Very Early Skilsaw Hand Grinder

[Maui]

I just picked up this Skilsaw Model HG hand grinder yesterday. It is a very early one, and I think it is likely that this is the first model they ever made. It has the same type of identification plate color scheme and layout that my Skilsaw Model E circular saw had, and that dated to 1926 or so. So I suspect that this was manufactured in the mid 1920s as well. Does anybody else have one of these? I scoured the internet and literally came up with NOTHING. I wonder if anybody here might have some literature on it, or maybe an old ad that shows it for sale? Thanks!

 

[Maui]

Well, I did some research, and was able to locate a skilsaw catalog as far back as 1936. They had a newer version hand grinder in it that was numbered, but no lettered model numbers. So this hand grinder was manufactured prior to 1936. Does anybody know what year Skilsaw changed their model designations from letters to actual numbers? Since I originally posted this I replaced the power cord with a new 18 gage 3 wire cord so the tool is now grounded, a period correct plug, and an in-line on/off switch. I cleaned up the brushes and other electrical connections, and made some other repairs. It runs beautifully now.

 

[RoninB4]

Looks just like some of die grinders I've used at older shops around Chicago. Don't recall the name of them but Dumore comes to mind for some reason. Yours does resemble the Model 10 from Dumore's plant around Racine (Wisconsin) and that's not far from Chicago. There may have been a "House Brand" arrangement with Skill to produce your model. That's all speculation on my part but you could dig further into that if you're interested.

It's a nice grinder I wouldn't mind having. Congratulations.

 

[Maui]

Thanks Ronin. It appears to spin at around 20,000 rpm. Since Skilsaw made their own worm drive saws since 1924, I wouldn't be surprised if they actually built this by themselves too. But I'll take a look at the Dumore grinders and see how they compare.

 

[Maui]

Here's a photo of the Skilsaw hand grinder after all of the repair work was completed. I considered painting it, but the paint is original and is still in very good shape. So I decided to leave it as is and just use it. It was a fun project, and now I have a 90+ year old tool that is in fantastic working condition.