Enormous Augers - and an unusual handle

[British Red]

Came across some mahoosive Augers today - with what is probably the most beautiful Auger adapter / handle I have ever seen

Here is the purchased set



Five Auger bits in the two foot long range - the smallest is 3/4", the largest an eye watering 1 3/4"

Two are eyed Augers - one, a 1 1/2" Gilpin (23" long), is I think quite early



I think that partly because the eye appears to be forged, not a welded on barrel eye that later augers have



The other is a later barrel eyed auger in 3/4" diameter - 24" long.


Those two are interesting, but its the set that really grabbed my attention



The handle is to adapt the shaped bits for "brace and bit" into a T auger using a tapered square hole and a brass grub screw



The three matching bits are all about 2' long and in 1 3/4", 3/4" and, I think, 1" (not marked though).

I call these a set as the handle and all the bits are stamped "40" for some reason?



There is a lot more stamping on the brass of the handle - but O can't make it out



When I get a free day, I mst read up on how to restore Auger bits. I need to learn to clean and sharpen them - I suspect I will try Tombear's citric acid treatment - then I need to learn how to sharpen them.

What do people think? Anyone ever seen a set like that before?

Red

 

[ozzy1977]

A good way to sharpen the lead screw is to start the hole, just the lead screw, and back it out. Next put a bit of valve grinding paste in the hole, then screw in and out a bunch of times u till its nice and shap.

 

[British Red]

Thanks ozzy - a nice hard wood would help with that I think?

 

[Toddy]

My Father had ones that size and longer. They were for boring up through the keel of a boat to fit the prop shaft.
He could (and did) do it by eye and hand and be not 1/4" out by the time he got through the keel

Good kit

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Harvestman]

Fine set Red. Are there any old tools left in Lincolnshire that you haven't purchased?

 

[British Red]

I couldn't let them get "parted out" Mary - I felt there was a story to that set. Its soppy I know but somehow they - and the large Gilpin - reek of history

 

[British Red]

Fine set Red. Are there any old tools left in Lincolnshire that you haven't purchased?

Many! The largest auction house is only ten miles away - but I'm scared to go

 

[Mesquite]

Beautiful set there Hugh

 

[British Red]

Beautiful set there Hugh

Thanks Steve,

I do wonder what the "40" signifies though?

A workman's code?

A set number?

A location in a stores?

I may never know!

 

[Mesquite]

I wonder if it was a part of a set that you ordered from a catalogue and the number indicated set 40

 

[Macaroon]

They're lovely! The handle looks very well made and indicates very good quality for the rest of the set. I've seen a handle like that in the past, but not so nicely made in Ash (?) and brass but steel-bound; and I don't think that anything but the best bears the Gilpin name. What a great catch!

 

[dwardo]

Now that's a lovely set. Lucky man.

 

[British Red]

Thanks guys - I paid out £2 per Auger (£10 for all five) and another fiver for the handle from a house clearance firm

I have to say that seemed fair to me, but ....who knows? The Big Augers seem to fetch silly money from stool makers and the like so I suspect it was an okay price. Either way, I'm happy!

 

[Mesquite]

Thanks guys - I paid out £2 per Auger (£10 for all five) and another fiver for the handle from a house clearance firm

I have to say that seemed fair to me, but ....who knows? The Big Augers seem to fetch silly money from stool makers and the like so I suspect it was an okay price. Either way, I'm happy!

£2 per auger????? That was an absolute bargain Hugh

Next time you find any that size and price grab them for me please

 

[British Red]

Will do Steve

 

[milius2]

Wonderful set, but are they working augers? I have quite a few of those, but the problem is they are beyond sharpening possibilities and lost the cutting edge, so they are no longer useful. But this gives me a great idea of adapter to today's market one, to be used by hand... Lets go and make something.. muhahahahaha

 

[demographic]

What kind of sizes are people looking for? My local secondhand tool seller often has them in but I don't have any need for them personally.

Usually the scotch eye versions.

 

[tombear]

Ah, so that's what auger envy feels like...

A very nice set. I wouldn't worry about the lack of spurs on them, before the mid 19th C you didn't see them much if at all, and even after they were optional.

A bit of deft file work and you should get them as sharp as you need and if there's even just a trace of the screw thread a good narrow triangular section needle file will chase it out in a few minutes.

Back then it was much more important that a tool lasted than was particularly good. The ease of sharpening they wanted back then is something most now deride, especially with things like penknives. I've had mates go into catatonic shock when, after hacking apart hundred of cardboard boxes, their Swiss army knifes go blunt and actually require sharpening! I've bought any number of Victoronixes on car boots for next to nowt that have obviously never been sharpened!

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27238/27238-h/27238-h.htm

ATB

Tom

 

[Seagull]

The pics remind me very much of the tools used by the yards which built the old wooden keels. Recently saw something similar being used to drill out the tie-rod holes in wooden leeboards.
And, by golly, the large ones would make beaut marlinespikes.
Regards
Ceeg

 

[British Red]

Ah, so that's what auger envy feels like...

A very nice set. I wouldn't worry about the lack of spurs on them, before the mid 19th C you didn't see them much if at all, and even after they were optional.

A bit of deft file work and you should get them as sharp as you need and if there's even just a trace of the screw thread a good narrow triangular section needle file will chase it out in a few minutes.


ATB

Tom

I hoped you would look in Tom

These are the threads and cutting face



There are no spurs as you say...Im hoping that won't be a problem?

I know you have done a load of these....could you talk me through the process? My current plan is a 10% citric acid solution then sharpen the threads and cutting faces with riffler files and cutting paste. No idea what to finish them with after that - stove black?

Whilst I was photographing the thread, I also took a picture of the tail I thought you and Ceeg might like



You can see the dent where the screw from the handle has deformed the metal - and the fact that the whole tail is slightly twisted with years of use! Can you imagine the force required to twist 24" of steel like that?

Anyway - any restoration tips greatly received as I consider you "the man" on this stuff