What is this?

[turkeyknocker]

I found this in a box of leather working tools I purchased at an auction. Can anyone identify what it is?

[alpha2]

Do they have holes through the middle of them? A rein rounder kit? Just guessing. The brass alone should be worth something, if nothing else.

Kind of hard to tell the size of them without something for scale.

Edited February 26, 2018 by alpha2

[billybopp]

I've seen similar on eBay being sold as hole punches for leather. 

- Bill

[Northmount]

@turkeyknocker Show us a couple more photos, individual tool from various angles.  Do they have a sharp edge for cutting?

Tom

[zuludog]

It's a set of borers for cork or rubber bottle  stoppers, as used in laboratory glassware.

I used this sort of tool years ago when I studied chemistry at school, college, and then worked as a lab. technician. The sizing was so arranged that the unwanted plug could be pushed out of a cutter by inserting the next smaller size or two. The final tool was a solid rod to remove the plug from the smallest borer/cutter. The ends should be sharp, and there was a special angled knife for doing this.

It was hard work using them, and rubber & cork bungs were being rapidly superceded by 'Quickfit' and similar makes of standard glassware with ground glass joints

It would have helped if you'd shown the complete set, as you have, and an individual cutter

I suppose they could have been used on leather, sheet cork & rubber or any similar materials where you need to make round holes, discs, washers, and so on

The numbers are the diameter in millimetres

Search Google for 'cork borer' and 'cork borer sharpener'; also 'quickfit jointed glassware' to see what replaced cork bungs

Edited February 26, 2018 by zuludog

[alpha2]

Zuludog for the win!

[turkeyknocker]

Zuludog - I believe you've hit the nail on the head. This fits your description and function perfectly. Many thanks to all that replied.