Red Devil Hand Tools

[misterbill]

Thanks, @Private Lugnutz . FWIW, I suspect that they were my grandfather's pliers before they were my dads - which would dovetail with the timeline. My dad was not one to buy a tool unless he had a need for it (a recessive farmer gene I suspect) and I don't remember them around the house when I was growing up. My grandfather would likely have bought them in the 30s before WWII I suspect.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

They do have that 'Tweener look. Prewar, but not early. I have a couple different types posted upthread with the same features likely from the same timeframe.

 

[four.cycle]

I'm not sure where these fit in the S&H/Crescent timeline, but I found these S&H stamped 654 pliers

this is all I have mentioning that particular part number, @misterbill -

1925 Supplee Biddle Hardware Co. catalog Red Devil ad pp 365

ITCL

 

[LesserSon]

I’m in process of unfreezing/derusting these linesmans and casually thought I’d check if a No1150 had been previously posted. Guess not. So far, not clear how they are different from No1050. Maybe the original finish, which, whatever it was, is long gone now.

 

[LesserSon]

Turned out pretty good.

Comparing to two other linemans, now I’m not sure if the heavy top pair is 1950, 1650, or 1050.

Kinda leaning toward 1650, but not sure what the early advertising means by “double cutter.”

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice! I wasn't aware you had so many variants.

Just to add to the comparative superset, I am re-posting the pair I found last year bearing no model number but the initials "S.C." near the "U.S.A." marking, which I strongly suspect signifies "Signal Corps", based on ads I found, example linked here. EDIT: One of the things you will immediately notice is no knurling and a forging seam showing on the handles. I believe these may have had insulated grips, which they did offer special order (as the No. 4950).

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Comparing to two other linemans, now I’m not sure if the heavy top pair is 1950, 1650, or 1050.

Kinda leaning toward 1650, but not sure what the early advertising means by “double cutter.”

The No. 1650 was consistently described as having "Button's cutters" in addition to the side-cutters in catalogs.

 

[MisterEd]

Smith & Hemenway “Red Devil” 926 Slip Joint Plier with Bent Nose

 

[CCaillet]

Found a Red Devil No. 23 at an estate sale today.

 

[LesserSon]

Wow, nice! I really like where the PO (E.W.SWOPE?) stamped their name on the side of the handle. So much more sophisticated than three ugly grinder marks.

 

[CCaillet]

Found a 2nd Red Devil tool while cleaning up.
Top is Klein, then 2 Red Devils.
Bottom is unmarked.

 

[CCaillet]

Wow, nice! I really like where the PO (E.W.SWOPE?) stamped their name on the side of the handle. So much more sophisticated than three ugly grinder marks.

Found a 2nd Red Devil tool while cleaning up.
Top is Klein, then 2 Red Devils.
Bottom is unmarked.

 

[LesserSon]

Now I’m thinking the name might be E.W.SQUIRE. Like the Buttons pattern pliers despite surface erosion. Those unmarked longnose have unusual heavy terminations to the grips, which may suggest a manufacturer.

 

[Snaparxon]

My Red Devil 725 daily users just for the fact that the maker cared so much about USA that they put it on the handle. Tools were so much more works of art back then.

 

[Leviton]

Nice handle design. Good find.

 

[d42jeep]

I hadn’t run across any Red Devil pliers in quite a while but I found these today at an estate sale. The bolt isn’t in good condition and I may try to replace it.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

There's been a lot of talk on the Crescent thread as well as the Mega Pliers thread about a grip pattern described as "barrel stave shaped" in Crescent catalogs of the late 1920's. Although I have not been able to find them in a Smith & Hemenway catalog, they were clearly being made by Smith & Hemenway before the acquisition by Crescent. We have No. 950 side-cutting slip joint pliers in the Lugzsonian that @Leviton first posted a few years ago upthread linked here.

 

[d42jeep]

I cleaned up some auger bits that came in a wood box set at yesterday’s estate sale.
I was surprised to see that one of the bits was marked Red Devil.
-Don

 

[LesserSon]

Recently acquired 1950 linemens and 3925 6-1/2”slipjoints.

 

[LesserSon]

Raining here today, so I rephotographed my pliers.

888 5-1/2” curved longnose



20 6-1/2” squarenose



650 7” flatnose



1050 5-1/2” linemens



5-1/2” linemens

 

[LesserSon]

1150 7” linemens



7” linemens



1950 7” linemens



1950 7” linemens



8” linemens

 

[LesserSon]

925 10” slipjoints



925 10” slipjoints



925 10” slipjoints



6-1/2” slipjoints (tortoise shell grips)



3925 6-1/2” slipjoints

 

[LesserSon]

444 7-1/2” giant grip slipjoints

444 7-1/2” giant grip slipjoints

 

[LesserSon]

999 8-1/2” acetylene buttons



8-1/2” acetylene buttons



6-1/2” buttons



1000 10” buttons



1000 10” buttons

 

[four.cycle]

wow... they certainly had an array of handle patterns, didn't they?

 

[d42jeep]

I found these Red Devil longnose pliers today at a Carson City, NV estate sale.

-Don

 

[lilredex]

Princess Auto has flat style box cutters, twelve for $5. These are Red Devil brand.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/12pk-box-cutter/product/PA0009545542