Smallest Pipe Wrench ever ?

[jessesandy]

Unfortunately, only the main part.



STEELCRAFT Made in West Germany

So made between 1973 and 1989.

Need GJs help to make this whole again !!

 

[four.cycle]

^ Post war. Private Lugnutz would be better able to give you the date range.

This is from an earlier catalog - most likely early-to-mid 1930s - so it predates your piece there, but these are the sizes they were offering at the time:



There's a dedicated "Steelcraft" thread HERE:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=478374

 

[jessesandy]

Thanks for the link !

The part I have is 5" long. So, with the top jaw, this must be the 6" model.

I read that in 1973, a court in Germany decided "West Germany" should be used on products in stead of just "Germany" so people would know if stuff was made in east or west Germany.
Then, I assume everything went back to just "Made In Germany" after the wall came down.

 

[WisJim]

Here's my pair of 6" Stillsons.

 

[The Cobbler]

that's a cool project for someone to replicate a new jaw!

 

[steaks&anvils]

Unfortunately, only the main part.



STEELCRAFT Made in West Germany

So made between 1973 and 1989.

Need GJs help to make this whole again !!

that's a cool project for someone to replicate a new jaw!

I think the used tool store here in denver has a bucket/bin/box of just pipe wrench jaws. I don't recall details as I don't need one so all I remember is that they "have a bunch" of them.

Not sure how you can get the correct one for it without taking it into the store and trying them all to see what fits?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I read that in 1973, a court in Germany decided "West Germany" should be used on products in stead of just "Germany" so people would know if stuff was made in east or west Germany.
Then, I assume everything went back to just "Made In Germany" after the wall came down.

That's true, but "West Germany" and "Western Germany" were commonly used as early as 1949, well before the FRG made it compulsory. And my guess on your pipe wrench would be closer to 1949 than the 1970's. STEELCRAFT was a Speigel Brothers (US importer) brand and they were having tools made for them in the US and British Occupied Zones, even before 1949. I have a few. EDIT: See thread 4.c linked for you.

 

[d42jeep]

If you are intent on completing your Steelcraft pipe wrench, you might want to be on the lookout for a 6” German made Dunlap Stillson wrench that was sold by Sears, likely pre WW2. It wouldn’t surprise me if the parts would interchange. Here is my 8” version.
-Don

 

[jessesandy]

I ordered a replacement jaw and nut off the Ridgid website for their 6" pipe wrench.

Only $15 total plus $5 s&h.

If they don't fit I can try grinding them down.

 

[d42jeep]

It’s probably worth a try but the Ridgid HD pipe wrenches are pretty much a totally different design than your Stillson wrench. The top wrench is a postwar 6”, the lower one is wartime.
-Don

 

[Tostal]

Here's some pics of my Ridgid 6" Pipe Wrench.

The transfer is hard to read in pic. #4, but it says:- "If this Housing ever Breaks or Distorts, we will replace it Free"

Tostal~

 

[d42jeep]

They’ve been using that sticker for a while!
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

thanks Private Lugnutz

 

[BD1]

Being a Union PIPEFITTER for 50 years, I have a great collection of assorted pipe wrenches. Here's my 6" ones.

 

[PhantomEB]

I carry a 4” and a 8” in my tool bag.

 

[HeelSpur]

I have a couple 6" Stillsons.

DSCF3796 (2) by wvwheaties, on Flickr

 

[Private Lugnutz]

thanks Private Lugnutz

You're welcome.

 

[mopar66]

Not the smallest. But here is few pics of my 6" Neuropa. Measures about 5.5 inches closed.

 

[pepi]

And this

 

[jessesandy]

Well, it's whole again with the parts from Ridgid

Only had to sand 0.020" off the hook jaw. Had to sand all the knurling off the nut and then some.

Five and a half inches long, fully closed.
Here is a close up of the stampings.

 

[Mintgrun]

This is the smallest one I have.

 

[steaks&anvils]

Only had to sand 0.020" off the hook jaw. Had to sand all the knurling off the nut and then some.

Nice save and great to get it working again!

You could go old school and use a file to hand cut the knurling...

 

[btrnuthatch]

Mine. I used one once.

 

[Ralf11]

I am now wondering if we need a Big Pipe Wrench thread

 

[Mallen]

Unfortunately, only the main part.



STEELCRAFT Made in West Germany

So made between 1973 and 1989.

Need GJs help to make this whole again !!

You need a jaw for a Stillsons wrench. I do t think the modern style pipe wrench jaws will fit. Many of the Stillsons are pretty standardized though.

Edit: I'm really surprised that worked. Does it have enough space for the jaw to move?

 

[Shelbylex]

Nice save, jessesandy! Ready for another 100 years of work.

...And now to exercise the OCD: I actually looked up if the nut can be knurled... Watch this video:

May be somebody on the board tried this and can share their experience...

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yup. Now you get to reknurl the nut!

 

[Mallen]

I wonder if it would work to attach a file to a rack and the bolt to a pinion such that the file is advanced an integer number of teeth per revolution of the pinion.