SteveH

I figured I would leave the title generic so we could all use it...

I got called into work because our alarm got set off, luckily it was just the cleaning folks not up to speed on the new system....

As we were leaving Heather "the enabler" casually mentioned we were only 2 exits from the local swap meet and the kids were still home in bed.... Hehe She's great!

The last stall on the last turn before the last row sells old tools. He had this really cool "40 year old leather punch" for just $20... I grinned and said you betcha!. I will cherish the look on his face when he got up the guts to ask " so, you seem happy, is it something rare?" I said it is an 1800's time frame buttonhole cutter, in fact it looks like a professional one".

[ATTACH=CONFIG]462772[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]462773[/ATTACH]

It is.

R. Heinisch was the maker of the finest professional tailoring scissors ever made according to several sources. He even employeed one young man named Jacob Wiss.... Heinisch sold his business to the Wiss family in 1914.

I found references for modern tailors who still use mid 1800's set of 13-15" Heinisch shears.. "they are just better."

This buttonhole cutter is sharp and uses a 10 position bronze adjustable anvil. 6 with keyhole in the end each a different length, and 4 with the cut at the front without the keyhole punch each a different length.

The name was changed to Heinisch & Son after the civil war but i do not know if the "maker mark" reflected that change.