I was over at my friend Chris' house today and he was showing me the contents of his tool kit that he takes with him while on tour. Chris likes to go really off the beaten track, often times 70-100 miles from the nearest small town, which is often when things tend to break down. Thus, he prepares for everything and even carries with him things like a hack saw, brass solder and files (in case he has to do some light machining in the middle of nowhere...which he has, btw).
This particular tool was pretty striking. It is no longer produced but would prove vital if you were doing true adventure touring. It looks a bit like a giant silver tooth, doesn't it?
Can anyone guess what it is and what it does?
7 comments:
My guess is that it's a finger wrench for tightening/loosening the nuts on the rear wheel.
That tool, of course, is for adjusting the Johnson valve on a Fichtel-Sachs 24 speed internal hub.
Seriously, I have no idea...what is it?
It *looks* as though it could be used to reinforce a cracked or broken rim by stringing a spoke through it, though I can't imagine that really is its purpose... Whatever it is, it's quite cool in it's no-brand-name-pure-function way.
My first guess was some kind of fork crown race remover, but it looks too small for that and the threaded hole is the center is suspect.
My second guess is pannier ballast.
It is used in conjunction with a freewheel tool. While touring cross country in the middle 80's I used one to remove a freewheel and replace a broken spoke. The rear wheel is used as leverage while placing the tool on a fence post, etc. to break the freewheel loose.
I concur that it's a freewheel removal tool device. I used one while cycletouring when you popped the tool into your freewheel, and you used this tool in conjunction with a fence or a pipe to get the leverage to remove your freewheel. I still have one somewhere in my bike tools.
It looks to be a tool to remove the cover plate that holds the crank arm bolt so that it can not back out. I am very interested to know.
Journey On
Chris
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