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Mr. X: Did you read the post at the start of this thread? Plomb keychain screwdrivers were available two ways: free to Plomb Tool execs and tool reps (in a cetain quantity every so often) and also available for sale to other companies who wished to have their imprint stamp on them. The...

Absolutely correct. RagTopTA did manage to land an elusive Plomb Type 01 (and in impecable shape) for a very sweet price! The skewing on the front and back stamps is very curious as I have never seen that before on this early of a piece, but then I'm finding that I often see something new all...

You got an absolute eBay steal on that one. I didn’t even see it until after it was too late. Congratulations!

Very cool! What are you asking for that piece?

Palmer ads from Popular Science, 1953

Update: New versions of Plomb Types (see Version 1.1 in post #2) and Proto Types (see Version 1.2 in post #3) uploaded today. Each update incorporates new varieties and/or images.

Update: Two new Proto-marked J100 types have surfaced among the "Proto" J100s. These have been placed into a revised verion of the Proto types chart in post #3 (above). The next types have been designated as "Proto Type 12" and "Proto Type 16" and the numbering of the other types has been...

Yep, those early ones not only had thin heads but the screwdriver tips were pretty fine as well. All made on a power hammer (like a Little Giant). I would put the date of your Type 02 short variety somewhere in the late 1920s. I have seen a few early pieces with thin heads where someone had...

Lugz: That is a beautiful Type 02 (short variety)! And how cool that it has family ties. Plomb made a size change during Type 02 production and reduced the size from 2.5” plus to somewhere in the 2 3/8” range. J100 lengths varied somewhat during the hand-forging era. Plomb would further...

Anyone know if Fire-Cry marked any of their alarm bell castings with a mark or logo? Would be interesting to compare that against the “FC in an octagon” that was marked on the Colombian castings.

Some Plomb Type 16s were made with rather unconventional blade profiles and surface textures. This, in my opinion, is one of the worst examples. I just find these to be pretty ugly compared to other Type 16s or the more refined Type 17s.

Thanks for posting that, Don. That one appears to have a fair amount of nickel plating remaining on it. Nickel plating was another early optional finish offers by Plomb. It also looks like the die stamps (front and back) may have clashed at one point without a J100 in between them. I think I...

When most folks think of finishes on J100s, they tend to think of either black oxide (the most common finish) or chrome-plated. But did you know that Plomb briefly finished J100s with a blued steel finish? This happened during production of the Plomb Type 02’s in the late 1920s and early...

Malco released an official statement on the Eagle Grip website today regarding the the status of the product: Malco Eagle Grip FAQs The earlier reports have proven to be true. 😔

Here is a what I would term a "variety" (as opposed to a "type") that isn't encountered everyday: A J100 with white enamel fill added to the markings. Attached to this post are photos of two examples of this variety. Both happen to be Proto Type 12's (ca. 1971-1978). Since both examples...

Yep. Those are from the same "50th Anniversary" celebration. I agree that they were stretching things a bit to reach all the way back to 1907, especially since John Pendeleton didn't get involved with Plomb Tool until 1917.

Yes, what you have described is perfectly normal. The center of mass will typically always give the greatest rebound. I own an Arm & Hammer myself (a 90 pounder from 1914 made for Belknap Hardware in Louisville KY) and they are my favorite American made anvils. Great find!

Here is a piece that initially threw me for a loop: the 1957 Pendleton Tool 50th Anniversary J100 with the Proto back mark. That’s right, I said Proto BACK mark. Initially I thought this was a Proto variety. I love the simplicity of the “Proto U.S.A.” marking. What else is needed? Only...

According to "Anvils in America" (Pg 273), serial number 47,049 would have been produced by the Columbus Anvil & Forging Company of Columbus, Ohio, sometime bewteen 1941 and 1944. Postman records serial 46,555 as being produced in 1941 and serial 49,880 in 1944-1945. This one falls somewhere...

Lugz: Thank you for the feedback and the comments. The Tiffany piece is a bit of an anomaly. As best I can tell from the information I have found is that it appears that Tiffany & Co purchased a batch of chromed steel (and highly polished) J100s from Ingersoll-Rand/Proto in the early 1970s...