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I came across the tool pictured in my collection and cannot imagine its purpose. It's a long metal pick, with sharp studs running down it in a spiral. It ends in a tip that seems to be meant to make holes. It's very sturdy.

top view tip

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  • looks like a tool for repairing holes in vehicle tires ... used to clean and rough up the puncture hole before gluing a plug
    – jsotola
    Apr 13, 2022 at 15:14
  • I've seen a very similar design in fretsaw sets (m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81+KWRkSYdL._AC_SL1500_.jpg). There's a rotating grip on the spiral. If you keep it steady, the whole tool rotates, and you can use it as a drill. I don't know if those tools are related, though.
    – Eric Duminil
    Apr 14, 2022 at 6:30

2 Answers 2

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I would say that it's an older style drywall saw specifically for cutting curves.

You push the tip through the drywall (hammering the blue handle with your hand or other striking tool, if necessary) to make the hole, then run the tool in and out cutting with the saw teeth on the push stroke.

Since it's round, it will easily move in any direction, so when you reach a corner, you simply apply pressure to a different side of the handle and it'll cut in a different direction.

It's probably difficult to get a really straight line, but makes it very easy to cut holes for round boxes.

Now that I know these exist, I might just have to get one!

Example pic of a drill saw and the results of its use

Ref: https://kk.org/cooltools/drill-saw/

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  • 3
    Also known as a "drill saw", and not just for drywall.
    – isherwood
    Apr 13, 2022 at 13:03
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    Cool, indeed! I edited to add a picture. Please re-edit if needed.
    – P2000
    Apr 13, 2022 at 14:00
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    @DarrelHoffman a quick look at a big-box store's web site indicates that common jab saws for drywall run between 5-8". I've always used mine for cutting the holes before installation. I think most people that cut holes once the drywall is up would use a powered Roto-Zip™ type cutter.
    – FreeMan
    Apr 13, 2022 at 15:08
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    @DarrelHoffman Also, all saws work better when you can get a decent stroke length. Furiously sawing back and forth with a 2" cutting edge would be really annoying and slow.
    – J...
    Apr 13, 2022 at 15:28
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    This thing is much older than drywalls - and, originally, a woodworking tool: a round drilling rasp, in German called Stichling.
    – tofro
    Apr 14, 2022 at 8:17
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I've used one to clear the hole left in a car tyre, when the offending screw/bolt/sliver of metal has been removed. It reams out the existing hole so a mushroom plug can be put in, which then seals the hole. Not sure whether that practice is still legal all over the world, but it was a couple of decades ago in U.K.

Available in different diameters, and called a tyre reamer.

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    Think you are right, but the ones I have used/seen are usually only a few inches. Could see that being used for big truck/tractor tires.
    – crip659
    Apr 13, 2022 at 11:16
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    I have one, but mine has a t-handle to make it easier to push/pull and it isn't as long.
    – FreeMan
    Apr 13, 2022 at 11:40
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    Yeah, a tire reamer wouldn't be a foot long. I carry them on my motorcycles.
    – isherwood
    Apr 13, 2022 at 13:02

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