Some type of scraper

[gibsontool]

I don't know the intended purpose of this tool but I'm guessing it's a scraper of some sort. It is 20" long overall with a 81/2" long T handle and the removable 1 piece blade has 1 knife edge and 1 serrated or saw blade edge. The blade is held in place with 6- 5/16" NC shoulder bolts which are match marked to the holes which may suggest it is hand made. The teeth on the serrated edge are not uniform as they vary from 8 TPI to about 9 1/2 TPI and the height varies by as much as 1/16". There is a stamp on the shank which  reads W. B. Horn & Bro and a beat up logo or trademark that looks like a circle with an opening at the top and what may be leaves coming off the sides of the circle. I have seen a couple of these before one, was in a picture that Pawpa had taken of some fellows collection and the other was at a PNTC meeting in Portland Or. I asked a few guys at the meeting and nobody knew for sure what it was but the concensus was a scraper of some kind. I was not able to track down the owner before I left that day and I haven't been to a meeting since. I Think the one I saw in Oregon  just had knife blades on both sides. I removed the screws holding the blade and there was a small amount of residue that fell out which could have bee compacted sawdust or possibly leather scrapings . Because I have seen more than one that may rule out my hand made theory. What do you guys think? Anybody ever seen one?

[Billman49]

Hi
It shouldn't have any teeth on it - at least not on the ones I have seen... It's a tanner's tool, a type of fleshing knife for for scraping hides - see the one on my website at http://billhooks.co.uk/edge-tool-making/british-edge-tool-makers/

[rusty]

perhaps the toothed edge is a roughing tool for glueing?

[gibsontool]

Billman49. Thank you for the info. I learned something today and I like that. That's an informative web site that you have there, very interesting. Jim

[Neals]

I think it is for tanning not finished leather. As a child my family tanned their own moose and deer hides. One of the tools was 1/2 a barrel hoop fastened to a post. One side of the hoop had teeth filed into it. Not sharpened. As the skins were drying after the tanning process they were worked back and forth through the hoop to keep them soft. Any hard or thick spots were worked on the back with the toothed side Front side and thinner areas were worked with the smooth side.

[Branson]

Not for finished leather, no, but for fleshing hides in preparation for tanning.  This one of two or three traditional patterns.  Like Billman, I've never seen one with teeth.  However, I have seen hide scrapers that do have teeth.  The irregularity of the teeth make me think they were not originally on the knife, but were cut by the owner.

[gibsontool]

Branson. I had a good close look at the so called teeth and I am fairly sure you are correct in that they have been filed out by a previous owner.