ltwguns.com

I was looking for a tool this afternoon and after taking everything out of my drawer with what I would call "specialty tools", well, I thought they were kinda photogenic sitting there. These are some of the tools I've made over the years, each one is something for 1911 work, and is something I made either because I could not find what I needed, or in some cases didn't think what was available would do exactly what I wanted. Often when I need something special, I could take a half hour to an hour to find where to get it, another fifteen minutes ordering it, and then wait two to ten days for it. Sometimes it's easier just to say "screw it, I'll make one" and carry on.

Some of the things that need doing to a 1911, I probably do differently than other guys. Not sayin' better-- just more in line with my toolmaker past.

I'm not tellin' what any of them do

Don't think I have seen any of those at the Home Depot tool dept.

Ned,

Im sure each one of those has a pretty interesting story attached to it. I still have the AR cleaning tool you sent me in Iraq, nothing gets an AR bolt cleaner with such little effort.

Matt Williams

Some of them when I get them done I say to myself "You ought to sell those" but..... too much on the plate already.

Matt, I don't remember exactly which tool I sent, I experimented with different formats.... glad it worked for ya!

Ned,
you could almost make it a quiz....guess what each tool does!

We'd all lose, with no correct guesses.

I mean, I think I can tell what some of them bolt to, but what they do once they've been attached, no way.

Plus, even if you guessed correctly on some of them, the release of the knowledge would probably put your life in danger due to NIB (Neds In Black) protected clearances and all...!!

I've looked and thought, but I'm not getting anywhere.. Familiar shapes, but too far removed from the magic.

Any clues, Ned?

I recognize the one in the front,




It's the doohickie that holds the thingamajig when your using the whatchmacallit.....right?

Here would just call it "da kine"

from Hawaii

Everyone is partly right

Except about NIB. That was supposed to stay secret...... now the whole world knows. Obvious solution, the whole world must be "eliminated".

I will just say that I have two of the one at upper left. About five years after I built the first one, the need came up again and I forgot I had made one from steel. A year later I ran across the old one, made from aluminum, and said to myself, this is wierd, I KNOW I made that out of steel.....

I know what those green things in the upper right corner are for.

Well, yeah, I bet all the LTW smiths chew those in their shop.

Gummy Plugs

Ned, I always get a kick out of glimpses in your shop.

Not too many places I'd rather be!

That pic reminds me of a furniture maker I used to work for. He had so many custom tools and pieces of equipment made to do the job that none other could. His work was also impeccable.

Something to be said of true craftsmen.