Show Us Your Antique Pipe Tongs

[AntiqueBen]

The 8" Ashcroft showed up in the mail today. I did a minor cleanup. It's stamped E.H. Ashcroft Patented Nov. 30, 1858 then EXTENDED Nov. 30, 1872. It's the only Ashcroft I've seen marked E.H. Ashcroft & with a 1858 date on it. It definitely has some kind of plating on it, like chrome plating. I thought chrome plating was first used in the 1920's. Or maybe someone plated it later in its life, but why would someone do that to a tool like this? The other difference is the bolt holding the two pieces together is really just an unthreaded rod or pin & it's peened over on the end to keep the nut on. That's why the nut will just freely spin. It's size is still a mystery to me. It obviously was used on small pipe, just wandering why Ashcroft never advertised it...that we know of yet. It looks funny next to its bigger brother. Looking forward to any thoughts on this one.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I came across another interesting ad from 1866. Mr. Allen Beach in the ad says he is the sole manufacturer of both Brown's & Gilmore's Patented Pipe Tongs & he will prosecute any infringement of said patents which comes to his knowledge. Makes me wonder why he felt the need to publish such an ad? Was other people secretly producing the pipe tongs or did he just feel the need to let everyone know he is the sole manufacturer of both pipe tongs? I've never seen an ad like this were a person/manufacturer is basically threatening prosecution. Beach was listed as a Pantentee on Gilmore's re-issue patent in 1866 the same year as this ad. I'm wondering when Ashcroft probably got tired of all this type of nonsense & started manufacturing the tool themselves?

US Patent: RE2,283 - Improvement in Pipe-Tongs

US patent RE2,283 Improvement in Pipe-Tongs was issued to Allan Beach of Boston, MA and Henry H. Gilmore of Medford, MA. It was granted on 06/12/1866. The adjustment of this pipe-tongs is held by the wedge action of a tapered thrust washer bearing against the tapered thickness of the bearing...

www.datamp.org

 

[AntiqueBen]

Or alternatively, you could just make it a "show us your vintage pipe tongs" thread.

It's an interesting rabbit hole, this one, isn't it?
I'm really starting to take a liking to you, Ben... you do know, of course, that you're on a completely different planet when you're down in the pipe tong rabbit hole, right?

Ashcroft / E.H. Ashcroft Co., Boston, MA (see also Ashcroft Mfg. Co., Bridgeport CT) / "Brown's patent" pipe tongs / patent 22157 Nov 30 1858 & 79724 Jul 7 1868 James R. Brown / pipe tongs, other tools /

Pretty sure I included the term "pipe tongs" in the entries for the other makers. There were more than a few.

Just a hint: if this rabbit hole isn't deep enough for you, there's always "nippers". (start with "Nettleton Nippers" and go from there.)

but I digress....

1902 Witte Hardware Co. catalog Trimo Ithaca Champion Ashcroft Brown Stanwood ad pp 158

1908 Simmons Hardware Co. catalog Ashcroft Barnes ad pp 352

1909 H.S. Howland Sons & Co. Catalog Boker Ellin E.H. Ashcroft Brown Vaughan & Bushnell pipe wrench ad pp 713

1910 John Pritzlaff Hardware Co. catalog Ashcroft Brown's Cochrans Wiley & Russell ad pp 393


Brown's Adjustable Pipe Tongs E.H. Ashcroft Co. (patent 22157) 1902 Witte Hardware Co. catalog pp 158

*** note the logo stamped on that pair in the last engraving image just above.

Have you ever seen the Gilmore pipe tongs in a catalog?

 

[four.cycle]

If I had, I'd have a catalog illustration of them on file, and I have nothing for "Gilmore" at all other than the entry in the list.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I ran across an interesting pair of pipe tongs made by the Barwick Wrench Co. They were patented on June 6, 1871. In a sense, they are a combination tool. They can be used as pliers for different size & types of fasteners as well as pipe. In 1876 Billings & Spencer bought out the Barwick Wrench Co & all of its inventory. B&S then started selling them with their name on the tool for what looks like a little while. I don't know if they were sold or how they were marked before B&S bought them out in 1876. Looks like they came in 6 different sizes, models 0-5.

I haven't received this tool yet, so I'm anxious to clean it up & see how it is marked. These look to be 25-26 inches long, so these could be the largest size they made? Here's an interesting thought. If B&S's first patent was in 1878, then a pair of B&S (Barwick) pipe tongs marked June 6, 1871 would be the earliest patent seen on a B&S tool. I'm realizing Barwick Wrench Co information (pre-B&S) is difficult to find. Below are the only pics I have until I get it & also some info I've found so far. Any help on this one is appreciated

 

[four.cycle]

Barwick / Barwick Wrench Co., Boston, MA / wrench / patent 115678 Jun 6 1871 William Henry Barwick / "By 1876, Billings & Spencer had "purchased the entire stock, machinery, patent rights and good will" of the Barwick Wrench Company." /

their claim of manufacturing the Packer ratchet drill is kind of interesting.

looks like all I have is that 1872 trade journal article:

 

[AntiqueBen]

Barwick / Barwick Wrench Co., Boston, MA / wrench / patent 115678 Jun 6 1871 William Henry Barwick / "By 1876, Billings & Spencer had "purchased the entire stock, machinery, patent rights and good will" of the Barwick Wrench Company." /

their claim of manufacturing the Packer ratchet drill is kind of interesting.

looks like all I have is that 1872 trade journal article:

Thanks 4C. If I find anymore details, I'll post it here. Once I receive the tool I'll post pics of it cleaned up. It would be quite interesting if it's marked by Barwick Wrench Co instead of B&S. We'll see.....

 

[RTM]

Here is an 1871 article

The Manufacturer and Builder

books.google.com

1874 ad

Buyers' Guide and Mechanics' Manual

books.google.com

1876 lawsuit due to acquiring Packer.

Massachusetts Reports

books.google.com

 

[AntiqueBen]

The big Barwick Pipe Wrench showed up today. It was filthy. I was curious to see if there was any marks or stampings on this tool. I was maybe expecting to see the Billings & Spencer mark...but there are no marks to be found anywhere. This leads me to believe this was probably produced by the Barwick Wrench Co before B&S got the rights in 1876. I'm sure if B&S produced this tool they would have definitely put their name on it.

Datamp list a pic of this wrench. It is marked with the B&S name with the June 6, 1871 patent date. I was noticing the tool in the Datamp pic looks like a smooth steel finish, where mine is a more crude cast finish. Maybe Barwick didn't put their name on the early examples before B&S...who knows. I still haven't seen a pic anywhere of a "Barwick Wrench Co" marked tool. So, I'm going to guess & say this one was made by Barwick. Any thoughts? What do you guys think? All pics below.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Well...I may have lied. After closer inspection it looks like "maybe" there is a number 3 stamped on the wrench. So, it could either be a no. 3 wrench that takes up to a 2" pipe, or a no. 4-1/2 that takes up to a 3-1/2" pipe. I'm getting this info from an early Barwick Wrench Co ad. Hard to tell if this is a 3 stamped on the tool or just age marks that looks like a 3??

Edit: The 3 is definitely not an age mark.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Here is the Barwick next to an Ashcroft no. 3. Maybe Barwick used a numbering system from the Ashcroft playbook.

 

[four.cycle]

I think Ashcroft is in a different rabbit hole.
Memory is fuzzy on this stuff now.

Ashcroft / E.H. Ashcroft Co., Boston, MA (see also Ashcroft Mfg. Co., Bridgeport CT) / "Brown's patent" pipe tongs / patent 22157 Nov 30 1858 & 79724 Jul 7 1868 James R. Brown / http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=7337&tab=0 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/ashcroft-pipe-tongs-the-forgotten-tool.524784/ / http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2017/08/vanished-tool-makers-ashcroft.html / https://ashcroft.asia/about-us/at-a-glance/history/#history-tab-1 /

 

[AntiqueBen]

I think Ashcroft is in a different rabbit hole.
Memory is fuzzy on this stuff now.

Ashcroft / E.H. Ashcroft Co., Boston, MA (see also Ashcroft Mfg. Co., Bridgeport CT) / "Brown's patent" pipe tongs / patent 22157 Nov 30 1858 & 79724 Jul 7 1868 James R. Brown / http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=7337&tab=0 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/ashcroft-pipe-tongs-the-forgotten-tool.524784/ / http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2017/08/vanished-tool-makers-ashcroft.html / https://ashcroft.asia/about-us/at-a-glance/history/#history-tab-1 /

Oh, I know. I went down the Ashcroft rabbit hole a while back. I still never figured out anything on the little 8" Ashcroft pipe tongs I have. They were never advertised that I've found either. Another unsolved pipe tong mystery.
See here:
Post in thread 'Show Us Your Antique Pipe Tongs' https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/show-us-your-antique-pipe-tongs.524784/post-10427647

 

[AntiqueBen]

I've realized the meaning of the mark on some Ashcroft pipe tongs that reads "Registered November 7, 1876." This was the date that Ashcroft Registered the Arm & Hammer Trademark Logo. That's why this date doesn't show up as a patent date. I suppose that's why some of the real early versions doesn't have the logo. Below is a pic of the original 1876 registration of the logo.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I've recognized another difference in the Ashcroft "Arm & Hammer" logo. I found & bought an Ashcroft no. 1 size pipe tongs. After looking at several online I noticed the Arm & Hammer logo has several different variants. Even some that are marked with the same registered November 7, 1876 date has different types of Arm & Hammer logos. I guess they couldn't make up their mind. Wouldn't you have to change tooling in the manufacturing process of the tool to make these changes? And why would they use more than one logo during the same time or era? Not sure what's going on here...any thoughts? Below are different logo pics & a pic of the official logo that was registered & trade marked.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I've been going back through Ashcrofts history again. I posted up thread an ad that Allen Beach put out in 1866 saying he was the sole manufacturer of Brown's (Ashcroft) patented pipe tongs & he would prosecute anyone he found infringing. I just found another ad from 1868 where E.H. Ashcroft says he is the manufacturer of Brown's patented pipe tongs. Ashcroft bought the rights to Brown's pipe tong patent in 1860, so I guess Ashcroft was having Allen Beach manufacturer the tongs for them? I believe Beach was also manufacturing the Gilmore pipe tongs at one point too. Looks like Ashcroft officially took over manufacturing these pipe tongs in 1868.

 

[Death Row Dave]

I have used many of the chain tongs for up to 12 in pipe , with a 10 ft long cheater . Carrying these for long distances on ones shoulders in a Right of Way , is what we termed the “ widow maker “ .

 

[AntiqueBen]

I recently noticed something really cool on a pair of my Ashcroft pipe tongs. During a light steel wool cleaning, I noticed a repair on the bottom jaw. It looks like an old repair too. It was very well done! If you run your finger around every angle of the repair, it's perfectly smooth with the rest of the jaw. This is back when you repaired your tool & kept using it instead of throwing it out. Could this have been a factory repair? Or just a well done DIY repair?

 

[Leon bee]

Had never seen this discussion, then realized maybe I've never seen pipe tongs in the flesh. Were they just a tool you might grab instead of a more conventional looking pipe wrench? A predecessor tool?

 

[AntiqueBen]

Had never seen this discussion, then realized maybe I've never seen pipe tongs in the flesh. Were they just a tool you might grab instead of a more conventional looking pipe wrench? A predecessor tool?

The history of pipe tongs goes way back. At least to the 1850's (probably earlier). They were a good alternative before the Stillson & a few other popular pipe wrenches were patented. They were used in many different types of situations. The railroad used them too on steam engine locomotives. A simple but reliable tool.

 

[Leon bee]

Thanks!

 

[RTM]

.
1902 Witte Hardware Co. catalog Trimo Ithaca Champion Ashcroft Brown Stanwood ad pp 158

Just wanted to drop in and say thanks for this image. Bottom tool, minus the dynamic jaw, showed up in another post. Everyone there was tossing out wild guesses, and stories about why it could not be a Pipe Cutter (Google lens answer, BTW). Was nice to have some documentation on the truth. Just took me a while to remember which thread I saw it in.

 

[four.cycle]

Stanwood / Joseph E. Stanwood, Malden, MA / pipe cutter / patent 23792 Apr 26 1859 Joseph E. Stanwood /

There is a reason why I compulsively grab every advertisement and catalog page I can find on the web.