Can you help me identify this mystery tool?

Howard Wallace

Howard Wallace

.
Moderator
Joined
Feb 23, 1999
Messages
4,855
I saw this on EBay and it looked interesting enough to pick up. It appears hand forged. The wood piece appears to have seen service as a baton as well as having a slot to sheathe the knife edge. There is a flat spine opposite the knife edge. The hook point is like a chisel.

It it looked like it might be handy around the garden. I'm hoping one of you might know its traditional use.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    44.9 KB · Views: 235
Mystery tool does not have the sharpened interior curve, nor the chopping mass, of a traditional billhook. (At least not the types of which I am aware.) The spine opposite the blade is flat, and seems designed for batonning. This idea is reinforced by the presence of the attached mallet/baton/sheath.
 
How about a froe used for cleft grafting?
The hook on top is to pry open
img093b.jpg
CleftPanga.JPG
 
Last edited:
Yeah, if you stand on one foot and close your eyes, it almost looks like a distant cousin of this:


$_58.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Karda said:
I have to agree too. Looks to me like a well used Froe.
Click to expand...

It very well could have been crafted by the much acclaimed Tuen company founded in Petersburg, NC in 1902. They had a catchy little marketing slogan of "Everyone I know wants a Tuen Froe".

OK, I just made that up:p I have no idea what I'm talking about.

I'm going to guess that's a dental tool for a Yeti?
 
Snowwolf, I think you're on to something. Do you have a reference? Where did the picture come from?
 
Steely id sit around the campfire deep in the woods with you anyday! Id believe everything you said too! Like my late old friend (Borneo Slim) yousta say "Well if it aint true it oughtta be!":thumbup:
Steely_Gunz said:
It very well could have been crafted by the much acclaimed Tuen company founded in Petersburg, NC in 1902. They had a catchy little marketing slogan of "Everyone I know wants a Tuen Froe".

OK, I just made that up:p I have no idea what I'm talking about.

I'm going to guess that's a dental tool for a Yeti?
Click to expand...
 
Howard Wallace said:
Snowwolf, I think you're on to something. Do you have a reference? Where did the picture come from?
Click to expand...

Here's another confirmation labeled as "early grafting tools"
283b5dc7e6c95016f8049ab1151f2b7c.jpg

Can't remember the site but if you google images with "vintage cleft grafting tools" you're going to hit few good images.
 
Very interesting. I can now say I learned something today. I have never heard of cleft grafting or a tool called a froe before, ever.

Would be cool if you had some history of that piece for sure. Cool find.
 
I as well have never heard of cleft grafting. I was going to guess a cane knife but its much too small. A cane knife has a hook on the end for snagging the cane to pick it up after cutting.
 
That looks like a coconut machete or knife. I saw them used in places like Palau or Yap... A Philippines tool...
 
i always butter my bread with a knife dedicated to the task, moving it tuen froe over the surface to spread the concentrated bovine mammary fluid's fat content evenly. i call it my 'butterknife' to coin a label.

also works with garlic butter. i have, however never figured out how they milk a garlic bulb, let alone churn garlic milk into butter. ditto on peanuts.

i do not have a special one for french bread however. the generic 'butterknife' works well for both. p.s. - it's 13 in. blade is razor sharp.

my butterknife, also has hooks on the end:

dussack2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Kron I think you made a typo you wrote butterknife - it should have been gutterknife.
 
Kron, That is done with a very interesting sense of style. But you need to provide details about that object. Your butter knife certainly does not appear to be mass produced so I need details. Otherwise I might never have the proper tool to spread Apple butter on my pancakes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top