The tools are used to fit and remove  springs from the bolt heads of the Rifles listed above.this can be used on the no4 to make life easier but Unlike the No4 Series Rifles where the extractor spring was a machine made leaf spring made from strip spring steel, the springs used in the short magazine Lee Enfield [SMLE] the magazine lee enfield [MLE] and the magazine Lee Metford [MLM]  rifles  were virtually hand forged, folded leaf springs. These are strong within limits, however they will snap surprisingly easily when compressed beyond limits or in the wrong way. These tools were designed specifically to do this job with minimum stress on the springs.

The spiked end of the tool is used to remove the extractor spring. The spike is inserted in the small hole in the top of the extractor way in the bolt head to release the locating lug on the extractor spring and allow it to slide out from the front of the extractor way so that it can be lifted clear and allow the extractor screw to be undone and the extractor claw to be removed.

The 'wedge' end of the tool has a slit cut into it and is used to replace the spring. When replacing the extractor on these rifles the extractor claw is fitted to the bolt head and secured with it's screw. The short end of the spring is then inserted into the slit and pushed into the extractor way. Once the lug on the spring contacts the front face of the bolt head the tool can then be used to exert pressure downwards on this end of the spring and push it back into the bolt head until the lug engages in the hole in the top face of the extractor way to retain the spring in situ.