W. Schollhorn Company/ W.A. Bernard

[PFSard]

Here's a youtube video from Mr Pete on

THE FAMOUS BERNARD PLIERS Tips 543 tubalcain sargent

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up a pair of Schollhorn No. 119-6 sewing machine belt pliers, made for Consew, and marked - CONSEW - which has been making sewing machines for home and industry since 1898. I knew these were going to be later than any of my other Schollhorn pliers because they didn't have the early black rustproofing or an early patent number. The patent (1,804,149) was granted May 5, 1931, one of their last. These particular belt pliers aren't in the 1942 catalog that Sargent (bought out Schollhorn) has on its website, but a similar pair is shown. They cut and pierce at the same time. No dog logo.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found a smaller side cutter today (already had a larger one) and it's my first St Bernard logo!

It has the typical 1890 and 1892 patents around the pivot, but it has the extra patents (1907 and 1913) on the side of the handle opposite the St Bernard logo. Again, that follows the pattern. There is some kind of connection between the 1907 and 1913 patents (or production years) and the dog logo.

New group shot (of the eight unique pliers I own) in Pic 7. I hope to fine one of the advertising displays shown in the 1942 catalog one day to hang them on!

 

[RubiconJK]

I found a smaller side cutter today (already had a larger one) and it's my first St Bernard logo!

It has the typical 1890 and 1892 patents around the pivot, but it has the extra patents (1907 and 1913) on the side of the handle opposite the St Bernard logo. Again, that follows the pattern. There is some kind of connection between the 1907 and 1913 patents (or production years) and the dog logo.

New group shot (of the eight unique pliers I own) in Pic 7. I hope to fine one of the advertising displays shown in the 1942 catalog one day to hang them on!

I don't find these pliers very often. They are some of my favorites because of their creativity and ingenuity.

 

[Outlawmws]

Well this thread seems to have gone to the dogs!

Seriously, I finally got most if not all of mine together for some "family pics" and possibly corroborating Pics for dogs and dates (are these dog years?)

Sorry for the bad humor, kind of tired/punchy


The overall Family pic: three "brands" represented; Plated all are Sargent, un-plated are Bernard

The lower right Bernard Parallel pliers -5-1/2 only the 1913 date, no dog.:

Small Bernard Cutters - 1890, 92, and 1913 dates w/Dog - Odd that the patents cover 23 years or more (assuming 1913 + 17 as many as 40? out to 1930?

The large Bernard (6-1/2) have NO patent dates, but the grips have the Bernard inside the cross hatch pattern like the parallel jaw pliers above, So presumably later. No Dog


And moving on to the Sargent's the Baby" wire cutters, have NO compound action, just the simple pivot. All the rest have compound parallel action. These re also odd in the grip pattern? I assume early, or an economy line?

More to come

 

[Outlawmws]

The punch is 1/4" and could be for leather, gasket materiel, I've even punched thin wood...

I think these are unique for the thread?

Which brings us to the third brand, but is branded by two companies?

The staking" pliers? (could also be for flaring small brass grommets or eyes? :dunno"

The largest set of cutters that are Sargent just have std Sargent markings....

 

[misterbill]

I picked these up in a small batch yesterday. After cleaning them up they seem to be a fairly close match to the LODI pair upthread. No markings that I can see, though.

Bill

 

[Stuart in MN]

I picked these up at a garage sale yesterday, along with the cute little 6" Rigid pipe wrench. The larger pliers has patent dates of 1890 and 1892, I think the smaller one is 1940s era.

 

[d42jeep]

Due to the existence of this thread, I grabbed this fairly rusty pair at an estate sale yesterday. Unlike my first pair, the cutters on these appear like they would be functional. The first two pictures are yesterday’s find, the next two are of my first pair.
-Don

 

[Arne73]

Here's an example:

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked these up in a small batch yesterday. After cleaning them up they seem to be a fairly close match to the LODI pair upthread. No markings that I can see, though.

Welcome to the "(St.) Bernard" Club, Bill. That is a No. 103 Light Flat Nose plier. "LODI" is not a model name, it is a brand name Schollhorn used for a line of tools. You will see it on flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, cutters, revolving tube leather punches, and more. You will also see "PARAGON" on the same exact tools. The only difference is the finish. In some cases it's full nickel finish versus bright steel finish. In others, it's some sort of black rust-proofing compound versus plain steel finish.

Here's an example:

Hi Arne. Nice contribution. Especially because I don't think we've seen that type posted in this thread yet, and it's not in the 1942 catalog. Some kind of specialty pliers. Do they look to you like they would be used for tubing or conduit?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up a No. 103 "LODI" light flat nose plier today at the flea market. See Pics 1, 2, & 3.

I don't like to buy duplicates, so I was glad my memory did not fail me. I have another light flat nose "LODI" just like it, but with cutters (which makes it a No. 105), and a similar but round nose plier in black finish, which is a "PARAGON." You can see those at the very bottom of the new group shot (I am up to ten unique models) in Pic 4, and also in Pic 5.

 

[RubiconJK]

I picked up a No. 103 "LODI" light flat nose plier today at the flea market. See Pics 1, 2, & 3.

I don't like to buy duplicates, so I was glad my memory did not fail me. I have another light flat nose "LODI" just like it, but with cutters (which makes it a No. 105), and a similar but round nose plier in black finish, which is a "PARAGON." You can see those at the very bottom of the new group shot (I am up to ten unique models) in Pic 4, and also in Pic 5.

The most variety of these I've seen.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Roob. It wasn't planned, but then that's how most collections start, right?! Outlaw (post #45) has amassed a nice diverse collection, too, and 3bay (post #38) one-fell-swooped one!

 

[Arne73]

Lugz~
I belive they are meant for tubing/conduit like you suggested but small diameter. The are fairly small and light duty.
I actually used them recently, it was the best tool to grab a water temperature sender and gently grip it while removing the stuck packing nut.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Private Lugnutz]

HAHA! Perfect.

 

[d42jeep]

I was looking for something else in the miscellaneous tool drawer of my toolbox and I spotted this which looks like one of Outlaw’s. These were made by Sargent but Bernard is the marking on the handles.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

Yup, pretty much the same other than the markings - that hole in the outer jaw is for a screw to hold a sliding stop - I figure these were intended for leather and/or heavy gasket materials...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

These were made by Sargent but Bernard is the marking on the handles.

Yup, pretty much the same other than the markings...

I'm figuring you guys already know this, but just in case, Sargent bought Schollhorn and continued making the pliers using the BERNARD brand name.

 

[Outlawmws]

Yep, but mine lack the Bernard name, so probably a later period than D42's

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Agreed.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a pair I found yesterday at a Tahoe garage sale. They look similar to a pair Lugz posted upthread but earlier with some differences in the cutter. It’s my first pair with the dog logo.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

For as old as those pliers are, they cleaned up remarkably well in the evaporust.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

Yeah, I've become a recent fan of E-rust for certain applications.

 

[LesserSon]

Lugz showed some interest in these 10-1/4” OAL Lodi cutting pliers, which I picked up Sunday. I haven’t really been interested in this sort of thing (I actually passed up a PRISTINE plated pair of parallel jaw pliers Saturday) but the patent and renewal dates begged further research.
I felt these are functional twins with the Utica Giant Buttons pattern pliers, for which I have greater affection.
Edit - 10” Button’s pattern pliers are rightfully credited to J.M.King - it’s just that I have Uticas. My dad has a pair of Kings, so I haven’t sought them in the wild.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Put them aside for a future trade, LS. I have a couple of shorter versions and would be happy to add them to my collection.

 

[d42jeep]

Speaking of shorter versions, I found these recently.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

4-1/2" Sargent specialty pliers from the Restore today. Punch and rivet/grommet setter for tiny fasteners.

Anyone know what they were for?

 

[outofbounds]

Well I really thought I had something when I first saw the Schollhorn Vise Pliers / Cutters only to see in this thread how ubiqutous they seem now to be. However, Maybe the other Schollhorn tool here is less common. Appears to be some sort of rivet press, maybe for an automobile upholsterer? I'd welcome some input from the "leader in the clubhouse" as it relates to collecting this maker, Private Lugnutz. Another interesting observation is that the rotomat heads appear to have been produced by a Lake-Erb Mfg. Co. in New York on contract perhaps to Schollhorn / Bernard.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

First of all, I'm no Schollhorn expert. I'm just a collector like everyone else who has followed leads and links to scraps of information. I'm on the road, so I can't check the sole catalog (1942) I'm aware of in the public domain, or the older period ads I have found and saved, but off the top of my head, I don't recall seeing your roto-punch before.

It's marvelous!

Looks like a belt punch, but with two heads instead of one, and punches to make five (5) different perforations or shapes instead of a number of different sized round holes.

The one thing I don't quite understand is the operation. With a rotating belt punch, there are multiple punches and one anvil. I don't see an anvil. It looks like the head on the left (in Pic 2) works in combination with the head on the right. And it looks like maybe the left are the punches and the right their matched or corresponding anvils? Could you confirm that? Hard to tell from the views you have shown. One of them appears to be a cutter.

Edit: Maybe you can get some old leather or heavy duck etc and experiment.

Terrific find.

 

[RTM]

According to other sources, Lake Erb made ammeters, so maybe tool for crimping wire in the factory?

Second listing says they make terminal connecting tools. I am going w wire terminal crimpers.

https://books.google.com/books?id=n...6AEwC3oECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=“lake erb”&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=U...m9BpwQ6AEILjAB#v=onepage&q=“lake erb”&f=false

 

[woody 73]

https://archive.org/details/BernardToolsCatalog29

https://archive.org/details/WilliamSchollhornCoCat1902

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You could be right, RTM. Although some of the rotating dies (punch and anvil combos) don't look like any crimpers I have seen.

There is an eyelet-setting tool on actual pg. 37 (pdf flip page 41) of the catalog No. 29 that woody just linked (first link) that looks similar. Fewer rotating dies, but it has the two heads working together and similar dies. And on a following page (edit: actual page 39, pdf flip pg 43), same catalog, there is a lace tipper that looks like one of the dies. Might be a later shoe making tool? But I'm not totally sold on that either. The dies seem thicker than eyelets. RTM chasing the other OEM might be the better lead.

 

[outofbounds]

Private Lugnutz,

Hope you bore no offense with my "leader in the clubhouse" comment. Just an observation of the scope of your collection of these Schollhorn items versus all the other singles shown. That said, you are hardly "just a collector". You are an priceless asset to this site, and I would be remiss if I didn't honor RTM and Woody here as well for their contributions. Tremendous information on offer at this site!

For some perspective, I saw the eyelet press that you did, but I still assign an automotive application for this given where it was found, in a old, long since closed "country garage".

I was told that auto body was a specialty, and when I first imagined this tool it was as a rivet press, but I still think auto upholstery, or maybe even canvas convertible tops as well.....

I can't completely discount RTMs notion about electrical connection crimper.

I'm sure most the tools in this place were constantly re-imagined as was the nature of a mom-and-pop operation.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No offense taken. Edit: I can easily see it being used for automotive upholstery. Setting a grommet is no different than setting an eyelet, and many of the dies look like dies that would come individually with hand presses in upholsterers' toolkits. I have a 5-drawer military version with various presses and dies for various grommets and snaps.

 

[RTM]

Somewhere in the past I’ve read a note where Schollhorn or Bernard (& Sargent) would build custom tools for customers. So I imagine Lake Erb ordering a pallet full, or barrel full if old enough, of these pliers made to their specs.

 

[Provincial]

Is the stamped lettering "UETC" or "UFTC"? If UETC it might stand for Universal Electrical Terminal Crimper.

Perhaps a series of photos showing the working pairs lined up, like the last photo posted?

 

[outofbounds]

Provincial,
It does in fact say UETC. I will try and post every mating position in the near future.

 

[jkoll42]

Hi all - attached is a just restored pair of fence pliers. Any idea of the year range of this style die stamp?

 

[Provincial]

I picked up this small pair of Bernard's at the local flea market last Sunday. Tiny, but cute!