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It is from my deceased Uncle's tool box. He mostly had inexpensive automotive tools, but also had other stuff that he must have used or modified to use as tools.

It is chromed steel, or at least is shiny like a brushed chrome. On one end is stamped "HARDENED STEEL", and on the other end "TAIWAN-LAP" or "TAIWAN-LAF". The overall size is 7/16" square by 7-1/2" long; one end is tapered to a square, the other end is a tapered hexagon. The square end tapers for 1-3/4" from 7/16" (at main section) to 7/32"; the hexagon end 1-1/4" is tapered from 3/8" (at main section) to 7/32".

I initially thought that it might be a punch (it obviously has been used as one), but why would you want to damage one end (or both ends) by mushrooming? I also thought it might be a wrench-like tool, perhaps a tool made specifically for an individual item (think an assembly tool like Ikea provides), but would it make sense to taper such a tool? It might be part of a set, perhaps like a die and stamp, or might be part of a tool (perhaps there should be a handle at one end). I'm thinking that perhaps it is part of some sort of speciality tool.

So, what is it? What does it go to? What is it for?

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  • 8
    Please post photos.
    – Tester101
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 21:59
  • Sounds like a striking wrench or a machinists' wrench. Please post pictures.
    – Mazura
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 23:05
  • Repeated impact will cause metal to mushroom, over time. That's how rivets work, after all
    – keshlam
    Commented Mar 10, 2016 at 4:19

1 Answer 1

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It's a drift punch. It is a tool used by a blacksmith for forging a hex hole.

enter image description here

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  • 1
    Neither drifts in the picture show anything a blacksmith would use for making a hex hole.
    – Tim
    Commented Jan 12, 2023 at 15:09

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