Before Atwood There Was Aussie !!(Whittingslowe Tool NO.43)

[MultiMat]

I have a BIG soft spot for the Aussie metal works company Whittingslowe. I have posted a couple times with my Whittingslowe military issue clasp knives. Well this week I got 2 much wanted Whittingslowe items first up I got a nice number 41 Stockman's knife & yesterday I got this odd vintage one piece tool called Number 43 , made in the 1940'5 I think. It has a screw driver , bottle opener, can opener, 3 inch ruler & a pencil sharpener which is listed as also being a blade sharpener  . A advertisement from a Aussie news paper from 1945 featuring the NO.43.


It appears the 43 was sold with a leather sheath. I wonder what the rectangle cut out in the tool centre was for or if it was simply part of the manufacturing process  . The 2 images above come from Australian Military Knives website link here------> http://military-knives.110mb.com/whittingslowe.html 

My Aussie Atwood  ;





The unusual combined pencil/blade sharpener. It does sharpener pencils  not sure I want to try to sharpen a blade with it though  .
Whittingslowe started manufacturing in the 1920's & ceased manufacturing in the 1950's. These NO.43 tools do not come up for sale very often so I am VERY happy to have one of these 60+ year old tools.
Thanks to John at Australian Military Knives website for the information & photos from his website, thanks John .

[Neil]

A nice one piece MT for your weird and wonderful collection Mat.  Don't think I've ever seen any Australian tools over here. Well, except for the FRED you sent me 

[Mr. Whippy]

Hey Mat,

That is an awesome little tool!  Really like that!  What's it made of? It almost looks like aluminum...

[edcgear]

Great tool matey!! And usefull... Maybe cutout is for some oxy or simmilar wrenches??

Could can oppener be sharpened to double for seat belt cutter?

Can it be used for some prying, is material strong enough?

Pitty they dont make it anymore... Certainly would like one for EDC...

[David]

Nice addititon to your collection Mat. Looks like it could be a useful tool also.       

[MultiMat]

Hey Mat,

That is an awesome little tool!  Really like that!  What's it made of? It almost looks like aluminum...

Not sure Mr Whip 1940's Australia was under rations & I wonder if aluminium would of been reserved for other uses  . That said I am not overly keen to check the can opening prowess of the little tool my MTO Raker one piece tool  'feels' a lot stouter   

Great tool matey!! And usefull... Maybe cutout is for some oxy or simmilar wrenches??

Could can oppener be sharpened to double for seat belt cutter?

Can it be used for some prying, is material strong enough?

Pitty they dont make it anymore... Certainly would like one for EDC...

Oxy cylinder key maybe  Did they use that sort of thing in the 40's 
The can opener or the pencil sharpener could easily be sharpened up for other uses  .
I would not use the tool for prying, they are very rare & not cheap  & I think the tool could break if used for serious prying 
Yep it is a shame Whittingslowe went bust , they supplied their military clasp knives to the government at cost to help with the war effort, that can not of helped the businesses long term profitability 

Nice addititon to your collection Mat. Looks like it could be a useful tool also.       

Thanks David 
It is a real rare beast so I am very happy to have it. It has performed well as a cider bottle opener , it sharpens pencils & it has turned a screw BUT I do not think I could really push the little 43 too hard for fear of breaking it 

[J-sews]

Great score there Mat! I know how you've been wanting to grab one of those.


I can't imagine it would be made from aluminum though. Maybe try sticking it to a magnet? My guess is its made of steel thats been galvanized or zinc plated.

[MultiMat]

Yep it is magnetic , I think you are right about the coating Bob. I am going to try & give it a trial polish & see what happens to the screwdrivers edge it looks to have rusted were some of the coating has chipped off.
The tool just does not feel particularly rigid 

[J-sews]

Do be careful with the polishing. Taking the rust off usually results in some of the plating coming off along with it.

[MultiMat]

I shall be ninja like with my touch whilst using the fine steel wool Bob  .Says the ham fisted Aussie 

[ironraven]

Neat! This is why there needs to be a multi-tool muesem someplace- pay your gate fee (and they let you keep your pocket knife!) and you can look at the history of our.... hobby? obsession? madness?

I'm also curious about the material. If I had to take a guess, the "sharpener" was for taking nicks and dings out of large, soft alloyed bush knives and the like. As for the hole, some kind of bung wrench or silcock key-type impliment for opening water cisterns? It is Australian.

[MultiMat]

Aussie as mate  William  Whittingslowe the company owner was born in Wales but settled in Oz  company was located in Adelaide South Australia from the 1920's too the 1950's. Yep no super steel knives in the 40's  but as a pencil sharpener it works great  .

The seller who sold me my one has ANOTHER ONE  for sale. This one has the original neat little leather sheath  .


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/WHITTINGSLOWE-ARMY-ISSUE-MULTI-TOOL-/190517802672?pt=AU_Militaria&hash=item2c5bbef6b0
I would of liked one with the original sheath  . Given the couple of weeks I have had  . I will not be chasing this one  . I do recognize a certain 'Buckeye's' Ebay user ID who has bid on the wee Aussie   

[David]

This might get interesting.   

[MultiMat]

This might get interesting.   

 

Good luck , may he or she who has the most powerful Payapl be victorious   :D

[WH867]

This might get interesting.   

And expensive