KD Tools No. 110

[reedydrive]

I need help identifying another left-handed cheese straightener.
This time it's a KD Tools No. 110. From extrapolating entries in my
1985 catalog, I've concluded that the item is for distributor service.
Notice the thumbwheel, the compound gearing in the body & the
rotating head.. It's got me stumped...

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

The socket is a friction fit on the ends of sparkplugs...the top of sparkplugs used to be threaded on and cars very often had a hook or loop terminal on secondary wires that was held on by that tip. This nifty tool allows you to spin off that top piece with greatly enhanced complication and only slightly more effort than doing it with your fingers.
Little stumpy feelers like that are also for sparkplug service, not distributor.

 

[reedydrive]

Thank you, Bruce. In fact I remember those knurled terminal nuts. In light of your info, I conclude that K-D came out with the #110 purely for the heck of it. Thanks again!

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

I've field-tested mine too...by the simple addition of 3 gears and a widget here, you can run off those nuts in less than 150% of the time I once wasted by doing it with thumb and forefinger! The 20th...century of progress for sure!

 

[metaleltr]

Since it takes longer it is a gear reduction, so would it be handy for nuts that are difficult to remove?

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

No, because it holds a round thing by friction and will just spin if the plug tops were put on by a gorilla. If they are tight you will need to switch to another gorilla or go get the pliers.
There were a LOT of different spark plug tops in the old days but as cars switched to snap-on Rajah type terminals most available plugs were available only with tops about like what you get on plugs now, except that they were threaded on rather than integral so that they could be used with older wire sets.
This tool fits only that type and so has no positive connection since it is grabbing a round thing with curved side contours as well.

A Model A Ford came with a knurled round nut there, bigger than a modern type and made for good finger grip.
Early Ford V8's had modern type with removable tops as described...from then up into the 1960's at least, an H-10 flathead plug had removable tops as described since some apps had loop type plug terminals and others snap on modernish type. Now if I buy the modern H10 plugs for one of my flatheads it comes only with non-removable tops.