Russian Drill? Saw? Whatsit?

[Brian Kent]

I am attaching a picture from a display we saw in 1994 at a Russian School. Any idea what the tool on the upperleft is used for?

[Mark Engel]

If I am looking at this correctly, it looks like 2 separate tools. It appears to be a hand drill and maybe a pruning saw?

[Jim Becker]

Yes, two tools. My daughters tried to translate the label, but they've lost too much of their Russian at this point...needless to say, the note wasn't going to get translated, either.

[Bruce Page]

If I am looking at this correctly, it looks like 2 separate tools. It appears to be a hand drill and maybe a pruning saw?
That's what I'm seein'

[Gary Herrmann]

Yep, breast drill and a pruning saw.

[Art Mulder]

Yup, what they said.

Here... I ran downstairs and snapped two quick shots of my breast drill -- hopefully give a better angle of it. It's kind of neat - you can pop off the main crank and move it up and pop it back in to engage a second set of teeth. So it has two speeds (two torque settings).
63533 63534
But to be absolutely honest, I have almost never used it. But for $15 at a flea market 5 or so years back I couldn't skip it. (I've wasted larger amounts of money on sillier things, I figure...)

...art

[Brian Kent]

Yes, two tools. My daughters tried to translate the label, but they've lost too much of their Russian at this point...needless to say, the note wasn't going to get translated, either.

"Nashi Pomoshniki" means "Our Helpers". I tried to read the note and can't get anywhere close.

I think you all are right about it being two tools.

The wooden plane is interesting to me. A big cultural influence in the Volga River region was the German potato farmers. I am wondering if they brought this style with them or if the Volga Russians had it from previous Nordic contact. (Or some guy named "Yuri" invented it and traveled to Germany and Sweden to show them a new tool.);)

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Hi Brian, it's a geared breast drill. They are still available new and still pretty much look just like that one.

The wood plane is typical of German et al horned smoothers. They too are still being made.

Russia did have a major tool making region, the town of Sestroretsk (in Leningrad region). Probably were other centers of tool making as well. Sestroretsk had a munitions factory in the town that was turned into a tool making factory in 1869 and still operates as far as I know.

This is a Russian copy of the Record 043 which was made there that I have.

http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/temp/r_043_0001.jpg

http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/temp/r_043_0002.jpg

Take care, Mike