I found this years ago, and never have known what it was for. Stumbled on it again this weekend.
It’s just a slotted rod about 3" long, 1/4" diameter and slot is most of that depth. Doesn’t come apart. I’ve tried to imagine what this is for and never came up with anything.
added
strap wrench possibly?
The slot only goes 80% of the diameter. In other words a groove not slot open on both sides.
It almost looks like one of the tools they use to open the cable coxes outside your home. Although they usually only have a screw driver style handle.
How did you come across it? It does not look high quality, so I would think it a professionals tool.
I found it in the street ages ago. Through another member having me look a little closer the actual ratchet is an Armstrong ( Made in USA ) NM-91…
but this “tool” which is also chrome plated and doesn’t look home made, is pinned on. So it’s one tool as is.
It’s not for cable that I can tell. We don’t use cable boxes around here and the security devices are sleeves that fit over the coax. That tool has a much larger slot.
It looks like an automotive tool.
S.W.A.G. # 1 The tool could be for preloading a torsion spring.
S.W.A.G. # 2 It could be for removing a snap ring with the free end inside the ring.
S.W.A.G. # 3 It could be a tool for preloading a seat belt reel.
That looks very much like an elongated oxygen sensor socket- or other computerized component head socket.
Definitely automotive tool though.
I thought it seemed like some sort of spring tension tool as well.
Can’t picture the O2 sensor deal. The only one I have changed out had a big nut on it… and that was nearly rusted off.
Could it be a security driver of some sort? Maybe for a municipal water or electric company? You insert the end into a long tube then find the fastener on the other end and open up the panel?
I’ve been thinking all day about this one and this is all I can come up with. Security fasteners and drivers are big business, and this looks so specific I can’t think of another use for it. Especially considering the length of it, and the fact that beyond the slot itself there is nothing in the tool to provide tension to accomplish a task (like loading a spring). It really seems like it requires a secondary part to work effectively and security devices are notorious for being this specific.
I figured on this forum the answer to your question would be solved by now.
Nope, you can turn on/off or open just about any service or utility we have with a screw driver or pair of pliers. Certainly not something this small.
If you had some sort of coiled spring with a tab on it, you could load the spring that way and the ratchet handle would hold the tension a lot easier than a screw driver type setup. The seat belt deal seams the most reasonable so far.
About the first 1" is kinda scuffed up so it seems like that reveals something as well. I don’t know what, but something.
Yeah, it’s a real puzzler.
Like monkeys at the monolith…
Maybe it fits a flux capacitor . . . 
:jester:
I’m guessing it’s a recoil spring rewind/installation tool for on a small engine like a lawnmower.
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If you really want to know, post this over at garagejournal.com in the General Tool Discussion forum.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=4
I guarantee someone there will know.
Joe Mamma
@ Joe Mamma… someone from here already did that. They started a thread and placed the pictures as well. No one has come up with an answer yet.
Another user from here has suggested an emergency elevator key. Looking at some images, there are some very similar but none with that thin slot that I can find.
The spring winder still makes sense and I had not thought about small engines.
Ha! Totally. I can’t help but keep coming back to this thread.
I knew I hung onto it all these years for a reason.
I think you have it! 
I’ll trow another vote for a sort of recoil spring rewind/installation tool.
it’s seems like the most highly plausible use i can find.
You got me curious as well now. lol