Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2018-04-11
The Forstner bit, presumably named for the inventor, does the same job as the more common spade bit, but has many advantages. Could the fact that it goes through wood more accurately, more steadily, and faster give someone the feeling that “force” is an important part of its name? Or is it a description of what it does – forcener, sort of like tightener and fastener? Obscure, and maybe a long shot as an eggcorn, but anyway…
“The 8 drink holders were drilled out with a 3-1/2” Forcener Bit.”
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w … RWkegnvLsw
“He used a forcener bit to drill a hole into which was to go the ‘Involuted’ candle stick stem. ”
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w … GYP9LzCqKw
Several more examples.
As an aside, it’s interesting and fun to me that so many tools’ common names are those of their inventors – the Allen wrench, the Forstner bit, the Phillips screw… but you have to feel a bit sorry for Mr. Flathead.
BONUS EGGCORN: Here’s a little stealth eggcorn. Crescent wrench. It was a trademark that has become generic and so in many minds (mine also at one point) came to refer to the vaguely crescent-shaped head of the wrench style… but actually comes from the Crescent Tool Company.
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Cool and weird—I’ve never heard of a “Forstner bit” before, so it’s all news to me.
Your post sent me looking for examples of the verb “forcened,” and there are some hits—it seems variously to mean “forced,” “reinforced” or “enforced.”
I’ve had the phrase “expander wrench”<<”spanner wrench” on my list for a long time but have never posted it because I worried that there might really be an “expander wrench” out there somewhere. Gets very few hits, however.
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Here’s a page with a photo of a Forstner bit:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-forstner-bit.htm
It even looks and feels more powerful and substantial – more forceful – than a spade bit. (I love my Forstner bits, personally)
edit: and here’s Benjamin Forstner: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Forstner
Last edited by Craig C Clarke (2009-01-19 22:00:20)
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