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And another one: http://www.customcowboybootsandshoesforum.com/discus/messages/22/15133.html?1319236467 So these things are common?.....LOL....DENNIS

The pic at the end of this thread is also very similar. http://www.customcowboybootsandshoesforum.com/discus/messages/16/10473.html?1257297292

Hi Bruce.......your pic looks like just like my pic. So it's a boot crimp, correct? Just how does it work? (BTW, I'm the same fellow that sent you pics of all of the leather tools at my museum.)

This old handmade device appears to be for folding something (leather?) around a round form. The "blade" does not cut; it is quite blunt. The slot between the two halves is adjustable. Harness making? Who knows the answer?

When I removed the wedge, that tenoned piece slid out the outside of the box. With a little wiggling, the long piece of wood came out and it seems that it's only purpose is to hold the adjustable "thumbscrew" that has a strip of leather tied to it. The other end of the strip of leather is tied to the movable arm. This allows the the distance that the moveable arm is pulled away from the fixed arm to be controlled. The long piece of wood had no oxidation on the back side. Being removable allows the strip of leather to be replaced, I guess. This is key to figuring this out!

Hmm....interesting. And the pitch (or whatever the hard, black substance is) that's built up on the inside of the arms and on the top of the box?

I don't think so. Our museum has several examples like that photo. We have so many, in fact, that we sent several to auction. Note that it holds something together to be stitched. The one that I have pictured holds something apart! And if you were looking straight at the 2 arms, there is a hole in the box right above the arms that allows something to go down into the box. I'm not saying that it isn't a stiching pony, but it's so different from yours that it must be different.

OK, you're all wet . Just kidding. First, we've decided that it is laying on its back. Because when you stand it up, with the arms at the top facing you, the pedal at the bottom (worn from shoes, I think) is located just right. And the piece of rope inside clearly went to this pedal. When you pull on the rope, one arm moves away from the other(fixed) arm. The wedge that you see allows that piece of wood to be removed for replacing a strip of leather that goes to a "thumb screw" that allows the distance that the arms move apart to be set from about an 1/8" to almost a full inch. And now the big clue: on the top of the box, there is a lot of tar or pitch residue, I think, and the same stuff is on the inside of the arms. The outsides are clean. So what was being pulled apart? There are, though, empty square nail holes from something (a seat?) on the long sides towards the pedal. Could the box have been used in 2 positions?

I "see" what you mean. I'll verify that tomorrow and report back! THANKS-DENNIS

Here's another view, hopefully smaller

HI all, my museum is currently culling duplicates of many objects. But before they are deaccessioned, we have actually know what they are. We're thinking that this device may be related to harness making, or shoes, or you name it. The two vertical arms move away from each other to hold something tight. Anyone recognize it? If someone needs more photos just ask! DENNIS