Mystery tool ??? --SOLVED!!

[LittleWatchShop]

Ideas?

[oldhippy]

What is on the other side? As it is it looks, I'm thinking is it some part from a lathe or to do with milling.

[LittleWatchShop]

More pictures.  The pivot gauge in the background gives perspective on size.  It is small...like a 12s or smaller

pocket watch.

[spectre6000]

It looks to me like a tiny bending device. Like a micro tubing bender for making racing cages. No idea what a watchmaking application would be though.

[oldhippy]

I haven't a clue. 

[LittleWatchShop]

I am thinking it has nothing to do with watches.  It came with a grab bag of "watch" tools on ebay.  Most of the tools were for watches, but some were for clocks (e.g., pivot aligning tool--which is very very handy!) and a couple were general purpose (a level).

[spectre6000]

Let's dig a little deeper then. Am I correct that the center section moves around? Do the notches in the steel looking ring rotate with the lever? How deep is that hole in the center (last photo looks like it doesn't go through)? What are the residues/oxidation marks? Any clue at what paints/lubes/glues might have been involved? Heat (that handle off to the side makes me think it might get hot in use)? Any noticeable wear marks? What are the materials? Looks like brass in some photos, but could be nickel plated, or even zinc. Nickel would likely mean it's a more expensive tool/higher value use, zinc would indicate the opposite, brass/iron would be in the middle somewhere. I just noticed that the markings aren't degrees, but possibly a percentage of rotation (stops at 100). The name might give a clue, but google is zero help.

[LittleWatchShop]

2 hours ago, spectre6000 said:

Am I correct that the center section moves around?

The black ring piece rotates.  Always pointing to the center.

2 hours ago, spectre6000 said:

Do the notches in the steel looking ring rotate with the lever?

The locking bar is statioary to the base plate.

 

2 hours ago, spectre6000 said:

What are the residues/oxidation marks?

Possibly carbon from a flame

 

2 hours ago, spectre6000 said:

What are the materials?

The base is soft.  Possibly brass or aluminum.

 

3 hours ago, spectre6000 said:

How deep is that hole in the center

about 5mm.  does not go through

[Paul80]

Curious about the (The X Ray) markings ?

[spectre6000]

I was thinking a bending apparatus, but the 0-100 rather than 0-360 throws water on that. The carbon warms it back up...

Any hint on what the brown spots might be on top? Glue, finish (shellac?), burnt lubricant, etc.?

The moving part only goes from 75, through 0, and back to 25 without disassembly. The bar is holding something down and in place in the center. Not sure about the circular depression around the center section... Clearance for a low part of whatever is being worked on, or possibly a reservoir for something.

The name may refer to what it's intended to do (form something into an "X" shape?). Doesn't sound horological though... Optics, electronics, model making, maybe some kind of fishing thing... I wonder if it were cleaned up you might find a patent number or something. Or at least some marking other than the 0-100 and "The X Ray"...

[KarlvonKoln]

Carbon?  From being heated?  Could you make a  mainspring with it?  Not sure yet if that's what it was used for, but...*could you* use it for making a coiled mainspring maybe?

[LittleWatchShop]

And the answer is!!!!!

[KarlvonKoln]

Cool!  Now I want one!  

[LittleWatchShop]

I discovered this by happenstance.  On archive.org, I found a Swartchild catalog from around the turn of the century and I just went through it, page by page just for fun--this popped up. Pretty cool looking at all of the other tools as well.