Show off Vintage Mayhew Stuff

[RTM]

Didn't find a thread with Mayhew in the title, in the vintage forum, and it's not in Lugz' list, so figured I'd start one to show this off. Not mine, it's up at an auction, already up to enough that I no longer care. Thought it would have been a fun way to store punches and chisels in an organized fashion, but didn't want to give up the shelf space at that price (still low in the real world).

Enjoy


Edit: it ended @ $14, I bailed at $6, plus shipping, fees, taxes etc.

 

[d42jeep]

I have quite a few Mayhew pieces in my WW2 sets. Here are some random Mayhew photos.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a set containing mostly Mayhew punches.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Mayhew 820-6” screwdriver that I forgot I had
-Don

 

[wrench136]

Mayhew chisel set.

 

[d42jeep]

Found this lying in the garage today and took a few minutes and fixed it up. I’m not sure if it was originally a center punch but it looks to have been used as one for quite a while.
-Don
Before
After
Mayhew logo

 

[leg17]

Usually nail sets had the square head.

 

[leg17]

Here's a couple of older Mayhew sets.

 

[leg17]

Some assorted display items.

 

[leg17]

And, some boxed sets

 

[d42jeep]

I found another 1/2” Mayhew cold chisel at a Gardnerville, NV estate sale yesterday. It needed dressing up on the striking end and sharpening.
-Don
Before
After

 

[outofbounds]

My humble contribution to this thread..... 3/16 x 9" long drift pin in terrific shape. If used was used as intended. I like the pattern of the handle. Reminds of an Art Deco / Industrial Streamline era.

 

[d42jeep]

I pulled this out of the chisel and punch drawer to do a recent project and noticed that it was a Mayhew.
-Don

 

[Ricky Joe]

Ford valve guide remover by Mayhew.

 

[cody1325]

For ages, I've wanted to find some small US-made pliers and Crescent wrenches locally. Seems that most 4-6 inch stuff gets put in glass cases and priced like something precious--and I figured for what they asked, I'd just buy a new 6" Wilde pair from HJE, and in some cases, the CAT/Snap-On pair from my dealer.

Just so happened on these Mayhew #61 pliers for a couple of bucks at an antique store.




If I'm reading Alloy Artifacts right, these could be a century old. Thus, these are display case, not farm work material.

Mayhew Steel Products

An article on the history of Mayhew Steel Products.

alloy-artifacts.org

 

[Fred Knox]

A couple Mayhew nail sets with the anti-roll shaft, and a 3/8” punch. One has the diamond logo with the 7-23-18 patent date for the knurling method.

 

[Eric Brown]

Mayhew also made some bits for braces. Here are some combined drill/counter sinks and countersinks.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Mayhew Pressure-Grip screwdriver I found at a NV estate sale yesterday.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

After seeing the logo on my Mayhew screwdriver posted above, I realized that the large screwdriver with much of the logo missing must be Mayhew as well.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...happened on these Mayhew #61 pliers for a couple of bucks at an antique store.

Are you sure about the model number? What's the length?

I was elated to find a pair of these "SOLID JOINT" pliers at the flea market this morning...




...and I am having a hard time reading the model number, but it sure looks like a No. 51 to me. The entire marking is very light. Here are a few different shots, dusted, not dusted, various light and angles.



I'm also trying to figure out the numbering scheme. AA has a No. 50 and a No. 62, but they are not the same pliers.

Mayhew Steel Products

An article on the history of Mayhew Steel Products.

alloy-artifacts.org

DATAMP has a good page on these (and if you click on "Patent Picture" 2, it's a 1921 trade mag ad):

US Patent: 1,518,251 - Hand Tool

US patent 1,518,251 Hand Tool was issued to Gustave O. Carlson of Wethersfield, Hartford County, CT. It was granted on 12/09/1924. The patent describes drop forged pliers joint features whereby one forged portion is flared outward after the halves are assembled. {br}Mayhew Steel

www.datamp.org

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Closer-up of the joint side.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

According to the 1924 Stowe Supply Co. catalog I just reviewed on IA/ITCL, the No. 51 were regular, and the No. 52 were thin-nose.



A free merchandiser for any hardware store who ordered a dozen.

 

[Mintgrun]

I've owned these # 57 side cutters for some time and had been meaning to post them in this thread. They're constructed like the pliers above, but have a patent date stamped in them. The thing is, it doesn't match the patent above and according to the calendar, 10-29-24 was on a Wednesday; not a patenting day. So, I am confused.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've owned these # 57 side cutters for some time and had been meaning to post them in this thread.

Very cool. Thanks for posting. After the patent was issued, and after that 1924 catalog, they must have expanded the line.

Are they modified? Or is that severe snub nose factory?

They're constructed like the pliers above, but have a patent date stamped in them. The thing is, it doesn't match the patent above and according to the calendar, 10-29-24 was on a Wednesday; not a patenting day. So, I am confused.

I posted a link to the page on them in DATAMP above, Tom. The patent (1,518,251) was, without any shred of doubt, granted on December, 9, 1924. DATAMP does not address the erroneous marking, I am guessing because they don't actually have an example posted, only the patent and a trade mag ad. AA makes note of the mistake, but makes no attempt to try to explain it.

If you look at the date numerically, in some semblance of how a die would be constructed, and then compare that to how the die was actually constructed, you can see how it represents a date almost two months earlier, but really all because of one digit somehow inserted inadvertently!

12 9 24 vs. 10 29 24

 

[Mintgrun]

Thanks for that date comparison/explanation. Someone definitely did some grinding on the nose, but nobody knose how much, until we see an unadulterated example. I remember almost leaving them behind, due to the damage done, but appreciated the pivot and grip style enough to want to own them.

 

[RTM]

Tom. The patent (1,518,251) was, without any shred of doubt, granted on December, 9, 1924. DATAMP does not address the erroneous marking,

@Mintgrun , send a pic to the DATAMP steward, they can add it. As noted, they may not have seen it.

 

[nz44tool]

I'm late to this party, but here's a Mayhew screwdriver I just acquired today. It's a beauty, in great shape.
It's 10" long, with a 4-3/4" shank and an 11/32" wide tip.
I haven't seen this style ferrule and matching end-cap before.
The stampings on the shank are hard to read. I've seen the model name "Perpetua" mentioned in discussions of Mayhew tools, and it might be that, but the last letter doesn't look like an "A".
Also, the patent date is very worn - I spent a long time on DATAMP trying different possibilities and didn't find it. The last 2 digits could be "17" as in 1917.
Anyone seen one like this?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's a beauty

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've seen the model name "Perpetua" mentioned in discussions of Mayhew tools, and it might be that, but the last letter doesn't look like an "A".

It's an elongated "O" to match the elongated "P". The brand name is Perpetuo. Go to Google Books. Not Google. Search on "Mayhew Perpetuo screwdriver." You will see some splendiferous, artful ads in trade mags.

Also, the patent date is very worn - I spent a long time on DATAMP trying different possibilities and didn't find it. The last 2 digits could be "17" as in 1917.

October 30, 1917. Henry Hood. PAT 1244981.

Anyone seen one like this?

Not in the wild!! As much as I would like to! Terrific find.

 

[nz44tool]

Gosh, Pvt. Lugnutz, you've done it again - all the questions answered!
I wonder if these weren't big sellers - too expensive? You'd think there'd be some around, considering how sturdy they are.
...some pretty good flea markets for tools, here in Connecticut. Easy to come home with a bag of rusty metal and a lighter wallet.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Gosh, Pvt. Lugnutz, you've done it again - all the questions answered!

Google Books is your friend! It is my go to. Automatic. I'll search GJ first. But GB is always next. I cannot possibly recommend it strongly or often enough. That's why I put it in the HELPFUL HINTS and HANDY LINKS section of the Sticky.

Google Books is a terrific resource for tool history documents such as trade journals and directories, and you can limit the date range results of your query by using specific dates.

...some pretty good flea markets for tools, here in Connecticut. Easy to come home with a bag of rusty metal and a lighter wallet

Yessir! New Milford. Wallingford. Etc. I'm mighty proud of our own down the shore here, but we've always had successful Nutmeggers here on GJ. @elidas comes immediately to mind, although I haven't seen him around in awhile. Maybe he finally stacked so much stuff around himself in his garage that he couldn't get out!

 

[four.cycle]

Perpetuo.

You can't get away with posting that without my responding with a bit of perpetuo of another sort.

Nutmeggers

What?!?!
Really?
(Okay, I had to look it up.)
I had no idea! That is funny!

 

[nz44tool]

Google Books is your friend! It is my go to. Automatic. I'll search GJ first. But GB is always next. I cannot possibly recommend it strongly or often enough. That's why I put it in the HELPFUL HINTS and HANDY LINKS section of the Sticky.


Yessir! New Milford. Wallingford. Etc. I'm mighty proud of our own down the shore here, but we've always had successful Nutmeggers here on GJ. @elidas comes immediately to mind, although I haven't seen him around in awhile. Maybe he finally stacked so much stuff around himself in his garage that he couldn't get out!

The Mayhew screwdriver (and lotsa my other stuff) came from the Wallingford Flea Mkt.
Thanks again for the advice on Google Books - I need to remember it more of the time.
"...down the shore here,..." - are you an east coaster as well?

 

[nz44tool]

You can't get away with posting that without my responding with a bit of perpetuo of another sort.


What?!?!
Really?
(Okay, I had to look it up.)
I had no idea! That is funny!

Yikes! I think that piece is sped up a bit, but it's still an awful lotta notes in a short time.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...are you an east coaster as well?

Yep. NJ.

 

[four.cycle]

I think that piece is sped up a bit,

nope. that is its tempo as composed.

I don't think the tempo on that pieces is any faster than Bazzini's Le Ronde de Lutins

(And yes, the Paganini piece really is that fast. Here's Augustin Hadelich performing it and accompanying himself on piano!)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

And then there were two! Found another SOLID JOINT at the flea market this morning. This one is a No. 52 (thin nose), a 6-incher, to go with my No. 51 (regular), an 8-incher. Also a "PATENT APPL'D FOR" production, so made sometime between January 1921 and December 1924. I continue to be impressed with the construction and low profile design of these.

 

[nz44tool]

Gosh, those are lovely pliers !

 

[d42jeep]

I spotted the obvious Mayhew knurling on a punch at an Estate Sale yesterday. I cleaned it up after it’s overnight in Evaporust and dressed up the dangerous striking surface.
Dressed up.
-Don

 

[leg17]

Like the patent date.