OK, I give up

[junkman]

Hi all. I'm relatively new to tool collecting, and I decided to swallow my pride and admit that I can't identify everything with a well-crafted google search. Attached are some photos of a tool I just can't figure out. The swivel part looks like a small pipe vise, and the spring loaded arm holds a little toothed blade that does a nice job of cutting a shallow notch in a pencil (which is what I had handy), but what would be the purpose of such a contraption to cut a notch in the end of a pipe or dowel? Perhaps to score the outside of an elbow, but, again, why? The opening in the swivel arm is 7/8" and the length of the entire tool is about 10".

You guys will probably know this in a heartbeat, but I'm stumped.

[oldgoaly]

So it's a temporary lifting handle for ????  Something with a pipe or tube extension. It looks well made and to last! Got to be something like a boiler flue tube or something of that era?

[Papaw]

That is a generator armature cutter used to deepen the mica  separations after turning the brass down.

I was once called to a beer joint near home to ID a wrench . I went there and didn't know what it was, except that it wasn't a wrench.
A few months later at a tool swap meet in Houston, I spied another and the guy didn't know either. I bought it so I could research it some more.
I soon discovered what it was and later bought another. At least two of our members also have one.

[oldgoaly]

Well I'll be damned again! pic attached shows a complete tool.Live and learn!

[junkman]

I'm impressed. Nailed it right off. Comparing the one I have to the pic found by oldgoaly, I think mine might be intended to work without the attachment. There isn't a place to attach the guide bars, so maybe the idea was put the armature in the clamp, tighten the nut appendage in a vise for stability and then move the handle back and forth to cut the mica grooves deeper?

[Papaw]

Yes. One of the ones I have works that way. Align the cutter, rotate the armature by hand, then repeat. I had never seen one of these when I worked on such things. I always used a section of hacksaw blade.

[junkman]

Now I'm going to have to tear apart an old motor for an armature to try it out on. (-:

[Papaw]

Now I'm going to have to tear apart an old motor for an armature to try it out on. (-:

That's the spirit !

[oldgoaly]

automotive starters and generators, not many repulsion / induction motors around any more.