Neat Utica WWII NOS Curved Needle Nose Pliers

[MercLSU]

I came across these recently and thought I would share. Two labels and boxes out of seven survived, with the rest being in varying condition. I've yet to remove the grease from any of them but I bet the condition is just about as good now as they were in 1942.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yes, cosmolene is a magical preservative. Nice find, Merc. US Army Air Corps contract, if you were wondering.

 

[tym]

The smell of old rancid cosmolene is less magical. LOL

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Haha. True.

 

[thehorse13]

The smell of old rancid cosmolene is less magical. LOL

When I saw the pliers that was the first thing that came to my mind. lol

 

[tym]

I bought a surplus 11/16" SO spark plug socket with rotating collar. The minute traces of cosmoline left in the crevices stank to high heaven.

 

[Corndoggeh]

Id love to see what it looks like without the cosmoline

 

[MercLSU]

Yes, cosmolene is a magical preservative. Nice find, Merc. US Army Air Corps contract, if you were wondering.

Thanks Lugz, I figured you would have some good information on these.

The smell of old rancid cosmolene is less magical. LOL

It doesn't taste too bad though...

Id love to see what it looks like without the cosmoline

I'll wipe one down this weekend and post pictures, just haven't gotten that far yet.

 

[tym]

It doesn't taste too bad though...

 

[MercLSU]

I took the pliers that seemed to have the worst condition exterior wrapping and after removing the cosmoline it was dang near pristone. I figure each may have a spot or two of corrosion but who knows.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Very nice. So, what's the back story on how you found a half dozen pair of pliers that have been hidden away for 77 years?

 

[d42jeep]

The U.S.A. marked on the handle is desirable to WW2 tool collectors. It’s obvious that the additional marking was done at the factory in this case for tools specifically destined for military use.
Lugz,
Have you run across a FSN for these longnoses?
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Of all the wartime NOS Army surplus tools I've collected caked in cosmolene, the only corrosion I ever experienced was a few Ell handles in a box of Ell handles that had literally been sitting in water at one time. It's good stuff. Even grease, like that on the Williams sets I found earlier this year, works wonders.

I don't recall seeing them in the ORD 5, Don, but I will look.

 

[d42jeep]

I found a Kraeuter pair in the Navy catalog but they have a Navy FSN. It looks like I have a pair of those in the NAF box. If the contract was with the Army there was likely another number assigned.
-Don

 

[J.C.]

That’s very cool... how did you come across such a number of little time capsules?

 

[PFSard]

I took the pliers that seemed to have the worst condition exterior wrapping and after removing the cosmoline it was dang near pristone. I figure each may have a spot or two of corrosion but who knows.

Those are purty. That cosmoline must be great stuff. Nice score. I don't think I've ever seen such long tips in any bent nose pliers that I've owned.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugz,
Have you run across a FSN for these longnoses?

41-P-1848. Six entries from the bottom.

 

[MercLSU]

That’s very cool... how did you come across such a number of little time capsules?

At an estate sale, and it was a very out of place find. I was the first one in the room and aside from a couple of nice older 12" C-clamps there wasn't much similar or even toward that time period. I picked the room over and grabbed a couple of other smalls, but exited in a hurry to go to another sale just up the block.

I stopped back by later that evening to give things a more thorough look. There was a beat up two drawer file cabinet sitting to the side covered in trash, and there they were in the bottom drawer. Nothing else in the cabinet. It appeared as if they were going to junk the entire pile, however they were happy to sell them to me once I asked / showed interest "Oh, those nasty things covered in oil?"

I'm still happy with the transaction, though...

 

[Leviton]

At an estate sale, and it was a very out of place find. I was the first one in the room and aside from a couple of nice older 12" C-clamps there wasn't much similar or even toward that time period. I picked the room over and grabbed a couple of other smalls, but exited in a hurry to go to another sale just up the block.

I stopped back by later that evening to give things a more thorough look. There was a beat up two drawer file cabinet sitting to the side covered in trash, and there they were in the bottom drawer. Nothing else in the cabinet. It appeared as if they were going to junk the entire pile, however they were happy to sell them to me once I asked / showed interest "Oh, those nasty things covered in oil?"

I'm still happy with the transaction, though...

I bet you were a happy camper when you opened that drawer! Saved them from oblivion and got a "You ****" deal. Congrats. Those are beautiful.

 

[tym]

The cosmo-stink was like camouflage!

 

[d42jeep]

41-P-1848. Six entries from the bottom.

Thanks for looking those up. They don’t appear in the July ‘45 version. I wonder what set they were used in? Here are my newer Camron pair. I used them recently on the snap ring of an S-K ratchet. They worked perfectly.
-Don