W. Schollhorn Company/ W.A. Bernard

woody 73 · Nov 12, 2016

About a month after I joined the GJ someone posted about finding a parallel-jaw pliers from the Schollhorn Company. A company that is rich in History and information but flies under the radar screen.

Founded in 1870 in New Haven ,Connecticut and Incorporated in 1891, they were active until being sold to the Sargent Co. in 1948. W.B. Bernard had many patents and along the way he had his share of troubles but he fought on and produced many hand tools along the way.

I will leave you with a very nice History of W.B. Bernard and his Company along with a few nice pictures, just another tool to look out for in your treasure hunts.

http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers-p3.html#schollhorn

http://www.sargenttools.com/About/Our-History/

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ctnhvbio/Bernard_William_A.html

http://www.google.com/patents/US962414

http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=16063

http://datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=15595

http://www.terapeak.com/worth/two-1...ernard-sargent-new-haven-rostra/261163101580/

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84022472/1911-04-01/ed-1/seq-2/

http://www.trademarkia.com/bernard-71045609.html

http://www.leagle.com/decision/1944107654FSupp1022_1824/WALLING v. WM. SCHOLLHORN CO.

http://station109.co.uk/shop/wwii-us-wire-cutters-1942-dated-m-1938-webbing-holster/

http://vintageadsandbooks.com/wm-sc...plier-wrench-cutter-3-in-1-tool-ad-q360b.html

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-bernard-tools-catalog-wm-20815827

https://archive.org/details/BernardToolsCatalog29

https://archive.org/details/WilliamSchollhornCoCat1902

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-bernard-tools-catalog-wm-20815827

Shelbylex · Apr 16, 2018

Thank you, Woody 73. This is a great collection of articles.
I am posting the picture of the first Bernard double jaw wire cutters which I found. I am also posting the unrestored Parallel-Jaw Pliers with Cutters which I discovered in my pile awaiting restoration today. Sorry for rusty completely frozen instrument picture - I will try to restore it within a week (some tools are in the process...)
Thank you for creating such an important and extensive list of references!

Shelbylex · Apr 19, 2018

Done!
For more pictures please look at post 29 of
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7154775 #post7154775

I want to pull this post back to the top to see if any other members want to contribute their marvels to W. Schollhorn Company/ W.A. Bernard thread

Private Lugnutz · Jul 11, 2018

There're at least a half dozen or more threads with someone finding a pair of Schollhorn BERNARD's famous compound jaw pliers with side cutters (No. 102), so I thought I'd put these Schollhorn BERNARD'S round-nose or wire-forming pliers on woody's history thread instead.

These are as light as a feather, made from pressed steel, and include a very small wire cutter provision. You can see the markings in Pics 2 & 3, and the pressed steel construction and wire-forming round-nose jaws in Pics 4 & 5.

The "PAT. SEP 25, 1894" marking around the pivot refers to patent 526,480. The "NOV 6, 1900" marking below it refers to a renewed patent, RE 11,686.

I am not showing it, but these are marked "PARAGON on the shoulder, denoting the top of the line model. (You can find these and other Schollhorn BERNARD'S pliers in the more economical "LODI" line. I'm not sure if the distinction was finish or what, but that's what those markings mean.)

406Rich · Jul 11, 2018

Here is mine that I picked up last weekend at a garage sale, don`t believe they ever been used..blued as well...$1.00 brought it home.

406Rich · Jul 14, 2018

Picked up another set of Bernard pliers today...

davethorik · Jul 14, 2018

Here is the modern version, new in box
The Sargent no. 102-8"
Bright chrome or nickel plating
Black comfort grips
Side cutting

Bryan Burns · Jul 15, 2018

My collection. Close ups available upon request.

Private Lugnutz · Oct 17, 2018

As first reported on the Garage Sale 2018 thread, I found another pair of Schollhorn pliers this morning at my triple early bird flea market.

I don't know about you guys, but if, as I like to say about this hobby, "One of anything is one, two is a few, and three is a collection," I have a collection going.

Pic 1 is a current group shot.

The collection started with the 6-1/2" and 8" versions of the most commonly found Schollhorn BERNARD'S No. 102, shown in posts #2 and #21, respectively, in this Schollhorn GJ thread started by Empty Pockets. I can't find the 6-1/2" versions right now. The 8 inchers are first on the left.

I added the wire forming pliers, all the way on the right, and shown in post #4 above in woody's thread right here.

To the left of the wire forming pliers are regular pliers that I found in the 1918 Hotchkiss Benet-Mercie Machine Gun box, thread linked here.

These new jobbies, second from the left in the group shot and shown in Pics 2, 3, 4, & 5 below, are unusual. The jaws have two gripping areas: one is flat with knurling at the tip, and the second is round with teeth below that. They have the same patent info as the wire-forming pliers, which is BERNARD'S PAT. SEP. 25 1894 (referring to US PAT 526,480) and RE: NOV. 6 1900 (referring to Renewal US PAT 11,868).

I have never seen these before, and that includes dngrmse's collection (posted in the Empty Pockets thread here) and Bryan Burns' (posted here, just above this post).

All of them have the side cutters. The big No. 102 and the regular pliers are LODI (economy line). The wire-formers and the new jobbies with the round jaws are PARAGON (highest quality line).

notlob · Oct 18, 2018

Nice collection Lugz! I have several different Schollhorn/Bernard pattern pliers, but they are all the parallel jaw type. I don't believe I've ever seen any single-pivot Schollhorn's, but maybe I just didn't recognize them as such.

Here's a link to a 1902 Schollhorn catalog that shows the multitude of varieties:

https://archive.org/details/WilliamSchollhornCoCat1902/page/n0

Private Lugnutz · Oct 18, 2018

Thanks! And thanks for the link and page. Burner pliers make perfect sense given the shape.

As for the single vs compound pivots, I think it's an age thing, but I have not yet really studied the subject enough to have a firm grasp of the Schollhorn development timeline. They made so many and for so long, with so many patents, it's just a bridge too far right now, even with some help from a resource like DATAMP or the like.

mickeyone · Oct 22, 2018

A favorite of Alexander Calder,He would buy them by the dozen to use on his sculptures,

Private Lugnutz · Oct 22, 2018

Thanks for adding that, mickeyone. Interesting factoids like that make collecting more fun. (And I'm ashamed to admit I had to look Calder up!)

RubiconJK · Jan 20, 2019

I found this pair of Schollhorn pliers today at the flea market. This is my second such pair with this being the nicer of the two.

Private Lugnutz · Feb 2, 2019

I added another tool to my BERNARD/Schollhorn collection (see post #9 above), found this morning at the flea market: a Shoe Button tool.

The first patent date (March 17, 1914) refers to patent 1,091,191, for the holder and stapler on the jaws for installing shoe buttons. The second patent date (April 6, 1915) refers to 1,034,177, for the nippers for removing them. The spring-action handles operate both functions at the same time. These are from the “PARAGON” (top quality) line. The first and second patents can be read on the USPTO site here and here.

RubiconJK · Feb 2, 2019

Private Lugnutz said:
I added another tool to my BERNARD/Schollhorn collection (see post #9 above), found this morning at the flea market: a Shoe Button tool.

Cool. Is the side "nipper" fixed and used maybe for pulling or is it jointed and timed to close at the same time as the primary nipper?

Private Lugnutz · Feb 2, 2019

Everything - the nipper, the main jaws, and that little slotted thing on the end of the one jaw that is part of the shoe button installer - close and open in synch with the squeezing and releasing of the handles.

RubiconJK · Feb 2, 2019

Wow! Is it too early in 2019 to dub those the "Coolest pair of pliers picked this year"?!!

Private Lugnutz · Mar 8, 2019

As I've mentioned on a few threads now, I spent an afternoon with Twertsy in his shop on Thursday. We did some horsetradin' and he let me pick through his Overflow bins (excess stuff that was in oddlots and $5 boxes etc with the keepers already pulled out). One of the little Lugz type treasures I snagged was another pair of BERNARD-pattern Schollhorn pliers to add to my collection. I have a 6" pair of these double side-cutters, but not these 5" jobbies. These are from the "LODI" (economy) line.

Here is an updated group shot. Every pair is unique.

Shelbylex · Mar 8, 2019

Had this for some time in my box - it's in pretty sorry shape with chrome peeling, broken inside spring and missing nut (previously was held together by rust). I slightly cleaned it to post on this thread
Signs: one side: Bernard, Patent December 21-1915
The other: W Schollhorn Co, New Heaven Conn, Made in USA

Targa68 · Mar 26, 2019

Hi all

Here is mine, found at a thrift store in Norway. This store has a lot of military surplus.
After the war, the Norwegian army was supplied by the US so there is a lot to be found of of US equipment, also some tools.

Machineman84 · Mar 27, 2019

Does anyone have the little dog logo on their Bernard Schollhorn pliers. I have at least one that does, it is a very small set of parallel jaws similar to your set Targa they are about 4-1/2” long. I will dig it out this evening. And post a pic. It lays in a drawer with other very small size vintage tools.

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Shelbylex · Mar 27, 2019

Yes. It is located on the handle at the side of the cutter in pliers from post 2 and also on the side of tool from post 20. The second tool from post 2 does not have the dog.

Private Lugnutz · Mar 27, 2019

Shelby, Mm84,

The running dog logo with the "BERNARDS" marking inside it is a bit of a mystery to me. I own seven (7) unique BERNARDS pattern pliers made by Schollhorn, with patents or patent dates 1894, 1900, 1914 and 1915. (EDIT: You can see them all in this thread.) From my notes on this subject, the running dog logo seems to be on pliers with patent dates 1892, 1907, and 1913, which none of my seven (7) unique pliers happen to be! Almost like it's eluding me on purpose. :lol:

Why those seemingly random scattered dates - instead of it being on all early pliers, or all later pliers, or on all pliers for three years in a row in the middle of the long Schollhorn production run, I don't know. But like I said, it's bizarre.

But that is just from my notes. I have never seen an explanation anywhere. I would actually be very interested in seeing the model numbers and patents/dates on the pliers you guys have with the running dog logo, if only to confirm or bust my theory.

notlob · Mar 27, 2019

I believe the dog is a St. Bernard.

Private Lugnutz · Mar 27, 2019

You would think, with the connotation, but it's awfully skinny!

Shelbylex · Mar 27, 2019

Lugz, the pliers have May 6 1890 closer to the bolt and July 19 1892 under. It also has April 2 1907 on the handle. The cutters have Dec 21 1915
If you have cutters like mine in image 20, please post pictures from both sides. Mine are missing a nut (larger bolt probably did not need one, but small is moving free)

Machineman84 · Mar 28, 2019

Sorry for the delay guys, I’ll get those photos up asap. Interesting comments lugnutz.

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Private Lugnutz · Mar 28, 2019

Shelbylex said:
Lugz, the pliers have May 6 1890 closer to the bolt and July 19 1892 under. It also has April 2 1907 on the handle.

See, that confirms my theory. Those are dates I have seen the running dog logo on, exclusively, for some reason.

Shelbylex said:
The cutters have Dec 21 1915

That busts my theory, because I have pliers with that date, no dog logo. But it might have something to do with the model (mine are pliers, not cutters) AND the dates.

We can figure this out empirically, without catalogs, etc, it will just take some time and a statistically relevant amount of samples of dog logo tools. And contributors need to be thorough. Model numbers, if it has one, and all markings (patents, patent dates, etc).

Ironically, I just picked up another BERNARD pattern Wm. Schollhorn tool at the flea market this morning (See Pic 1). My ninth unique tool. A simple button riveter, PARAGON line, with the 1894 patent, the 1900 renewal, and - of course - NO dog logo! :lol:

I will post much better photos later.

Shelbylex said:
If you have cutters like mine in image 20, please post pictures from both sides.

I don't have those diagonals, sorry.

Private Lugnutz · Mar 28, 2019

So, as I said in the post just above, the unlucky streak continues as far as the running dog logo goes. I thought these were some kind of snap or button riveter in the upholstery sector, but a little more research reveals that it's actually for punching tickets! The NOV. 6, 1900 renewal date refers to RE11,868. I don't know what the "A.A.F.C." marking is yet, exactly, but I'd bet my next paycheck it has something to do with a union or association related to conductors!

Shelbylex · Mar 28, 2019

Were all the tools produced at the same factory?

Private Lugnutz · Mar 28, 2019

I don't know. That's an angle to consider, but I don't know if something like a logo would be subject to factory discretion.

Machineman84 · Mar 29, 2019

Here the small pieces I had mentioned, There are a couple others that I wanted In This group photo but I was running behind this morning.

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Machineman84 · Mar 29, 2019

I noticed this set does not have the large Bernard in the box logo, it only has the dog. I also noticed it says Bernard inside dog which I only just saw for the first time.

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Machineman84 · Mar 29, 2019

Here it is

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notlob · Mar 29, 2019

A link to the most comprehensive Bernard/Schollhorn catalog I have seen can be found in the center of this page:
http://www.sargenttools.com/About/Our-History/

54 pages of Bernard goodness circa 1942!

Private Lugnutz · Mar 29, 2019

Machineman84 said:
Here it is

Thanks, Machineman. Those adhere to my theory.

- Dog logo appears on tools with following dates: 1890, 1892, 1894 (cutters) 1907, 1913
- Dog logo does not appear on tools with following dates: 1894 (pliers), 1900, 1914 and 1915.

It's a start. As guys post more tools I will update it as necessary from there. We may need to include the line (LODI, PARAGON, etc), which, as noted before by me on this thread, does not distinguish the model or type of tool, but finish on the same model or type of tool.

notlob said:
54 pages of Bernard goodness circa 1942!

Thanks a bunch, notlob. Good detective work. And the source makes sense, since Sargent bought them out. Can't wait to dig in!

3baygarage · Apr 5, 2019

Here you go Lugz. I’ll try and sum them up for you.

-Jerrold crimper PL-603. Name on each handle. Part number on each side.

-W Schollhorn crimper. No dates. Bernard name on each handle.

-W Schollhorn punch. Pat 6-17-1913. Bernard name on one handle, diamond on the other.

- W Schollhorn larger punch. Opposite side says Bernard’s PAT MAY 6 1890. JAN 1-1901. Diamond on each handle and Bernard name on one above the knurl.

-Little cutter plier, W Schollhorn, Bernard’s PAT MAY 6 1890 JULY 19 1892. Diamond on each handle. Dog with name on one handle. Pat APR 2 1907 on the other handle. Says cut no tempered steel near blade.

-Medium cutter plier. Markings are opposite the other two. W Schollhorn. Bernard No 102 6-1/2. Bernard name on each handle.

- Large cutter plier W Schollhorn. Bernard’s Pat May 6 1890. July 19 1892. Diamond on each grip. Dog with name on one handle. Opposite handle Pat April 2-1907 June 17-1913.

- End nipper. Bernard’s Pat Oct 24 1889?. Schollhorn Co.Diamond on each handle. Dog with name on one handle.

All the Schollhorn say. New Haven,Conn..

3baygarage · Apr 5, 2019

Handles, in same order, starting bottom up.

Private Lugnutz · Apr 5, 2019

Thank you, 3bay. I will fine tooth comb it later (on phone, having a Thunder Canyon amber at Gate B11 Tucson airport bar!

), but the pattern is still holding on my dog logo theory. Oh, and dang it, as I said on the Garage Sale thread, that was one helluva one-fell-swoop Schollhorn collection pick!

W. Schollhorn Company/ W.A. Bernard

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