Vintage Sheet Metal Hand Tools

[aggierailroad]

Spoiler alert: Also posted this on my kegerator build thread in the Fab & Techniques forum on here. Hope you guys enjoy looking at these as much as I will enjoy using them!

Browsing Craigslist while in a training session at work I came across an add for some vintage tools. Couldn't pass up the deal and the guy actually worked a few blocks down from me.

Paid $50 for these two boxes. It's great that they are still in their original boxes.

The one on the left is a set of Wiss-17 snips. Never been used and still in the wax paper with cosmoline on the blades.

And the greatest prize is the one on the left - a Parker Kalon No. OX sheet metal punch. Patented in 1915! I've found a few other sets for sale and have heard that it will punch up to 14 ga. steel!

 

[jabberwoki]

Beautiful

 

[WWIIjeep]

And the greatest prize is the one on the left - a Parker Kalon No. OX sheet metal punch. Patented in 1915! I've found a few other sets for sale and have heard that it will punch up to 14 ga. steel!

Definitely a great score. The Whitney No. 5 Jr. punches are more common (since they're still made), but I've always liked the P-K No. O.X. punches better.

There are two 1915 patents for the O.X.: 1324621 and 1418624.

Rated capacity is a 1/4" hole in 14 GA mild steel. That's slightly higher than the rated capacity of the Whitney No. 5 Jr. at a 1/4" hole in 16 GA mild steel. But, you need really strong hands to punch 1/4" in 14 GA with the P-K, and whatever you do, do not put your fingers or thumbs between the handles during use (as one might be inclined to do with two-handed operation). Just squeeze from the outside.

I'm betting that box isn't OEM, but was made by the original tin-knocker owner. The bare black iron and soldered joints and hinges are kind of a giveaway on that.

This is an original P-K No. O.X. box:




Here's close-ups of the instructions in case you want to save and print them:





I believe Whitney bought the rights to the Parker-Kalon No. O.X. and X.X. punches from Duro-Dyne (the previous owner) sometime in the early or mid 60s. They then discontinued the No. O.X. (and support, and replacement punches and dies) in favor of their own No. 5 Jr., but they still make the larger X.X. punch to this day.

 

[TinKnocker]

Nice finds!

 

[aggierailroad]

Here's close-ups of the instructions in case you want to save and print them:


I believe Whitney bought the rights to the Parker-Kalon No. O.X. and X.X. punches from Duro-Dyne (the previous owner) sometime in the early or mid 60s. They then discontinued the No. O.X. (and support, and replacement punches and dies) in favor of their own No. 5 Jr., but they still make the larger X.X. punch to this day.

Awesome! Just the stuff I was looking for, I really appreciate this.

I have all of the dies/punches but some of the punches are broken. Either the tip is jagged or in one case completely gone. Any tips on either how to fix the jagged ones or procure new ones?

Luckily 1/4" is still good and punches through my 22 ga. test like a hot knife in butter.

 

[WWIIjeep]

I have all of the dies/punches but some of the punches are broken. Either the tip is jagged or in one case completely gone. Any tips on either how to fix the jagged ones or procure new ones?

Luckily 1/4" is still good and punches through my 22 ga. test like a hot knife in butter.

You can easily sharpen the dies if the edges of the holes are chipped or rounded by grinding the top. The punches can be ground too, but only a couple of times, and only lightly, because the shank above the point is tapered for clearance, and after a couple of light sharpenings, you'll have too much clearance for use on thin stock.

Replacements are tough, since AFAIK, no one is making new ones, and used or NOS ones depend on the seller being able to identify them properly so you can find them in a search.

Whitney No. 5 Jr. dies will fit in P-K No. O.X. punches, so that's easy enough for that half of the replacement needs.

If you have access to a lathe with carbide tooling and a tool post grinder, you can modify Whitney No. 5 Jr. punches to fit the P-K No. O.X. They won't be perfect, but they'll work. Whitney punches are longer, and have a larger body than P-K, so the punch body can be shortened and partially ground down, while leaving the remaining top end at full diameter to cut a shoulder to hold it in the P-K punch holder. The shoulder section ends up being smaller than an original P-K, but enough for the retaining nut to grab (barely).

1/4" P-K punch (top) and Whitney punch shown below for comparison: