“T” Handled Screwdriver

Date1770-1830

MediumWood, steel, and iron

DimensionsBlade: 2 1/2" x 7/8" Handle: 3 7/16" x 1"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1987-743

Description"Make-do" screwdriver constructed from the base of a broken & reshaped half-round file originally made by Henry Smith of Sheffield, England. The tang of the blade is set through a rough-hewn wooden handle and peened in place.
Label TextA good piece of steel, saved from another broken or worn out thing, was often reworked into something else. This compact tool was made from a ground down file and mounted with a handle set crossway, allowing the user to apply extra force for turning screws.
MarkingsBlade struck with a "Flaming Sword(?) over M" and "H.SMITH."