Gun makers screwdriver?

[Centrepin]

Growing up this was known by grandad as his gun makers screwdriver. Never saw him use it on anything but a gun.

I know most tools back then were made in Sheffield and there was a Sheffield gun maker. (I tried to buy a Sheffield hammer SBS gun at auction).

Anyone shed any light on this ?

It formed part of a set of 3, unfortunately the others had perished in a mouldy bag.

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by Centrepin
Auto correct spells wrong

[wymberley]

Looks to be a bog standard screwdriver which Grandad may well have ground to suit. A 'smiths' tool would have been known as a turnscrew.

[Wymondley]

My Father had quite a few like that, he called them cabinet makers screwdrivers.

[DUNKS]

9 minutes ago, Wymondley said:

My Father had quite a few like that, he called them cabinet makers screwdrivers.

Which I am sure they are. I have quite a few. Mine are all a bit too soft to be turnscrews.

[Centrepin]

Ok thanks, I thought it might be too much to hope for it was real.

Never mind, it'll go with loads of other age related tools.

👍

[tonyshooter]

My Mum made screwdrivers like that when she worked at Marples of Sheffield, porobly, some 65 years ago.

 

It is she tells me they are know as a Cabinet Makers Screwdrivers.

 

I do have some gunsmiths turnscewrs that came from John Clarke formerly of Arthur Turner ( Sheffield ) Ltd, and I will post pictures of these when I can find the ******* !

Edited December 19, 2020 by tonyshooter

[Diver One]

Yep....cabinet makers screwdriver

if it had a longer handle with two flats on it I think was a London Pattern

all metal,but with two wooden 'side plates' was Perfect Pattern

[wymberley]

27 minutes ago, Diver One said:

Yep....cabinet makers screwdriver

if it had a longer handle with two flats on it I think was a London Pattern

all metal,but with two wooden 'side plates' was Perfect Pattern

[JohnfromUK]

The London pattern on the right (4 items), disc set striker tool in the centre, and the type supplied in gun cases on the left (2 items), though I suspect mainly for show - not use!

[WalkedUp]

Interesting thread and great to see

[Centrepin]

11 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

The London pattern on the right (4 items), disc set striker tool in the centre, and the type supplied in gun cases on the left (2 items), though I suspect mainly for show - not use!

Interesting, the ones I don't think I can save are all the London pattern. The striker tool was in with another set, rusted beyond redemption and the handle soft but the brass collar is intact.

Thanks for that picture, its helped.

[Gunman]

Can I point out that in My near 50 years of gun making and gunsmithing I personally have always used screw drivers . " Turn screws " I considered an archaic term was used for stylised  case accessories not always practical for every day use . Many of mine  had far larger handles , to give increased grip ,and thus torque  ,as ell as longer blades .

I had as many as a dozen screw drivers of different sizes on my bench for general use ,some were ground up standard screw drivers , some hand made .. Where as cased " turn screws" would have been ground to fit the screws/pins of the gun they were married to and then only for selected ones . eg. A disc key , its retaining pin , side plate and lock pins .

For any side lock or box lock you would need would need at least 4 and may be 6 different size blades as well as a vice to hold the gun if fully stripping .