Bell system
- Thread starter Shelbylex
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Hey, thanks for the documentation prompt.
I saw the prior conversation. Are we sure the "C" suffix signifies "new" (meaning, same tool, but later production than "216B")? What did the implicit predecessor (216A) in that scheme of thinking do? Or is it rather a related but different tool that could be the same production era or even older than some of the 216B's I have seen? The ends on this 216C do not pull out, they are not provisioned to pull out, and there are no screwdriver blades inside. Do we think the later version was designed to do less (regress in functionality)? Or was the "C" version of the 216 always just the socket wrenches? On top of that all that, I am pretty sure the translucent amber handle is vintage Cellulous Acetate Butyrate (CAB).
But I am interested in learning more.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
All good questions and I use the term 'new' jokingly since you obviously have a vintage tool. The 'C' version must be newer than 1954 from what I can gather. I could be mistaken altogether of course. It seems like the 'C' variant is quite a bit different but they didn't want to give it a different number I guess.
If we back up to the 30's the 'B' version replaces the 216.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
No later than 1974 based on the BSP I just excerpted.
The 1974 BSP I excerpted noted the series of replacements (216->216B->216C) for the same job, but did not show the 216 or 216B. You posted an excerpt showing the 216B in a document and now a different excerpt, also of a 216B, from a different document, but neither one shows the 216. (Please cite the documents you are excerpting from.) I was poking around in the Telecom Archives and couldn't find either the 216 or 216B.
Tools and Gauges - 1932
Tools and Gauges - 1954
Also could you share the link to the document where you found 216C?
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Thanks for the links.
A link to the entire Telecom Archive, all the Divisions and sections etc, has been posted in post #1
A link to the entire Telecom Archive, all the Divisions and sections etc, has been posted in post #1
Provincial
Well-known member
Those double-ended nut drivers (the -C version) were called a "can wrench" by the telcom guys I was around in the 1980's. They were referring to splice enclosure used in underground cable systems. These enclosures has a removable cover over the front of the housing that had a cap for the housing attached. You hung the cap over the main housing and tipped the front back toward the bottom and held it there by a hex bolts that had a cup washer. The cup of the washer was used to surround the hex head, preventing use of anything but a thin "socket" from turning the fastener.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
The nickname turned up in searches, Jock, including the prior convo I linked in post #288, but no photos of the "can" itself. Thanks.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
They are also used on binding post
terminals inside homes and buildings. Two different sizes for two different uses.
terminals inside homes and buildings. Two different sizes for two different uses.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Awesome booth -did it still have a working pay phone inside?
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
How many screws? How many security guards? And what time does the courthouse close?
(Kidding!)
Negative on the pay phone. It has everything else-stool, hardware etc. The courthouse is from the mid 1800's.
WisJim
Well-known member
Here's a Bell System scraper from a box of auction winnings this week, also marked Bridgeport. @Private Lugnutz and @Tarnished had similar ones some years back, maybe others have shown up. 
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I would have never thought to look for Bell on such a tool!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Stripping cable with it seems like a good way to get cut.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Mine came with a leather sheath (technically, "Hook Guard"), with two snaps, which is a good thing, because it's lethal sharp!
(See Thumbnails below)
Indeed!
Attachments
WisJim
Well-known member
My knowledge of lead sheathed cable is from when I was about 12 years old, and the vacant lot next to us in our small town in SW Wisconsin was used to stockpile the cable and other telephone equipment that was being removed locally and replaced with new wire and equipment. There were piles and piles of the lead sheathed cable waiting to be scrapped--along with piles of the old wood cased hand cranked phones. We were getting dial phones! I remember getting a few chunks of the old cable and cutting off the lead and keeping the wire for some forgotten purpose.
Provincial
Well-known member
In the mid-1980's I was involved in installing telephone systems in rural Alaska, and one job was in Gustavus, at the mouth of Glacier Bay. It had an airport (with an Army Air Force base) that was built during WWII to defend Juneau, which didn't have enough flat ground for an airport then. There was an existing system at the base that had supported the nearby civilian area as well. This used poles and cable as an overhead system. Because of the military connection, these cables were armored, with a spiral wrap of steel covering the lead sheathing and a waterproof layer over the top. We put in buried cable, and the overhead system was abandoned just after we finished the installation.
RTM
Well-known member
And woodworkers use those as paint prep tools, or to smooth grain. I have a three pack of different shapes. One like Jim’s, one like this, and a gooseneck I think,
Bridgeport Mechanics Tools and Specialties : Catalog No. 40 : Bridgeport Hardware Manufacturing Corp. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
60 p., illus., 27.4 cm, trade catalog
archive.org
Me either.
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d42jeep
Well-known member
I found a pair of Klein/Bell System dykes at a NV estate sale yesterday. 
-Don
-Don
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
A fellow I formerly workd with is turnied 90 and still lives in his home. We chat every so often and he called me the other day. He asked me if I wanted some of his old tools. He said keep what you want make up a tool box for your Grandson, give the rest away and whatever you have left toss out.. Some of the non telecom tools I have posted on http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=360891
Here are a few pics of some of Ken’s
telco items.
Here are a few pics of some of Ken’s
telco items.Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
My gifted Pink Styline phone makes a great counterpart to the rotary yellow one I already have.
Doesn’t appear to have ever been hooked up. These actually were a terrible main phone but was adequate in a bedroom.
I might have some more of these around actually still in the manufacturers original box.
Doesn’t appear to have ever been hooked up. These actually were a terrible main phone but was adequate in a bedroom.
I might have some more of these around actually still in the manufacturers original box.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
When he gave me these items he asked me what some of the tools might have been used for. He got great delight in filling any details I was remiss on. He had a set of burnishes, files etc for relays. I was in on the final curtain call for this type of repair. I did get the course but never really had a chance to apply the procedures. I remember whenever I was on a repair call I tried to get the subscriber into the newer replaceable circuit card keysystem. One was a cement company and I don’t know if it was the dust or simply equipment fatigue.that caused continuous repair calls. Maybe it was my lack of expertise, 
But I did eventually talk them into upgrading. Wasn’t back on a repair call that I could ever remember. At a function I thanked the salesman for getting it off my hands. Don’t remember buying myself another beer 
for the remainder of the evening. 
But here is one telco tool I had no idea of: Any takers? The patent number would have given it away.
I was looking for a Yankee Drill as I had sent mine back shortly after being issued it. Just didn’t need it. But when I seen Ken’s originall blade container. I never was issued the container but had all the original bits that didn’t make it back with the drill. When I was cleaning out one of my work tool boxs, I still had the bits or what I believed were the bits for the Yankee drill. I relocated them and yes I had the full set likely never used.
But I did eventually talk them into upgrading. Wasn’t back on a repair call that I could ever remember. At a function I thanked the salesman for getting it off my hands. Don’t remember buying myself another beer for the remainder of the evening. But here is one telco tool I had no idea of: Any takers? The patent number would have given it away.
I was looking for a Yankee Drill as I had sent mine back shortly after being issued it. Just didn’t need it. But when I seen Ken’s originall blade container. I never was issued the container but had all the original bits that didn’t make it back with the drill. When I was cleaning out one of my work tool boxs, I still had the bits or what I believed were the bits for the Yankee drill. I relocated them and yes I had the full set likely never used.
A fellow I formerly workd with is turnied 90 and still lives in his home. We chat every so often and he called me the other day. He asked me if I wanted some of his old tools. He said keep what you want make up a tool box for your Grandson, give the rest away and whatever you have left toss out.. Some of the non telecom tools I have posted on http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=360891
Here are a few pics of some of Ken’s
Do Telephone Company Service People have really tiny fingers?
I was looking for a Yankee Drill as I had sent mine back shortly after being issued it. Just didn’t need it. But when I seen Ken’s originall blade container. I never was issued the container but had all the original bits that didn’t make it back with the drill. When I was cleaning out one of my work tool boxs, I still had the bits or what I believed were the bits for the Yankee drill. I relocated them and yes I had the full set likely never used.
I have two of those Yankee drills, one of them being an ex-Bell System in fact. One's in the basement shop, the other is in the utility room hardware drawer. Both have full sets of newish drills (Garrett Wade) in them and I use them routinely for drilling small holes. Quicker and simpler than getting out either of the eggbeaters (one big, one small) and locating the drill index.
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Outlawmws
Well-known member
did they date code the Bell issued tools inside the handles?
d42jeep
Well-known member
I didn’t check that yesterday but I’ll take a look today. 
-Don
-Don
RTM
Well-known member
Lemme poke around. If I have a Bell marked, it’s yours to complete your set if you want it.I was looking for a Yankee Drill as I had sent mine back shortly after being issued it. Just didn’t need it. But when I seen Ken’s originall blade container. I never was issued the container but had all the original bits that didn’t make it back with the drill. When I was cleaning out one of my work tool boxs, I still had the bits or what I believed were the bits for the Yankee drill. I relocated them and yes I had the full set likely never used.
If not a Bell, I have a brand new looking one. More later.
d42jeep
Well-known member
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Sweet finds!
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
Do Telephone Company Service People have really tiny fingers?
Ken had 2 similar **** ins in better condition but had promised them elsewhere.This one actually belonged to another fellow who retired shortly after I started. I knew him quite well and his wife gifted it to Ken who of course basically gifted it to me. From what I remember all their fingers were normal in sized but had tiny holes in the tips for some reason.
You should post pics of them. I would imagine they would be handy especially for pre drilling years ago when slotted screws were all the rage.
Thanks I’d be interested maybe a trade is in order.
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Old Radar
Well-known member
I would speculate the dial is designed to be used by gloved hands (the points) or some readily/constantly available rounded tool that fits perfectly in the rounded depressions.Do Telephone Company Service People have really tiny fingers?
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I always figured a ball point pen
RTM
Well-known member
No, not Bell systems. I’m sure it was a highly described and documented tool, which cost a bunch of money, is called a scriber, and shaped exactly like a ball point. More likely a pencil for the era, that may predate a Bic, not so ubiquitous back then.
Tool, dialer
Previously, it was
Pencil, dialer
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MTP -- you asked for pics of the model 41 push drills. The bottom one is a Stanley/North stamped with Bell System. No idea as to year, but clearly after Stanley's acquisition of North Brothers, which occurred in 1946. When Bell bought the push drills and had them stamped is unknown to me. The top two are pre-Stanley drills made by North Bros. Philadelpha.
(Sorry for the photo quality. Even when worn from use, these things are still shiny and hard to shoot.)
(Sorry for the photo quality. Even when worn from use, these things are still shiny and hard to shoot.)
