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Dividers with a short history lesson

Zeeman

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Mar 21, 2016
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1,185
Location
Bartow County Georgia
I got these dividers out of an old Craftsman tool box that I finally got around to cleaning out. I bought two Craftsman rolling cabinets, and the guy pretty much threw in the two older boxes for free. There were a few interesting things in them, and this is the one I think is the coolest. When I first looked at the writing, I saw "True Value". I'm a big Paul Harvey fan (stay with me now), and remember the way he used to say, "Now that's...true value" after he told us about some new tool or item that was on sale at True Value. I did not think True Value was as old as these dividers, but above the True Value logo, It reads "Hibbard's" without the 'i' dotted. So I did some research on Hibbards and found out that the company was originally called Tuttle, Hibbard & Co. This was in 1855. The location, Chicago, Illinois. Hibbard died in 1903, but in 1932, the hardware company started selling tools under the name True Value. In 1948, John Cotter bought the operation, and the rights to the name True Value. I don't know if John was of cotter pin fame, but it's fun to think he might be. John paid 2.5 million for his purchase. Anyway, back to the Paul Harvey connection. Paul's first job was as a radio announcer in Chicago, Illinois, so that explains how he might have gotten the job advertising True Value stuff on his commentary show. It's beginning to come together. I'm no Paul Harvey, but "Now you know......
the rest of the story."
Here's the box the dividers were in, just rusting away.

Here are some before pictures.


And some After shots.



 

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Zeeman

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Bartow County Georgia
Thanks guys. I don't really have a special, set way to restore stuff, I just try different things. For this, I took it apart, and degreased using simple green, went over all the pieces lightly with a fine brush on my Dremmel, started sanding using 320, 400, then 600 grits. I chose those grits because that's what I had on hand. I finished it off with two different methods. First, I tried Semi-chrome and rubbed the stew out of it. It looked pretty shiny, but I ended up using a polishing wheel with an old block of Craftsman red compound I also found in the long tool box. Some parts like the wheels/knobs needed a lot of sanding, and they would have gotten even more shiny if I had worked my way up with the sandpaper more. They'll do for now.
 

larry_g

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Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
16,899
Location
oregon
I have an affinity for old dividers and calipers. I've not seen that fine adjustment scheme used and wonder if it is unique to that brand? I would suggest that that you back off the adjusting nut for storage to keep it from taking any more of a set.

Do you suspect that the adjusting nut was once black or blued? You can get cold bluing at the gun store to darken it up again. It would set it off a bit more.

lg
no neat sig line
 

leg17

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Aug 11, 2011
Messages
1,374
Location
Kentucky
I have an affinity for old dividers and calipers. I've not seen that fine adjustment scheme used and wonder if it is unique to that brand? /QUOTE]

Looks pretty common, or am I missing something?
 
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jvlyons99205

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Jul 11, 2016
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Spokane, Washington
Fantastic job on the dividers and the Paul Harvey reference brought back good memories of listening to him growing up in Milwaukee.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk
 
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Zeeman

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
1,185
Location
Bartow County Georgia
I have an affinity for old dividers and calipers. I've not seen that fine adjustment scheme used and wonder if it is unique to that brand? I would suggest that that you back off the adjusting nut for storage to keep it from taking any more of a set.

Do you suspect that the adjusting nut was once black or blued? You can get cold bluing at the gun store to darken it up again. It would set it off a bit more.

lg
no neat sig line

Good idea. I really don't know who made them for 'True Value', but I have not researched it any either. If the nut was black or blued, i did not see any evidence of it. It was pretty much silver with rust. Thanks for the post.
 
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Z

Zeeman

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
1,185
Location
Bartow County Georgia
Fantastic job on the dividers and the Paul Harvey reference brought back good memories of listening to him growing up in Milwaukee.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

Thanks. When I was quite younger, I listened to Paul Harvey on a small radio station broadcasting out of Heflin, Alabama. It wasn't til I was in college that I figured out that Mr. Harvey wasn't from Heflin, Al. I guess I was pretty naive.
 

larry_g

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Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
16,899
Location
oregon
I have an affinity for old dividers and calipers. I've not seen that fine adjustment scheme used and wonder if it is unique to that brand? /QUOTE]

Looks pretty common, or am I missing something?

Your not missing anything, I am. Most all of my dividers are spring loaded with the screw to close them. I've just not run across any that have the adjustment on the 'crescent?". I'll look closer in the future.

lg
no neat sig line
 
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