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Attachment 129838Attachment 129839Attachment 129840Attachment 129841Attachment 129842I found the tool of the pictures attached at an estate sale.
I thought it had to do with shoes or boots as I could see it was make in Brockton Ma, which was the shoe manufacturing capitol of the world in the early industrial age.
When I looked up the name HM Christensen it all has to do with razors and shaving.
Any info would be great!!
Maybe it's an early version of the Goatee saver.....:shrug:
That's a mouth guard. You hold it over your mouth and shave around it. What you now must do is use it in that way, and post pics back here so we can see how it works.
:D
James.
Possibly a stamp for leather strops, the plate could be missing??
The handle is cracked from a mallet, during the stamping process???
Loos like a branding iron to me.
Is a spielbrocken,very common item.
that was gonna be my guess also !!Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
To short for branding.. And has a wood handle.. I was thinking a keg stamp with the stamp part missing?
I'm going with door #1, The leather strop stamp.
? Definitely some type of stamp. Totally agree with the handle looking like having been hit with something, and the radius on the end looks like it had some sort of die in it to either punch out a shape, or stamp something.
Maybe it picked up a "hot" cutting stamp? :D
Running with the semi-connection to footwear idea, my guess would be some sort of cutting guide for shoe or boot heels.
I used to work for Money'sworth and best, it is a shoe repair company. I was a cobbler there for about three years, I never seen anythin that resembled this, but maybe it was used more in the manufacturing process instead? I think this tool will forever remain a mystery to us lol damn fine guess tho. Whoever used this thing is probably rolling in their grave saying " stupid fools it was used to do ______
Google is something else ! Type in "spielbrocken" and go to images ........ :popcorn:Quote:
Originally Posted by pixelfixed
Does it have a lip on the inside of the oval area.
It looks to me like it's designed to be used in a rolled motion. And would make me think it's a tool for removing the caps from either barrels or urns. The shape and design would be correct for this application as well. Since the rolled motion is in the same direction as the brass center section giving more strength. And brass is a pretty hard substance that takes a fair bit of abuse. Think more like an on the top beer bottle opener rather than the modern side lift variety.
http://coolmaterial.com/wp-content/u...tle-Opener.jpg
Henry M Christensen, was a Danish/German immigrant to the US. In 1889 he set up H M Christensen, later H M Christensen & Co in Brockton. The sign on the factory read "H M Christensen. Manufacturers of Hand Made Straight Razors, Cutlery and Shoe Tools" although they also made tools for other trades, like farriers. The company was sold to Carl A.Bohlin and Carl D.Fhyr in 1905 but later town directories still recorded Henry M Christensen as a cutler and grinder, and he seems to have been very prolific in the straight razor world.
Attachment 145433
The company was first at 21 Grand but moved to 987 Montello, the private residence being further down the street. The name - H M Christensen was shortened to HMC Cutlery Co in 1916 and there is no further mention of the company after 1958.
Attachment 145434
I don't think that the tool has anything to do with cutlery - it looks more like a shoe makers tool. It would be nice to see the brass oval cleaned where the brass strap meets it, as there seems to be something there - possibly some writing or numbers on an inset metal, possibly iron. There appear to be more numbers on the inside of the oval, too.
There are plenty of trade catalogues for shoe manufacturing tools by H M Christensen, but they all seem to be in the Smithsonian or other depositories - none seem to be online.
Regards,
Neil.
Off the top of my head, I would say it looks like a saddlers or shoe makers pattern cutter, or as an outside bet a pastry marker or some sort of use in catering.
Hide scraper??
I wonder if it is part of the stamp used to emboss logos on the bottom of the sole of shoes. But then again, wouldn't the top be flattened by the hammering? It doesn't seem deep enough to be some sort of cobbler's heel press.
Something similar
https://www.google.com/search?q=anti...A3NNtXtDSUM%3A
hmm interesting, i actually have my grandfather's old H.M. Christensen straight razor...made in Brockton, MA
