Pictures of some old Multi-Gadgets

[J-sews]

None of these tools are related really, they were just some I've accumulated recently. Generally these old gadgets have several decades of grime built up by the time they find their way into my clutches. First thing they get from me is a good scrubbing and going over. After a hectic summer I had this group backed up at the cleaning bench, but with today's all-day rain I managed to get caught up. Decided to take a few pics before they get archived.




Hoffritz scissors
Not a multitool, but the butterfly folding method is very Leatherman-esque. Exact age unknown, but they appear in an early-1970's Hoffritz catalog.




Utica Cutlery blade-changer
An ordinary single blade folding knife, with interchangable tools. Several different firms in Europe and the United States produced similar models. This is the only one I've ever seen with an adjustable wrench head. (shown in the first photo)




Made In Occupied Japan
Those are the only markings on this gizmo. It has a knife, a flathead screwdriver, a can opener, a cap lifter, and some sort of other pokey thing. The blades lock open or lock closed by a clever little sliding crossbolt:





Cattaraugus 1W wrench knife
....not to be confused with the model 3W, which had a combination blade instead of the awl.




Kaufmann kitchen shears
Made in Germany before WWII. Spring loaded shears with a folding corkscrew, a cap lifter, and a strange sort of ratcheting can opener.




Latama tape measure knife
Italian made gadget with a 36-inch / 90mm steel measuring tape. (tape itself says Made in Germany)
pen knife blade, nail file, and scissors.
 

[665ae]

Oooh... I like the Latama! 

The other pokey thingy on the "Made in Occupied Japan" one looks like a Divot Tool for golfers... Did they Golf much in Occupied Japan?

[I'm Still Bison]

The tool in the top row between the Latama,and the one marked "Made in occupied Japan",reminds me some of the combo tool that was made for use with Springfield Trapdoors.Do you have any background on it?

[J-sews]

The tool in the top row between the Latama,and the one marked "Made in occupied Japan",reminds me some of the combo tool that was made for use with Springfield Trapdoors.Do you have any background on it?

Not much I'm afraid.   The only logo is this stylized word Torpedo

So Bob do you think this is a trapdoor tool?

[I'm Still Bison]

No,it it isn't for Trapdoors,but it certainly looks like it was made for some type of firearm.

The 2 tools here were made for Trapdoors,you can see some similarity in design

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Nice collection Bob

I really like the Made In Occupied Japan one, I wonder what the inspiration was for it

[Gareth]

Great collection.  I'm not sure how much I would trust a hammer where the head and handle are two pieces though.

[Benner]

Interesting lot there Bob. 

[MultiMat]

Great group of tools Bob.Ace pics too mate.Nice.

[Neil]

What a fantastic collection of oddities.  Thanks for taking the time to share them, they're great.

Neil

[Grant Lamontagne]

Any info on that fixed head plier tool on the bottom of the first photo?  Second one in, after the 1w?

Def

[american lockpicker]

I think the divot tool is a can opener.

[Anthony]

Any info on that fixed head plier tool on the bottom of the first photo?  Second one in, after the 1w?

Def

I'm interested in that one to...

[J-sews]

Great collection.  I'm not sure how much I would trust a hammer where the head and handle are two pieces though.

Yah, I hear what you're saying. Those old blade-exchangers certainly were not the sturdiest tools in the shed. What is surprising though is how many different firms produced them, and how similar they were. Several cutlery outfits in Solingen Germany and Sheffield England manufactured knives with various interchangable blades, usually packaged up in a little leather pouch for travel. Knifemakers in the USA followed suit. It seems like there is always one or more for sale on fleabay.

Here's a similar example made by the Aerial Cutlery company of Marinette Wisconsin:

[J-sews]

I think the divot tool is a can opener.

I wondered about that too AmLoPi. But how exactly would it do that?  

[american lockpicker]

I think the divot tool is a can opener.

I wondered about that too AmLoPi. But how exactly would it do that?  

(Image removed from quote.)

Its just a guess, I have seen some old pocket knives before with that tool on them and I was told it was a can opener.

[stressmaster5000]

I think the divot tool is a can opener.

I wondered about that too AmLoPi. But how exactly would it do that?  

(Image removed from quote.)

Its just a guess, I have seen some old pocket knives before with that tool on them and I was told it was a can opener.

Well I know what my 2 cents are worth but here they are anyway. Since there already is a can opener on this device I would think this divot looking device is probably a fork/knife edge combo. The sharpened edge of 1 of the tines and a lack of any knife like cutter makes this seem plausible. 

[Spoonrobot]

I think the divot tool is a can opener.

I wondered about that too AmLoPi. But how exactly would it do that?  

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/jooliesews/Bobbys/old%20tools/oldtools9.jpg

I had read somewhere that those kind of forks, if they are not removable from the tool; are for holding cigars so they can be smoked to the very stub.

[DaveK]

I think the divot tool is a can opener.

I wondered about that too AmLoPi. But how exactly would it do that?  

(Image removed from quote.)

I'm just wondering how I got to be 40 years old before I realised what is missing from my life. 

[Poncho65]

Nice set you have there Bob and great pics as usual

[J-sews]

I think the divot tool is a can opener.

I wondered about that too AmLoPi. But how exactly would it do that?  

I'm just wondering how I got to be 40 years old before I realised what is missing from my life. 

A cigar poker fork?

[J-sews]

Any info on that fixed head plier tool on the bottom of the first photo?  Second one in, after the 1w?

Def

I'm interested in that one to...

That there 'un is a genuine Hi-Test tool, made in Japan in the late 1960's. It kinda reminds me of the SOG ToolClip of a couple decades later. Quality isn't nearly so good as the ToolClip though. Back then "Made in Japan" meant about the same as "Made in China" does today.







One thing I found rather interesting about it is the metal finishing. The entire tool has been plated, presumably with nickel or chrome to keep it from rusting. (the base metal underneath is just regular carbon steel) But in places where the plating has been worn off there is a thin layer of copper underneath.....?

Copper? Must be they had to first plate the tool with copper in order for the top layer of nickel to stick?

[Poncho65]

Seems like an awful lot of trouble to keep it from rusting

  Looks like they should have forgone those steps and made the tool as a whole better

[J-sews]

Seems like an awful lot of trouble to keep it from rusting

  Looks like they should have forgone those steps and made the tool as a whole better

I'll bet the coming of stainless steel was a real hard blow to the metal plating industry!

[Grant Lamontagne]

It certainly does look like it could have been an early prototype of the ToolClip! 

Maybe they should have just stuck a Swiss Army Knife in the handle! 

Def

[J-sews]

It certainly does look like it could have been an early prototype of the ToolClip! 

Maybe they should have just stuck a Swiss Army Knife in the handle! 

Def

Yuk-yuk!

[gregozedobe]

Necro thread revival.  I just won a cool looking old Japanese MT on the bay of fleas.

I thought it looked a bit like a "homage" (ie cheap sort-of-copy/clone) to some of the 1960's German and French plier-based MTs so I went looking to see if there was any mentions on MTo.  Sure enough, the man who has collected (almost) every old plier-based MT known to modern man (ie Bob a.k.a J-sews) had photos of this tool in not one but TWO threads here on MTo.      

That there 'un is a genuine Hi-Test tool, made in Japan in the late 1960's. It kinda reminds me of the SOG ToolClip of a couple decades later. Quality isn't nearly so good as the ToolClip though. Back then "Made in Japan" meant about the same as "Made in China" does today.

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

[Yadda]

Necro thread revival.  I just won a cool looking old Japanese MT on the bay of fleas.

I thought it looked a bit like a "homage" (ie cheap sort-of-copy/clone) to some of the 1960's German and French plier-based MTs so I went looking to see if there was any mentions on MTo.  Sure enough, the man who has collected (almost) every old plier-based MT known to modern man (ie Bob a.k.a J-sews) had photos of this tool in not one but TWO threads here on MTo.      

That there 'un is a genuine Hi-Test tool, made in Japan in the late 1960's. It kinda reminds me of the SOG ToolClip of a couple decades later. Quality isn't nearly so good as the ToolClip though. Back then "Made in Japan" meant about the same as "Made in China" does today.

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

I saw that one and almost bid on it.  glad too see you won it!

[Noa Isumi]

yes the copper is used as an intermediate plating for chrome and sometimes nickel to improve adhesion.
I remember seeing a how they do it on re-plaiting classic car parts during one of those car build shows Spike TV is so fond of in Saturday mornings.

As for the fork on the Japan one it does look like an eating fork with a cutting edge. Just compare it to the 3 tine fork on the LightMyFire spork with its serrated edge.
That tool would be right up Swiss+Tech's alley as an "new" product.

[Ray S]

The tool in the top row between the Latama,and the one marked "Made in occupied Japan",reminds me some of the combo tool that was made for use with Springfield Trapdoors.Do you have any background on it?

Not much I'm afraid.   The only logo is this stylized word Torpedo

So Bob do you think this is a trapdoor tool?

(Image removed from quote.)

I just ran across this thread and was perusing it when I saw this reply.Just a guess but I think it may be a crimping tool for blasting caps.The word,"Torpedo" was what led me to this conclusion.I have a pocket knife that was marked,"The Marietta Torpedo Co" and was curious as to what the company sold.After doing some research I found that a "Torpedo" is an explosive charge used in the oil drilling industry to I beleive aid in capping a runaway well fire.
Also the tool in question bears a striking resemblance to the crimping tools used by the OSS during WWII in setting explosive charges.Those were pliers with up to six small saw blades and a knife blade attached.Sorry I don't have pictures of one.Here is a pic of the knife I was referring to.