Plomb collectors: Question from newbie

[rev1]

I've just started collecting a few plomb wrenches and have a question for those experienced collectors. I saw this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PLOMB-LOS-ANGELES-2004-CODE-2A-LAW-SUIT-TOOL_W0QQitemZ330384047024QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4cec6c7bb0

From my readings of alloy artifacts, the plomb los angeles would have been made during the negotiated agreement and a few years before they lost the law suit. Did Plomb really grind their name off some of their wrenches and if so, how can you tell one ground by Plomb vs. a "fake" one that a previous owner ground off? Also, if so, which generation (LA, pebble, etc.) would have been?

 

[Mickey O]

The guy is selling a few of these supposed "law suit" wrenches, sounds like a bunch of **** but I can sell you some of the "real" ground off name

tools, they'll be ready in 20 minutes.

I read at plombtools.com that there were tools with the name ground off

The

vs Plumb Lawsuit Tools


In 1926 the

Tool Company applied for a trademark on it’s name, but the Plumb Tool Company (founded earlier) blocked the issuance. Eventually a deal was reached where

agreed not to put it’s name on anything that resembled a tool produced by Plumb.

In 1946 the Plumb Tool Company sued

Tools for trademark infringement when

began manufacturing hammers.

While

fought the action in court, they continued to produce tools, some stamped “Proto MFD USA

Tool Company”. An angry court ruled that

would pay Plumb all of its profits for 1948 and discontinue using the

name immediately.

Unsold tools had the “

” name ground off and stamped with the new name “Proto”. These tools retain a portion of the “

” name and a

bob logo, but the rest of the name is ground off. Tools, such as sockets, that could not be restamped, had most of the name ground off.

The problem is a simple one, there is no way to authenticate if it really is a "lawsuit tool", however you can disprove it if the tools are not from the right year(s). And there is no way that wrench is worth $50.

 

[RLRRLRLL]

i have a 5/8" plomb wrench in my box....any takers...

 

[Mickey O]

i have a 5/8" plomb wrench in my box....any takers...

Is it a "Lawsuit Tool"?

 

[RLRRLRLL]

Is it a "Lawsuit Tool"?

Nope, it says the proto mfg co. plomb...or whatever they say. found it in my grandpas old box. I have no use for it, but i know some of you guys are crazy about them. If anyone wants it, its up for grabs.

 

[krusty the clown]

the wrench on ebay appears to be made way earlier than the date of the lawsuit.

 

[chrislehr]

BRB, going to grind names off my spares!

 

[Mickey O]

Nope, it says the proto mfg co. plomb...or whatever they say. found it in my grandpas old box. I have no use for it, but i know some of you guys are crazy about them. If anyone wants it, its up for grabs.

Wrong answer, the correct answer would have been:

"It can be"

 

[RLRRLRLL]

Wrong answer, the correct answer would have been:

"It can be"

o...then...It can be...

 

[rev1]

sounds like a bunch of ****

That's what I was thinking but wanted other opinions. Even if it were real, I wouldn't pay that much but it might be worth it to someone if it could be certified which I guess it can't. Maybe that's the point.

however you can disprove it if the tools are not from the right year(s).

So wouldn't the pebble be most likely to have been ground rather than the earlier LA or even early 40's USA wrenches?

Anyone seen pics of "authenticated" law suit wrench?

 

[krusty the clown]

http://plombtools.com/LawsuitTools.aspx

 

[rev1]

BRB, going to grind names off my spares!

I think I'd pay more for one without grinding since it can't be verified. Also, I'd think Plomb would have performed a professional job of grinding and perhaps polishing.

I hadn't read the plombtools website but I'm actually surprised plomb would eliminate their name without restamping with proto.

 

[J.A.F.E.]

After the law suit Plomb dual marked Plomb and Proto for a while but was forced to drop the Plomb name about a year later - but I've never seen any as described and there are lots of Plomb tools here in LA. Krusty is right on that wrench looks way too early even if the story was true.

Even if the story were true, which I strongly doubt, it's a $10 wrench tops.

In my opinion the seller is full of ****.

 

[Dale B]

Rev 1, I'm with Krusty ,that's too old. I have what I am sure is a lawsuit pebble . The name is smoothly ground off, leaving the size at each end largely intact without much damage to the raised edges of the handle. The wrench is a 5/8 combo pebble. When I figure out the way to post pix , I 'll post one of it..

 

[Tool Pants]

I bought 2 things from that ebay seller. Watch out. The condition is not as good as he says.

Other than on the Plomb site I have not seen a tool with the Plomb name ground off. The Plomb name is not ground off the few dual marked tools I have.

The ratchet is interesting because I almost did not get it at the flea market. Guy had some ratchets and kept telling me how great Proto was, but I was focused on a Walden he had. The Proto looked like any other from a distance, so I did not pay attention. I decided to buy the Walden and finally picked up the Proto to make the guy happy. Then I saw it was dual marked.

 

[woody 73]

I think the wrench in question is to old I will ask some other wrench collectors for their feedback...

 

[Tool Pants]

He has a pebble with a name ground off.

 

[nordstar]

PLOMB LOS ANGELES # 2004 CODE 2A: This would be made in 1932
PLOMB LOS ANGELES # 1132 3/4" X 5/8" "LAW SUIT TOOL": This one is from from the late '20s
PLOMB LOS ANGELES # 1212 "LAW SUIT TOOL": This is a Pebble Finish and is more likely to be a lawsuit grounded tool


With that being said the seller has been selling a lot of good and rare Plomb/Proto tools for months now with no end in site.
I along with several other ********* Plomb collectors have bought from this seller. I think these three are a stretch in what they
actually are, but the seller is OK in my book.

I would not spend any money extra on a ground tool just because of the ground off name, there is no guarantee that it is legit.

 

[dieseldodge01]

Does anyone know when the plant in LA was closed? I ended up getting an 3/8 to 1/2 adapter that say 5253 Proto Los Angeles and it made me curious on its age and when they closed the plant.

 

[Mickey O]

PLOMB LOS ANGELES # 2004 CODE 2A: This would be made in 1932
PLOMB LOS ANGELES # 1132 3/4" X 5/8" "LAW SUIT TOOL": This one is from from the late '20s
PLOMB LOS ANGELES # 1212 "LAW SUIT TOOL": This is a Pebble Finish and is more likely to be a lawsuit grounded tool


With that being said the seller has been selling a lot of good and rare Plomb/Proto tools for months now with no end in site.
I along with several other ********* Plomb collectors have bought from this seller. I think these three are a stretch in what they
actually are, but the seller is OK in my book.

I would not spend any money extra on a ground tool just because of the ground off name, there is no guarantee that it is legit.

What exactly is a ********

collector? One that money is no object when it comes to purchasing

tools? If it is I have some

tools for you.

Anyhow here's what I was really getting to, lets see some pictures.

 

[Tool Pants]

This is ********.

And here is some more history lesson.

http://www.vannattabros.com/plomb/plombtool.html

 

[rev1]

And here is some more history lesson.

http://www.vannattabros.com/plomb/plombtool.html

Good info. I especially liked the write up on the combination wrench and the ad.


BTW, looking for 5/16 and 9/16 non-pebble combo wrenches to complete my set, if anyone has duplicates, let me know.

 

[Tool Pants]

Did not know where to post this, but it seemed to fit here.

Got back from the flea market. A seller had some old stuff. 2 Plomb items attracted my attention.

Bought a Plomb screwdriver for 25 cents. That is one stout screwdriver.

Then I saw a Plomb speeder for $3. I liked it because it has a flex head. It is a 5469 and has a patent number of 1,380,643. It is Los Angeles and has the O instead of the V, so I figured it was old.

I checked AA when I go home and there is a picture of what I bought on the site. Mine has a code of 3A which looks like it is a date code for 1933. AA says the flex end was so you could also use it as a breaker bar.

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/plomb-drive-tools.html

I then check out the patent and it goes back to a guy named Eagle in Canada from 1921, because of the spring loaded ball for the flex head.

http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=7QE_AAAAEBAJ&dq=1380643

The Plomb feeler guage I put in the picture. The gauge came from ebay.

 

[Wrenchette]

I've been buying Plomb tools as of late.

A large flathead screwdriver $1
A WF-21 ratchet $2 I took it apart to to oil it up a little and ended up losing one of the springs. ARGH! But then hubby got the idea of cannibalizing the battery ground spring from an old TV remote! Works great.
A 1/2 drive 7/16 socket .10 cents
And last night I found a Plomb 5/8s pebble wrench for $1.50

This board has been a baaaaad influence for a pair of tool nuts!!!

 

[jpilgrim]

i have a 5/8" plomb wrench in my box....any takers...

Nope, it says the proto mfg co. plomb...or whatever they say. found it in my grandpas old box. I have no use for it, but i know some of you guys are crazy about them. If anyone wants it, its up for grabs.

Interested in this, if in good condition. Can you post a clear photo of it?

 

[lauver]

Guys,

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I picked up a Plvmb 7/16" combination wrench (1214) that is marked made in USA and has a BB date code. This is not a pebble or pebble field wrench...just satin chrome. Can anyone figure out the date?

 

[stricht8]

those are some pretty cool tools. I've never seen a plomb feeler gauge or screwdriver.

Did not know where to post this, but it seemed to fit here.

Got back from the flea market. A seller had some old stuff. 2 Plomb items attracted my attention.

Bought a Plomb screwdriver for 25 cents. That is one stout screwdriver.

Then I saw a Plomb speeder for $3. I liked it because it has a flex head. It is a 5469 and has a patent number of 1,380,643. It is Los Angeles and has the O instead of the V, so I figured it was old.

I checked AA when I go home and there is a picture of what I bought on the site. Mine has a code of 3A which looks like it is a date code for 1933. AA says the flex end was so you could also use it as a breaker bar.

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/plomb-drive-tools.html

I then check out the patent and it goes back to a guy named Eagle in Canada from 1921, because of the spring loaded ball for the flex head.

http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=7QE_AAAAEBAJ&dq=1380643

The Plomb feeler guage I put in the picture. The gauge came from ebay.

 

[Tool Pants]

A day later I am back from the flea. Lady seller with a lot of electronics, clothing, DVDs. Very small pile of mostly junk tools.

I saw what I thought was a brace with a screwdriver bit on the end, but it did not have a ratchet mechanism. It did not look like a speeder because it has a female end. It was so primative looking I thought at first someone made it out of something else.

Then I noticed Plomb Tool Co Los Angeles. So I bought it for $2.

When I got home I searched AA. There is something like it in figure 108, but mine is a square drive, not hex. The 4th pic is from AA. I would say mine is a 9/16" square drive. The male end of a 1/2" ratchet extension is too small to fit inside the female end.

Looks like it is from the 1920s.