The J100 Keychain Screwdrivers Research Project

[Iowafox]

I ordered this off Ebay a few days ago and got it today. I have wanted one of these for a while and figured for $16 I needed one now. The add said New old stock proto j100 on the back it has Ed Newcombe. Not sure on the date but I like this alot I don't plan on removing it from my keys ever. But it will get alot of use I assure you!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

This one came in a plomb lot recently

 

[SilverDeck]

I ordered this off Ebay a few days ago and got it today. I have wanted one of these for a while and figured for $16 I needed one now. The add said New old stock proto j100 on the back it has Ed Newcombe. Not sure on the date but I like this alot I don't plan on removing it from my keys ever. But it will get alot of use I assure you!

Thanks for posting that. The "Ed Newcombe" pieces interesting. A hoard of several hundred examples turned up in Florida and ended up in the hands of an eBay seller in Washington state. Many are in new-old-stock condition with excellent black oxide finish. The style of the "Proto" lettering is a little different from what is usually seen, but they are a legit variety that were made in the 1950s. Because of the quantity of Ed Newcombe pieces that turned up and were sold, they are seen with some regularity.

 

[SilverDeck]

This one came in a plomb lot recently

Nice piece. Late 1940s. Just prior to the Proto name transition.

Can you post some pics of the other J100s that you have in the background?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Posted them back at post 36

 

[four.cycle]

No name. No stamp. Same on both sides.

 

[SilverDeck]

Posted them back at post 36

So you did! My apologies.

Are there any back stamps on any of those three?

 

[SilverDeck]

No name. No stamp. Same on both sides.

Well, that is an odd-ball. Unless it was custom-modified to that shape, I would have to say that piece is a definitely a keychain screwdriver, but doesn't appear to be a Plomb/Proto type J100. Still a cool piece, though, especially with the chrome.

 

[four.cycle]

No, not modified at all.
I carry it in my pack and use it for the screw that holds the handle onto my cook-pot and field repairs on my stove.
I ran all over town one day looking for one of those and finally found that one at a local tool liquidator. They didn't have anything like that in stock, and I was having a hard time describing to the guy what I wanted. He finally pulled his keys out of his pocket and asked "Oh, you mean like this?"
I said "YEAH! Exactly!"
He pulled it off his key ring and gave it to me.

The crazy part was that right after that, I opened up a dresser drawer and found this little beauty in a tiny container of key rings and key fobs:



Those were a freebie promotional item passed out by the sales rep for the "Nic-L-Silver" Battery Company. My old man sold their batteries for years, so we always had those things kicking around
I'd pull the label off but .... that's from my old man's "all-caps" typewriter, which means he put it on there... which means the taped-on label stays on. (I'm sure you'll understand.)

 

[ConductorChris]

Came to Garage Journal tonight to look to see if this is an actual tool or a promotional item. And immediately saw this thread. Here is mine. I found it in a Kennedy Tool Box I bought full of tools (but unseen) online this past weekend. It is from Toronto.

 

[SilverDeck]

Came to Garage Journal tonight to look to see if this is an actual tool or a promotional item. And immediately saw this thread. Here is mine. I found it in a Kennedy Tool Box I bought full of tools (but unseen) online this past weekend. It is from Toronto.

That is an early one (1920s). It is both a fully functional tool and a promotional item in one.

Can you tell me what the overall length measures (to the nearest 1/16th of an inch)? Thanks!

 

[Iowafox]

Thanks for posting that. The "Ed Newcombe" pieces interesting. A hoard of several hundred examples turned up in Florida and ended up in the hands of an eBay seller in Washington state. Many are in new-old-stock condition with excellent black oxide finish. The style of the "Proto" lettering is a little different from what is usually seen, but they are a legit variety that were made in the 1950s. Because of the quantity of Ed Newcombe pieces that turned up and were sold, they are seen with some regularity.

Yeah that is what I was kind of wondering. I at first thought it was a fake but what you say makes me feel better. I love it all the same. I really like the fact that right now I am employed by Stanley Black and Decker so I have a soft spot for Proto and cool old school tools.

 

[Iowafox]

No, not modified at all.
I carry it in my pack and use it for the screw that holds the handle onto my cook-pot and field repairs on my stove.
I ran all over town one day looking for one of those and finally found that one at a local tool liquidator. They didn't have anything like that in stock, and I was having a hard time describing to the guy what I wanted. He finally pulled his keys out of his pocket and asked "Oh, you mean like this?"
I said "YEAH! Exactly!"
He pulled it off his key ring and gave it to me.

The crazy part was that right after that, I opened up a dresser drawer and found this little beauty in a tiny container of key rings and key fobs:



Those were a freebie promotional item passed out by the sales rep for the "Nic-L-Silver" Battery Company. My old man sold their batteries for years, so we always had those things kicking around
I'd pull the label off but .... that's from my old man's "all-caps" typewriter, which means he put it on there... which means the taped-on label stays on. (I'm sure you'll understand.)

I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to take it off. That would be something I would keep and think of my dad when I handle it and use it.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

So you did! My apologies.

Are there any back stamps on any of those three?

Ed Newcombe on back of proto

 

[ConductorChris]

It measures 2 7/16

 

[SilverDeck]

It measures 2 7/16

Thanks.

Plomb was still messing around with the J100s sizes during this time period and the heads were being forged on a trip hammer and final-trimmed by hand, which gives a lot of variety to the head shapes.

The earliest pieces of the stamping variety you have there (from the 1920s, with the "Los" and "Angeles" all on one line) were a little larger: approx. 2 5/8". They shortened these up to slightly smaller pieces (like yours) that were in the 2 7/16" - 2 1/2" range. Then eventually J100s became standardized with an overall length of 2 3/16", but this did not happen until much later.

 

[STINEY]

Here is mine. Been carrying it since the 80's when Grandpa gave it to me. Mine has promotional stampings front and rear for a local company, so it took me a while to figure out who made it.

 

[SilverDeck]

Here is mine. Been carrying it since the 80's when Grandpa gave it to me. Mine has promotional stampings front and rear for a local company, so it took me a while to figure out who made it.

Very nice. Do you know what company the "MF" logo on the "Bucyrus, Ohio" side is for?

This piece defintely has all the earmarks of being a contract production by Proto. Hard to date it without any Proto markings, but I would guess 1960s or 1970s.

 

[RTM]

What’s the word under the fancy L in the first photo?

I actually drove through the edges of Bucyrus a few summers ago, en route to Wooster.

 

[STINEY]

Very nice. Do you know what company the "MF" logo on the "Bucyrus, Ohio" side is for?

This piece defintely has all the earmarks of being a contract production by Proto. Hard to date it without any Proto markings, but I would guess 1960s or 1970s.

The "M-F" would be for Massey-Ferguson, as the local LandMark carried and sold Massey Ferguson Equipment.

The word under the fance "L" is in fact, LandMark. And it was in the 70's when they gave these out to customers.

 

[STINEY]

What’s the word under the fancy L in the first photo?

I actually drove through the edges of Bucyrus a few summers ago, en route to Wooster.

Cool. I imagine you were on State Route 30 - you went within 2 miles of my house. Long ways from San Francisco.

 

[SilverDeck]

The "M-F" would be for Massey-Ferguson, as the local LandMark carried and sold Massey Ferguson Equipment.

The word under the fance "L" is in fact, LandMark. And it was in the 70's when they gave these out to customers.

Thanks. I knew it looked somewhat familiar (I'm a John Deere guy).

 

[Iowafox]

The "M-F" would be for Massey-Ferguson, as the local LandMark carried and sold Massey Ferguson Equipment.

The word under the fance "L" is in fact, LandMark. And it was in the 70's when they gave these out to customers.

If you ever wanted to part with this one I would buy this off you! My family has a special love for Massey Fergusson tractors! This is a cool piece you have here! And I love the fact it is so worn it looks great!

 

[Iowafox]

I just placed the order for this one here. I liked the idea of not having someone's name on it but instead a old business. This one will go onto my personal keys that is on me daily. The current Ed Newcombe one I have will go onto my work keys or onto my truck keys. It will still be used but there was just something strange about carrying around something that has someone else's name on it. Maybe it's just me.

 

[SilverDeck]

The names on the back were generally Proto tool salespeople, distributors, and Proto employees. The majority of the J100s were handed out similar to how business cards are used. If you think about it, it was a genius marketing strategy, especially when you hand out something that people will want to put in their keys and carry around. I have one with a woman’s name on it. She was involved with Proto personnel.

 

[Iowafox]

I didn't think of it that way.

 

[SilverDeck]

Picked up an interesting J100 recently associated with an event of some historic significance. In 1961, Proto produced a run of J100s to commemorate the 50th Anniversary (1911-1961) of the Indianapolis 500 auto race. If you look closely in the recessed lettering and a few protected areas on the back, there are small traces of gold plating still clinging to the screwdriver. This is appropriate since the 1961 running was the golden anniversary of the 500. When new, this J100 would have been completely gold plated. This piece was cherished by someone who carried and used it long enough for the microns-thin gold plating to wear off almost entirely.

The real value in J100s like this (that can be tied to specific, datable events) is that they give an indication of when different front stamps were in active use. In this case, we know that this front stamp style with the "PROTO MFD. U.S.A." without the registered trademark symbol was still being used in 1961. Similar J100s exist from the 1962 and 1963 Indy 500 races.

 

[RTM]

Cool. I imagine you were on State Route 30 - you went within 2 miles of my house. Long ways from San Francisco.

Yup, flew to ORD, drove to Wooster, visited family. Drove back to Chicago, visited friends. Want to say something in Bucyrus caught my eye, but it was closed both days I drove thru. Any nice antique sellers right on 30? May have been it, an excuse to get out and walk for a few minutes.

Stopped in Van Wert too, but their store was closed too. Think they would not have appreciated me dumpster diving for rejects.

 

[SilverDeck]

Although I've been pretty quiet as of late, I am continuing to work hard on this project and compiling information about the numerous varieties. Anyone picked up any examples lately that they would care to post pics of?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here is a proto and a p&c

 

[SilverDeck]

I absolutely love that the P&C still has its original 30 cents price sticker on the back. Don’t ever take that off. I’ve never seen another with a sticker on it like that.

 

[SilverDeck]

What’s the story on that P&C with the price tag? Is it something you have had for a long time?

 

[AngryBeaver]

heres my one and only. Gets used daily. Spent a long time finding one after the one my grandfather was stolen when my truck was broken into years ago. No pics of that one, but it was a plomb.

 

[AngryBeaver]

My minor contribution for science. Found these, and a few extras, at a hoarder's estate sale back in 2009. The guy was torn between wanting everything gone, and trying to get his best price. I spent the better part of our time there grabbing smalls, the things that wouldn't gather a glance from a flipper, but would be great for completing tool sets.



Looks like I had 10-12 originally. Gave them to friends and coworkers.

Here are the few that are remaining. Same order, both pictures. I have a larger Bechtel wrench somewhere too, but not relevant here.

If you ever decide you want to part with one of the bechtel ones, I would love to buy it. I’ve been on the bechtel Shell chemical plant in Monaca Pa for almost 3 years.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

What’s the story on that P&C with the price tag? Is it something you have had for a long time?

Just recently. Spotted on ebay.

 

[Old Radar]

Here's the only one I have. Found at an estate sale a few months ago here in San Antonio. It looks unused. No idea what Lynco might be.

 

[SilverDeck]

Here's the only one I have. Found at an estate sale a few months ago here in San Antonio. It looks unused. No idea what Lynco might be.

Many thanks for this contribution. Very nice P&C from the late 1960s/early 1970s. The individual and company name on the back was likely a P&C tool distributor. The company produced these these for reps and distributors to give out like business cards.

I’ve been absent from this forum for awhile but am continuing to make good progress on the Plomb/Proto Model 100 (J100) Research project. Does anyone else have keyring screwdriver pics they would be willing to share here?

 

[Indexmill]

I'll bet that Proto started to make these as a way to use and monetize scrap from making tools.

 

[SilverDeck]

I'll bet that Proto started to make these as a way to use and monetize scrap from making tools.

Believe it or not, according to the retired Proto plant manager from Milwaukie, Oregon (where these things were made before they closed the plant and moved operations to Texas), who I interviewed just weeks before he passed away, it was new 11/32” diameter round stock of 4140 steel that went into these. Same tool steel that they used for their other screwdrivers. This guy walked me through every step of the J100 production process from start to finish. I recorded our conversation and wrote down all of the steps, then I had him review my document to make sure ai had it all right. I will be publishing the production steps here on Garage Journal as soon as my J100 research is complete. Been working on it for a year now and am getting close.

 

[davethorik]

Just picked this one up today, Proto L.A.
backside says Ohio Battery & Ign.
Just noticed the Proto side is double stamped.

I found evidence of a company with this name in Canton, OH