Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Curio's, Curiosities and Artifacts


Scott NC

Recommended Posts

  Have you a tool, book, fossil, antique widget machine, chunk of metal that's special to you?  Have you something Grandpa left you that has a story to tell?   Old Photo that's special to you?  Flea market find that's one of a kind....  What resides in your curio cabinet or under all the junk in your shop?  I collect weird tools, historical photo's and the list goes on.  My favorite is a Bulldog Boot Jack in the form of a pistol.  A family heirloom of sorts.  What's hiding in your closet, shop, show cabinet or under the bed?  My Grandpa was both blacksmith and machinist and I came to own his tools.  Amongst the lot was a toothpick sized crankshaft he cut that I treasure!  

  Everybody must have a collection of "things"!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 182
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I have my Grandfathers gold pocket watches. One from each Grandfather, my maternal Grandfather (Pappy) got it on retirement, my Paternal grandfather got it from his Father but I don't know which one. Both work and keep pretty good time but I don't carry either and I'm hugely fond of flip cover pocket watches. Neither has a photo in the cover.

If I dug my way in and went through Dad's tool boxes out in the connex, I'm sure I'd find some cool old stuff. One box the machinist's to box, has the bulk of his instrumentation though some doesn't fit. I have Pappy's traveler for reading distance on maps. I still use it and anybody who follows maps should have one. (wink)

I'm no fan of GPS it's too prone to errors and can leave you wandering in the desert. Literally.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have so many things it is hard to decide which to put in. As far as blacksmith stuff I would say my grandfathers 21/2 lb cross peen hammer, which I use myself. Just picking it up gives me a feeling of connecting with him again. It's on the left next to the anvil.

100_2119.thumb.JPG.59f29f81b715234bdebe354c838ef5c2.JPG

Then there is the Ozark hoe that was made by my mentor Isaac (Ike) Doss which I make copies of and a framed copy of a story about Ike.

100_1845-1.thumb.jpg.2e0119b8ed124b29910875b21df41642.jpg

IkeDoss.thumb.jpg.e1d028d4210add5c54c8141d3a187074.jpg

Last but certainly not least is a shadow box of family ribbons & stuff. The Sargent chevron and 4 buttons are from my Great Grandfathers Civil War uniform, in the 23rd Ohio. He was promoted to Captain at the battle of Antietam , along with a copy of a letter from his commanding officer Rutherford B. Hayes (future President).   The LT. Bars and tie claps belonged to my father when he was on the police force. The two ribbons belong to me from my service in the USCG (Vietnam & Good Conduct). Bottom left a medal awarded my Grandfather by the French WWI and my uncles expert rifleman pin WWII.

shadowbox002.thumb.jpg.7e22573745ad8aaac39837ab82d1ae70.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have my great grandfathers post vice. My grandad was a master carpenter and i have a whole lot of his old tools. 

Then from my mom's side of the family i have the FS fighting knife my grandfather carried in WW2. 

I have the Af cap (shell casing) from the 2nd round that we fired when i was in the ME for Desert Storm. My driver who was do to get out when we got back got the first round we fired. 

I also have an unused ticket to the 2nd night of the Grateful Dead at Deercreek in Indiana. The only concert ever canceled by the dead. I like to think that is my ticket to what lies beyond. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  Those are all great items.  Thanks for sharing.  I will take a photo of the ol boot jack today, later.  The crankshaft is still in a box somewhere.  There is a also a tiny camshaft to go with it.  I don't know what he was making.  I have a bunch of rejects from when he was trying to turn his own drill bit's.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got some items but this is what I got a picture in the phone right now. It is a CZ motorcycle 175cc two stroke. My father bought it new in 1973, few years back I restored it. My father rode it, my grandfather rode it, I ride it and hopefully one day I'll pass it on to my nephew.

IMG_20231011_095721031.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scott, i do not think those are rejects. 

The top one looks like he was trying to make a "faster" drill. The steeper the angle of the flutes the "faster" the drill is. Not cutting speed but chip evacuation. 

The bottom is a type of drill, that for the life of me i cannot recall the name of, i keep thinking parabolic but that aint it. The deep flutes give better chip clearance. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From 1991 to '95 we had a war here in Croatia. In '91 I was 9 years old and during the heavy fighting hundreds of us kids were sent to Czech Republic until it was safe to return in our little town, I was there for about 5 months. I bought this little knife there and gave it to my grandfather when I got back, he died two years ago and so then I took it back. It is Mikov brand, Czech made company. 

IMG_20240125_051817476.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Morning Davor,

I would keep that knife as a reminder of your love of your grandfather and his love of you. If he didn't care for you, you wouldn't have found the knife. Things like this, in life, are PRICELESS! No amount of money would break that family connection. If you wish to honour your grandfather, give your knife a name, your grandfathers name.

Neil

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Davor said:

From 1991 to '95 we had a war here in Croatia.

A close friend and fellow officer spent time in the war as a peace keeper. Most of his time was in Bosnia. When the war was over he returned to the States with some souvenirs. He gave me two 20mm cannon shell casing with what is called "Trench Art" all engraved with the name BOSNIA stamped into the base. Sadly he passed away due to a heart attack about ten years ago.

I still have the casings as a reminder of our friendship and think of him every time I see them.

100_2376.thumb.JPG.3d07eb7a285bb415adbed082562980ae.JPG

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  I agree.  Incredible.

  Davor, that is a special knife indeed, thanks for sharing it's story.  Nice motorcycle too.  :)

  Billy Bones, I looked up parobolic drill bit and you are right.  I am unsure why I have never ran across this type before, probably not paying attention, as usual....  :wacko:.  I thought they were rejects because they were in a can with a bunch of others, one flute cut, half a flute, etc... like they were started and discarded.  Much of his things are a mystery to me as he passed away when I was too young to understand/appreciate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scott, parabolic, high helix, low helix, etc. are not very common to find in general. They are not just something you pick up at the local hardware store. Most people i have never run across them either. Grandpa being a machinist many of those in the coffee can may have been made for a special propose as well. Like the single flute, i use single flute spot drills all the time, mostly for cutting the chamfer in holes. 

If interested look up a company called Guhring and all the different types of drills they make just for cutting metal. 

As a side note i watched guy on you tube do a comparison of a bunch of different drills. From an $11 set of Dewalt to to a $200 set of i can not remember the name. The $11 set came in at 3rd place just behind a $30 set of Bosch drills and #1 was the $200 set (IIRC). But best bang for your buck is the cheap Dewalt drills. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  Thanks Billy.  I'm no machining slouch but this is new to me. Heres my boot jack, prize of my collection, given to me by my aunt long ago.  I also have a Stetson, my great grandfather wore, that family lore has it, it blew off his head on a train and he stopped it to retrieve it.

c1_20240126_16392598.thumb.jpeg.b87f1efac76ec2eb957512b1f7b06c40.jpeg

c1_20240126_16395271.thumb.jpeg.cc75f8142ea59d0ea79a740c9fb60721.jpeg

c1_20240126_16361542.thumb.jpeg.59bb4819b0a619178f87e877ecb30e84.jpeg

  There is no edit window whatsoever.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Irondragon Forge ClayWorks said:

being a muzzle loader I am going to try and forge/fabricate something like that

  That is great idea, now that you mention it, and the folding design could also be adapted to all kinds of other different objects.

  In keeping with the bootjack theme, that is. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is really cool. Dont see to many boot jacks here in Ohio. Usually made of wood if you do. 

My grandfather was stationed in England in WW2 with the Army Air Force. This is the F&S he had. There is a name on the side of it, Elenore Shaw, nobody in my family knows who that is and internet searches come up empty. 

The refelction from the table makes it look like a bit of rust on the end.

 image.thumb.jpeg.fea4f9097cfd339190d5bb2b87f7f6e7.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...