Let's show our wood (screwdrivers)

[PFSard]

These are not mine, but this video by Scoutcrafter showed up today. A couple of interesting screwdrivers, the like of which I had not seen before. Skip to time 11:12 to see his finished results (if you're not interested in his commentary) .

 

[Private Lugnutz]

"It's got some kind of markings on here...[ ]... 'Hinger or Singer or something? Looks like Michigan and a patent number...[ ]...I just don't know what it is or who it is..."

It's funny just how drastically different two guys passionately interested in the same vintage tools can be!

I've known about Scoutmaster for years and I've already commented on how we are 180* apart on what to do with antique and vintage tools. He likes to grind and sand and polish them until they shine and I like to lightly clean and preserve them pretty much as is. But it was driving me absolutely crazy listening to him refer to the markings like an afterthought, when I wouldn't have been able to proceed one step without knowing who made it and when and what was patented. Not saying who's right or wrong. To each his own and all that. Just saying, we couldn't be more polar opposite.

BTW, if you follow him, PFSard, or you have a way to contact him, let him know that the patent is 1,192,177, granted July 25, 1916, to Fred C. Ehinger, of Palmyra, Michigan, and it's for the handle, specifically the ferrule and the way it is mounted on the handle. I would summarize it as the shape and composition of the spring steel squeezing itself into the handle. The marking is F.C. EHINGER.

Also, he concluded that the counter-posed slots that were swaged into the other octagonal screwdriver, for turning the shank with a wrench, were done by hand, by the prior owner. If you contact him let him also know that it was done during the manufacturing process by at least one screwdriver maker, Sawyer Tool Company, operating out of Fitchburg, Mass., between 1890 and 1912. I posted one on this thread, page 1, post #28.

 

[PFSard]

Lugnutz : Great response from you (as usual). I posted a link to your response in his Comments.

 

[mervyn]

Found this one in a field in Texas nar 30 years ago. Probly belonged to some farmer. Big end has been hammered on quite a bit. Use it once in awhile.

 

[d42jeep]

It probably started out looking more like this.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Although anything is possible, I'm not aware of Irwin stamping the shank length inside a triangle on the face of the tip, Don. And the rivets are also the two-part kind. I suspect Tobrin or Ryan on that one. I moved mine on or I would post some side by sides.

 

[d42jeep]

You are right. I missed the marking on the tip. Not Irwin for sure.
-Don

 

[RTM]

Here’s a couple of new to me wooden screwdrivers. Got these from a guy who picked up clock repairing late in life. The longer one I recognized the name on quickly, Simanco. The other didn’t have any markings, looks fairly new, and I’m torn between home made or poorly made. The handle is not concentric with the shaft, but the pins holding the ferrule in place look fairly well done. What do you think?

 

[bmwrd0]

I would say it's a user-modified driver.

 

[RTM]

Here is an interesting one, not terribly vintage, but very well preserved. Came out of someone's grandfather's box, posted in the GS Thread.

The body is stamped Williams & WP-62-USA,

but the shank is stamped

Phill...
Lic. 7-
2507
Bridge... (guessing ...port)
USA-A
No.2P


oops, forgot the **** view, looks like it was used as a small hammer, many times.



(Funny, searching on Bridgeport Phillips License quickly crosses over into G503 country, and a few familiar characters, with a Wing not a Lug. )

Looks like BHM was swallowed in the 1960s per AA, so I guess 60 years old is vintage

What do you think, made by Bridgeport for Williams, or user modified? Googling this site and the world in general didn't find any close correlations that jumped out at me.

edit, added the **** view shot.

 

[d42jeep]

The 2507 are the first four digits of the post 1950 Phillips patent. The shaft is probably hammered into the handle. I have several examples of one company purchasing shanks from other companies so the license numbers aren’t totally reliable to determine the manufacturer.
-Don

 

[RTM]

Thank you sir, mine looks like the little brother to yours.

finally looking it up, mine should have 1-1/2” of blade, will check tomorrow.

Williams Tools of Industry : Catalog No. 504 : J.H. Williams & Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

100 p., illus., 17.7 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...a few familiar characters, with a Wing not a Lug

But still a Nut!

 

[MisterEd]

The H.D. Smith Improved Six-Sixty is like bicycles; one can never have enough or too many. And for the person who comments about the wings . . . from a 1922 addition of "Hardware World":
“The wings are appreciated when used with greasy or sweaty hands, for (sic) in stubborn cases a wrench could be applied to the wings; furthermore, when the screw driver is laid down by a workman, it will not roll away.”

 

[LesserSon]

I almost bought this (Winchester) Champion tonight, but between the antiques store price and the (replaced/home-made?) handle, I left it in the store.

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

I picked up a big J. Ryan Tool Works screwdriver at a flea market over the weekend. It's unusual in that it's stamped on the round part of the shaft rather than one of the wrench flats. The little one pictured alongside it is a Pexto.

 

[kwigly]

Every wood handle screwdriver collection should include some P L Robertson patented screwdrivers from Canada, with Robertson's square drive (the best drive system ever invented ). My green/red/black regular square drives (in different sizes, missing the smaller yellow) have screwdriver shaft markings that reference the 1933 patent. The multi tip version has a marking that references a 1930 patent, and the exchangeable tip driver references the 1946 patent

 

[kwigly]

Some big and small drivers in various styles. Largest shown is just over 25" long, and the smallest is under 3" long. Unfortunately the large drivers have had their wooden handles beaten to destruction (but that's what old-tool scavengers frequently encounter). The larger screwdrivers include a "Stanley, Hurwood, No.20, Made in Can", and a Perfect Handle labelled "Irwin, USofA, Gov.Stock #41-S-1076".

 

[d42jeep]

Some big and small drivers in various styles. Largest shown is just over 25" long, and the smallest is under 3" long. Unfortunately the large drivers have had their wooden handles beaten to destruction (but that's what old-tool scavengers frequently encounter). The larger screwdrivers include a "Stanley, Hurwood, No.20, Made in Can", and a Perfect Handle labelled "Irwin, USofA, Gov.Stock #41-S-1076".

The Irwin with the Federal Stock Number 41–S-1076 is Korean War era. The WW2 versions are ink stamped on the handle which quickly wore off.
My neighbor brought me this slightly bent, well used perfect handle screwdriver. It probably started life looking like the screwdriver in the first picture. The unique thing about it is the US stamped shaft, probably done by hand.
-Don

 

[RTM]

That first picture is an anomaly. Most PH I find look like the 2nd and 3rd pix.

 

[d42jeep]

The Irwin screwdrivers with the ink marked handles are difficult but not impossible to find. WW2 Jeep and GMTK tool collectors are always on the lookout for them. I’ve managed to find a few, generally online. The NOS one in the first picture of my previous post resides in my Jeep’s onboard toolset. Here are a few more ink marked examples.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I snagged this at the flea this morning. I'm not sure if it's a chisel or a screwdriver, to be frank. The only reason I can think of for making it detachable would be to use different blades/tips in the same handle. No other shanks in sight, sadly. It has a tapered bit with a notch in it. It's very well made. No roll handle. No markings. I don't recall seeing a spring-steel tongue mechanism like this before, but I am hoping I can eventually ID it.

 

[RTM]

That latching mechanism is often seen on Scotch braces and bitstock tools. The few interchangeable chisel sets are usually pattern makers, and the few I could find quickly don't latch, just slide on. There was a pattern makers tool catalog on ITCL, but not finding it now.

 

[LesserSon]

I’ve got a couple with the notch across a flat One says “HY GREAVES HERMITAGE WORKS SHEFFIELD.” Weird, but I’m sure I just boughttwo bits with the notch in the corner. Can’t find them, of course, but here are the handles.

 

[LesserSon]

The straight one has the corner-catch. The brace-type has it on the flat, but off center. My guess is, there were several similar patents for this bayonet-style retainer.
And a very subtle version, some of which say S.T.Co.

 

[LesserSon]

Update on patent date. I looked through every US patent issued 23Apr1872 and 22Apr1873 (second time for that day), and see nothing resembling the bit-holding mechanism. Begining to wonder if it could be a British patent.

 

[RTM]

Since Hermitage Sheffield Works and Scotch braces originated over there, a UK patent is a good guess.

Espacenet hates me, otherwise I'd help.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That latching mechanism is often seen on Scotch braces and bitstock tools

Thanks.

Can’t find them, of course, but here are the handles.

Look harder when you get the opportunity, because the one on the right...

The straight one has the corner-catch

...which is undoubtedly this one, is identical to mine, LS. That is the same tool.

I looked through every US patent issued 23Apr1872 and 22Apr1873 (second time for that day), and see nothing resembling the bit-holding mechanism. Begining to wonder if it could be a British patent.

Thanks.

Espacenet hates me, otherwise I'd help.

I cant remember the last time I had a good result.

 

[WilsonLR]

Grandfather was a printer mechanic with a home shop so everything I have of his is going to be depression era through 1980 when I bought what I could. This thread is a nice read so I pulled out my stash of vintage screwdrivers and I now appreciate grandfather's stuff. Sadly, being young and stupid in the 80's, I relegated his Winchester to "Paint can opener" duty. In this post:

1. Millers Falls #55 ratchet 9"
2. Stanley 7.5"
3. The Perfect Handle HD with no visible markings or stamps
4. Winchester 8"
5. Unknown Stubby

But now with the onset of arthritis, I'm appreciating the ergonomics of these handles over all my "newer must be better" acetate Craftsman stuff. I especially appreciate the overly rounded tops. Two questions:

1) Any ideas what the stubby is?
2) Would you restore any of these before putting them to work again? If so, what finish is good for the wood?

 

[LesserSon]

What I do with old wood depends on
1- what’s wrong with it
2- how much time I want to invest.
I start by removing paint, glue, tar, etc. If the finish is good, done.
I use cheap, runny HF superglue to lock up cracks. I’ll do layers of superglue and sawdust to fill voids.
Sand with a block to reprofile or smooth out, usually 300-400grit.
Add any additional stain or dye you think is right. I do not use oil stains of any sort.
If time and patience allow, soaking a minute or two in boiled linseed oil thinned a bit with turpentine or mineral spirits will add some resilience to the wood fibers. It will also darken some species. It must cure, which takes a minimum of a couple days in warm dry weather. If you can give it a week or longer, do so. It can be the last step, if you like the natural look.
Choose the finish. If time allows, I like waterbourne polyurethane, which I believe is actually acrylic. It takes a month to fully cure. If I am impatient, I use shellac, which cures overnight. Two or three coats of either one, sanding with 600grit between. I don’t like oil-based polyurethane. It looks great at first, but it is too brittle for handles and breaks down in UV. I have no experience with lacquer, but it is widely used on modern handles, and was also used historically.
If I have skipped BLO in the earlier steps because I didn’t want to wait for it to cure, I will apply some after shellac, and rub down to a satin finish with 800grit.

 

[RTM]

If the wood is generally intact, but dry, I will use a mix of 1/3 each by weight of BLO, beeswax, and turpentine. Melt them together outside. Apply to the wood with a scotch rite pad, grey or burgundy, wipe off excess after a few minutes. Give a great feel in the hand. I use it in screwdrivers, saws, shovels, etc.

if repair required, LS has pretty well covered way more than I get into.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This blonde-handled cross-recess tip screwdriver is the first vintage Reed & Prince I have ever seen in the wild and you could say I was struck by the markings.



They're kind of hard to miss! I see that Mintgrun posted one back on page 1 in a group shot, and it appears to be similarly marked. If I didn't like markings I might call it overmarked. This thing is plastered with markings. It's like the "arm sleeve tattoo" of screwdrivers.

Let's start with the shank, which bears the Reed & Prince logo - an R&P monograph on a shield with crossed screws.



Just in case you miss that, they stamped "R. & P. MFG. CO. WORCESTER - CHICAGO U.S.A. " on the ferrule.



And just in case you missed both, they ink-stamped the full name "REED & PRINCE MFG. CO." and locations on the handle.



I guess they wanted each component - shank, ferrule, and handle, to be branded in case they got separate from each other.

Then they went ahead and used every raised area on the fluted handle to make sure that users knew on which kind of fasteners you could use their screwdriver.

 

[Ton ton]

This blonde-handled cross-recess tip screwdriver is the first vintage Reed & Prince I have ever seen in the wild and you could say I was struck by the markings.



They're kind of hard to miss! I see that Mintgrun posted one back on page 1 in a group shot, and it appears to be similarly marked. If I didn't like markings I might call it overmarked. This thing is plastered with markings. It's like the "arm sleeve tattoo" of screwdrivers.

Let's start with the shank, which bears the Reed & Prince logo - an R&P monograph on a shield with crossed screws.



Just in case you miss that, they stamped "R. & P. MFG. CO. WORCESTER - CHICAGO U.S.A. " on the ferrule.



And just in case you missed both, they ink-stamped the full name "REED & PRINCE MFG. CO." and locations on the handle.



I guess they wanted each component - shank, ferrule, and handle, to be branded in case they got separate from each other.

Then they went ahead and used every raised area on the fluted handle to make sure that users knew on which kind of fasteners you could use their screwdriver.

That's a neat screwdriver.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's a neat screwdriver.

Thanks!

...the "arm sleeve tattoo of screwdrivers" (C).

I think I'll copyright that!

 

[Mavawreck]

I’m working on creating a complete list of part numbers for the Plvmb\Proto geometrical handle screwdrivers. Come up with the following below but would appreciate feedback if anyone knows of others out there-

phillips;
9782
9784
9786
9788

flat;
9701
9702
9703
9704
9705
9706

9708
9710
9712
9714

9722
9724

9741
9742
9743

 

[d42jeep]

I can’t verify these. I borrowed them from Roy’s spreadsheet.
-Don

Plomb Wooden Handles
9701 4-1/4"
9702 6-5/8"
9704 9"
9706 12-1/8"
9708 14-3/8"
9710 16-3/4"
9712 18-3/4"
9714 22-3/4"
9718
9722 5-1/4"
9724 7-1/4"
9732 8-7/16"
9733 12-3/8"
9741 13-1/8"
9742 14-1/2"
9743 16-1/8"
9744 24"
9752 Overhead Tappet Screwdriver
9782 No. 2 6-1/4"
9784 No. 2 8-7/8"
9786 No. 2 12"
9788 No. 2 14-1/2"
◦

 

[Mavawreck]

I can’t verify these. I borrowed them from Roy’s spreadsheet.
-Don

Plomb Wooden Handles
9701 4-1/4"
9702 6-5/8"
9704 9"
9706 12-1/8"
9708 14-3/8"
9710 16-3/4"
9712 18-3/4"
9714 22-3/4"
9718
9722 5-1/4"
9724 7-1/4"
9732 8-7/16"
9733 12-3/8"
9741 13-1/8"
9742 14-1/2"
9743 16-1/8"
9744 24"
9752 Overhead Tappet Screwdriver
9782 No. 2 6-1/4"
9784 No. 2 8-7/8"
9786 No. 2 12"
9788 No. 2 14-1/2"
◦

Thanks! Added a few more to my list. I have 7 now, looks like I’ll collecting for awhile.

 

[d42jeep]

I had been kind of looking for a Perfect Handle screwdriver made by HD Smith and Co. I spotted one today at a “Vintage Sale”, whatever that is, so I picked it up.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

I recently found a couple of (abused) Androck screwdrivers and brought them home. One just needed the cracks glued up with CA glue (and a vise to squish them shut) and the other got the top trimmed off and rounded over.











I like the way they forged the shanks on these. They're similar to the way they made the tangs on their spatulas, with the flare at the handle. The longer one is slightly bent and trying to straighten it wasn't easy, as it springs right back. The connection to the handle is weak though and I was able to twist it within the wood. There isn't the typical pin through the ferrule to tie them together.

This T.S. USA hexagonal handled screwdriver has the pin, but it has been ground flush with the ferrule, so it is not easy to see. I have not heard of this brand and the little bit of googling I did was not productive. I like the handle design, with the hex continuing through the necked down area.



Tom

EDIT-- another search brought up this image of one that sold on ePay, but it was long enough ago that the listing no longer shows up.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

Found this one. Any good for a collection somebody has?