Several years ago, I picked up a mystery tool at a garage sale or some similar place. I could never figure out what the tool was used for. My grand daughter was over and she is very creative with some of the things that she does and I happened to see this mystery tool in my tool box and thought that perhaps she would have a use for it.

At any rate, we chatted about it for a while and it gave me the idea that I should really try to find out what the tool was actually used for.

Here is a link that I found that actually explains what the tool is and what it is used for:

[sawdustandwoodchips.com]

Because this is a rod building forum, and because we use cork in various shapes, I thought that it would be appropriate to post the link here.

A common way to put holes in cork is to use the end of a sharpened brass tube to cut the holes into the cork for a perfect cut, as well as a perfect blank that is cut from the cork.

As it turns out, this mystery tool that I have that has never ever been used is actually a sharpener to sharpen the end of the brass tube when it gets dull to create a sharp edge on the brass tube.

There is a blade that comes out from the base of the cone and an adjusting screw that sets the angle of the blade to accomodate different sized pieces of brass tubing that need to be made sharp.

Fun to finally find the actual purpose for this mystery tool that has been in one of my tool boxes for so many years.

Take care

Very cool! I hope you need to sharpen some tubing soon.

Roger

I am familiar with that tool.

In the shop was used to punch rubber as well as cork gaskets for glass tube sight gauges for oil, water on tanks and boilers, also gaskets for glass manometers.and other gasket applications.

The primary use was to punch the bolt holes in round or rectangular gaskets.

In the lab it was used to make custom stoppers and stoppers with holes to use as fittings for the various glass bottles and specialty vials.

The tool with the folding blade was used to keep the end of the punches sharp. Due to human nature some users tended to abuse the tool by punching harder materials or using it in a manner it was not intended which in turn dulled or nicked the punch.

The punches and sharpener usually came as a set.

It is an oldie but goodie.

Have fun



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2020 09:11AM by John DeMartini.

Yes - that's what it is.
I use sharpened brass tubes to cut plugs from rubberized cork fighting butt caps.
I then insert a bushed steel tube into the blank's butt to turn on my lathe. Then I use the plug to seal the hole in the fighting butt.
I use a fine file to sharpen the brass tube - but was considering buying one of your tools on @#$%& to use instead of the file.
Herb

I would have never guessed, very interesting.

Have been using cork borers and sharpeners for a long time. Used them when I worked in lab to bore holes in cork and rubber stoppers to fit glass tubing for miscellaneous laboratory uses. I also use them to cut cork and other soft materials for rod building. The sharpeners do work quite well.
Norm

i use a conical shaped stone and roll the outer edge on sandpaper..