whatta suppose this was used for ?

[davidh]

a hand vice of sorts but ............ seems awful heavy duty. BIL has it and is asking. what say ye ?

more information. . .. "About a 16th inch gap. Made by Athol Machine Co. Athol Mass"

 

[Richard King]

Take a look at this, who would have know..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athol,_Massachusetts

Maybe it's a leather stretcher. Send a picture to the Starrett Museum and maybe they will know.

 

[Charley Davidson]

It's a "hand vice" exactly what it was used for I'm not sure. One was recently listed on Ebay for a starting bis of $28.00 but got no bids

 

[Bill Gruby]

Horologists Hand Vice. Used to hand file small parts to fit.

"Billy G" )

 

[DMS]

Yep, hand vice. Used for holding small objects. I see them advertised in model supply catalogs a lot.

 

[george wilson]

Maybe it's for holding your hand in a vise???? I have bunches of those. Mostly the older pivoting type.

 

[Richard King]

Heck I knew that was a hand vise, trying to introduce a little humor....But did you see that Athol Tool changed it's name to Starrett in the link I provided.
Athol tool once made leather stretchers