Vintage tape measures

[d42jeep]

I found another Lufkin Magic Yardstick at our summer home that I didn’t remember having. My wife must have picked it up at an estate sale.
-Don

 

[The Cobbler]

... re-discovered this odd Lufkin 'woven' tape. Measures in 10ths of a foot. What do you guys suppose this was used for?

.

as stated , surveyers use 10ths

 

[Username already in use]

I found another Lufkin Magic Yardstick at our summer home that I didn’t remember having. My wife must have picked it up at an estate sale.
-Don

Don, I wouldn't be surprised if you had 2 of everything!

Construction/surveyors use 10ths.
Elevations on survey markers.

as stated , surveyers use 10ths

Thanks guys! I got to looking. Apparently these are called 'engineering' tape measures.

 

[bluebolt]

Great collection Bluebolt. I wouldn't be mad if you posted a close up of just the demolition charge computing tape. That's a new one for me!

I'll post some more pics of mine later but here's the same one at a place that sells surplus for a relatively cheap price. https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1106180

 

[Macduf]

Second bit of collection.

 

[Username already in use]

Second bit of collection.

Looking good, Macduf.

I was able to add one good user to the collection this weekend.
10ft Blackhawk 'power return' tape measure. The return mechanism still works great. This one is going to get pressed back into service.

 

[Davefr]

I love these little Stanley's. They're thin so they don't clog up your pocket or glove box. They're perfect for trips to the HW store or lumber yard.

I must have 10-20 of them from various G-sales.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm catching up on some weekend finds, Unaiu. This sewn leather-clad 25-footer caught my eye at a flea market because I don't recall seeing the name or examples before, on this thread or anywhere else. JUSTUS ROE & SONS, PATCHOGUE, NY. I looked it up in my WPB Major War Supply Contracts books. They supplied $360,000 worth of steel tape measures to the Navy. Founded in 1876. History link here.

 

[DWise]

I have a better example in post #11

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Less scuffed on the edges, for sure. And a 50-footer to boot. The leather looks like it's been treated, or is it just faded like that? Anyway, thanks for calling it out. I missed that scanning the thread, and it didn't come up in a search without text.

The article on the U.S. (which stands for Universal Steel, not United States) Tape website doesn't say when they became U.S. Tape, but they were Roe International and Irwin Measuring Tools Company before that, so relatively recently.

 

[timbitca]

Here is my collection, I'm sure there's a few more laying around somewheres...



These are all my tape measures, I don't have any "modern" ones because I don't like how bulky they are. Sure they are easier to read with the wide tapes, but I hate walking around with a brick tied to my waist. I'm just a hobbyist, so I can take .5 seconds more to read the tape when measuring a board and it's not going to hurt me.

The bottom row in the picture were all my Grandfathers, the K&E was his daily carry and I identify that one with him the most, it's special to me.

 

[humber2]

The evidence is out there that these collectors will go to any lengths........

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's true. Give 'em an inch and they'll take a yard.

 

[humber2]

And what's more is that the evidence can be retracted .........

 

[twertsy]

The examples posted thus far sure are cool, by any measure.....

 

[motoretro]

delete

delete

 

[Username already in use]

Very neat looking. The tape looks nice and clean as well. Good small size, perfect for a pocket.

 

[4xdog]

I have a world class collection of Parker fountain pens (especially the "51") and in my assortment of ephemera, there's this small tape measure. Made, I believe, by Parker in Los Angeles (Culver City, at the old Eversharp plant) in the late 1950s-60s.

 

[d42jeep]

I added to my unintentional Lufkin tape measure collection on Sunday.
-Don

 

[Username already in use]

I have a world class collection of Parker fountain pens (especially the "51") and in my assortment of ephemera, there's this small tape measure. Made, I believe, by Parker in Los Angeles (Culver City, at the old Eversharp plant) in the late 1950s-60s.

That Parker tape is really unique. Looks to be in fantastic shape as well. Too bad there's not a pen built in somewhere.

I added to my unintentional Lufkin tape measure collection on Sunday.

Good looking Lufkin, Don. Those Ni-Clad tapes are nice.

I picked up an old one for the collection last week. A WALSCO 8', still has a good action to it. A brand I've not seen before. Not the best pic, but you get the idea.

 

[steel 35]

I like this one because it does the math for me but I don't use it

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As first reported in the 2018 Garage Sale thread, I picked up a STANLEY No. 1266 steel tape measure (72 inches) at my Friday early bird flea market this morning. See Pic 1.

It has two patent numbers on the case (See Pic 2) and a third patent number on the tape (See Pic 4). The first patent on the case ("1,964,280") is actually Lufkin patent, granted June 26, 1934. Stanley owns the second patent on the case ("2,005,677"), granted June 18, 1936, as well as the patent on the tape ("1,983,503"), granted December 4, 1934.

The only markings on the tape are "STANLEY" and "MADE IN U.S.A." (See Pic 3), the aforementioned patent (See Pic 4), and "PAT'S PEND." (See Pic 5) and "KEEP CLEAN LIGHTLY OILED" at the 36-inch mark (See Pic 6).

There are no secondary foot markings, just inches "1" through "72", and graduation marks in 8ths and 16ths.

I could've sworn someone else already posed a similar Stanley but I couldn't find it. If I missed it, someone please link it or cite the post number.

 

[Username already in use]

Nice looking tape, Lugz. Looks like it cleaned up pretty well from the pic in the garage sale thread. Nice find.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks. Plucked it out of the same toolbox as the Vlchek Chro-Moly tappet wrench and the BON{}NEY "S" wrench. I was super pleased how well it turned out.

 

[Farmer J.]

I think I have the English version of that US Stanley tape of Lugz's.. Bought it in the 1970's in a local hardware store. No feet markings on the measure just like the Stanley one but is does have metric alongside the inches. It was becoming popular to try and persuade us to use metric around then and become part of Europe. Glad that silly idea seems to be coming to an end at last..

 

[d42jeep]

I really like these Lufkin push button tapes and couldn’t pass on this one at a garage sale yesterday for $2.00.
-Don

 

[DWise]

I have the same one marked Snap-on, pic in post #11. I think it is one of the "classier" tapes I've got.

 

[bonneyman]

I like this one because it does the math for me but I don't use it

That is a nice one!

 

[Macduf]

Ok gotta love this tape measure shape. Any idea how old?

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a 100’ measure I found a couple weeks ago and forgot to post.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Any idea how old?

No, but I love it. I wonder why it's called a 3-in-1? I can see two (2) of the implied functions - the tape itself, of course, and the case for the tape, which can be used as a rule, but what's the third use?

What's the thing on top of the case? A belt clip?

 

[Macduf]

The last function was a level, the now non functioning bubble is on top.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Aha. That explains the length of the case, too! Very cool. A level-rule-tape measure.

 

[Username already in use]

Today's very cold flea market netted me this trio of terrific tapes.
6' Walsco, 50' BlueGrass, and 50' Craftsman

 

[bonneyman]

Here is my collection, I'm sure there's a few more laying around somewheres...



These are all my tape measures, I don't have any "modern" ones because I don't like how bulky they are. Sure they are easier to read with the wide tapes, but I hate walking around with a brick tied to my waist. I'm just a hobbyist, so I can take .5 seconds more to read the tape when measuring a board and it's not going to hurt me.

The bottom row in the picture were all my Grandfathers, the K&E was his daily carry and I identify that one with him the most, it's special to me.

I bow to the lord of Lufkin!

I've acquired a few more - here's the current family. I especially like the tape with decimal notation - first I've seen like that.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

50' BlueGrass

Nice! Uncommon find!

 

[Elvisidal]

1920’s?

 

[Modern Garage]

I spied a push button Evans like this in a group photo that Bonneyman posted a little while back and I thought it deserved it's own close-up. I shelled out a buck and a half at a secondhand store for this one just because I love the picture of the little guy on the roof measuring... something.
Joe

 

[2oolhound]

I'm afraid these cell phone photos aren't the greatest. I found this on my brother's kitchen table when I was visiting him a month back. When he saw the trouble I was going to trying to get good shots of it he told me to keep it so that worked out pretty good for me. I can't remember the length at the moment but I'll try to edit that in later.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Haha. That's nifty. Love the "tread." What is the brand? I don't recognize the cartoonish mechanic.