Recent content by Fred Knox

Thought you might want to see this Plomb PWA-1394 ratchet, 3/8”-drive. Still in pretty good condition. Emphasis on the “IN” font size for the country of origin too!

Over the last few weekends, I was traveling and picked up a smorgasbord of hand tools along the way: small Craftsman cold chisel and four punches two Plomb punches Crescent 4" adjustable Craftsman V series 1/4"-drive ratchet Vlchek Chrome Moly DBE Barcalo-Buffalo combo Long C Craftsman Vanadium...

Another thread bump with my two Kant plier wrenches. The smaller one is 8” in length and its bigger brother is 9 1/2” long. Both are patent pending versions, although the shorter one does not have the small hinge piece that narrows the the slot effectively creating two size ranges (third...

Early pre-lateral Stanley 4½ smooth plane (Type 4). It is 10” long with a 2 3/8” wide cutter. Stanley began manufacturing the 4½ smooth planes in 1884, and late that year introduced the lateral adjustment lever, which became the defining feature of the Type 5s and all subsequent Types. As a...

I just picked the last socket to complete this No. 4097 socket set, with the 6-pt, 8-pt. and 12-pt S-K sockets. It has the unmarked flex-handle and crossbar. Based on @d42jeep’s posts, this looks like late 1941 - early 1942 production before the wartime metal restrictions.

Here is a Walco Hex Wrench No. 0. The 8” wrench has the Stillson’s patent adjustment, but with hex jaws. The trademark is a “WALCO HEX” framed in a hex which is framed in a horizontal diamond. I haven’t seen this logo before. On the back, it is stamped “PAT APPLIED FOR” twice (see photos)...

Here’s a recent find - a Pollock’s Automatic wrench. It is also stamped: PATENT PENDING WISCONSIN STAMPED STEEL CO MADISON WIS It is about 9 1/2” long and expands to a 2” opening. Pushing on the top lever automatically tightens the jaws fairly securely and is surprisingly heavy! I believe...

Here is a pair of E.T. Company chain repair pliers. The pliers are stamped "E.T. Co. Norwalk CT" with a "Pat. May 4'20" patent date and is about 7” in length. The patent date corresponds to patent 1,338,804, filed by D.C. Woodworth in 1919 and issued in 1920.

Here’s a “Chromium Vanadium” 1/2”-drive sliding-tee handle. It is unmarked to maker, although it has a model #_206 (perhaps 7206 or 1206). It does not look like a 3206 model number (see photo). It has a slightly different head than the one by @RTM upthread.

Stanley #19, type 5 (1899-1900) block plane with “S R & L” casting. I’ve only seen that casting mark before in photos, although I’m having a hard time finding another example on GJ, or on the internet via an AI search. Four patents through 8.3.97 (Hand-y grip) on iron adjuster, and “S” casting...

Champion DeArment (Meadville, PA) battery terminal No. 407 pliers with arrow grid gripping pattern. Inside handle has an “8” stamp (date code?).

One more H.R. Basford Co. San Francisco USA locking pliers. There is no mention of “GRIPSO”, or a model #, on the back-side, although it is stamped U.S. PAT. NO. 2,543,922 on the inside handle. It is 8” in length and still works well.

Here’s a late 1920s to mid 1930s OTC B-12 3/8” x 3/8” obstruction wrench with the OTC logo and "Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the shank. The nickel plating finish is still in pretty good condition.

Recent find = Stevens Spintite universal wood-handle with 4A, 5A, 7A, and 8A shafts. I looked everywhere for more bits and/or a stand, but no **** luck. Others in the photos are: #1721 5/16” x 3/8” DoE wrench, 3109 and 3106 1/4”-drive sockets, Walden wire-handle ratchet

Count me on the skeptical side too. It does look very appealing, but the marks on the sides close to where the bends are, and the thickening of the inside of the grip reinforcement there (compared to the other side), seems to me to be indicative of someone who was actively reshaping the wrench...