Vintage tape measures

[Private Lugnutz]

That's the one. I'll give myself and my memory and the resulting redundancy a little break and some credit for refining his lighthearted assumption back then that we owe Lufkin thanks for the slap-bracelet craze in the 70s. It wasn't their patent.

 

[Tostal]

British 'Rabone Chesterman' tape measure:-

 

[Username already in use]

Cool British tape! Interesting that it measures in Freedom Units instead of metric.

 

[American Iron]

Picked this up at a yard sale. Nice old Evans Power Tape push button 10ft length. Works great. Older but I don't know the era its from exactly..

 

[Jc2043]

It was a Lufkin kinda weekend.


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[bonneyman]

Oh, that one with the handle is cool!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It was a Lufkin kinda weekend

What is the footage on the steel reel?

Oh, that one with the handle is cool!

Agreed, also odd. I have a few, including a Lufkin made in 1903, but they are usually at least 100 feet. I posted one on page 1, post #28.

 

[ttpete]

What is the footage on the steel reel?

Agreed, also odd. I have a few, including a Lufkin made in 1903, but they are usually at least 100 feet. I posted one on page 1, post #28.

I have an actual Lufkin log rule. It's a folding rule with a hook end and reads directly in board feet for several different standard lengths.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have an actual Lufkin log rule. It's a folding rule with a hook end and reads directly in board feet for several different standard lengths.

You know the rule! If you don't post photos, it doesn't exist!

 

[Old Radar]

Found this one today. "The Golden Rule" by Waterbury Lock and Specialty Company (WALSCO). I believe it is from the '30s and the spring action is still strong. It was slightly tarnished so I hit it with a little Blue Magic. I just can't help putting the shine back on brass.

 

[Macduf]

that's beats my find, still the first baldwin I've found

 

[Jc2043]

What is the footage on the steel reel?

Agreed, also odd. I have a few, including a Lufkin made in 1903, but they are usually at least 100 feet. I posted one on page 1, post #28.

Hi Guys,

The steel rule is 25’. I think it might have been repaired because the rule starts at about 4”... sigh!

John


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[Provincial]

Many of that type of open-reel rule were used for measuring the depth of liquid in tanks. The free end had a weight and there was an access point in the top of the tank for this. The open reel allowed the liquid to either evaporate, drip off, or be removed by hand without leaving a residue in a closed housing.

 

[RTM]

Also, the 4” offset may allow for the size of the weight to be used. Like these

https://archive.org/details/LufkinGeneralCatalog12B/page/n69/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/LufkinGeneralCatalog12B/page/n43/mode/2up

 

[Jc2043]

Also, the 4” offset may allow for the size of the weight to be used. Like these

https://archive.org/details/LufkinGeneralCatalog12B/page/n69/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/LufkinGeneralCatalog12B/page/n43/mode/2up

I think you guys are correct! TY for the info. After looking at the back of the tape it looks the logo is intact and in the right position. So now the hunt for the lufkin plomb bob commences...


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[Private Lugnutz]

Snagged this Lufkin No. 926 "Mezurall" at the flea this morning.

It has two patents (1,964,280 and 1.973,843) on the case and a third (1,828,401) on the tape itself.

That first patent on the case is the Witchger patent (granted Jun 26, 1934), and the same patent on my "Wizard", as shown and reported in post #118 on page 6. It's for the winding mechanism inside the case.

The second patent on the case is Buck, assigned to Lufkin, granted Sep 18, 1934, for the little stopper and how it's attached on the end of the tape.

The patent on the tape I have not seen before. It's Farrand, assigned to Lufkin, granted Oct 20, 1931, for the steel tape itself, particularly the spring steel its made of, the resiliency of the concave-convex shape, and the illuminating metallic plating.

 

[Arne73]

We aren't pals as of yet, just getting acquainted...

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[RTM]

A few weeks back, I found this nifty Starrett tape measure at a warehouse storage clean out. Looked great on the outside, she was pricing things cheap, so grabbed it. Its a 50' #510, only drag is the first 12-15' are in really rusty shape, just like most things here near the Pacific rust generator.

The first 12+" are marked with the usual company name, Athol Mass, then Quick Reading Patent No 14409. Now, that patent is from 1856 for a mower, so I doubt that's right. Now I've learned from Lugz that it might be a trademark number, but the TSDR isn't giving that one up just yet. Think I've found it under the RE14409, for combined feet and inches at each mark, instead of just inches. Assignee Lufkin!

https://patents.google.com/patent/USRE14409


Not too concerned about the rust just yet, 'cuz who hauls out a 50' to measure 12', when you've got that in the car, kitchen, near the garage door. The 50' is buried a bit deeper.

Anyway, here it is.



And yes, that desktop hasn't seen the light of day in a few months, or maybe years. Uncovering research projects not quite completed as I clean up.

 

[toolin' around]

I’m surprised that it’s a metal tape... most of those that I’ve seen were fabric tapes.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Now, that patent is from 1856 for a mower, so I doubt that's right. Now I've learned from Lugz that it might be a trademark number, but the TSDR isn't giving that one up just yet. Think I've found it under the RE14409...

Good work. When a "patent" number marked on a tool turns up a patent that is logically improbable, there are usually one of three explanations:
(1) it's actually a trademark registration number, and you have to use the TSDR to find it (as with woody's sheet metal clamps)
(2) it's a re-issued patent, and you have to ad "RE" as a prefix to the number in the search field in the USPTO database (as you discovered in this case) lookup.
Or...
(3) it's a design patent, not a utility patent, and you have to add "D" and usually a few "0"'s as a prefix to the number in the search field in the USPTO database lookup.

Note to self: Expand Helpful Tips in Sticky to include this

 

[RTM]

I’m surprised that it’s a metal tape... most of those that I’ve seen were fabric tapes.

I think the fabric is a bit newer idea. I have 6 or so long tapes, and only the newest is fiberglass, the rest steel. 2 Starrett, 2 Lufkin, 1 K &E.

Woven tapes seem established by 1938, here is a page w caveats from Lufkin, as to why Steel is preferred. MBy big 100’ open reel is marred in Engineers units, feet, 1/10 ft, not inches.

Wow, cloth invented much earlier than I thought. 1842

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_761653

And patented here a bit later

https://patents.google.com/patent/US260163A/en

 

[bonneyman]

I picked up this roller tape by Ron Popeil and company. Still smooth for a 1978 Ronco tool - and very accurate. I measured it against a tape measure.

 

[ooba tooba]

As a stone cutting bridge saw operator, fabricator, installer, and template maker for 15 years, the tape measure is the most important tool of my (former) trade. Unfortunately because of the nature of the job, I couldn’t use and keep a really nice tape around for long without it getting dropped, beat up, rusted, full of stone dust, stolen, or left at that customers house 40 minutes away, so I used Husky’s mostly the last few years. I have a few others here though. As stated early in this thread a few years back by someone; “I keep reaching for the Lufkin.” It’s true. They just feel good in the hand. I take the real little one with me a lot when running to a hardware or big box store. Or furniture/appliance shopping etc...
I’ve had the Sears 50th one for awhile now.
And I just bought this Craftsman with its box tonight because it is in such good shape.

 

[Username already in use]

Here's a nice Heritage era Craftsman 50' steel tape that followed me home this weekend. Seems to be in really nice shape.

 

[Nutria]

There are some remarkable tapes in this thread. Here is one more for the virtual collection.

 

[Old Radar]

Found this on Friday. Very clean. Take-up reel operates smoothly. The white tape is steel and is 3/8" wide. It weighs in at exactly one pound--but feels heavier. Does anyone know who made this for Disston?

 

[RTM]

Disston bought Carlson of Monrovia, CA right around 1959, so maybe they had a relationship. I like how that looks just like a little 6’ tape when you have nothing to scale it too.

Don’t see it here.

Hardware Catalog : Disston Saws, Rules, Power and Hand Tools : Disston Division : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

36 p., illus., 27.8 cm., trade catalog

archive.org

Here it is, under the wrong flavor.

Disston Illustrated Consumer Price Catalog : Disston Division : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

21 p., illus., 26.9 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Here they have a Challenger saw blade, suspect it’s around here and the one above.

Disston Illustrated Trade Price Sheet : Printed February 15, 1954 : Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

32 p., illus., 29.3 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Old Radar]

Thanks for digging into this, RTM!

The Disston family sold out to HK Porter in 1955. If there's one thing I know about HK Porter, they never missed a chance to skimp on a product. The fact that my 4100 tape weighs exactly 16 oz., while their 1956 catalog ships two 5100s at 27-3/4 oz, shows me they found a way to shave over two ounces of metal per tape measure--and that tells me that the 4100 is pre-Porter. The Challenger name in the 1954 catalog lends credence to that.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I wonder what's the full story behind this 6' "MECHANIC'S PAL"? Except for the lack of the ornate little flourish around the center spool hole, it looks very much like the 6' MP's made by WALSCO that Mintgrun (page 1, post #13) and Old Radar (page 4, post #132) found, and has the same push-button release on the flip side. Mine was Made in Czechoslovakia, which is cool, because all my grandparents were born there when it was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

 

[Arne73]

I wonder what's the full story behind this 6' "MECHANIC'S PAL"? Except for the lack of the ornate little flourish around the center spool hole, it looks very much like the 6' MP's made by WALSCO that Mintgrun (page 1, post #13) and Old Radar (page 4, post #132) found, and has the same push-button release on the flip side. Mine was Made in Czechoslovakia, which is cool, because all my grandparents were born there when it was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

I posted a 6ft "Mechanics Pal" upthread. That example is made in USA and has the remnants of red paint on the release button.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Arne. Sorry, I missed yours. Is there a name on the tape? Or just the COO?

 

[Mintgrun]

Funny coincidence, I found another Mechanic's Pal today in a metal scrap bin. Unfortunately the first six inches was mangled enough that I put it back. Then I found / bought this little guy. It's 2-1/4" across and the tape is 5/8" wide, so it is a bit larger than the one I passed on. Not quite as pocket friendly, but the wider tape seems more user friendly. The only marking says Made in West-Germany. No brand name.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Lots of cool measuring devices guys. Found this Lufkin in box of my dad's stuff. Says it's an engineers version, which makes sense as he was a bridge engineer.

 

[Old Radar]

The engineer's scale is in tenths.

 

[mark-NJ]

Here a Farrand Rapid Rule... This was my grandfather's.

Pull out the tape end and squeeze the wings, and the tape feeds out automatically. Release and it locks. Squeeze while holding the tape and you can feed it back into the spool.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Farrand Rapid Rule... This was my grandfather's.

Nice find! I believe that's a FOAK for this thread. Hiram A. Farrand was an early innovative force in the tape measure world. His 1,828,401 patent (Oct 20, 1931) was licensed and appears on all kinds of tapes, including Lufkin. It was for what we think of as the classic steel tape itself, particularly the spring steel its made of, the resiliency of the concave-convex shape, and the illuminating metallic plating.

 

[mark-NJ]

FOAK?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Another cool one! Digging the feed mechanism. Here are the rest of my dad's. I suppose he had a thing for Lufkin.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

First of a kind

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Definitely first one I have seen