oh, and a couple of fun tools to share.
looks like I got a new leg vice.. almost.
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and a scale reference
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It is actually a turn of the century blacksmith forged handvice
and the OLDEST tool that I have ever used. It was found on my Grandparents property in the late 60's. My Grandmother thought it was an "Indian hachet head" but she was wrong. It is a "pre-cloth" garment tool....
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It is an early american (pre "indian") hide scrapping tool. you can still see the stains of the leather/rawhide cording that would have formed a figure 8 around your wrist to add leverage. I had an opportunity to tan an Elk hid in a traditional salt based process and we used this to prep the hide. still sharp enough to cut the hide if handled "sloppy". the wrist support made all of the difference.
Again, humbled in the face of my ancestors as a human. I showed this to a retired master mason, and asked if he could make one, he said, "not with their tools"...
Last edited by SteveH; 01-18-2013 at 12:18 AM.