And the answer is...

[Dwight]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone knows the identity and/or function of this tool?

Thanks. Dwight

[venkatbo]

trick question, hope not ;?)

bench dogs: help to hold work pieces to the workbench
awl: to scratch/indent/mark a refence on the workpiece

/venkat

[jwaterdawg]

Obviously it's a battery powered door stop.

[WayneJ]

Part of some sort of gate latch

[brumere]

Looks like a plane iron.

Bruce

[bigsteel15]

I agree with Bruce, but to be more specific it looks to be an iron from a rabbeting plane.

[cwsmith]

My first thought is that it almost looks like some kind of scribing knife, but that right end, dosn't appear to be sharp, in the middle view. Beyond that, I haven't a clue.

CWS

[Jim Boyd]

A plow plane blade with the curved end as the business end.

[Pappy]

Cutting iron from a old, wooden plow or molding plane.

[Jaden]

Looks to me me like some type of dangerous ninja-type multi tool...........or maybe an orange rind remover

Steve

[Otter]

It is a turning tool know as a side cutting scraper wit a wedge skew end

that or a hooffing burr

[scorrpio]

Definitely looks like a moulding plane iron to me. Cove-cutting iron, to be particular.

[LarryG]

An AA battery is approximately 2" long, which puts the length of this mystery widget at around 8.5" to 8.75". So I don't think it's any kind of plane iron.

If it is some kind of cutter, it cuts at the square, left end; the curved, right end doesn't appear to be sharp at all.

To me it most resembles some kind of wrecking or pry bar, except that I'd expect the taper in the thickness to go the other way.

[scorrpio]

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cla...ding_plane.htm

If that thing is to provide a good grip, the iron would definitely need to be around 8" (width of a paper sheet) I mean, my Stanley #4 bench plane iron is around 6" long, 8" is not much longer.

[LarryG]

Looks like it might be. I found this picture ...

http://www.classicwindsors.com/tool9.jpg

... on this web page ...

http://www.classicwindsors.com/toolgal.html

... and the general shape of the irons are similar. I don't recall ever seeing one that was so thick on the cutting end, though. Is that common, plane experts? And what's the point of the little hook at the rounded end?

EDIT: AHA! Looks like Pappy nailed it, and Jim Boyd almost did:

http://www.planemaker.com/articles/plow.htm

I've never heard of a "skated" plane before, but apparently that's what the tapered iron is all about. And I'm still not understanding the curved hook on the right end, however, unless maybe it's to somehow make it easier to adjust the iron. If I'm reading the article correctly, the proper name for this hook is the "sneck." Umm, sure, okay ...