Blacksmith's double caliper

[Joe Huld]

I have owned at least one blacksmith's double caliper for the last forty or so years upgrading as I found nicer examples. I recently found this one and sincerely doubt that I am ever going to find an upgrade to it. The original owner, who was almost certainly the maker,stamped his name "JOS. SMITH" into the handle. Since we have the same first name I have to keep it; right???

 

[Dsel74]

Is it laser cut?

How does the locking screws work, do the arms have holes in them for the ring to pass through?

 

[wrenchguy]

Is it laser cut?

what? more like handmade by a back in the day craftsman/blacksmith.

 

[Farmer J.]

Is it laser cut?

Ha, but actually that's a compliment to the original maker who would have hand forged it many years before metal was commonly cut by laser. It appears his eye was as accurate as a laser!

Thanks for posting, it's a beautifully made tool. I've never actually seen a double caliper, but will now keep my eye out when nosing around in blacksmiths shops.

 

[Joe Huld]

Is it laser cut?

How does the locking screws work, do the arms have holes in them for the ring to pass through?

Nope this was hand forged, probably from scrap material. I doubt that any power tools were used. Making a double caliper was often an exercise or test for an apprentice smith before he could become a journeyman. My good friend and master smith, the late Bob Sammons, apprenticed at the Allis-Chalmers tractor factory in 1926 and had a very similar double caliper he made as an apprentice his shop which he used daily for more than 50 years.

In answer to your question, the movable arms have a boss where they intersect the circle which has a rectangular opening (see the attached picture).
My guess is that the two semi-circles were forged and fitted to the arms and then forge welded to the main piece last.

 

[Joe Huld]

Ha, but actually that's a compliment to the original maker who would have hand forged it many years before metal was commonly cut by laser. It appears his eye was as accurate as a laser!

Thanks for posting, it's a beautifully made tool. I've never actually seen a double caliper, but will now keep my eye out when nosing around in blacksmiths shops.

Keep your eyes open, most smiths had one since it is invaluable when drawing a work piece down from larger stock. In use one leg is set for the thickness and the other for the width desired. In 40 years or so I have seen scores of them and owned a dozen or so. I bought 2 at one time in an antique mall where they were offered as "wall tongs". I rate this one as the best I have ever seen though there is a very similar one on eBay right now.

 

[Dsel74]

I can’t see any evidence of Forge welding in the photos but that’s not to say you can’t see it in person. Forge welding always leaves a line which can be pretty fine like a hair crack or pretty damn obvious where you can see to pieces smooshed together.

It is also possible the two half circles were slit off the main bar and drifted to the crescents. The handle and end forged down to a closer stock size after to match better.

The same with the arms to make the pass through holes. But not both due to assembly at least one needs to be welded if the other is forged to shape.

I have never seen this style before all the double callipers I have seen have two offset pivots one above the other in line so the arms are different lengths. Or the arms are stacked and have a square end rivet to stop both arms moving when you adjust one.

I’m quite intrigued by these. They are very cleanly made. I wonder if they were commercially made like a lot of early callipers and compasses and might be found some more detail in an old catalog?

 

[Joe Huld]

I can’t see any evidence of Forge welding in the photos but that’s not to say you can’t see it in person. Forge welding always leaves a line which can be pretty fine like a hair crack or pretty damn obvious where you can see to pieces smooshed together.

It is also possible the two half circles were slit off the main bar and drifted to the crescents. The handle and end forged down to a closer stock size after to match better.

The same with the arms to make the pass through holes. But not both due to assembly at least one needs to be welded if the other is forged to shape.

I have never seen this style before all the double callipers I have seen have two offset pivots one above the other in line so the arms are different lengths. Or the arms are stacked and have a square end rivet to stop both arms moving when you adjust one.

I’m quite intrigued by these. They are very cleanly made. I wonder if they were commercially made like a lot of early callipers and compasses and might be found some more detail in an old catalog?

I am pretty sure they are hand forged and forge welded. If the welds are skillfully done, drawn down after welding and filed smooth they are practically undetectable.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

Thanks for posting that , I wouldn’t have known what that is if I saw one in the wild. A great “Wall-Hanger” with the benefit of being likely hand made.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[leg17]

I wonder if this set is rather later than most encountered.
The pieces may have been punched from sheet stock.

 

[crguy]

Here's one that I have. Definitely hand forged, no owner/makers name seen.

 

[Joe Huld]

I wonder if this set is rather later than most encountered.
The pieces may have been punched from sheet stock.

It us definitely forged from bar stock there is a slight variation in thickness.

 

[Joe Huld]

Here's one that I have. Definitely hand forged, no owner/makers name seen.

Love it; a really nice example of the blacksmiths art.