What is this tool used for ? More pictures posted !

[Lee_Petrie]

Hello,
I found this interesting tool at a "second-hand " shop yesterday , the owner of the shop said he had purchased it at a farm sale , but didn't have a clue what it was used for ! American S.M.&T. Co. from St Louis appears to have made leather working equiptment, from my discoveries on the internet, ( I was told it was NOT for leather shoes) , maybe for horse harnesses, ect. or maybe something farm related ( not related to leather products), does anybody have any ideas ? It is "frozen" in the down position , but I bought it anyway , because it was just different !
Lee Petrie, lee_mar_petrie@yahoo.com

[Barnyard]

Lee, is there a patent number on it anywhere? Sometimes that can lead you in the right direction.

[Lee_Petrie]

Thanks for your thoughts Barnyard , I took another look at it , I see NO patent numbers , just a part (s) number , HR 325 and HR326 ! I thought it might be for opening "beer" cans , it's throat is only 3 1/4" , too small for that project !
Good idea, while it lasted, Lee

[Rudi]

I really have no clue but am taking a stab ...

Since it has provision for mounting to a bench and the knife appears to be for piercing I would hazard a guess that this was used in the making of tack for horses Possibly??

[Bigdog]

Is the tip squared or round?

[Lee_Petrie]

Hi Rudi, great thoughts on my "mystery tool" , I sent an email to Scgog Shores Historical Museum in Port Perry, Ontario, Canada , which appears to have a good collection and knowledge of the harness shop equiptment ! Thanks again , for your "stab" and insite, Lee Petrie, Joliet,IL. USA

[Lee_Petrie]

Thanks to everybody for their inputs on my "mystery tool" ! The tip is squared at the end , BG and 1/4" in width , much like a 1/4" wood chisel , and still fairly sharp for its years of service ! The handle has light green paint , in places as well as the base unit , has one spot of the same color green paint ! I will post any reply I receive back from the harness shop museum in Canada, so all of you can enjoy the search ! Lee Petrie

[Bigdog]

Perhaps some sort of mortising tool?

[Rudi]

Not a mortising too. Mortise chisels are square and hollow.

[Lee_Petrie]

Another interesting feature of the tool is the base ,where the product rests, as it is being struck by the chisel piece , IS NOT FLAT ACCROSS , BUT RAISED IN THE CENTER , like the roof of a house ! This base piece can be slid to the front or rear and secured in place with the "thumb screw", in the last posted picture ! Lee

[DanR]

I saw one like it only a little bigger. It was used to notch the corner of light sheet metal so the sides could be bent up to form a square corner with only one seam.

[Rudi]

I decided to google"American S.M. & T. Co." St. Louis and only got one specfic hit. Seems they produced tools for the Leather industry .. the item I found was a Cobblers Nail Caddy ..



so lends a little credence to the harness maker/shoe trades.

[Lee_Petrie]

Hello,
I want to thanks all of you for your thoughts on my mystery tool , I haven't heard back from the harness museum from Canada ,but I did make contact with the St. Louis library , they said they would get back on my inquiry ! I have included 2 additional pictures that better show the tool (chisel) and the clearence with the table (curved in shape) , seems like almost too much clearence to cut or notch sheet metal ! But with table being "rounded" if might be for stove pipe work !
Thanks again for all of the suggestions, Lee Petrie, Joliet, IL.