Estate sale find - what is it?

[Matt Day]

I found this at an estate sale yesterday, and was intrigued because it looked pretty cool. I just have no idea what it is! For $2 I thought it was worth it just to find out. My first thought was some kind of honing device, but the rod is smooth.

[Dan Hunkele]

Don't know what it is but I have one. Mine came without the rod. I put a drill bit in it, 5/32 I think, and use to center drill at the lathe. It would be nice to know real purpose.

[Jim Matthews]

Chainsaw file holder?

[John Coloccia]

It's just a pin vise, used for holding round stuff. You would normally stick a drill in there, but anything round works....anything that can be gripped by the chuck, actually. Not sure why there's a rod in there. No telling what the last owner was doing with it.

[Matt Day]

Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't know! The smooth rod has really got me. If it was textured I would think something like a chainsaw file (though really too short for that I think) or a burnisher or knife sharpener.

[John Coloccia]

It's an estate sale. Whoever got it going probably found the pin vise, and then maybe found a rod and figured out that it fits, so THIS must be a rod holding thingy. I wouldn't think about it too much. I doubt it means anything.

[Phil Thien]

All I know is, before I die I'm going to combine all my tools in odd ways so the people at the estate sale can ask questions like these.

[Steve Jenkins]

Sounds like the rod is for turning the edge on a card acraper.

[Bert Kemp]

Hand Held Lightning Rod:eek:
Go Pats

[Matt Day]

Thanks John. A quick google image search and you're for sure right. The estate sale people didn't get to it yet, so nobody fiddled with it.

[Judson Green]

Hand Held Lightning Rod:eek:
Go Pats

Lol

Pocket hand held lighting rod, travel size!

[Fred Belknap]

I have seen something very similar, rod busters used them to hold round slate to mark on rebar and metal.

[Moses Yoder]

That's a nice piece, you could get 15 or 20 bucks for it. I have a thing for these little tools handles similar to that.

[Allan Ferguson]

I spent 27 years in the meat packing trade. Many sharping steel are sold smooth the roughed slightly length wise with emery cloth. Allan

[Myk Rian]

Sounds like the rod is for turning the edge on a card scraper.
Exactly. It's not a pin vise.

[Doug W Swanson]

I spent 27 years in the meat packing trade. Many sharping steel are sold smooth the roughed slightly length wise with emery cloth. Allan

Yup. Most of the sharpening steels I've seen are almost smooth. The grooves are almost imperceptible.

This looks to me to be a portable sharpening steel...

[Dan Hunkele]

The one I have is size specific only one size fits. Somewhat like a collet.

[Lee Schierer]

Sounds like the rod is for turning the edge on a card acraper.

I agree, I just ordered one very similar in appearance to that one.

[Pat Barry]

I found this at an estate sale yesterday, and was intrigued because it looked pretty cool. I just have no idea what it is! For $2 I thought it was worth it just to find out. My first thought was some kind of honing device, but the rod is smooth.
It would be great if there were some dimensions for the size of the handle (I imagine maybe 4 inches long) and the diameter of the pin (I imagine about 1/8") and a end view picture of the tool without the pin so we could see if it has the typical pin vise details or not

[Matt Day]

Ask and you shall receive Pat. Your estimates were pretty close. rod is just about 1/8", and not the back of it which keeps it from falling out.

Lee - where did you order yours from?