Research

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

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

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

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

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

The pruning shears are used to prune shrubs and vines, to pick flowers, etc. Nowadays they usually replace the pruning knife. It is often used by the basket maker in place of the curved knife to cut the twigs. The hand tool consists of two levers of the first type, which revolve around a spindle placed about one third of their length. The arms of about 15 cm are straight or slightly bent outwards. To keep the tool in place when not in use, a metal hook or leather ring is attached to the end of an arm; on recent models these have sometimes been replaced by a right next to the hub. During work, the scissors pop open thanks to a spring. The two curved blades of about 5 cm lie in the same plane as the arms (cf. thorn-hedge shears). One of these is usually thick and blunt today; the gardener must always ensure that the cutting blade is on the side of the trunk to obtain a smooth cut. On some recent models, a notch in one of the blades allows thin iron wire to be cut. There are also pruning...

After painting glass rebates, there is always some paint on the glass. With the putty scraper, equipped with a safety or cutter blade, you can easily scrape the paint off the window. The blade of the putty scraper is kept almost parallel to the glass pane. Some models are used in the maintenance of a ceramic hob. The blade between which the blade is screwed is made of steel or plastic. The handle can be made of iron, wood or plastic. On some models, the interchangeable blades are safely stored in the handle. Because the cut is so sharp, the glass scraper is usually provided with a metal protective cap or you can slide the top part of the handle so that it sits over the blade. The knife of some models can be attached in different positions (perpendicular, straight and oblique) in relation to the handle. This way they can be used for other purposes. Eg. sharpening a pencil, as a knife, to remove ice, labels, chewing gum, etc. from hard surfaces such as glass, tile or cement. See also the cooper's...

The putty knife is used to apply putty to glass rebates. There are different forms that are said to be regional. The blade can be pointed or blunt, stiff or springy, straight or curved. The house painter uses the putty knife, after priming the woodwork, to plug nail and screw holes with putty. A rather rare model has small slots in the blade (1), just like a glass cutter, to break off small pieces of glass. See also this coopers knife and the oyster knife. [MOT] (1) See JACKSON & DAY: 170 and SALAMAN 1976: 251.

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

Holes of different sizes can be made in leather with the aid of a punch, i.e. a metal tube with sharp edges. The diameter varies from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. A piece of leather is placed on a wooden, lead or copper support in order not to damage the edge. The punch is then placed where the hole is desired and hit with a hammer. So one needs his two hands; this can be avoided for small holes with the punching tongs. See also the cork borer. [MOT]