Posted 3 years ago
hotairfan
(388 items)
Picked this up yesterday, it's a Coopers Draw Knife (circa 1860-1880)
I found the description on the internet that describes it better than I can, so I will just repeat what I found out about on the net:
.......Taken from the "Cooper's Museum" internet site.......
"The Cooper, or barrel maker, used this type of knife in making barrel staves. The chamfer knife was a large, heavy wood shaver used by a cooper to smooth out the uneven ends of wooden barrels and add a chamfered end. In particular, it carved the inside curve of the barrel stave. They are referred to by many descriptors as Cooper's chamfer hollowing shave draw knives. Additionally, chamfer tools can be used to smooth sharp or hazardous edges and they also prevent material from breaking or tearing away, but mainly, they are used to make a uniformed curve on the inside of the barrel."
The tool is approx. 16" in length and has an inserted blade of tool steel to hold the edge during use. (You maybe can make out the insert on photo #4). This insert was hammer forged into the wrought iron body of the tool, as is common on many axes of the time and as I have shown on my previous posts of primitive axes.
That's an interesting one, thanks for sharing. I love old tools and always look forward to your posts..you seem to find some unusual stuff!
thank you for the nice comment, Dave
Just found out recently that the tool is called a "geezer". I've heard this name before when referring to old men like me, but I never heard it being a name for a Cooper's tool.