Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[RagTopTA]

I have 8 pairs of pliers, none of mine are like that, they are either smooth, Pebbled PLOMB inset or little lines.

 

[tym]

I'm working in filling out my set of pebble combos...



For some reason the forum software keeps changing the photo orientation...

 

[notlob]

Summary: TIME magazine and Duke University articles seem to indicate, independently, that the switch to the dual Plomb-Proto marking, an ill-conceived olive branch solution, took place in January 1949, Plumb was not assuaged, filed another suit, and Plomb was given until March 1950 to fix it. And advertising seems to confirm that. AA and other sources say it happened in 1948, but AA's rationale is fuzzy/faulty (relying on a TM date, which is not necessarily a first use date), there is not much evidence to support that, and because the dual markings include forged-in Plomb markings and stamped Proto markings, it's not a sure thing that they were all stamped when the tools were forged. It's a largely esoteric topic. But precisely the kind of unresolved issue that will occupy the minds of collectors who have more tools than answers.

The reported Court decision at the link below (171 F.2d 945 (1949)) may help clear up the timeline somewhat, although it's not easy to follow. It's a decision by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (Federal Appellate Court), staying (putting on hold) certain portions of the November 16, 1948 District Court (Federal Trial Court) decision which held Plomb in Contempt of Court for violating the Court's March 24, 1947 decree, and also expanded that original decree somewhat.

The original March 24, 1947 decree is what proscribed Plomb from using the name Plomb, and from selling tools of the same or similar type as those in Plumb catalog No. 41 so long as it made use of the Plomb name.

https://www.leagle.com/decision/19491116171f2d9451789

I'll see if I can dig up more reported decisions in Plumb v. Plomb.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, BB. Can't wait to dig into that. I hope I don't need my daughter to translate it for me!

Are you interested in a Keen Kutter chisel? I saw one show up at my flea market today and the vendor is a reggler. I thought it was steep at $25 but you may know better. I'll try to snap a surreptitious pic tomorrow.

 

[ssdave]

Got a small tool kit today, and it had a Plomb 1/4" drive handle in it. Seems like I've seen people post here that it's hard to find an intact one. I've owned most of the sockets and stuff for this set at various times, but never had one of the handles before. It does go with my war era ratchet, also shown. I just might save some sockets and see if I can complete the set now. I think I have the extensions.

 

[d42jeep]

Dave,
The Plomb 1/4” spinners aren’t too difficult to find, although that is a nice one. The ones that are incredibly difficult to find intact are the wartime Duro Chrome 1/4” spinners
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Got a small tool kit today, and it had a Plomb 1/4" drive handle in it. Seems like I've seen people post here that it's hard to find an intact one.

The Plomb 1/4” spinners aren’t too difficult to find,

This needs geographical context. I've found exactly 1 in the wild, and when I posted it, I was barraged with "Is that for sale?" queries.

 

[d42jeep]

I see more on eBay but I posted these on the garage sale thread on March 9 from a local estate sale. I would trade three of them for an intact Duro wartime spinner!
-Don

 

[notlob]

I see more on eBay but I posted these on the garage sale thread on March 9 from a local estate sale. I would trade three of them for an intact Duro wartime spinner!
-Don

Got a pic of the Duro spinner?

 

[davethorik]

Dave,
The Plomb 1/4” spinners aren’t too difficult to find, although that is a nice one. The ones that are incredibly difficult to find intact are the wartime Duro Chrome 1/4” spinners
-Don

Maybe for you West Coasters, this is the only one I've found in Ohio. It almost looks like it corroded from inside the handle out.

 

[Mooreag47]

I see the question come up often what do you use t clean your box .well I got this box about 6 months ago and have done nothing with it and started to think of what would be best to clean it with without destroying the original paint then a light bulb went off you don’t want to destroy the paint on you’re car but you want to clean it you use clay bar and wax so I did a test on the inside of the bottom flap then a drawer I think it works great so now on to a full box detail

 

[RagTopTA]

Found a 1210 - 5/16 combo at the flea this morning. not in great shape, but I have never seen one in the wild and did not have one yet. got it for $1, also found some P&C side cutters and a Combo

 

[Smokeshow69]

I see the question come up often what do you use t clean your box .well I got this box about 6 months ago and have done nothing with it and started to think of what would be best to clean it with without destroying the original paint then a light bulb went off you don’t want to destroy the paint on you’re car but you want to clean it you use clay bar and wax so I did a test on the inside of the bottom flap then a drawer I think it works great so now on to a full box detail

Looks like you are on your way to a great restoration! I did the same thing to my toolmobile ! Keep posting pictures on this thread and also feel free to post some on my pressteel toolbox thread ! It is meant for everyone to post pictures of their pressteel boxes.
The Pressteel company tool box thread

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...ragejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=379569

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[d42jeep]

Got a pic of the Duro spinner?

Maybe for you West Coasters, this is the only one I've found in Ohio. It almost looks like it corroded from inside the handle out.

That’s what they look like when the plastic goes bad. Here is the Duro set with the spinner back in March 2017 and how much worse it was by December 2017. It is rusting the tools close to it in the box.
-Don

 

[RagTopTA]

That’s what they look like when the plastic goes bad. Here is the Duro set with the spinner back in March 2017 and how much worse it was by December 2017. It is rusting the tools close to it in the box.
-Don

You may look into vacuum sealing it in one of those food savers. The plastic material is the same as what we use at work and has an oxygen barrier and UV ect... maybe that would help with the deterioration?

 

[RagTopTA]

The logo pictured is on one of my 5295 tool boxes.

That's really cool and it's in such great shape. Do you store all your dual marked tools in it ?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's horrible. It's ruining the set

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Ah, the perils of Pyroxylin offgassing! I have talked about it before, here, and here.

 

[d42jeep]

The set cleaned right back up and I have isolated the spinner in a ziplock. I’m thinking of attempting to seal it with polyurethane as was suggested to me. None of my Plomb spinners have had that problem (so far).
-Don

 

[RubiconJK]

Got these in today form the fleabay. Now have two pebble handled pliers!

Those are cool. I've never found a pair of the pebble pliers yet.

 

[RubiconJK]

I see the question come up often what do you use t clean your box .well I got this box about 6 months ago and have done nothing with it and started to think of what would be best to clean it with without destroying the original paint then a light bulb went off you don’t want to destroy the paint on you’re car but you want to clean it you use clay bar and wax so I did a test on the inside of the bottom flap then a drawer I think it works great so now on to a full box detail

Great job on the box. Do you plan to take the restoration further? Personally I think it looks great as is.

 

[oldmantaylor]

That's really cool and it's in such great shape. Do you store all your dual marked tools in it ?

No, they're just integrated in with the rest of my Plomb. Right now that box is sitting empty.

 

[oldmantaylor]

The set cleaned right back up and I have isolated the spinner in a ziplock. I’m thinking of attempting to seal it with polyurethane as was suggested to me. None of my Plomb spinners have had that problem (so far).
-Don

Your bottom one looks like mine, only yours is in nicer shape.

 

[RagTopTA]

No, they're just integrated in with the rest of my Plomb. Right now that box is sitting empty.

ahh I see. do you have a lof of dual marked?

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I've been working on an all pebble board for a while now and am getting really close to done. I have room for three hinge handles between the ratchets but haven't come up with them yet....5766, 5265, and 5466. Anyway it is pretty full now so I'll throw up a few pics. Most the hooks are bent from square cut horse shoeing nails. I just fabbed up the ratchet cradles this morning for it. This board hangs right by my bench and the tools will see some use...but hopefully no abuse. A few pics. Ed.

 

[3baygarage]

Wow,very nice!

 

[3baygarage]

Picked up a Proto LA rubber mallet. The faint remaining green on the handle is what caught my attention.

 

[RagTopTA]

I've been working on an all pebble board for a while now and am getting really close to done. I have room for three hinge handles between the ratchets but haven't come up with them yet....5766, 5265, and 5466. Anyway it is pretty full now so I'll throw up a few pics. Most the hooks are bent from square cut horse shoeing nails. I just fabbed up the ratchet cradles this morning for it. This board hangs right by my bench and the tools will see some use...but hopefully no abuse. A few pics. Ed.

this makes me happy just looking at it! Very nice job!

 

[RagTopTA]

Picked up a Proto LA rubber mallet. The faint remaining green on the handle is what caught my attention.

great find! I'm on a look out for those green and blue handles now every time I go hunting!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Picked up a Proto LA rubber mallet. The faint remaining green on the handle is what caught my attention.

You **** ! That is not an easy find !


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[ssdave]

You **** ! That is not an easy find !


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Didn't realize those were rare or collectible. I have one in my user hammers that I use occasionally. It's in good condition, so it rarely gets used; I usually use up the more beat up ones first, and save the better ones to keep them clean for nicer jobs.

I have a hard time grasping the collectibe culture. Things I think should be collectible no-one wants, so I end up trashing them; some of the stuff I think is only worth using as an everyday tool ends up being collectible. I always save Proto, because that's I personally like. The P&C, Bonney, Indestro, Pennens, Duro-chrome and such that i get with lots of Proto are just as good as user tools, and I end up throwing most of them in the scrap metal as there's no demand for them.

 

[48548]

Wow,very nice! [emoji106]

I agree very nice.....

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[tym]

I've been working on an all pebble board for a while now and am getting really close to done. I have room for three hinge handles between the ratchets but haven't come up with them yet....5766, 5265, and 5466. Anyway it is pretty full now so I'll throw up a few pics. Most the hooks are bent from square cut horse shoeing nails. I just fabbed up the ratchet cradles this morning for it. This board hangs right by my bench and the tools will see some use...but hopefully no abuse. A few pics. Ed.

Wow. That's amazing!

The P&C, Bonney, Indestro, Pennens, Duro-chrome and such that i get with lots of Proto are just as good as user tools, and I end up throwing most of them in the scrap metal as there's no demand for them.

Feel free to scrap them at my doorstep.

 

[ssdave]

Oregon rock crusher, that is sure a nice display. Nice job.

 

[oldmantaylor]

ahh I see. do you have a lof of dual marked?

I was guessing around 10 wrenches, but I don't like guessing. I went through my spreadsheet to count up the wrenches and I have 14. I also have a few sockets, but I didn't go through and count them. It's a very large spreadsheet.

 

[oldmantaylor]

great find! I'm on a look out for those green and blue handles now every time I go hunting!

All of the original handles I have seen are green. I've never seen a blue one, but the green does fade a lot.

 

[drivesitfar]

ORC: WOW!! that is a lot of work and it looks AMAZING!! WELL DONE!!

are those paper clips holding those cool looking pliers? how did you attach the nails to your board and what's the board made out of?

I'm looking forward to seeing that in person when i come down to pick up my welder in the near future.

i'm not sure what you said you are missing so can you post up a picture? I don't think I own it since i don't know what it is.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've been working on an all pebble board for a while now and am getting really close to done...[ ]...Most the hooks are bent from square cut horse shoeing nails. I just fabbed up the ratchet cradles this morning for it.

Fantastic, Ed. Well-conceived and executed. Also - I don't think I've seen that many Name-Nurl pliers in one place other than a catalog!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Didn't realize those were rare or collectible...[ ]...I have a hard time grasping the collectible culture. Things I think should be collectible no-one wants, so I end up trashing them; some of the stuff I think is only worth using as an everyday tool ends up being collectible...[ ]...The P&C, Bonney, Indestro, Pennens, Duro-chrome and such that i get with lots of Proto are just as good as user tools, and I end up throwing most of them in the scrap metal as there's no demand for them.

I saw you kibitzing about this, one eBay seller to another, with DadsTools on a different thread. It depends on what the tools are and especially on when they were made, not just brand, and it may require a little homework to grasp and identify the market better, but there is definitely a demand.

Bonney and Duro-Chrome were WWII suppliers, for example, and their wartime tools are very desirable among WWII collectors, especially DOE and DBE wrenches, ignition wrench sets, and 1/2- and 1/4-inch drive sockets sets. Bonney has quite a vibrant post-war following, too, especially among guys who worked in or around aircraft maintenance. It even has its own thread (called “Spreading the Bonney Affliction”) on the GJ General Discussion Board, linked here, where a handful of guys cultishly demonstrate their demand almost every day.

Indestro, an economy line brand to Duro-Chrome within the Duro Metal Products family, also has a loyal following, although it tends to flood the market due to its sheer volume and is less valuable, in general. It does have some quirky pieces that collectors want.

P&C, which helped Plomb fill WF series contracts, is also desirable, and is definitely desirable in its own right, from pre-war (and pre-Plomb) production as well as post-war production, typically among Plomb Empire collectors, and it also has its own thread right here on the GJ vintage board (called “P&C Stuff”) where you can see the same cultish devotion on a less frequent basis, linked here.

PENENS, a late 40’s/early 50’s brand, is more of a niche desire among Plomb Empire guys, but I am looking for a few pieces to fill a combination 1/2- and 1/4-inch set right now. Click on my WANTED thread link in my signature block.

While I could name at least a dozen GJ members who search eBay daily on some combination of "Vintage P&C" and "Vintage Bonney" and "wrenches" etc as keywords, and fewer who search eBay on "Vintage Duro-Chrome", regardless of the type and year/era identified in an auction/BIN ad, these brands probably don't do as well as other brands in large miscellaneous lots or poorly identified (no year/era, tool name, and/or application) auctions or BIN sales.

And, let's face it, some vintage tools are scrap, especially after Conglomeration took hold.

 

[bmwrd0]

All of the original handles I have seen are green. I've never seen a blue one, but the green does fade a lot.

The blue handle is on P&C hammers (usually, I have one with a green handle)