Maker ID and purpose of this old tool, please.

[Glory]

Hello, I am hoping this will be a question for axe folks, even though it is some sort of pick. Does anyone recognize the maker's mark? I think it is used for making furrows in old burr stones, but am not sure. I am thinking an axe maker would possibly also make this type of tool. Thank you for any input!!

 

[siguy]

Looks to me like the tools I have seen that are used for dressing mill stones. Mill stones are typically large, round stones with a square hole in the middle. They also typically have one face that has grooves cut into it, and you put two together and rotate the top one. You put grain in the middle, and it gets ground up into flour.

Once the stones wear out, they need to be reflattened and have new grooves cut into them, and I believe your tool is used for that.

 

[Kentucky]

As far as the touchmark goes try the boys over at www.iforgeiron.com They are very knowledgeable when it comes to smiths marks and handforged tools..

 

[Glory]

Thank you very much. I will try that site to ID the mark.