Vintage tape measures

[2oolhound]

Dang! I forgot to look at it again last night. I don't recall a name other than what you see on his shirt. I'll look some more.

NEW INFO:

It turns out the mark on the shirt is just a shadow sketched in to give depth.

The tape is 1 3/8" across the tire tread.
The blade is 40" (1 meter)

Also found on the blade is the patent #'s "PR. APP'D 262 TC"
After a bit of googling it seems Evans made tapes in Puerto Rico in the 60's. This marking is found on many tapes of this and other designs. The 262 pertains to Evans and Starrett after they acquired Evans.

This info may be just speculative and was found here:

http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/194988/thread/

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: I need to subscribe to this thread cause I have more than a few of these vintage tape measures and i've probably got 20 newer ones that are MIA cause i can never seem to remember where I put them when i'm using them.

thanks for sharing.

 

[Discherd]

Here are some I have collected.
A Stanley that is unique and a direct reading one with a metal pin and a hole in the tape for making circles.

 

[Username already in use]

Nice grouping of vintage tapes. I like the little 'Blackie' tape.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

After a bit of googling it seems Evans made tapes in Puerto Rico in the 60's. This marking is found on many tapes of this and other designs. The 262 pertains to Evans and Starrett after they acquired Evans.

This info may be just speculative and was found here:

http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/194988/thread/

Thanks, 2oolhound!

I was thinking the cartoon guy was a famous logo I just didn't recognize, akin to the Pep Boys - Manny, Moe, and Jack, or the Michelin Man, or something like that, for a huge Canadian tire company.

Whatever it is, one of the coolest tape measures on this thread, in my opinion! And with the whole looks-like-a-little-tire theme, it is in a category unto itself!

 

[d42jeep]

For the Craftsman Crown fans, I finally cleaned up this tape measure we picked up last weekend.
-Don

 

[Targa68]

Hi

I would like to show my two American-made tape measures, both bought in Norway.

These are apparently made for the European/metric marked.

- ROE COMET 25m
- LUFKIN 3M

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: I pulled an old tape measure out of a drawer at my storage unit to make a measurement and dang thing was an all steel no paint metric. of course I liked it cause of the naked steel, but had to grab another one cause my metric to inches and feet transfer isn't the greatest.

the tape measure was about the size of the Craftsman JEEP just posted that I have a few of, but forgot the name on the metric one.

i'll get some pictures soon.

 

[C1070RS]

Revonac and Evan's

 

[d42jeep]

We found a similar but slightly larger Craftsman tape measure yesterday. I thought another shopper was going to grab it, but he checked it out for a while and finally set it back down.
-Don

 

[ttpete]

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.

Those Navy tapes were oil gauging tapes, something that's used daily aboard ship to determine content and also daily usage. There's a person called the "oil king" who has a crew of gaugers and is responsible for keeping records.

 

[davethorik]

Picked up another vintage Lufkin tape measure for the collection...with original box!

Stitched leather case is pretty clean with fantastic embossed lettering, not NOS but it looks to have seen light use.

I've never seen this particular type before, a Challenge Junior. It is a 50' crank wind steel tape, but probably one of the smallest I've seen.

 

[davethorik]

I now have 8 vintage Lufkin tape measures with original boxes. I always enjoy finding new ones I've never seen before.

The one photo with 4 random tapes is my stitched leather case subcollection. This new one is an addition to that group. I also have an Anchor C210 25 ft. with box, and then 2 tapes w/o.

The larger is a semi-metallic cloth tape. Farthest away is a Challenge Stainless, with ss tape. It's pretty uncommon as far as vtg Lufkin tapes go.

 

[Username already in use]

Very nice!

 

[4xdog]

One of my father's old tools. Guessing 1950s.

 

[4xdog]

A little giveaway from a company still in business in my hometown. I've had this for about fifty years, and it wasn't new when I got it.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this nice Lufkin at a garage sale yesterday. The slight rust stains cleaned right off.
-Don

 

[theamcguy]

Stanley is celebrating their 175th anniversary and has done a commemorative tape measure. Although not old it looks vintage. You can see it here


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JG2MX61/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[4xdog]

Stanley is celebrating their 175th anniversary and has done a commemorative tape measure. Although not old it looks vintage. You can see it here


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JG2MX61/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That's pretty neat, amc!

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Just what I could find quickly. The well worn Stanley was my Dad’s, he carried a 12’ tape at all times. This one in particular was the last one he carried, he passed away in 2007. I carried it for a few years but it needs a new blade. My current daily carrier is not vintage but looks similar.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[paulm12]

100' Lufkin tape rule came in a box of tools I picked up recently
.

 

[tym]

Just what I could find quickly. The well worn Stanley was my Dad’s, he carried a 12’ tape at all times. This one in particular was the last one he carried, he passed away in 2007. I carried it for a few years but it needs a new blade. My current daily carrier is not vintage but looks similar.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This may be a silly question, but I picked up a 6' tape measure like the one in the lower left of your pic. How much spring tension should there be. Right now the tension is "neutral" and the tape does not self-retract until I give it a little nudge.

Either way, can't complain for a buck.

 

[Tylermorris]

Zippo tape measure

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

This may be a silly question, but I picked up a 6' tape measure like the one in the lower left of your pic. How much spring tension should there be. Right now the tension is "neutral" and the tape does not self-retract until I give it a little nudge.



Either way, can't complain for a buck.

No spring tension on that one, I think the return spring is broken.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Username already in use]

I really like those 'PowerReturn' tape measures. I broke my old Evans and have been looking for a replacement for a while now. Finally found this Craftsman Crowntop at the flea yesterday for $2. Works great.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Assuming this celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Sears and Roebuck, not Craftsman. That would date it 1943.

 

[Username already in use]

Oooh, that one is SWEET!

 

[Stuart in MN]

Stanley is celebrating their 175th anniversary and has done a commemorative tape measure. Although not old it looks vintage. You can see it here


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JG2MX61/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Those are pretty neat. I ordered a couple to use for Christmas stocking stuffers.


edited to add: I received the Stanley commemorative edition tape measures from Amazon. Good quality, they feel nice and heavy in your hand.

 

[Old Radar]

Here's my group. All from estate sales. The Millers Falls is my favorite, but sadly the clip is missing. The Lufkin 20' with the tree hook is my next favorite.

 

[Odd Job]

This one was Dad's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

He obviously kept good care of his tools. And that's a nice keepsake with the blackface tape.

 

[Provincial]

Old Radar, check the Lufkin with the hook and see if it reads a regular scale or if it is a "Diameter" tape. I have one that if you measure around the circumference of the tree, tells you the diameter. It has a hook just like that.

If it is a normal scale, it probably was intended to measure the length of boards.

 

[Old Radar]

Provincial--

The 20' Lufkin has a diameter scale and a surveyor's scale (1/10th graduations) on the other side of the black steel tape. 20' doesn't seem particularly useful for a surveyor but it can measure up to a 6'4" diameter tree--and that hook is sharp!

 

[Macduf]

ya gotta love .50 cent tape measures. surprised it lasted to second day of sale.

 

[RTM]

The final bit of the P.R. question was answered later on in that swingleydev thread, summarized here:

"P. R. APP"D NO 339 TC printed on our blades is our certification approval
(Issued by the Govt. of Puerto Rico) number issued to Stanley Tools allowing
us to sell Tape Rules in Puerto Rico. Issued in the late 1960's.

The number is consistent across companies:

Stanley 339
Lufkin 252
Evans 262
Starrett 262 (after they took over Evans)
Disston Carlson 258

I have a few Carlson's at home, will post up soon. They manufactured in my home town apparently, but I have not been back to track them down.

 

[drivesitfar]

OLD RADAR: nice looking group of tape measures. I really like your Dad's black tape with the box. coming out of the side like that is it easy to use or do tell?

ALL: as I'm getting organized i'm starting to find a few of the missing 100 or so tape measures that i own so i'll post up a few pics later. about the only tape 25 foot tape measure I know where it is at all times is my bride's that she'd kill me if i didn't put it back so when I use it I PUT IT BACK. maybe I ought to threaten myself to PUT THEM BACK cause I can't tell you how many times i've used one and 5 minutes later i can find it anywhere. speaking of that there is a thread somewhere on GJ about MIA tapes.

cheers

 

[Old Radar]

OLD RADAR: nice looking group of tape measures. I really like your Dad's black tape with the box. coming out of the side like that is it easy to use or do tell?

Thanks! The black tape with the box was Odd Job's Dad's, but I'd like to know the answer to your question, too.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was thrilled to find this Lufkin "Wizard" Junior today at the flea market. No. 1686, steel tape, 6-footer. From the dark onyx finish to the art deco engraving of the size of the tape, it might now be the prettiest danged tape measure I own. I am loathe to try to remove that one small blot you can see for fear of ruining an otherwise nearly unblemished finish. The patent (Witchger, 1,964,280) was issued in 1934.

 

[Stuart in MN]

There's a tool library here in Minneapolis: https://www.mntoollibrary.org It's a pretty cool setup - there's an annual fee but then you can sign out all manners of tools from drills and saws to shovels or wheelbarrows, plus they have a room full of woodworking machines (table saws, jointers, sanders, etc.) for use. Anyway, they're having a running sale of various tools that are surplus or not needed. I stopped by there today and picked up a few Stanley Workmaster screwdrivers for my collection, pus this 100' Lufkin tape that's in real good shape for $3.

 

[RTM]

Here's my collection of vintage tapes, (and maybe 1 or 2 not so vintage) These were all gathered after I discovered the Carlson was in my home town, just not sure when. The Stanley came in a recent box lot of tools from the 1940s- 1990s, and the circular one is a cute German made one, no idea the age, just different.



The big ones are Keuffel & Esser, Lufkin, Starret, and Lufkin again (Decimal feet on the big one). The little ones are mostly Carlson or Disston Carlson.