Re: What is it? LXXIV

It's not used for sailing.

Rob

This is not much of an answer to me. What *kind* of race? Auto, horse, sailboat, foot, something else? What does it cut? Gougeing rings doesn't really clear it up for me.

Enjoy, DoN.

I think the name Race is not meant to infer any particular type of racing, but is probably just a name, possibly of the inventor. According to this site the knife was used in shipbuilding:

More than likely the "race" is a context like a bearing race or similar--I don't know enough about boat-building to put in a teacup, but...

"R.H." wrote in news:qC7Le.55990$ snipped-for-privacy@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com:

Is it some sort of fishing net weight or downrigger weight?

I guess this is close enough to call correct, it's a fisherman's trolley weight. It was designed to travel up and down the fishing line (controlled by a second attached line) to change the depth of baited hooks.

Rob

Marking heavy timbers with letters or numbers, typically used by boatbuilders and timberframers.

Ever notice that old barn frames were usually marked with Roman rather than Arabic numerals? One reason is that, until you get to C or D - whivch is a hell of a lot of joints - the Roman numerals are all straight lines. Much easier to cut with a chisel or gouge.

The race knife makes the curves easier, using the pivot and the end cutter. The side cutter is good for straight lines.

John Martin

Thank you! This makes the use clear. I always want to know how a tool is used, on the off chance that I might have a use for it.

Thanks again, DoN.