Replies

1. 
   RickL | Nov 08, 2006 05:41pm | #1

   Most likely a draftsman's tool. For drawing lines.

2. 
   VeriestTyro | Nov 08, 2006 06:45pm | #2

   Just a rule with an inking edge that prevents the ink from bleeding back under the ruler.  From the days when a draft set of plans approved as a 'final' had its lines inked with India ink.

   Most rules sold in art supply stores still have this configuration.  You've seen it before but you may not have known what you were looking at.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 11/8/2006 2:00 pm ET by VeriestTyro

3. 
   Dave45 | Nov 09, 2006 03:25am | #3

   Those 12" rules with a metal strip on one edge could be called "lining rules" and I've also seen plastic rules with an edge relieved a little so it's slightly above the paper.

   Back in the stone age when I took my high school and college drafting classes, we used strips of masking tape on one side of our triangles and curves to give us a little gap between the edges and the paper. 

   Ahhh, India ink.  I have memories of that stuff..............none of them fond - lol.  I'll take a mouse and a CAD program any day.

1. 
   Patto | Nov 09, 2006 06:59am | #4

   dave

   My fathers first job after tech was to 'ink' drawing for pressed metal cans.

   he went back to school and joined the Army - retired as a colonel.

   He is a bit more lyrical about this than I have been.

   Dave

2. 
   DP | Nov 09, 2006 05:04pm | #5

   I appreciate the responses.  I'm not sure however that the items in Patrick's list are as speculated.  I tried to copy and import his picture of them without success, however as best I can tell they are cylinders of various lengths without any markings or visible raised edges.  If it helps here is his full description :

   "Five round ebony lining rules; ideal for those who make tools, and want some real, not Sears, ebony; 3/4” to 1” diameters, lengths of 12” to 18” long; well seasoned".

   I think the mystery continues.

1. 
   Dave45 | Nov 09, 2006 08:21pm | #6

   Yeah, I would say that the mystery continues.  Those "do-hickeys" don't sound like anything I've ever seen or heard of - lol.

   The description of "ebony" and "well seasoned" are really intriguing.