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

[Dutchy357]

Hi Guys

Lovely little tool.

William Thomas Whittingslowe was quite a brilliant engineer as well as a patriotic Australian.  The little combination tool was not the worlds first multitool but I am pretty sure it can lay claim to having been the first multitool produced in Australia. 

Dont worry about giving it a hard time Multimat, I am sure you will find it was made from tool steel at the time and it was nickel plated.  Not indestructable but pretty damn tough!!

This little tool was designed to carry out 7 functions:

Pencil sharpener
Screwdriver
Bottle opener - screw top
Bottle opener - crown seal
Ruler (3")
Tin opener
Razor blade sharpener

It was way ahead of its time!

Before I came across the documentation I also thought the rectangular hole was for use as a tap handle.  I have included a pic of the screw top for those who are old, to remember and those who are young, to wonder!!



The razor blade sharpener functioned just like a steel in that it honed the existing edge.  Things were still pretty austere just after the war.  They still had petrol rationing.

The combination tool came with at least two variations on the pattern on its little leather sheath.  One is made to look like crocodile skin.



A lovely piece of Australiana

I have one of my combination tools looking for a new carer and going to a new home real soon.  It is listed on eBay finishing tonight if anyone is interested.  No sheath but one of the best in my collection.


Regards Dutchy

[MultiMat]

Thanks Dutchy for the extra info  . We are nutting out the Tool number 43 slowly but surely  .

Guess who put the first bid on your one a couple of days ago 

[J-sews]

Ah-hah, so that's what the rectangular hole is for!

 

Well, to be honest, I still don't understand. What is that screw top thing Dutchy? Did it thread into the top of a soda bottle or something?

[Dutchy357]

Ah-hah, so that's what the rectangular hole is for!

 

Well, to be honest, I still don't understand. What is that screw top thing Dutchy? Did it thread into the top of a soda bottle or something?

Yes J-sews, thats exactly right.  There was at least one prominent soft drink maker in SA who I am sure was still making them up until the 1960's.  I am not sure if they were used in every state.


Although this is a slightly different cap it will give you an idea how they worked.


Dutchy

[J-sews]

Okay, so I understand how the screw-top itelf works, but the top of it looks round in that picture, and the hole in the Whittingslowe is rectangular..?

[Dutchy357]

Okay, so I understand how the screw-top itelf works, but the top of it looks round in that picture, and the hole in the Whittingslowe is rectangular..?

Hi

That pic was to give you an idea how the screw cap worked.  I did note under the image that is was a DIFFERENT type of cap.

These ones below are of the correct type:



You can clearly see the flat section on top for the Combination Tool to engage.


Dutchy