Millers Falls hand drill...?

[jimmie jam]

Gentlemen, I have a drill that I've know as a kid. I watched my Dad use it and I have tried as a little guy. I would love to identify it (have looked in the catalog but there are many). I know that this came from his father's shed. I would like to restore it but I'm afraid to do the wrong thing. It appears that it was nickle plated when new. I'm hoping to be able to see a model # when cleaned so that I can date it. Any help and direction for restoration ... thanks.

 

[Uncle Dave]

I believe it is called a brace; as in ''brace and bit''. The brace turns the bit which cuts the hole' used in wood only and thats all I got. Dave

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Your approach may be guided by the amount of time you want to devote to the project, and the presence of wood adds some challenge.

Unless something is totally wrecked, I usually try to follow the 'do least harm' philosophy.
If it's been around 50+ years, hot dishsoapy water isn't going to hurt anything.

Rag or scotch Brite with wd40, ATF,etc works great if you keep off the wood.

Now you haven't done any harm, but it's clean enough to see what you want/need to work on more. At this stage I'm starting to think;
Strip and replate?
Go nuts powersanding and mirror polish?
That patina looks pretty good...?
Idiot with a grinder screwed it all up and I'll need to replace that section?
Etc.

Here maybe 20 episodes worth of rag polishing with a light touch of 1000 grit sandpaper, except the aluminumpommel I completely reshaped with 400grit and a file because it was a hideous mess



I might sang the leather down a bit, haven't decided.

Maybe I wasted a lot of time compared to other methods, but I was already in from to the TV, so....win?