Featured Odd Metal Cylinder Tools

Hello!

I recently came across what I think is an old tool however, I have no idea what it could have been used for. It is cylindrical in shape with a hinged cap, inside are 14 hollow tubes/cylinders that sit nested inside one another. Each tube is slightly tapered towards the bottom and has a thin rim at the top. They are made out of a thin sturdy metal. They are all covered in a light colored fine dirt that I'm guessing is not from age but from use? The only identifying marks are on/near the hinge, the numbers "2499" and a mark that is difficult to make out. The mark looks like a bearded man holding something and surrounded by foliage.

Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions as to what this is

 

a nesting set of...????
neat though !!

 

Looks like Odin holding Thor's hammer.

 

Can they be assembled wrong way 'round to make a single long stick, like a pointer or portable baton? (Putting the wide end of the smallest over the narrow end of the second smallest, and so on - if they hold together in that configuration, a conductor could carry his baton in a pocket). Otherwise, I have no idea what you could do with them.

 

there's a thought !!!!

 

They can be assembled that way, it's about 33' long if placed together that way. It's a little clunky but I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility. Thanks for commenting!

 

Or Vulcan.

 

It's possible, they look very similar! It looks like cork cutters have a special tool to sharpen the bottom rim. I think I can see a slight slant where these may have been sharpened using such a tool! I'll definitely look more into this, thanks!

 

To me, Being involved in pattern making and foundries, they look like a set of sprue pin patterns to make the hole in the sand molds where the molten metal is poured into. (Notice they have draft (taper) on them so they can be pulled easily out of the sand mold. NOTE: The "covered in fine dirt" could be the sand from the molds.

 

I couldn't find real pictures but I did find a drawing from a foundry tools internet page to show


https://mechanicalinfo.wordpress.com/tag/sprue-pin/


10. Sprue cutter: It is also used for the same purpose as a sprue pin, but there is a marked difference between their use in that the cutter is used to produce the hole after ramming the mould. It is in the form of a tapered hollow tube, which is inserted in the sand to produce the hole.

 

Wow! I think you've solved the mystery, I found some real photos of them and they are 100% identical. What I thought was dirt is very light in colour and most definitely could be sand

 

Too long for a baton, then; I think Ray nailed it!