Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: Maggiedad on January 22, 2014, 07:50:41 PM

Title: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: Maggiedad on January 22, 2014, 07:50:41 PM
Greetings,

I'm new to the forum and was hoping someone would have an idea of what this mystery tool is.  It's nicely made of solid brass with a wooden handle, and the thumbscrews on the end close up the "vise jaws" evenly to the center.  Measures about 10" across.  Any help would be much appreciated!
Title: Re: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: john k on January 22, 2014, 08:08:09 PM
A little voice is saying, it might be for printing, or type face.   Seen one, somewhere, sometime ago. I think.
Title: Re: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: mvwcnews on January 22, 2014, 10:27:14 PM
About the right size to hold type for lettering book spines after binding or rebacking with leather. 
Here are some contemporary tools of that sort:
(http://www.edenworkshops.com/Type_Holders_&_Various.html )
Title: Re: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: Billman49 on January 23, 2014, 03:14:23 AM
Quote from: mvwcnews on January 22, 2014, 10:27:14 PM
About the right size to hold type for lettering book spines after binding or rebacking with leather. 

I'd go with that -  a bookbinder's type holder - gently heated and used with gold leaf to put titles on leather and cloth bound books..

A Google images search finds it: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bookbinders+type+holder&rlz=1T4TSEA_en-GBGB347GB347&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=FN_gUvLyE9CVhQeZx4Fg&ved=0CEYQsAQ&biw=1404&bih=747

Now you need to find the brass typeface...
Title: Re: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: Maggiedad on January 23, 2014, 08:23:47 AM
Now this is making some sense!  In the same box that these came out of was a gold leaf "press" or roller.  Thanks much for the expertise!
Title: Re: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: Papaw on January 23, 2014, 08:42:06 AM
You are welcome! We like these What's-Its!
Show us pictures of the press/roller.
Title: Re: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: Maggiedad on January 23, 2014, 08:57:57 AM
Sure thing.  Here are pics of the gold leaf "applicator".
Title: Re: Odd brass hand held clamp or vise, old! Any ideas?
Post by: Billman49 on January 23, 2014, 09:12:47 AM
Not sure that this is actually used with gold leaf - it looks more like it would be used with a roll of 'gold' foil, to apply a thin decorative strip...