,
> Paul askedabout a flea market find......" .  At first I thought it was
part
> of a bow drill -- it is a wooden spool or bobbin pierced with
> a bit that is about 4 1/2" long, flattened at the tip and with a
> diamond-shaped profile.  At the top end the bit sticks out of
> the spool by about 1/4" and is rounded off.  ....I found a picture of
> a kit of several cutlers tools from a knife manufacturer which
> includes half a dozen "bobbin drills", which look very similar
> to what I have.  .....Any thoughts on how
> they would be used?  I assume that they were used in a similar
> manner as a bow drill but I'm curious as to how the bit
> would be held (and how one would apply pressure).
> .......
> While we're on the subject of bow drills, what type of work
> do they lend themselves to and why.....  Does anyone have
> experience using them?
>
> Could very well be a bow drill, thease short ones were used in conjunction
with a metal or wooden Breast plate that was straped on your chest and the
rounded end went intoa hole in it. The work being drilled was held in a vice
verticaly and you aplied pressue on the drill with your chest. Cuttlers and
others that did inlay work used a simular tool called a Parser or passer
that had 2 springing cutters that revoveled inside a template cutting or
routing out the wood or antler so the inlay fit. Thease had handles or fit
in a breast plate too. Bow drills were used to drill small holes and work
great. I have a couple original ones that i have used a good bit mostly at
demos to drill the holes in knife handles and they will if you have a proper
sharp bit drill them licty split.I made my own bits out of pitch fork tines
and you have to sharpen them so they cut coming and going to take advantage
of the bows back and forth motion, is the same for pump drills which I have
also used.I always tell the audiance  for the bigger holes i'll have to use
a cordless drill and always get a laugh when I pull out an old wooden
Brace.........Todd, who once bought a large ebony Bow drill at an auction
for $1 as a screwdriver!