Qualitytools
Well-known member
Perhaps we can start a new thread for Garden Tools if one doesn’t exist already.
Tools from the old world
- Thread starter Monte
- Start date
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Took the liberty of kicking off such a thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/the-yard-gardening-hand-tools-thread.545365/
Kind regards,
Olli
Kind regards,
Olli
Here’s an old tool from the old world. I have no idea how old, but I’d bet 75 years or more. I think it is malleable iron, japanned. A three-piece (probably missing a pad on the screw), quick-adjusting C-clamp.
The shaft slides straight to approximate closure, then turns clockwise about 45°, locking into the hollow screw (threaded inside and out) and tightening; turn it counterclockwise and it releases.
The forge mark is an arrow through an elipse, with Roman letters “G.S.” (or maybe C.S.) above and “K.” below. 
The reverse side has “Westphalia.1” in Cyrillic. Since Westphalia is in NW Germany, I am puzzled whether it represents the actual location of manufacture, or is more like a brand, connoting…uh…tenacity(?) in some Eastern European market?
Anyone ever see this design or brand?
The shaft slides straight to approximate closure, then turns clockwise about 45°, locking into the hollow screw (threaded inside and out) and tightening; turn it counterclockwise and it releases.The forge mark is an arrow through an elipse, with Roman letters “G.S.” (or maybe C.S.) above and “K.” below. The reverse side has “Westphalia.1” in Cyrillic. Since Westphalia is in NW Germany, I am puzzled whether it represents the actual location of manufacture, or is more like a brand, connoting…uh…tenacity(?) in some Eastern European market?
Anyone ever see this design or brand?
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Spongebob89
Well-known member
Unfortunatelly I tried but I can't buy it from USA. Do you know if there is any similar product to buy it from europe?
It works for the intended purpose. Cutting grass, shrubs, cut small plants like boxwood and others with small branches.
There are also 3,6/4 volt tools available.
I think every german househould has one
Every year on sale in every supermarket for like 19,95...Lockweiler "Stala" storage bins
https://www.lockweiler-werke.com/?srv=shop&pg=grp&pgrId=30
four.cycle
Well-known member
any clue as to location of "GISS"? URL maybe?
Reed Prince
Well-known member
Those look somewhat similar to my Facom FCM501A pliers. Can't show a photo of mine because I'm on the road, but here's something from Amazon.
neophyte
Well-known member
I found a product page pdf that had giss.fr on it, but that didn’t work for a website.
This style of plier goes back decades in France, to at least the 1970s.Those look somewhat similar to my Facom FCM501A pliers. Can't show a photo of mine because I'm on the road, but here's something from Amazon.
US Patent: 3,981,209 - Gripping Pincers
US patent 3,981,209 Gripping Pincers was issued to Yves Robert Caroff of Saint-Mande, France. It was granted on 09/21/1976. U.S. patent corresponding to French patent {FR-2237730}. The focus of the patent is a turnbuckle type adjusting mechanism for an adjustable pivot poin
www.datamp.org
The only other versionI can think of was manufactured in Japan, by one of the Japanese tool manufacturers, and that version was also sold at one point under one of the Spanish tool brands years ago.
The above has been mentioned years ago on this thread.
This is the Japanese version.
GRIP PLIERS | SUPER TOOL CO., LTD.
Manufacturing many kinds of general hand tools in addition to lifting tools such as lifting clamps and cranes.
Pinces DOLEX - Outils de serrage DOLEX
www.vpdolex.com
i only could find this: https://giss.com/
Maybe they once offered handtools ?
I think the OEM is Dolex
www.dolex.fr
Facom has different construction of the sheet metal body, upper jaws, release mechanism for example.
four.cycle
Well-known member
I believe you are correct: Dolex appears to be the OEM. No matter which way I go for "GISS", it kicks me to "Rubix", which appears to be a distributor, not a manufacturer. Maybe I'm missing something...
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Does the handle spin on that thing?
I thought Proxxon got out of the socket and drive tool game....
Where was that made?
I thought Proxxon got out of the socket and drive tool game....
Where was that made?
neophyte
Well-known member
The patents all seem to be listed as assigned to Facom, going back to the 1970s, but Facom routinely had tools made for them by separate manufacturers, some of whom may just be general manufacturers of OEM parts.I believe you are correct: Dolex appears to be the OEM. No matter which way I go for "GISS", it kicks me to "Rubix", which appears to be a distributor, not a manufacturer. Maybe I'm missing something...
Dolex operates a forge, and does general metal fabrication, along with distribution of tools, some of which they manufacture, and some from other manufacturers in Europe and elsewhere.
Some of the OEM manufacturers and brands barely have websites, and require research industrial directories.
I presume Facom just let Dolex make a version of the locking pliers to a slightly different design once the patent ran out, but continued using Dolex as an OEM for the Facom versions.
^ Does the handle spin on that thing?
I thought Proxxon got out of the socket and drive tool game....
Where was that made?
yes it does. Here is a short video:
They offer plenty of different hand tools:
PROXXON-INDUSTRIAL-SYSTEM
www.proxxon.com
It would be dumb to drop hand tools since Proxxon is a very common brand over here and they have a lot of trust in the hand tool game:
The origin of the hand tools is not disclosed. Most likely Taiwan.
The electric tools are made in Luxemburg
The locking pliers were originally made by "Outillage Roux"
Dolex - About us
dolex.fr
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ I have a "Proxxon" 1/4" drive socket set. Nice tools. Mine were made in Germany. My understanding is that they began outsourcing their hand tools (sockets and drive tools) from Asia. (The ratchet in my set was replaced somewhere along the way by a previous owner.)
One of very few of my 1/4" drive sets I've chosen to retain - they're actually very nice tools. The "Wurth" ratchet is really quite a nice piece of work:
One of very few of my 1/4" drive sets I've chosen to retain - they're actually very nice tools. The "Wurth" ratchet is really quite a nice piece of work:
Attachments
Dave455
Well-known member
The older “Wurth” ratchet‘s were made by Facom. That’s a Facom R.151
The Wurth ratchet’s are made in Taiwan now.
Some of the other parts of the set look a bit “Elora” to me, but I can’t be sure. They’re very good quality, if not so well known as some.
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KnurledNut
Well-known member
Rapid Fineline R19 fine wire hammer tacker. Think office staple gauge. Made in Sweden:
Assembled with Pozidriv screws:
Proudly stamped, "Designed and Manufactured by Isaberg Rapid AB Hestra Sweden":
Mine is an older model, but the current ones still show the same COO:
https://www.amazon.com/Rapid-20726001-Hammer-tacker-Ergonomic/dp/B0007VLNTO/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Assembled with Pozidriv screws:
Proudly stamped, "Designed and Manufactured by Isaberg Rapid AB Hestra Sweden":
Mine is an older model, but the current ones still show the same COO:
https://www.amazon.com/Rapid-20726001-Hammer-tacker-Ergonomic/dp/B0007VLNTO/?tag=atomicindus08-20
four.cycle
Well-known member
I was pretty surprised when I opened that ratchet up - I'd never seen one designed that way. It is an exceptionally nice piece of machinery. I cleaned that goopy grease out of it - seems to run much smoother with just MMO in it.
The sockets and drive tools in that kit are nicely made - nice fit and finish. The short extension is an old Herbrand that found its way into the kit somewhere in the past.
Searching for the correct ratchet for that set, I scoured the web for other images of German-production "Proxxon" socket sets, and they all appear to be pretty well made stuff. I wasn't about to pay north of $100 for a ratchet for a set I paid less than $40 bucks for, though.
photos ebay:
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Spongebob89
Well-known member
Jeff
Well-known member
I picked up a set of small tweezers for detail work. The 3 Swords brand looked good, made in the old world. But now I'm so sure they're made in Germany. There is no mark on any of the tweezers and the fit/finish leads much to be desired (arrow).
What's the consensus? If they're not German I'm sending them back.
What's the consensus? If they're not German I'm sending them back.
Kellermann & Co. Drei Schwerter GmbH - Home
Kellermann & Co. Drei Schwerter GmbH - Manicure- und Pedicure Produkte, Kosmetik- und Rasieraccessoires
www.kellermann.de
acer66
Well-known member
On their amazon page they have items that have a Made in Germany tag.I picked up a set of small tweezers for detail work. The 3 Swords brand looked good, made in the old world. But now I'm so sure they're made in Germany. There is no mark on any of the tweezers and the fit/finish leads much to be desired (arrow).
What's the consensus? If they're not German I'm sending them back.
Those tweezer do not as far as I can tell.
Dave455
Well-known member
Yes, they were good.
They were pretty much overshadowed by the later Facom “ Palm Control” ratchets, but the original designs had a lot of followers, and continued to be manufactured for years. They still are in some drive sizes, but I don’t think they are in 1/4” drive.
Repair kits are still available though.
Jeff
Well-known member
I sent them an email...nothing but crickets.
They look a lot like the made in Germany tweezers I picked up in Aldi last fall.I picked up a set of small tweezers for detail work. The 3 Swords brand looked good, made in the old world. But now I'm so sure they're made in Germany. There is no mark on any of the tweezers and the fit/finish leads much to be desired (arrow).
What's the consensus? If they're not German I'm sending them back.
Attachments
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Something a little different...
Williams Superslim 1/4” & 5/16” square - brake adjusting spanner.
Williams Superslim 1/4” & 5/16” square - brake adjusting spanner.
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y20dth
Well-known member
Is this genuine?
Condition seems way to good.
Do any of you know if there is a way to check for authenticity?
Condition seems way to good.
Do any of you know if there is a way to check for authenticity?
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Given the fact there is another one for sale - with different pictures & description - one that has been electrically overhauled and was supposedly purchased new/NOS - I’d go with genuine.
Wether it’s worth the asking price, on both offers, is an entirely different discussion. But actually irrelevant to your question.
However, if you’re entertaining the idea of purchasing one of them, ask for a couple of detailed pictures and inquire with Hazet directly. They should be able to tell you if it is a) real dealer merch/ sales aid product, b) something they had made ‘more recently’ as a giveaway/prize or sold to consumers, c) if it is counterfeit/ after market/ unlicensed 3rd party product.
Maybe @Orangina can enlighten us as well.
Kind regards,
Olli
Wether it’s worth the asking price, on both offers, is an entirely different discussion. But actually irrelevant to your question.
However, if you’re entertaining the idea of purchasing one of them, ask for a couple of detailed pictures and inquire with Hazet directly. They should be able to tell you if it is a) real dealer merch/ sales aid product, b) something they had made ‘more recently’ as a giveaway/prize or sold to consumers, c) if it is counterfeit/ after market/ unlicensed 3rd party product.
Maybe @Orangina can enlighten us as well.
Kind regards,
Olli