Recent content by Andy FitzGibbon

Looks like identifying information was ground off, for some reason.

Cleaned up the 474. It's in excellent condition, and was never painted. At first I planned to preserve what was left of the original paint, but with about 99% of it being gone I ended up just removing it. Will probably do linseed oil eventually, but at the moment I'm busy with other things...

All movements are free... the vise was not 😅

Thanks, I'll likely do the same.

It wasn't a "you ****" price, but due to its condition and rarity I decided to go for it anyway.

I started in on cleaning this one up. Never had a Parker apart before... behind the meatball was a stack of four steel shims. Original, or user added? Thanks.

I was pleased to find this Parker 474 locally. It's rusty from sitting in an outbuilding, but everything is free, it has no broken or missing parts, and from what I can tell it's never been painted or even used very much.

Dad did the same to one for 30 years in a full time blacksmith shop, and it never broke. Went to the next owner with the bench it was on when he retired.

From the 1941 catalog of the Baldwin Supply Co., Charleston, WV. Figured the prices might be a fun reference.

Quite possibly. I've seen Ridgid pipe wrenches with at least half a dozen different "manufacturer" names.

I've seen plenty of Reed pipe wrenches, but didn't know they made adjustables. I guess probably everyone with a forge shop did, once the Crescent Tool (Peterson) patent expired.

I can't recall seeing the "A" designation on a Reed before. Anyone know what it means? I'm assuming maybe just a design evolution before the "R" series.

That's not a whole lot of force. Sounds like it was probably already cracked, and ready to go.

I have a Columbian 204 1/2 with the exact same issue. Always assumed somebody replaced the screw, and maybe the one for the 205 was what was in stock that day.

Colton's patent. Several different versions were made.