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Varco Tool Vintage Catalog Advertising 1920

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four.cycle

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four.cycle

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I never heard the name until a couple days ago.
Obviously they were in the game right at the beginning along with Walden - and then slipped away into obscurity.

And yeah.. let's not get them confused with Vaco, which was acquired by Klein Tool.

==

patent 1422067
http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=52372

applied: 12/15/22
granted: 07/11/22
patentee: Walter A. Abegg, Los Angeles, California
manufacturer: Not known to have been produced < ???

*.pdf file of patent including drawing and details:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1422067.pdf
 
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d42jeep

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Okay, BK.
Here is a Varco socket that came in my new (old) Blackhawk set. 3baygarage alerted me to the existence of this thread. I wonder if being rare makes it valuable?
-Don
 

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twertsy

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Some history:
The first advertisement I can find is from a January 8, 1908 LA Times newspaper. They are advertising as mechanical engineers for making prototypes for inventions.

Incorporated in June/July, 1911 by R. A. Todd, M. Marine, and B. (Baldwin) Reinhold - Google Books Link

1915 Directories have them listed for "Tool & Drill Steel" - Link

Their Factory at Santa Fe and 25th Streets Los Angeles was destroyed by fire on 1/20/1924.

on 7/4/1929 the L. A. Times reports the acquisition of the patent and manufacturing rights for the Varco Rock Bit (drill) by the Wieman-Kammerer-Wright Company.

In 1931 they released 200 shares of stock and noted the Directors as B. Reinhold, W. A. Abegg (appears to have been a famous Swiss swimmer?), Elizabeth Abegg and Charlotte Reinhold.

In 1941 they built a large addition to their factory at 2541 E. 26th St.

Throughout the 20's to the '70's their main products were Oil Well Drills/Tools. They changed their name to Varco International in 1973 and were acquired in 1985 by National Oilwell.

Wikipedia Link to current company. which lists founding in 1908.
 
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Musicinabottle

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To think that people thumbed through that publication, and picked out and ordered things, and the value of tools back then, the feeling of having those tools. To think of the things that some of that equipment worked on! Look at the pricing! how cool! Thank you for sharing!
 
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Private Lugnutz

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d42jeep said:
I wonder if being rare makes it valuable?
Click to expand...
My guess would be no, Don. It sounds odd, but this is probably a case of a brand being too rare, and into the obscure category. You never know, though. There could be a collector out there. Someone who collects nascent oil industry stuff. Thanks to Todd's digging, it looks like they successfully shifted their market there from automotive tools. I have a set of Triumph socket sets from the 20's and it looks like they may have switched to sewing machines, and another from Newton, who switched to radio equipment.

One way to find out. Put it on eBay. :)

Or just be happy having something nobody else does - to the best of our awareness, anyway.
 
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twertsy

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Private Lugnutz said:
My guess would be no, Don. It sounds odd, but this is probably a case of a brand being too rare, and into the obscure category. You never know, though. There could be a collector out there. Someone who collects nascent oil industry stuff. Thanks to Todd's digging, it looks like they successfully shifted their market there from automotive tools. I have a set of Triumph socket sets from the 20's and it looks like they may have switched to sewing machines, and another from Newton, who switched to radio equipment.

One way to find out. Put it on eBay. :)

Or just be happy having something nobody else does - to the best of our awareness, anyway.
Click to expand...

Interesting part about these guys is that I believe they actually made their tools. Many many want ads for screw machine operators, boring machine operators, etc. Also, kinda intriguing that they are on Santa Fe Ave........link?
 
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MR.X

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Holy chit am I resurrecting an old thread...if only for a minute. I came by a set of water pump style wrenches an old aircraft mechanic made where they stamped the alloy type used right onto the wrench. Not the first time I've seen that but it was an excellent set and reminded me of this old erection / ironworker /spud group I picked up years ago. I was familiar with Varco and their oil industry roots and I remember when I got these I assumed they produced these themselves. Classic 4140. I just searched this site and saw Twertsy's theory and....
 

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MR.X

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I’ve had this for probably 20 years rediscovered tonight. 32 tooth gear, insanely smooth.
 

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