# Can anyone tell me what kind of Old Tool this is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235 "2007-11-13T14:22:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/1 "2007-11-13T14:22:18Z")
I was recently at a Barn Auction where I picked up a ton of old tools, from old Stanley Wooden Planes to intricate files and saws…in one of my bundles I picked up [this](http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/auction-misc047.jpg) old thing. I have no idea what it is, but I have a pretty good idea of what it isn’t. It’s not a chisle or counter-sync or hole punch. Here are some more pics of it up close and personal. [Here](http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/auction-misc048.jpg) , [here](http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/auction-misc053.jpg), [here](http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/auction-misc049.jpg) [and here.](http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/auction-misc050.jpg) Anyone know what this is? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/2 "2007-11-13T14:37:37Z")
Except for the wooden handle, it’s metal - right? I’m going to guess it’s a soldering iron. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/3 "2007-11-13T14:40:15Z")
Soldering iron is what I figured too, although admittedly I’m not at all sure. I saw almost the exact same tool in an antique shop Saturday and was contemplating its use. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/4 "2007-11-13T14:43:07Z")
Here’s an [antique soldering iron](http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-COPPER-SOLDERING-IRON-5-NORTHEAST-PA-ANTIQUE_W0QQitemZ230190091880QQihZ013QQcategoryZ13869QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) listed on eBay - looks somewhat similar. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/5 "2007-11-13T14:48:06Z")
The tip comes off as seen by the flat screws in the shaft. If it is a solddering iron any idea on it’s age? And what was it used for? Was it used for flashing on roof’s and things like that? ---
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/6 "2007-11-13T14:48:29Z")
That’s what Grampa called a tinnin’ arn,a tinning iron. You note the copper tip can be removed/replaced with other shapes. Used with a pot o’ lead.If you got it with barn type tools,they mighta used it to solder flashings and some standing seam roof styles. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/7 "2007-11-13T14:48:43Z")
I remember using a soldering iron just like that in my first metalwork lesson at school - there was a little gas-powered bench-top furnace for heating it up. it was very difficult to use. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/8 "2007-11-13T16:53:19Z")
I’m going to say that it’s an Electric Soldering Iron. Based on the hole in the handle where the cord used to be, as well as the fact that the tip is not massive enough to hold enough heat, The area behind the tip looks hollow. Either there’s an electric heating element in there or there used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/9 "2007-11-13T16:57:27Z")
I’m going to go out on a limb and say soldering iron. I have a similar one myself, and I have no idea what to do with the damn thing, except mail it to a random Doper and say, “Here!” ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/10 "2007-11-13T17:03:35Z")
[QUOTE=Sal Ammoniac] I’m going to go out on a limb and say soldering iron. I have a similar one myself, and I have no idea what to do with the damn thing, except mail it to a random Doper and say, “Here!” [/QUOTE] Rub it on your body before tinning it! You do know that blocks of Sal Ammoniac are/were used to clean the tip before tinning, right? ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/11 "2007-11-13T17:12:39Z")
I doubt it was electric. It looks identical to my great grandpa’s old soldering iron I have in storage somewhere. His was turn of the century. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/12 "2007-11-13T17:49:49Z")
It’s a stick-it-in-the-fire soldering iron. I vaguely remember similar ones from my grandfather’s old books. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/13 "2007-11-13T18:00:12Z")
I don’t think it’s electric either, but it’s cool nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/14 "2007-11-13T18:33:01Z")
Obligatory drive-by **Cow Tool** posting ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/15 "2007-11-13T18:46:51Z")
It looks like my dad’s old electric soldering iron. Back when I was eight years old, Dad was doing some wiring. I was hanging around the shop and picked up the electric screwdriver. I never made that mistake again. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/16 "2007-11-13T18:55:25Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I remember using a soldering iron just like that in my first metalwork lesson at school - there was a little gas-powered bench-top furnace for heating it up. it was very difficult to use. [/QUOTE] I was just going to post the same thing. Does this mean we are both old? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/17 "2007-11-13T18:56:27Z")
Look on this page [Soldering](http://64.78.42.182/sweethaven/BldgConst/Welding/lessonmain.asp?lesNum=6&modNum=1) under Equipment. See the difference in shape between the electric and non electric tools? The non electric is much more massive at the tip because it has to capture the heat of the fire and hold it long enough to transfer it to the object being soldered. The irons made to be heated in a fire don’t have removable tips, and yours does because of the screw on the side. If you remove the tip you’ll find that the area behind it is hollow, or has the remains of the electric element. A hollow tube won’t retain much heat for the job. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/18 "2007-11-13T18:58:51Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] I was just going to post the same thing. Does this mean we are both old? [/QUOTE] Me three. We also had an asbestos pad to solder on. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/19 "2007-11-13T19:00:00Z")
A wireless soldering iron, how ultra-modern cool is that? Sooo, what kind of saws did you pick up? ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235/20 "2007-11-13T19:46:38Z")
Vintage electric soldering irons definitely looked like that, wooden handle and all. Most telling would be to remove the tip and see if there’s any visible trace of electrical connections. Is it reasonable to do that, or are vintage tools inviolable that way? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-what-kind-of-old-tool-this-is/426235.md?page=2)