Early wood bits, but the forked one?

[superzstuff]

Bought a nice group of wood working bits with Sorby, B.Botson, J.Howarth, and Colouhoun & Cadman names. I like the jester graphic on the Sorby bits. I have an idea what most are for but the C & C forked one, I'm not sure of use.

[Neals]

Can't tell from the pictures but it could be for lapping valves. Some old valves had 2 holes in the top that the pins fit in.

[wvtools]

It is for turning split nut handsaw nuts.  I cannot remember the exact patent date when the modern nuts were invented; 1872 or 1873.  Prior to then, the screw went through the end of the nut.  The Disstonian Institute website has a good breakdown of it.

[superzstuff]

Tips do look like very thin screwdrivers. I looked up C & C and not much on them just a few other wood working tools.

[tucker]

b.botson,could be ibbotson edge tool maker sheffield.as stated that bit is for
split nuts on saws.

[Branson]

Joining the chorus here; definitely a split nut driver.  Yes, for saw handles.  Here's a picture of some spanking new ones.

[Branson]

By the way, at least as late as the 1980s those center bits were still in production by Peugeot's hand tool division.

[Branson]

b.botson,could be ibbotson edge tool maker sheffield.

Tucker, I think you're on the money here.  Ibbotson was an excellent manufacturer. 

[scottg]

Center bits are outstandingly effective bits! They don't drill super deep holes well, but how often do you really need a hole over 2" deep?
 I saw some Japanese center bits made for power drills, in the 90's!
 
  The real whatzit to me, is the top bit in the rt column? I can't see it clearly enough but it looks weird to me!
 
 The one that looks like a diamond on the end is for metal, and of course reamers and countersinks.
 But that top rt??
    yours Scott
 
 

[superzstuff]

That is the only one marked Botson and I assumed it was a screwdriver. It has a very thin flat end.

[Branson]

Center bits are outstandingly effective bits! They don't drill super deep holes well, but how often do you really need a hole over 2" deep?
 I saw some Japanese center bits made for power drills, in the 90's!
 yours Scott

Yeah they are!  I have a bunch of the center bits, and I do use them.  Not for deep, as you say, but they're quick and clean and they don't mind if part of the hole is off the board.  Great for drilling end grain, too.

I still have a set of those Japanese bits that I bought in the '60s.  There may have been other manufacturers.  Eric Sloane mentioned these reinventions of the center bit, in A Museum of Early American Tools I think.  May have been in A Reverence for Wood.