Age of a English turnscrew?

[45flint]

Bought this for my airgun case. Curious if these can be approximately dated given the form?

[lightning22]

History of the Footprint tool company below

https://footprint-tools.com/

[Maple]

That is a cabinet makers screwdriver, shouldn't be used on guns.

[45flint]

That is a cabinet makers screwdriver, shouldn't be used on guns.

Did they have specific gun turnscrews preWW1 like they do now?

[harvey_s]

That certainly doesn't look pre-WW1...

[Maple]

Did they have specific gun turnscrews preWW1 like they do now?

Gun makers traditionally bought in accessories made by specialist makers, turnscrews were a standard such extra. The screwdriver you have photographed has never been anything to do with the gun trade.

[Re01312]

Steve

That is an old looking tool seem period appropriate to me. In the US, it is much tougher finding antiques, country is too young.

My daughter spent sometime shooting air pistols with me. She had a big smile after shooting. The Airgun happiness effect hard at work on a new member community. If I can I'll post pics too.

Cheers,

Randy

[45flint]

Gun makers traditionally bought in accessories made by specialist makers, turnscrews were a standard such extra. The screwdriver you have photographed has never been anything to do with the gun trade.

I realize it’s a cabinet makers turnscrew, but best I can do over here for a prop in a gun case. In looking at a lot of early cased pistols I just don’t see any flat ground turnscrews, they all look like normal turnscrews and as said above some look to me made for the gun by the gun maker. In looking at websites I think all I can say is this one is probably preWW2? We discuss a lot about vintage airguns but as you collect its the accessories that at actually very hard to acquire and can be equally fascinating. The accessories used in this country often totally different from those in England. Oil is just one example.

[BC312]

So what is a proper gun trade screwdriver if this one is not correct. What type of screwdrivers came before?

[DEAN C.]

Footprint are a well known toolmaker from Sheffield but that looks to be 1940s or 50s at a guess, and as you already know is a joiners screwdriver. Great food for thought though regarding appropriate tools and accessories.

Gunmakers turnscrews are much squarer and flat in profile.https://cdn.axminstertools.com/media.../109440_xl.jpg

Slightly off topic, I used to try and pick up any ex NCB footprint chisels at auto jumbles and boot sales whenever I saw them.
Their lovely flat chisels dont turn or roll in your hand when using.

[45flint]

Good examples:
https://www.peterdyson.co.uk/acatalog/TURNSCREWS.html

Looks to me that there is a a distinctive english gun turnscrew, which is seen above the flat straight style. In the US that doesn’t seem to be the case? The ones I see are thin with widening blade like “normal screwdriver”?

[walnutfarmmick]

Footprint are a well known toolmaker from Sheffield but that looks to be 1940s or 50s at a guess, and as you already know is a joiners screwdriver. Great food for thought though regarding appropriate tools and accessories.

Gunmakers turnscrews are much squarer and flat in profile.https://cdn.axminstertools.com/media.../109440_xl.jpg

Slightly off topic, I used to try and pick up any ex NCB footprint chisels at auto jumbles and boot sales whenever I saw them.
Their lovely flat chisels dont turn or roll in your hand when using.

That’s not to knock Footprint brand. A pal of mine elected to degutter a 15cwt. Thames van. It was the usual thing, a plain steel van without a headlining. Damp air condensed on the inside of the roof and ran down to the internal gutter formed by the roof adjoining the sidewall, where it rusted its way out. Angle grinders had not yet become cheap enough for the man in the street and Stuart chose to chop his way along, above and below the seam, 6” at a time welding it back as he went. His weapon of choice was a Footprint screwdriver perhaps twice the size of the one pictured. It survived the exercise. I rather think the turnscrews back in the day tended to be T handled while there was another generation between the two of them that consisted of a piece of steel from one end to the other with wooden scales each side.

With regard to Reo01312’s post a propos relative availability of antiques in our various countries. Dean C and I live in the same village where Walnut Farm is probably the oldest house ( 300 years + *) but that is modern compared with a pal’s business about 5 miles away. The sign on the gatepost declares it to be Stainforth Market, established in 1342 **.

* I love telling Kiwi and Aussie friends that it was old when Captain Cook set off.
** But I even more love telling Yanks that it was old when Christopher Columbus set off.

Oneupmanship? Me!!?
Perish the thought, Mick

[Phil G]

The reason that Gunsmith's Screwdrivers are so prized is that the tips are hollow-ground, not double-wedge shaped - so that torque is applied at the bottom of the screw slot where it is strongest, not the top.