Any ideas what this tool is?

[celticleather]

I bought this tool a few years ago from an antique dealer, who had classified it as a 'leatherworking tool'. I don't really have any idea of its purpose, and if anyone has any knowledge (or theories), I'd be glad to hear from them.

Its a little under 8 inches in length, and the curved blade is stamped with the name 'I P HYDE'. I tracked down Isaac P Hyde, who was a knife and blade-maker to the leather industry from 1875, and the company still exists, making knives in Southbridge, Massachusetts. I sent them some pictures of the tool, and they passed them on to their oldest surviving retired employee, but he had no idea what the tool was intended for. They said the blade had perhaps been made under contract for the manufacturer of the tool, in which case they would have no record of its ultimate purpose.

In some respects, the tool is similar to a spokeshave, but it has strange offset handles, and an adjustable brass fence to control the width of cut.

So come on, boys and girls - let's hear from the world-wide community!

[Jordan]

Looks to me like a woodworking spokeshave maybe for making a rabbit joint of some kind

Edited November 5, 2008 by Jordan

[The Major]

Looks like a heel skiving tool

[calanneh]

I'm with Major. I have only seen one, but I think it is a heel shiving tool....

Maybe take it to a local boot shop and see if they can help.

William

[celticleather]

Oddly enough, I am the local boot man! I also thought this may be a heel trimmer, but these are usually curved to suit the curvature of the heel, and I've never seen one with the strange offset handles. I've tried it for other things like trimming soles, but it just doesn't do the job.

So the mystery remains . . .

[The Major]

Hummmmm, if its not a heel skife, could it be a paring tool of some sort? I wonder because of the features of the tool.

Edited November 5, 2008 by The Major

[Elton Joorisity]

It is a sole shave. They made them with straight and curved blades. Don't ask me why they did though.

[oldtimer]

It is a sole shave. They made them with straight and curved blades. Don't ask me why they did though.

That´s correct! It is a shoemakers tool.

[kseidel]

The curved blade and off set handles are for shaping the edge of the sole in the arch area without cutting the boot or shoe. The offset handle allows one to cut close to the boot or shoe.

Keith