Cross Auto Tool contraption

[J-sews]

Finally got one of these things! I first saw a picture of one in an old MVWC auction listing from a few years back. Since then I've been on the lookout, and then my buddy in Flint found this one at an antique shop and sent me a picture from his cell phone. I called him right back and said Buy it! Then I remembered and asked him what the price was. It wasn't too bad at all! Sometimes you get double lucky I guess. 










It is a Cross Auto Tool, made in Germany I don't know how long ago. (what were the inventers smoking when they designed this thing?!) It is nickel plated, but the plating has flaked off mine in spots, hence the rust. This one is in excellent condition except for that.

[enki_ck]

What the ...


That think looks dangerous. And very cool at the same time.

What are those two thinks in the middle, springs for the scissors?


And how the heck should you hold the hammer if you take it apart?


I think some absinthe might have been present at the designing stages of this one.

[Chako]

What? Safety was never a concern of our forfathers. 

[gregozedobe]

I suppose it just scrapes in as a "pliery" MT ....... but only just.  I was worried I might have to confiscate it from you (to maintain the "pliery purity" of your MT collection), then I noticed the little serrated grippy portion near the base of the scissor blades.      

I love the imaginative/creative old tools, there seemed to be much less conformity in the past.  These days designers seem to restrict themselves to more conventional designs, which are nowhere near as interesting (with the weird and wacky Quirky modular MT as an honourable modern day exception    )

[Ray S]

What the ...


That think looks dangerous. And very cool at the same time.

What are those two thinks in the middle, springs for the scissors?


And how the heck should you hold the hammer if you take it apart?

I think some absinthe might have been present at the designing stages of this one.

I believe one of them is a spring and the other acts as a fulcrum for the spring. As to how do you hold it to use the hammer;I would imagine that there was some type of a sheath that it fit into for carrying that held the two pieces together. I thought the lower blade had a broken tip at first until I realized that it was probably a straight screwdriver tip.
Neat tool.
For some reason a lot of German made tools and knives were plated in that era.I believe that it is chrome plated rather than nickel(chrome has a bluish tinge whereas nickel is somewhat yellowish)and the reason it peels is that to properly chrome plate an item it should first be copper plated;then nickel plated to adhere the chrome to the copper;and then chrome plated.This is what is referred to as "triple chrome plating".

[Yadda]

This Is a Multitool only a mother or a collector could love.  This is now on my list of tools to look for.

Is one of the scissor blades flat on the end?   Another screwdriver end?

[Etherealicer]

This Is a Multitool only a mother or a collector could love.  This is now on my list of tools to look for.

Is one of the scissor blades flat on the end?   Another screwdriver end?

I like it, not for me but still its an interestingly weird contraption

[J-sews]

That is indeed a flat screwdriver on the end. Here is a list of functions that I've found. (there may be more that I haven't found)






The use of the hammer is best done safely with the two halves assembled. Then your hand does not grip anything sharp. If you try to use the hammer with the halves separated, you would need to grip directly onto the knife blade. (not recommended)   I've been playing around with this tool a bit. Everything "works" like it is supposed to, it's just not as simple and convenient as a dedicated tool would be in the same situations.

Which, if you think about it, is one of the defining truths about all multitools.

[Ray S]

I think you will find that the area you ascribe to being a pliers is actually a poultry shear.That area is used to break through chicken bones.I have enclosed a picture of one of the poultry shears I have.Also a group of them.

[Yadda]

I respectfully disagree.  I believe the notches are an indication that the use is pliery.  Poultry shears doesn't fit the overall tool scheme.

He says with full knowledge of mt's including fish scalers.

[Gareth]

Why am I thinking "knife wrench"?   Good find though Bob.

[Ray S]

I respectfully disagree.  I believe the notches are an indication that the use is pliery.  Poultry shears doesn't fit the overall tool scheme.

That could very well be;I would agree that they don't fall in with the rest of the tools.What puzzles me is what the cutting jaws would be used for;they don't look sturdy enough to be used as tin snips and they don't seem to open far enough to be used to cut rubber hose. Whatever the case it is definitely a neat tool.