What is this tool used for?

I'm quite sure it is a useful tool for pointing screws into nuts, placed in recessed areas, the screws can be hexagonal head, where it works best, but also cylindrical head (philips, pozidrive, torx ect.). They will then be tightened with the appropriate screwdriver. Sometimes it also should works (not perfectly) for pointing nuts.

I agree, and with #1: a screw starter that would also work for starting nuts to then be fully tightened with the appropriate screwdriver or socket wrench. I have a couple, but they are not like this. Extremely handy in some situations. Also would work for removal when the already-loosened screw/nut is not reachable

Indeed an electricians tool. Many times there are hard to reach screws making electrical connections. This lets you get them started easily, especially when you have no choice but to work on live areas, hence the insulation.

Looks like it has a similar internal mechanism as a Cleco fastener that is used in the aircraft industry to hold panels together temporarily while rivets can be installed.

It looks like a tool for removing recessed bolts, like maybe in a valve cover on an engine....You can get it loose with a socket but pretty hard to reach sometimes if it slips out of the socket...

It looks like a tool for retrieving dropped small objects, I believe it is just a grabbing tool

It is for pulling out bullets from flesh.

It's a gripping nut spinner for placing nuts on a recessed bolt, or bolts into a recessed thread. If you look closely at the tip you can see it's designed to hold a hex shaped head. Once the nut is on you can tighten it properly with a box spanner - but you have to get the damn thing in there first and this is where your tool comes in. (anyone remember trying to hold nuts in a box spanner with blu-tack?). It's not as good as a proper set of nut spinners but if you don't want a full set this does most of the job just as well.

I have a set of nut spinners, metric, imperial and even in that little known size BA from my time repairing instruments.

However even with nut spiners, unless they are magnetised, none of mine are, blutac is used to hold the nut into place to stop it falling out or slipping too far in and not reaching the shorter threads.

Blutac or a small niobium magnet is used on long sockets for the same reason of the nut going too far into the socket head even when the stud is extra long except on collared nuts but these seem only to occur on automobiles.

Where can I get one?

Can you tell us what this says?

I found these

Not sure about this one

There’s a good video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN22MYqmlS8 After watching it I tried to buy one of the Ullman G2 nut and screw starters but I’d have to pay a kings ransom in postage to here. So I’ll probably settle for one of the Klein Phillips screw starters, or a Sealey AK4318 Screw Starter Double End (Phillips at one end and slotted at the other).

Completely off topic: in my search I spotted this

which looks like an idea to remember.

I see Amazon sell MENDA 35120 Small Nut Starter, but have not seen a description of its operation. I like the design of the original post though it is a bit limited in its size range, possibly there is a set of them.

There's not much information

It claims to be good for nuts sized from 2 to 6 (2 to 6 what?). It looks good for two sizes: one at either end. Not available here, but looks very cheap in the US, so worth a punt. How much down under?

Nothing in Australia, Amazon import $17 we do not produce anything much any more courtesy of our slack government.

Found an interesting U tube vid and a link to a good contender small nut holder. not a very large range but I like the action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQMj6IO2pGE

https://www.esslinger.com/deluxe-nut-and-screw-holder/-

I had one of those plastic tubes. The ID of each end was just a few mills smaller than the appropriate hex nut. After a long while, the plastic end would be so flared out from use that it no longer grabbed a nut. They're cheap but they did work.

After my last message I have just worked out what the MENDA 35120item was did not read every thing then saw it was plastic .

I am going to make a set of those from nylon rod should be easy, they would be compact ideal for getting in to tight spots.

Nylon might be too stiff. The plastic tube is a soft, flexible plastic that slowly returns to its original shape. Molded HDPE plastic is my guess what formulation was used.

I have a Phillips screwdriver with a self-holding end that looks just like that,but the screwdriver shaft is in the center.Slide it down to hold the screw.

Looks like this one:

I have one with a holder like that, but for slotted screws. Was my Father's, so very old, maybe 1930s.