Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice puller!

 

[stormking]

Thanks c1504, it was a nice surprise. Smoke the sale wasn't really advertised. The tool mobil had been setting around 3 days before I got there. One Plomb one Proto and one Blu-point, luckily the rare one is Plomb.

 

[Catfishdan]

I picked up a couple of less common pieces at the flea market this morning. The first is a copper plated 1061 DBE. The second is a 7432H hex socket. First copper piece I’ve found and only the third or fourth hex socket.

 

[Catfishdan]

I lucked into a rare piece today. I bought a toolbox full of misc. tools, mostly craftsman, for 6 bucks. This was buried in the bottom of the wrench roll. A dual marked 1208 combo! I didn’t even know about it until I got home. I was under the impression that plomb never made a combo that small. Here it is in all its tiny glory.

 

[3baygarage]

Nice lucky find!

 

[d42jeep]

That is a cute little combo. Here it is in the catalog. Smokeshow added a couple to my collection recently.
-Don

 

[Catfishdan]

Thanks. I’ve never seen that catalog.

 

[d42jeep]

It’s available on Internet Archive.
-Don

Plomb Tool Co. : Proto Tools : Catalog No. 4820 : Plomb Tool Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

68 p., illus., 27.1 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was under the impression that plomb never made a combo that small.

I haven't checked every catalog, Dan, but Cat No. 4820, which Don linked, appears to be the first time it's listed. It is not listed in No. 19-R FOURTH PRINTING, which was the last of the Pure Plomb cats, preceding No. 4820, which was the one they introduced the Proto by Plomb concept heading into 1949 production. As you thought, 1210 was the smallest. 1212 was the smallest until 1939.

Cool wrench. No pebble fields.

 

[Provincial]

I stumbled upon a pebble 1216 1/2" combo at a garage sale yesterday. Pretty good shape.

 

[stormking]

Wow nice find catfish, that be very rare.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I lucked into a rare piece today. I bought a toolbox full of misc. tools, mostly craftsman, for 6 bucks. This was buried in the bottom of the wrench roll. A dual marked 1208 combo! I didn’t even know about it until I got home. I was under the impression that plomb never made a combo that small. Here it is in all its tiny glory.

No way ....now I really wish I had some of that 1/4 drive stuff you were looking for to trade! Not a common wrench at all. Way jealous right now!

 

[Catfishdan]

No way ....now I really wish I had some of that 1/4 drive stuff you were looking for to trade! Not a common wrench at all. Way jealous right now!

I’m pretty enamored with it right now smoke, but you are first on the list if we decide to part. You’re the only guy I know of with a dual mark combo board.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I’m pretty enamored with it right now smoke, but you are first on the list if we decide to part. You’re the only guy I know of with a dual mark combo board.

That would be awesome! I dont have a real dual mark board but it is one I made that resembles a tool board... I haven't really looked hard for this wrench but I feel the smallest and biggest ones could be difficult to find

 

[bmwrd0]

Smoke, do you have one of these?

 

[Smokeshow69]

Smoke, do you have one of these?

I do not , o kind sir I have listed my dual mark combo wish list in my signature for everyone's viewing pleasure You have anything you are looking to trade for this ?

 

[bmwrd0]

Oh, I am sure we can find something.

 

[Catfishdan]

I finally found a hammer for my giant midget set. Mail man brought me a 1oz paschall ball peen today. 1937 date code and Los Angeles marking on the handle. I couldn’t resist hitting my knee with it. Reflexes checked out ok.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I finally found a hammer for my giant midget set. Mail man brought me a 1oz paschall ball peen today. 1937 date code and Los Angeles marking on the handle. I couldn’t resist hitting my knee with it. Reflexes checked out ok.

Very nice grab! Not easy to find in the smaller sizes.

 

[c1504]

You have been killing it lately! Awesome find!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Sweet hammer

 

[RagTopTA]

Got this in the mail today. I have a few other 1/2 drive L handles, but I've never seen a 1/2" drive double drive ended 7" L before. It has Plomb markings but no part number. Yall have some of these?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This is the only one I have ever seen...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It was in this military surplus box (see Pic 1) of 1/2-inch drive L-handles, all caked in cosmoline and butcher paper. I was cleaning them off one at a time and it was getting boring, because the first dozen or so were all APCO-Mossberg (not surprising, major supplier to US Army Ordnance Det during WWII)(see Pic 2), until I came to the Plomb (see Pic 3), when I pert near had a heart attack! Plomb is not considered an Ordnance Dept supplier. Air Corps, sure. But they just don't show up in ORD stuff. So it was a nice surprise.

 

[RagTopTA]

It was in this military surplus box (see Pic 1) of 1/2-inch drive L-handles, all caked in cosmoline and butcher paper. I was cleaning them off one at a time and it was getting boring, because the first dozen or so were all APCO-Mossberg (not surprising, major supplier to US Army Ordnance Det during WWII)(see Pic 2), until I came to the Plomb (see Pic 3), when I pert near had a heart attack! Plomb is not considered an Ordnance Dept supplier. Air Corps, sure. But they just don't show up in ORD stuff. So it was a nice surprise.

Lugz!! Thats a really cool storey! I wonder if thats where this one came from as well. I notice its got a character after the Plomb logo... Looks like maybe a stamoed Hyphen? Or Dot?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Mine is an "O" (or oval), but on its side, in line with the length of the shank, reminiscent, for me, of the "O" stamps you see on some WF ratchets. Forge or foundry mark, I think.

They are a GMTK tool. Technically, 'HANDLE, socket wrench, offset, double-end, 1-3/4" x 6-3/4", 1/2" square drive' with an FSN of 41-H-1501.

Funny thing about stories is there's always another one! Many years ago, desperate to complete my second GMTK, I bought one of these from someone I was loath to buy anything from because he was a bit of a doofus and a jerk. A few months later, Murphy's Law struck, I bought a huge surplus lot from a guy out in the middle of Pennsylvania, and that box of L-handles was in it!

I've found a few since those days. Seriously, they're almost ALWAYS an APCO-Mossberg, and if not, maybe an Armstrong. NEVER Plomb. And I have never seen another one - until yours! Although methinks tin medic has one.

Nice acquisition.

 

[RagTopTA]

You know I love the odd ball stuff!! Im going to add it to my 1/2 box ; ) Have you seen them in any catlogs anywhere? I winder is there a catalog for those govt numbered tools it may be in?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Have you seen them in any catalogs anywhere? I winder is there a catalog for those govt numbered tools it may be in?

If you mean the L-wrenches as a type, yes. They are listed in several WWII manuals and catalogs. If you mean Plomb catalogs, no, not that I can recall.

 

[d42jeep]

I have always wanted one of the Plomb Ell handles since Lugz found the first one. Unfortunately the only Plomb tool I received yesterday was this 3/8” combo. At least it cleaned up well.
-Don

 

[tin medic]

And I have never seen another one - until yours! Although methinks tin medic has one.

No, I have two. This style ell handle does not appear in any Plomb catalog that I can find. Unless I totally glanced over it.

 

[Leviton]

The finish appears to be that black (technically "gun metal") finish they liked in the late 40's. As I said, no Name-Nurl grip, but check out the logo. I have seen all kinds of variations, but I am not sure I have ever seen the two plumb bobs bookending the name as rounded as these. They look like spades on some playing cards.

I found a pair of 218 battery pliers with the fat plumb bobs, similar looking to the stamping on yours, Lugz. Common to a manufacturer perhaps?

Another interesting thing - there is a "dimple/notch" on the inside of each handle in the middle of the handle length. Ever seen this before? The notch is inside a circular feature. There is one on each handle at about the same location.

 

[d42jeep]

One of my pairs has the wider Plumb bobs as well. No notches though although the pair on the right has some sort of circle on one handle.
-Don

 

[Ricky Joe]

One of my pairs has the wider Plumb bobs as well. No notches though although the pair on the right has some sort of circle on one handle.
-Don

Those look like they were made for Plomb, rather than made by them; a rather unusual occurrence, as Plomb was prolific. My guess is Danielson, which I believe Plomb did acquire. Perhaps these are immediately after acquisition?

 

[d42jeep]

According to Plomb, during the war they had 31 factories turning out tools, many for the war effort. It’s not too surprising that they would vary from facility to facility. A few different plumb bob designs on the pliers below.
-Don

 

[Smokeshow69]

According to Plomb, during the war they had 31 factories turning out tools, many for the war effort. It’s not too surprising that they would vary from facility to facility. A few different plumb bob designs on the pliers below.
-Don

Very Nice lineup! Unless your name is Roy, pliers are hard to come by in the wild

 

[Ricky Joe]

I am getting fairly organized now. Here are some Plomb stud removers.

 

[Ricky Joe]

Oops! Sorry! Wrong thread!

 

[Ricky Joe]

More Plomb , mostly 1935

 

[Ricky Joe]

Two pullers. I have another slide hammer with slightly different jaws, by Proto, jaws by P&C.

 

[Ricky Joe]

This is my favorite ratchet adapter. Very fine tooth count, and a pleasure to use.