I give up!

[nkw5]

Been cleaning my dad's garage. He has about 8 of these tools, all different sizes. What are they? I'll be most grateful to someone who can enlighten me. Thanks!

[rusty]

Did he, by any chance, do anything with cement?

[HeelSpur]

Looks like a float of some sort.

[jimwrench]

looks like a concrete float

[nkw5]

Thank you for your responses. I think I'll go with Jimwrench's idea and call them concrete floats.

[Aunt Phil]

You guys are close, but look at the handle.

Even a block mason would grow a set of blisters trying to float concrete with that tool.

In the old days before power trowls when concrete placers would work a floor by hand they employed a pair of boards about 12 x 18 to kneel on.  To gain reach they used the tool in the picture in the hand that wasn't holding the trowl to lean out across the concrete and support their weigh. 

Not sure if there was an official name, generally they were called leaners or hand boards.
Concrete placing is not a trade I ever found a fondness for.

[Lewill2]

How long are they? They look like they are steel are they? I don't think they have anything to do with concrete. Knee boards and hand boards are usually boards, as in wood. How big is the handle or raised section? If they were used for concrete I would expect to see traces on concrete left on them. 

[lbgradwell]

In the old days before power trowls when concrete placers would work a floor by hand they employed a pair of boards about 12 x 18 to kneel on.  To gain reach they used the tool in the picture in the hand that wasn't holding the trowl to lean out across the concrete and support their weigh.

Interesting, Auntie. Then why the different sizes?

[gibsontool]

Hard to tell what they are made of but if they are steel they could be a burning straight edge. It was common practice to get a piece of flatbar about 1/2"x2" or whatever you had around and weld a handle of some sort to it. When you were making a straight cut on a plate with an OXY, ACT torch you placed the straight edge on the plate about 1/8" or so away from your soapstone cut line  and then held the cutting tip against this bar as you made your cut. We would, usually, tack a washer on the underside at each end to hold the bar up away from the heat and slag and this would help to stop it from bowing because of the heat. The ones you can buy today are about 16" or 18"long, made with an aluminum alloy to withstand the heat, are magnetic and the magnets, Usually 3 equally spaced, project down from the underside of the bar about a 1/4" or so. Don't know if this helps but thought I throw it out there. Jim

[BruceS]

Did he apply wood veneer ?  Often weights are applied ofter application.
 

[wrenchguy]

some home/shop made specialized thingy. no patent or manufacturing marks, not much value. good luck.

[nkw5]

As far as I know, Dad didn't do wood veneer. The tools appear to be made of steel; they are really heavy. The largest is 2" wide and 17" long. The smallest is 2" wide and 6" long. There are no markings or stamps or leftover material on any of them. The handles are all the same, 1" wide by 5 1/2" long and raised 1 1/4 inch from the flat part.

Wrenchguy, And I was hoping I found something of extreme value! But perhaps I did....what a great forum this is!

[jimwrench]

With that additional info They are something I don't recognize and I'm glad as thinking of concrete work makes me tired. If they are steel they must weighty as they look to be fairly thick. That would explain how handles are attached. Welding I assume.

[nkw5]

Yes, jimwrench, the handles are welded on and the bottom pieces are 3/4" thick.

[Wrenchmensch]

Perhaps these things were placed at both ends, and the middle, of a 2" x 6" board, so the board could be used by cement finishers to walk out on, and  finish, a cement pour.