Cleaned the block up

[tombear]

Hi Folks
yesterday I got a bunch of tools from the surplus guy on the carboot. Amongst them was a unused Filing block, 2 x 2 x 8 inches with teeyh on all the long sides. Today I got the storage muck and rust off it (rust was minimal mainly on one end) and here it is.

It's cleaned up pretty well, and I should get a lot of use out of it. I know what I'll be using it for but what was it meant for? The nets not given me a clue. One end says
FINEST REFINED
CAST STEEL

and the other has a side ways hand logo above
S OSBORN And SONS Ltd
SHEFFIELD.

i've other Osborn files and they have proved to be very good.

ATb

Tom

 

[ozzy1977]

Cant say I have seen one before, I do like the auger adaptor thingy though, now on my list of essential tools to fill the shed with

 

[tombear]

Yup, the turns-it-into-a-scotcheye bit was 50p, I need to whip a file round it where the stick will go as its not been fettled. If I see more i will grab them as trade goods, and possibly the cosmo'd augers(s) that was in proximity to it in the ammo tin it was chucked in. I'd reached the borrowing change from the kids stage when I found it!

atb

tom

 

[Mesquite]

Yup, the turns-it-into-a-scotcheye bit was 50p, I need to whip a file round it where the stick will go as its not been fettled. If I see more i will grab them as trade goods, and possibly the cosmo'd augers(s) that was in proximity to it in the ammo tin it was chucked in. I'd reached the borrowing change from the kids stage when I found it!

Do keep an eye out for them please Tom as I'd like one as well if I can ever find it.

The only one I ever saw was in a tool roll with a load of bits which I wanted but when I asked how much the guy said £45 for the lot :yikes:

I walked away when he wouldn't haggle.

 

[tombear]

Will do, most of his stuff comes from a closed down junk shop/ second hand tool shop so he often has repeats of a item so getting the only one of something one week doesn't mean that's it. All depends which ammo boxes he decides to bring along. You have to be prepared and dig through them. Froze my hands off Sunday am!

atb

tom

 

[ozzy1977]

That's character building

 

[shaggystu]

Do keep an eye out for them please Tom as I'd like one as well.....

What Steve said

 

[tombear]

I'll do what I can, I've probably jinxed it and the guy will stop going. Shame I'm not a techno nerd ( just the regular sort) or I'd rig a head camera with a live feed so folks could message me if "we" see something they really want in real time....virtual carbooting from the comfort of your own bed at some godawful time on a Sunday morning.

atb

Tom

 

[tombear]

So none of you time served old school engineers know what this thing is for? I've tried googling every combination of names we can think of, sent a e to the Hawley collection (no joy yet but I don't blame them it's unsolicited and they must get lots of bizarre quarries from around the world) and pawed through what boots I have.
Please.....

atb

Tom

 

[Kong]

Looks more like a vice jaw than a file.

 

[vildor]

Are the teeth sharp?

 

[tombear]

Yes the teeth are sharp. S Osborn and Sons were famous file makers up until at least the 60s, started up in 1851. I'm going to use it as a very rough sharpening stone for getting Knicks out etc before moving on to the diamond plates.

cheers!

Tom

 

[vildor]

Are the teeth "cutting" lengthwise or widthwise?
Maybe it's for some "mechanical file" machine thing, due to the holes, kind of like a mechanical saw.

P.S: Sorry for my english (not my 1st language) and the over complex possible solution (too much steampunk)

 

[tombear]

It cuts long wise on all four sides, which are the same cut.

ATB

tom

 

[vildor]

This one is a really conundrum... If the teeth are sharp it's unlikely that it's a vice jaw. But looking for such a file produces nothing... the closest thing is a relief sanding block, but that is more for buffing than for filling.
I really like tools and often have no trouble finding rare\unusual ones, but this one is really tricky. Sure it's not a vice jaw? It eats metal ok, like a file?

 

[tombear]

Yeah, cuts metal, definitely teeth and not cross hatching for grip. It's got me baffled. The rest of the tools the guy was selling were airforce and army surplus but there was no issue code stamped on this piece. It's quality made, I suspect in the 40s or 50s.

 

[tombear]

Heard back from the nice folk at the Hawley Collection and they wanted a pic to help identify the block., now sent and hopefully they will be able to look it up.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

just had a phone call from Ken Hawley (as in Kelham Island Ken Hawley Collection) and enjoyed a nice conversation with him, he took the **** out of me being a Tup and I ribbed him for being a DeeDah. After the traditional exchange he explained to me what the strange file was for.

The file is a hand tool after all, traditionally known as a valve rocker file and was used on steam engines to repair the area the valve going into the piston slides across. It would be bolted to a double ended long handle and be rocked back and forth between two men. when a face wore out they turned it to a new side. It so known as a valve seating file. They have some there in th Tool collection.

If anyone wants one as of last week theres one more on the Sunday Haslinden car boot, mine was £5.

ATB

Tom

 

[craeg]

Fascinating tools, thanks for sharing and if there are multiple auger adapters on your next visit, I would love one

ATB
Craeg