were my guess and was some kind of harrow or grader bit but it's totally a guess any help would be appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Interesting contraption ... may be part of a small sheet metal bender? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Looks like a sheet metalsmith's hatchet stake. Look here for more information => discussion of the different types of stakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Turtle Forge Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 Wow, it does look like that hatchet stake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Looks like a fairly modern one given the arc welded construction. Looks in great shape. https://www.anvils.co.uk/tinsmiths-tools/product/1658-hatchet-stake.html Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I would have said it looks like a tool rest for a lathe, but looks like Farmall and Alan have the right id. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Daswulf, it does look like a lathe tool rest, but that would be one heck of a lathe! I had a friend (he passed away a number of years ago) that worked in a sheetmetal shop, so I saw him use this and many of the other stakes a number of times, Plus, Colonial Williamsburg brought back the Tinsmith Shop a couple of years ago and I have seen this stake in use there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 That's the great thing Farmall, I'm always learning something new along with others. I would love to get down to Colonial Williamsburg some time now that I'd have a new appreciation for it. I havnt been there since I was quite young on a family trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Naw, that's no lathe tool rest, it's a tin nocker's or sheet metal worker's stake a "creaser" I THINK. There are cataloges of the things online an invite to a little Googling me buckos. To get in the ball part good search terms would be "Stake Plate." That's not what you're looking for but its what you hold stakes in and will get you some useful terms and maker's names. Enjoy. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I will dig out and photograph the hatchet stakes I have when I am next at the forge, I have an idea they were either forged from one piece or fire welded... And a wood lathe tool rest I made for my Dad which I seem to remember was fairly similar in construction...just a curved rest for bowl turning and a round pin instead of square for swivelling and height adjustment in the clamp. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Herewith the hatchet stake photos. Dug these out of the pile... Interesting example of living history...showing development of metal production processes. The middle one is stamped 1963 and has been arc welded like Little Turtle Forge's. 20 years before in 1943 (stamped on the half moon stake) the same company Vaughans (Hope Works) were making them by dab welding the post to the blade. The glitches in the surface indicate the posts on the two earlier ones are wrought iron. If you look carefully at the detail photo of the half moon stake you can see the flattened out dab weld on the back of the blade. The two with the stamps are ex Ministery and have the broad arrow. I haven't cleaned the other one up enough but I suspect it was also made by Vaughans for the War Department. It has a very similar dab weld detail as the half moon. The other photo shows the shelf with half a dozen of my father's lathe rests, you can see one of the straight blade ones on the top. Sorry for the photo quality...the lathe and indeed most of dad's workshop is cluttered up with bits of my old Discovery interior trim at the moment. Can't get at anything. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Turtle Forge Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 You guys are awesome!! Thank you so much for the ID! I never doubted for a moment that someone on this site would know what it was. Such a great place with such a diversity of life experience someone was bound to know. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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