ID-DOC: general search

Measuring tool consisting of a disc or wheel (approx. 20 cm) that rotates on an axis fixed in an iron or wooden handle. Disc or wheel can be made of wood, iron or a combination of both (1). Usually there is a radial mark. After the wheelwright has driven the rims on the spokes (see also spoke dog) the wheel returns to the blacksmith to be ironed. That craftsman measures the circumference of the wheel by rolling the traveller over the wheel and transferring the same number of rotations to the iron band. Then he can chop or cut it to the desired length. The tracing wheel is also used sporadically by the millwright when covering the millstone with iron hoops. See also the wheeled verge cutter. [MOT] (1) NEDERLOF: 20.

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/tree-pruner?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/tree-pruning-shears?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/tree-felling-gaff?lang=nl>

The felling wedge is an approx. 30 cm long wooden wedge that is driven into the saw cut when felling thick trees to prevent the saw from jamming and to make the tree fall in the right direction. Usually two or three are used together. These wedges can also prevent the saw from jamming when cutting the felled tree into pieces. A splitting wedge is sometimes used instead of the felling wedge. [MOT]

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/trimmer-hairdresser?lang=nl>

In addition to the hairdresser's trimmer, and those for dogs and sheep, there is a larger model for horses and cattle. It is quite heavy (almost 400 gr) and is used with both hands. Two metal arms, which rotate on a spindle, each end in turn in a rectangular blade, which is mounted either forwards or sideways. The lower rectangular blade is larger (about 8 cm by 4 cm) than the top one (about 7.5 cm by 3.5 cm) and both have 32 teeth for the horses on the upper long side. By moving the arms apart or together, the serrated blades slide horizontally over each other. The hair that ends up between the teeth is cut off in no time. The same model but with 17 teeth is used for cattle. See also the dog dresser's knife and the trimmer for dogs and sheep. [MOT]

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/trocar?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/trouser-press?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/trowel-board?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/trowel-chisel-japanese?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/trowel-saw?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/truing-caliper?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/truss-hoops?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/trussing-needle?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/tube-brush?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/tuning-key?lang=nl>

Axe with large, heavy and thick (approx. 5 mm), rectangular (approx. 40 cm by 10 cm) or crescent-shaped (1) iron blade that is connected to a long (approx. 100 cm) curved stem. The cut of the blade and the tip of the stem form an angle of about 45 °. The turf cutting axe serves to cut through the sod - with tough roots - in superficial peat extraction, but also, for example, where a trench will be dug with the spade to lay drainage pipes (see drain ladle and pipe layer). When cutting turf to protect dikes or embankments, a turf axe is also often used to divide the area of the meadow into long strips, which are then cut across with the garden spade and then loosened with the paring spade (2). Such an axe is also sometimes used as a dung axe, to cut through the caked manure of the stable. See also the flauchter spade and sod cutter. [MOT] (1) Eg. DEBY from DAVID 1975: 140. (2) Eg. FRICK & CANAUD: 508.

The gouge is the turner's most important tool: he transforms the shape of a wooden object with different gouges. The wheelwright also uses it to form the wheel hub. [MOT]

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/340?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/tweezers?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/twine-knife?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/twisting-bar-for-bolt?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/twisting-bar-for-tubes?lang=nl>

Tool the bookbinder uses to decorate and gild leather-bound books. It consists of a metal - often copper - elongated (approx. 10-12 cm long; approx. 1 cm wide) holder, fixed in a wooden handle. Blocks with letters can be placed in the holder, which can be clamped by a screw. After heating, the letters are stamped into the (gilded) leather, in order to obtain the desired word. Some models are adjustable for different letter heights (1). See also the bookbinder's pallet. [MOT] (1) This is because letters for the letterpress are not always of the same height as handprint type (KIEL & LOBLER: 105).

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/typewriter-brush?lang=nl>

The tyre lever is a metal rod with a curved end for removing or installing an outer tyre from a rim of a car or bicycle. For this operation, usually two or more pieces are inserted simultaneously in different places around the rim. A small kink at the end can serve to secure the tyre lever behind a spoke. The metal lever has a flattened end, sometimes with a profile to provide more grip to the hands. Models for bicycles are smaller and may be paired with an alligator wrench to form a bicycle alligator wrench. [MOT]

The blacksmith or wheelwright uses the tyre lifter to remove the glowing iron (wheel)band from the fire to place it on the rims. Afterwards, the tyre is pulled onto the rims of a wheel with the sledgehammer and the tyring dog.  This hook-shaped tool is also used by the millwright when covering the millstone with iron hoops. Smaller wheel tyres are removed from the fire with smith's tongs.  Some models look very similar to the scroll wrench. [MOT]

The garage owner uses the tyre spreader to check the inside of the tyre. This is necessary after any repair to the inner tube, as it is quite possible that sharp parts are still sticking through the tyre. Fractions can also be determined. If the tyre is not too stiff, you can bend it apart with your hands. A belt spreader is necessary for larger tyres. With the adjusting screw it is possible to fix the tyre spreader at any position. [MOT]

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/tyring-dog?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/uncapping-fork?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/uncapping-knife?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/unit-stamp-bookbinder?lang=nl>

The upholsterer's hammer is a relatively light (approx. 200-400 g) hammer - distinguishable from the glazier's hammer - with a long (approx. 10-15 cm), narrow (approx. 1-1.5 cm) head attached to a wooden stem. The hammer head has one round face and a flat pin at the other end, often with a claw. The upholsterer uses the hammer to hammer in and remove tacks. Sometimes the head is magnetized; this way the nails are held in place, which makes work easier as furniture upholstery often involves nailing in awkward corners. [MOT]

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/229?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/uterine-dilator?lang=nl>

This pointed chisel is a V-shaped flat turner chisel with one bevel for turning out a groove. [MOT]

In a petrol engine, springs keep the valves closed. If you want to work on those valves, you have to keep the spring compressed. To have the hands free, one uses valve spring pliers. Her jaws are forked to fit on the stem of the valve. The mouth opens when you press on the arms. In some models, the jaws always remain parallel to each other. A rack and hook prevent it from closing. Valve spring pliers are to be distinguised from battery clamp pliers. [MOT]

With a vegetable brush you remove soil and dirt from vegetables. It is a brush with fairly firm bristles that you can easily hold in your hand. [MOT]

With a vegetable chopper you can chop vegetables into fine pieces. It may consist of a plastic cylindrical frame, in which there is a zigzag curved cutting blade, and a rod with a spring around it and a flat plastic handle. The plastic cylinder is placed over the vegetable, which has already been cut into pieces, and the spring rod is pushed down forcefully several times. The cutting blade moves up and down and rotates so that the vegetables are chopped into fine pieces. This model is mainly used for cutting onions. See also the onion handle. Another model consists of three elongated (approx. 10 cm) blades at some distance from each other, which are attached at right angles to a metal intermediate piece that extends perpendicularly into a wooden handle. The blade in the middle is lower than the other two and a spring is wrapped around the spacer. When you push the handle down, the spring is tensioned and the two outer blades move down. By moving up and down again and again, the vegetables...

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/vegetable-peeler?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/vegetable-shredder?lang=nl>

Despite his name the veneering hammer is not a hammer, since it is never struck, but a hammer-shaped tool of 300-600 gr with which a support sheet is stroked on the timber. It has a very wide pin (5-10 cm) and a short handle. The working part is made of iron, wood or, exceptionally, copper.  You can find more technical information about this hand tool on this page in dutch. [MOT]

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/verge-cutter?lang=nl>

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/wafer-iron?lang=nl>

Composite tool typically chosen by the professional wine waiter to uncork bottles. It consists of a corkscrew and a knife that can be folded out. Sometimes there is also a bottle opener that also serves as a support point for the lever. It then rests on the neck of the bottle when the cork is pulled. The neck lead can be cut with the knife. A curious model contains a folding lever (1). A newer model works with a rack and spiral. There is also a retractable blade to cut the neck lead. See also the pocket knife. [MOT] (1) WATNEY & BABBIDGE: 71, fig. 62.

This text about the walking stick with fork (1) can only be consulted in dutch. (1) Proper name unknown.

With the wallpaper knife you can easily cut along the plinth and ceiling, along door and window frames, around switches and the like while applying wallpaper, just like with a paper hanger's casing knife. The handle and holder of this hand tool consist of one piece. A replaceable razor blade is clamped in the holder (4.5 cm by 2 cm) using one or more metal plates and a screw. The handle is made of wood, aluminum or plastic. See also the paper hanger's knife. [MOT]

In the past, washing was done by hand. After cooking the laundry, each piece was soaped with finely grated soap (see soap shaver) and rubbed clean. This is only possible with the hands, but one can also use a laundry scrubber and a washboard, i.e. a ribbed board, later a galvanized plate (approx. 40-60 cm long; approx. 30-50 cm wide). See also the laundry beater. [MOT]

This text can only be consulted in Dutch <https://www.mot.be/resource/Tool/washer-cutter?lang=nl>