Small easy project

Started this little project a few days ago. Thought it might be of some interest. I'm just gonna let you guess what it is.

The above isn't a nut but it was machined from solid to look like one! It measures 37mm across the flats. A couple of plugs made:

It's clearly a Model Engineer's notion of the perfect wedding ring. I claim my prize please!

Cigarette lighter?

Edited By Hollowpoint on 05/02/2016 19:46:09

You will be surprised when you come to look for a 37mm spanner to fit it ...

Tim

Did you make the striker or pull it out of another lighter?

The striker wheel, the spring inside and bottom screw are from a cheapo petrol lighter I bought from poundland lol. The brass part I made to suit.

I thought we all had these precision spanners

Seen a number of articles on these lighters, including (I think) Model Engineer which actually described how to make the flint wheel.

You would be better reducing the photos to some thing like 640 x 480 for posting, some (might be just me) are still on dial up, and these pics take for ever to appear, 1/4 hour or more tonight.

Ian S C

Be interesting to see how the wheel is made in the article. I imagine like a small gear.

Ill try to keep the image size down.

I only knew because I have had several of these in various tool lots and from car boots. Usually they have old pennies soldered in for the front and back covers which dates them precisely.

The WW1 dated examples have done very well for me on EBay although the prices vary enormously, cheapest I sold was £8 and the most expensive was £76!

Nice project, I may have a go if I get some time.... as if!

Martin

Yes they are a nice little piece of history, it never seizes to amaze me just how creative soldiers could be with almost nothing to work with. I couldn't justify paying the prices they make on ebay so thought it would make a nice project.

Edited By Hollowpoint on 06/02/2016 21:18:42

One method of making the flint wheel I read of entailed clamping the blank across it's diameter in a vice between two files, squeeze, release, move the files in opposite directions rolling the wheel, squeeze again and keep going until completed. Use silver steel, and after forming the serrations, harden, I can't remember if it was tempered, I suspect not.

Ian S C

Colonel Niall McNiall, who corresponded with ETW from Ireland.

If there's room I will include one of his gadgets in the 'gadget issue'.

Neil

On the subject of trench art can anyone identify the cartridge this penknife is made from? It was given to my grandmother by her brother who was killed in France in 1918. I expected it to be a British .303 but the dimensions are all wrong. Nor is it the standard German calibre. A friend who knows a bit about guns thought it might be Italian except that their bullets were rounded rather than sharp tipped. And I can't think where my relative would have got hold of Italian ammunition during WW1.

Dimensions are approximate!

Thanks in anticipation,

Dave

6.5 x 50 arisaka bullet looks close. Japanese.

I have 2 knives just like that, bought some 40-45 years ago. The cartridge are marked "METALLVERKEN" a Swedish company, and the blades are stamped "MORA" a famous knife maker, (at least in Sweden), and they have been fired, at least they have an indentation in the back. They are 12mm diam and 55mm long + 6,5mm bullet.

Thanks Lars_G and Hollowpoint. Much to my surprise given the Japanese origin I think Hollowpoint has nailed it!

Wikipedia says that the British bought 150,000 Arisaka rifles in 1914 and used them mostly for training. "The 6.5×50mm round was subsequently produced in Britain by the Kynoch company and was officially adopted for British service as the .256-inch (6.5 mm) caliber Mk II in 1917."

I think this example of Trench Art probably came from a Training Camp. I now doubt it was made in the front-line as I'd previously believed.

The item works well as a pen-knife and although easy to make must have been a desirable novelty. I wonder if the Swedish examples were manufactured by Mora and how many other nationalities have produced them?

Regards,

Dave

When I was a digger we used to drill a 7.62mm projectile, turn the end off and fit a section from a ball-point pen into the tip. Inserted into an empty cartridge case and finished off with a length of ball link chain - they made nice presents once polished and engraved.

The instrument fitter's mobile repair truck had a small Boley lathe installed in the back which was perfect for such jobs

My wife did tell me that a few eyebrows were raised when she used her's to sign a cheque at the local bank though! Probably would not get past airport security nowadays.

* Danny M *