Tools from the old world

[mr.lemons]

Some PB Swiss bits (and one Wiha).











50mm PZ2 bit comparison (As far as I am aware these are power bits not rated for impact use).

Wera 855/4TH (Czech Republic).
PB Swiss PB E6.192/2 (Switzerland).
Wiha 7042 (Germany). (COO taken from uk.farnell so may not be accurate).

 

[BigBoreFan]

I've got a thing for 1/4 spinner handles. This one is on the small side.

 

[mr.lemons]

Correction from my post above. I couldn't find any mention of 'impact' when reading about PBS bits so assumed they were not impact rated.

Quote from the catalogue and website regarding PB Swiss Precisionbits.

'The balance of outstanding toughness and hardness distinguishes PB Swiss Tools PrecisionBits. The PrecisionBits are suitable for all types of screwdriving applications. The use of bits with different degrees of hardness and coatings is no longer necessary - stock keeping is simplified.'

I emailed PB Swiss to ask about the E6 bits I had purchased and was assured that 'Our E6 bits are impact driver and drills compatible.'

It's hard to believe that one bit will be best for all tasks especially when you see the dizzying range of different hardnesses and features on Wera bits but it definitely keeps things simple.

 

[Superbec]

Here’s another for the USAG kit:

https://www.griotsgarage.com/produc...+set+1-4+drive.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=Search

Do you have the Wera 11mm (?) pass-through ratchet or the bit ratchet? The bit one is only ok - I have one but always pick up Felo or Koken ones instead.

usag looks sweet, I stand by my wera though

I have the bit ratchet, I really don't have the need for a pass thru ratchet .

 

[GerMec]

Sweet little Ratchet. 14 bucks shipped

 

[mr.lemons]

12v cordless drivers are not just for deck screws. Bit of a boring vid but wanted to show how versatile these are on the lowest clutch setting.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I_XaPDvNa5c" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[JBH]

I've always wondered why the secondary wings on PZ bits and screwdrivers vary so much in size and shape. They all seem to work well, though.

Some recent arrivals:

After being disappointed by the Snap-On 1/4" QR locking flex, I wondered if the issue was poor design or just poor QC. So I thought I'd sample another with the same "Dual 80" mechanism. Bahco was the cheapest. (FYI Amazon Global Store was cheaper than direct from amazon.co.uk) As for the Wille 1/4" QR and baby pliers...pure impulse buys. I needed a long T15 to take something apart. I wanted a soft-handle 1/4" drive breaker bar as a Nepros stubby ratchet handle.

A few comparisons. First, head size comparison of Stahlwille to Nepros, Koken x Wiha, and Snapper:

First impressions are that I don't think I could tell Wille from Nepros by feel. Both are a step down from Koken. Locking mechanism is not as good as Snapper; that is the one thing SO got right. It's the only one that both locks and allows completely free use.

Wille mini pliers compared to Knipex Cobra 125mm. Wille are a bit more cumbersome and obviously adjustment is crude, but the handles are more comfortable. Get the Cobras if you want a tiny set of waterpump pliers, unless you find the Willes much cheaper. Mine are going in a portable tool set.

Last, Stahlwille 403 breaker bars old and new.

New handle is a little smaller than I expected, but still more comfortable than the old rubber handle.

 

[Performance]

Hi, my Gedore Torcofix Limited Edition torque wrench. More info someone? I can´t find anything on internet, only 2 eshops sell it here in Slovakia. Thanks

 

[davethorik]

Just got these Knipex 08 21 145 combination pliers.
I am impressed so far.

 

[mr.lemons]

Some recent arrivals:

Nice Stahlwille haul. I was also disappointed with my 1/4 qr Snap on ratchet and wasn't sure if it was faulty so ended up with a Stahlwille. You seem to really rate Koken ratchets despite the relatively low tooth count. Trying not to be intrigued enough to buy one.

Just got these Knipex 08 21 145 combination pliers.
I am impressed so far.

Been looking out for a good price on those for a while as they appear to be needle nose pliers specifically designed for twisting and tougher jobs.

PB Swiss PB 705.2 100mm knurled grip centre punch. Suitable for working on materials up to 40HRC. They make a punch with a harder tip which is more expensive. Amazed how nice the finish is even on their basic £4 tools.

 

[Reed Prince]

Just got these Knipex 08 21 145 combination pliers.
I am impressed so far.

Just ordered myself a pair. German Amazon price was much cheaper than USA distributors, so much so that I got the chrome multigrips, and added a couple of other pliers to the order.

 

[mrspeed]

I'm also a fan of those Knipex needle nose combination pliers. Speaking of which, I just got the last two Knipex pliers I've been after to make my Knipex drawer feel complete. Only 3 pliers in the drawer aren't Knipex. I'll let you figure out which, though 2 are pretty obvious.

Also got a 97 piece 1/2-drive Elora socket set with metal dispenser. There's no way I could ever go through all of these, but couldn't pass up the deal.

Finally, got the last remaining type of Heyco wrenches I was missing, the standard combination (400 series) metric set. This set came with a nylon roll. I like the Heyco wrenches a lot, especially for the price when they keep randomly dropping on Amazon.de. I like the old Hazet 600 series wrenches better, but they were more expensive and they're not made anymore (I haven't tried the 600N, since they're even more expensive).



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[upgrading]

A lot of Knipex there.

 

[Reed Prince]

That's quite a collection. I only have these.

 

[mr.lemons]

JBH - Forgot to ask, What do you think about the Wille 6534 5 long reach pliers? Fit and finish as good as Knipex?

 

[mrspeed]

A lot of Knipex there.

Yes, I have a problem. But it's not an inability to grip or nip things.

That's quite a collection. I only have these.

Nice! I have a few of the comfort grips as well, but there's something I like about the elegance of simple dipped handles. There's also something I like about the price.

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[JBH]

JBH - Forgot to ask, What do you think about the Wille 6534 5 long reach pliers? Fit and finish as good as Knipex?

I haven't used them yet, but my initial handling impression is that they're typical. Joint is well-machined: smooth and low friction opening, as good as no lateral slop. Horizontally-scored jaw, though I've not seen an appreciable difference in gripping power between horizontal, slanted, or cross-hatch.

I've yet to touch a VBW or Stahlwille pair of pliers that I thought gave anything up to Knipex in fit and finish. If anything the average attention to detail is even higher than Knipex - and Knipex makes great pliers.

I don't have the long-reach Knipex, but I assume (perhaps wrongly) that they have the same jaw dimensions as the Orbis Evotel. They look almost the same, except Knipex has 4 pulling grooves instead of 3.

If my assumption is correct, VBW/Wille have slightly longer and less beefy jaws. See attached.

 

[mr.lemons]

^ Cheers for that. Another tool I didn't know I needed.

 

[mrspeed]

I haven't used them yet, but my initial handling impression is that they're typical. Joint is well-machined: smooth and low friction opening, as good as no lateral slop. Horizontally-scored jaw, though I've not seen an appreciable difference in gripping power between horizontal, slanted, or cross-hatch.

I've yet to touch a VBW or Stahlwille pair of pliers that I thought gave anything up to Knipex in fit and finish. If anything the average attention to detail is even higher than Knipex - and Knipex makes great pliers.

I don't have the long-reach Knipex, but I assume (perhaps wrongly) that they have the same jaw dimensions as the Orbis Evotel. They look almost the same, except Knipex has 4 pulling grooves instead of 3.

If my assumption is correct, VBW/Wille have slightly longer and less beefy jaws. See attached.

Reasonable assumption, but not correct in this case. The jaw of the Knipex long reach pliers are probably closer to the Stahlwille long reach pliers than the EvoTel. From what I've been able to tell, the Evo line from Orbis is heavier duty than other Orbis pliers, and overall unlike any of the other pliers Orbis or Knipex sell. In fact the jaws of the EvoTel aren't even the same as the actual Orbis long reach pliers.

Here are pictures of them EvoTel next to both Knipex long reach pliers and the curved long reach pliers from Orbis, Elora, and Beta. The Elora pliers look identical to my eye as the Hazet and several others I've seen, though I don't have any of those others to compare so can't say for sure.

I've also included close up and side profile pictures of the EvoTel jaws next to the Knipex.

Lastly, a close up comparison of the curved jaw long reach pliers.

I like the Knipex the best out of the long reach pliers, followed by the Beta. The main problem with the other pliers is the parallel handles make it kind of hard to apply any appreciable force before the handles run into each other.



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[JBH]

Reasonable assumption, but not correct in this case. The jaw of the Knipex long reach pliers are probably closer to the Stahlwille long reach pliers than the EvoTel.

Thanks for the comparison and correction!

From what I've been able to tell, the Evo line from Orbis is heavier duty than other Orbis pliers, and overall unlike any of the other pliers Orbis or Knipex sell.

Come to think of it, none of the Evos do have equivalents, do they? EvoTel and EvoShark (cable shears) are really top-notch pliers. (I think I prefer NWS ErgoMulti to EvoPlus though.) Knipex would do well to take the EvoTel jaws and put them on a Knipex straight plier.

 

[mr.lemons]

I like the Knipex the best out of the long reach pliers, followed by the Beta. The main problem with the other pliers is the parallel handles make it kind of hard to apply any appreciable force before the handles run into each other.

That seems like a good reason to go for the Knipex. Awesome collection btw.

 

[mr.lemons]

Some second hand ebay purchases.



Habaro dead blow combination mallet. 247H-35. No COO. I thought Gedore rebranded Habaro hammers but I see this has the Gedore logo on it. Not sure if Gedore owns Habaro?





Compared to my plastic dead blow mallet which sounds like it's filled with metal shot the Habaro sounds like it's filled with powder or sand. Also sounds like the Habaro has more filling (less empty space) than the plastic mallet. The plastic mallet has a more pronounced dead blow effect than the Habaro.



Elliott-Lucas 2162-8" and Kamasa-Tools 8 inch pliers.



Elliott-Lucas made in Cannock (Birmingham) England.



Kamasa-Tools no COO or part number markings. Not sure of the era for these. Would hope 70-80s made in Japan but may be newer and Chinese.



Compared to 200mm (8 inch) Knipex. I guess inches were a bit longer back then. Really like the Elliott-Lucas (may be biased). Heavier and chunkier than the Knipex with slightly more flared out handles which fill my hands a little better for more grip. Think they would be my new go to pliers if the cutting edge wasn't damaged. Really hard to find them in good condition with covered handles.

 

[Cynical huckster]

A little bit of Gardena stuff. Some products are even made in Germany

 

[GPGPGP]

Do you know who is oem for Padre 2130 twist drill set?
('Made in Germany' written on backside)
I found that S&R has the same blue box.

 

[Cynical huckster]

Do you know who is oem for Padre 2130 twist drill set?
('Made in Germany' written on backside)
I found that S&R has the same blue box.

No idea about OEM for Padre, but S&R drill bits are made in China.

 

[mrspeed]

Bahco 147 pipe wrench. Weighing in around 8kg and 41.75" (106cm) long. Made in Argentina. Made it from Germany in just 1 week.



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[mr.lemons]

Not sure if this has been posted before.

https://knipexfans.shop/Zuhause-und-Unterwegs/KNIPEX-piX.html

 

[upgrading]

View media item 90562
View media item 90563

 

[Dave455]

Some second hand ebay purchases.

Habaro dead blow combination mallet. 247H-35. No COO. I thought Gedore rebranded Habaro hammers but I see this has the Gedore logo on it. Not sure if Gedore owns Habaro?

Kamasa-Tools no COO or part number markings. Not sure of the era for these. Would hope 70-80s made in Japan but may be newer and Chinese.


Compared to 200mm (8 inch) Knipex. I guess inches were a bit longer back then. Really like the Elliott-Lucas (may be biased). Heavier and chunkier than the Knipex with slightly more flared out handles which fill my hands a little better for more grip. Think they would be my new go to pliers if the cutting edge wasn't damaged. Really hard to find them in good condition with covered handles.
]

Gedore and Habero are all part of the same group, hence the logo!

They do produce separate lines of tools with different names on, and sometimes different colours, but you can see they are basically the same tools! Habero just make things like hammers and punches, and offer a better selection of these!

I often find surplus Habero hammers going really cheap on eBay as the name is not so well known! Usually an awesome buy.

I think you are about right for the age of those Kamasa pliers. I remember them from that time and am fairly sure they were Japanese made, I suspect by Keiba, Engineer, or one of the other Japanese plier makers!

No, you can’t go wrong with the older Elliott Lucas. I have a few new pairs dating from the 70’s still in their original packing. Despite 40 years of storage there is no rust, suggesting first class steel. The combination pliers seem to be almost indestructable!

A friend, who is an aircraft engineer, has mostly Elliott Lucas pliers. He only uses the models with the plain steel handles, and he polishes the heads so they are easy to wipe clean! They take an awesome polish, if you can invest the time!

 

[tanukiboy]

Not sure if this has been posted before.

https://knipexfans.shop/Zuhause-und-Unterwegs/KNIPEX-piX.html

I know all of us here love collecting unusual tools, no matter how exotic or specialized, but who the heck eats French fries with a fork?

 

[JBH]

I know all of us here love collecting unusual tools, no matter how exotic or specialized, but who the heck eats French fries with a fork?

Germans and Austrians. Every fast food place has little plastic or wooden fry forks.

 

[mr.lemons]

Gedore and Habero are all part of the same group, hence the logo!

Thanks Dave. I searched for sold Elliott Lucas pliers on ebay as see there have been some available as nos so hopefully there will be again.

 

[tanukiboy]

Germans and Austrians. Every fast food place has little plastic or wooden fry forks.

Wow, talk about fastidious eating habits! I personally eat all forms of potatoes (including mashed) with my grubby fingers.

 

[racingtadpole]

Anyone know where the Sykes Pikavant panel beating stuff is made these days? I’m considering beating the credit card for some but I’m not really inclined to if it’s not UK made anymore, which having been part of the Stanley Group up until recently it may not be.
Any input would be appreciated.

 

[ttpete]

Wow, talk about fastidious eating habits! I personally eat all forms of potatoes (including mashed) with my grubby fingers.

European kids are trained at an early age to use a knife and fork to eat. No switching hands. I have a Dutch friend who eats sandwiches using a knife and fork. Finger food isn't as popular there. It's actually more efficient and I've learned to do it.

 

[Snakevz]

Needed small level for portable toolbox, found this one for good price

Does anyone know where Kapro spirit levels are made?

 

[dutchgray]

Germans and Austrians. Every fast food place has little plastic or wooden fry forks.

Common here in the UK as well, at the chip shops, some use them some don't.

 

[tanukiboy]

Common here in the UK as well, at the chip shops, some use them some don't.

So as not to clutter this thread with more "fastidious eating" posts, I'd like to offer one last anecdote.

When I mentioned the fact that Germans eat French fries with a fork to a colleague at my office, he laughed and said that his daughter (half Japanese, born and raised in Japan) eats chicken wings with chopsticks. Impressive!

 

[mr.lemons]

Common here in the UK as well, at the chip shops, some use them some don't.

Yes but I've never seen anyone in the chip shop bring their own special chip fork with their name engraved on it. Think of the admiring looks you would get.

Dropped into Homebase to buy a hand saw. Was happy to see that the majority were not made in China. Even Stanley have made a token effort.

Picked up an Irwin as they offered the size I wanted. Don't cut much wood so don't have anything to compare it to but it works fine for the task I wanted it for which was cutting floor boards.

Also marked 'Made in Denmark' on the blade.

While I was out in the garden the postman turned up with a box from Germany. VBW 587620 180mm Side-Cutters. My first from VBW or Stahlwille. Textured handle grips look and feel very similar to Knipex Cobra grips. Marked 'Made in Germany.'

 

[mr.lemons]

New old stock Black & Decker 200mm pliers. Made in Germany. Not sure who the manufacturer was. Closest I could find with similar jaws and texture on the metal handles on Google images was Heyco. I like the looks but the finish isn't so great. The jaws don't line up properly and they are not tooled symmetrically.