Vintage X-Acto, Exactly, Exclusively!

[Burgerboy]

wow. thanks, Burgerboy!

You are welcome, enjoy!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Okay, I give up. You guys are no fun!!

Here is the X-Acto knife (called "The Sword of Exact Zero") by the son of the Man Upstairs (his dad), who is Lord Business, the villain in the animated Lego character version of reality playing out in the kid's fantastical head. Why is he the villain? Because he won't let his son play with his ginormous Lego city meticulously constructed in the basement.



"The Sword of Exact Zero" was one of Lord Business's prized relics, which he shows off to Bad Cop (Liam Neeson) in the beginning, and which he uses later to cut the Piece of Resistance (cap to KRAZY GLUE tube) off of Emmet (Chris Pratt), the construction worker hero, who knows the Piece of Resistance is the only thing that can stop Lord Business from using the weapon called KRAGLE (KRA_ _ GL_E_).

Trust me when I say that THIS IS NOT A KID'S MOVIE!

 

[gpw_42]

I just made an interesting and very enjoyable discovery! Who has seen The Lego Movie? (I know, where have I been, right? It was released in 2014. But I'm usually at least that far behind every pop culture trend.)

...they turned on The Lego Movie and I watched it with them, me for the first time, them knowing all the good lines by heart.

First of all, it's an excellent movie, fueled by profound whimsy and rapid fire sarcastic wit. But if you've seen it, you know why I'm posting on this thread. Because of Lord Business wielding, in his son's vivid imagination, what he calls 'the Sword of Exact Zero'!

If you haven't seen it, watch it!

I'll have to add this to my list, as I've never seen it, and really had no interest when it came out.

Had numerous discussions with my 18 year old nephew over the Christmas gathering about pop culture references which don't cross over from my generation to his. Deliverance popped up TWICE in the same day (we were hiking in the NC mountains), First Blood, Cannonball Run and, of course, Revenge of the Nerds. He snivelled "I don't have access to these old movies." Dude, these are not OLD movies, they're just older than you are!

 

[Burgerboy]

I got a very early X-Acto #83 set and a #6 knife with a very thick contoured aluminum handle. I've never seen a handle like this before. It also has a wicked looking thick blade marked 33. Interesting, the #1 and #2 knifes are not marked. Seems like X-Acto didn't label the earliest knives. The #5 knife has a well-worn wooden handle that used to be painted red.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice find, Bb.

 

[Username already in use]

I found this literally stuck to the inside of a drawer in a cabinet that I recently acquired.
Full of blades.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice find! Second generation logo, from July 1945 and thereafter.

 

[Moldyjim]

Bonus!

 

[dannyk435]

Alright guys, its been a little while since my last post but I think I've hit a little jackpot Found this at an estate sale, got home and followed the little instruction manual, and it ended up being a full set!!! let me know what you guys think!

 

[dannyk435]

Alright guys, its been a little while since my last post but I think I've hit a little jackpot Found this at an estate sale, got home and followed the little instruction manual, and it ended up being a full set!!! let me know what you guys think!

oh and as always, any information on dating and such would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Moldyjim]

Alright guys, its been a little while since my last post but I think I've hit a little jackpot Found this at an estate sale, got home and followed the little instruction manual, and it ended up being a full set!!! let me know what you guys think!

Spectacular find! Those cardboard boxes are pretty fragile after this long on the shelf.

 

[dannyk435]

Spectacular find! Those cardboard boxes are pretty fragile after this long on the shelf.

Right!? I was surprised it even had a box! I actually found the box alone first and nothing else was in it, so I got pretty bummed out. But after some more digging' I uncovered the jackpot! After some research I believe this set is from 1947-1949 (at least that's what the ads say) but correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found this box (bottom box, Pic 1) at the flea this morning. It's a De Luxe chest with a first generation (late 30's to NLT 1942) logo, just like my first entry in this thread (top box, Pic 1). No tools, but all the holders are there.

 

[confidant]

Had the red handled set (maybe late 70's)
Loved it but didn't use much as I bought
wood carving knives. Will have to check if
if my son has my set? Was just wondering
if I could get my hands on a set now?
I do have the little block plane.

 

[Plombob]

Found these yesterday. They are clamps, but what are they for? Why did X-acto make these?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

They are clamps, but what are they for? Why did X-acto make these?

They expanded way beyond their core of precision knives and knife sets into all kinds of hobby tools later and made some big cabinet sets, including those clamps. @Burgerboy has posted some. See post #104 on page 3. I wasn't aware of that production, either.

 

[Plombob]

Thanks Lugnutz!

 

[four.cycle]

got outbid on the catalog by a snipe bidder so crappy screenshots is all I got on this one:
1977 X-Acto catalog (excerpt)

 

[TowersMetalworks]

Heres my original NOS single handle and blade

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's my original NOS single handle and blade

That's a cool box! "Keen as a surgeon's scalpel." They had some good marketing, e.g., "Never a dull moment with X-Acto."

Your NOS knife and box are pretty old, btw. Second generation logo. Late 1940's.

 

[four.cycle]

^ The guy that invented the X-Acto knife originally intended for it to be a scalpel! It wasn't suitable for that purpose because of the multiple parts so he sold it as a "craft and hobby" knife.
The box is fabulous!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It wasn't suitable for that purpose because of the multiple parts so he sold it as a "craft and hobby" knife.

My notes and links to multiple sites in post # 1 on page 1 indicates they WERE selling scalpels.

X-Acto was founded in 1917 by a Polish immigrant named Sundel Doniger, and the company strictly made surgical knives until “the mid-1930’s” when they accidentally hit on the idea of a handle and removable blades with a variety of uses. That’s more detail than the company history on their own website, linked here, provides, but still not much.

 

[four.cycle]

^ you got me... I cannot recall where that came from, but it was not from X-acto's site... magazine article write up, maybe ?
anecdotal stuff in the middle of the night that gets committed to memory but not written down.

 

[TowersMetalworks]

That's a cool box! "Keen as a surgeon's scalpel." They had some good marketing, e.g., "Never a dull moment with X-Acto."

Your NOS knife and box are pretty old, btw. Second generation logo. Late 1940's.

Wow! I figured maybe the '80s or so. Never thought it could be that old, lol. I'll have to do some research and see whenabouts this one was marketed and sold

 

[four.cycle]

^ oh no... your BOX is a collector item, sir. you can throw the knife out and sell the box for about $20 - $25 bucks on ebay

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I pulled this orphan out of a small drawer in a machinists' chest at the flea this morning. Looking through the thread I see that @Burgerboy has one in his No. 89 set. Love the no-roll handle. No model number. Not sure what they called it.

 

[RTM]

Here is my find from Saturday’s stop at the Toy Store liquidation.

Looks like the same case that Lugz used to open the thread, unfortunately mine came with no tools. This is the kit my dad had when I was growing up, the swinging metal arm to hold things in place.

The saw blade was labeled at 50¢, which was much less than what I paid for mine in 1974 or so. Showing the back of the saw package, since the front is in the other GS thread pic, and the back has lotsa good info, like Lugz’ metal handled knife. 5 digit zip, so post 1963.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm not much of a plastic case era collector, but I snagged this No. 77 woodcarving kit at the flea this morning. Missing the handle. It would have to have a different receptacle than the regular handles. I haven't looked into yet.

 

[RTM]

Should be the normal collet, but with a hole in the center. That hole would also fit the razor saw I showed a few posts ago.

Scored a few other pieces I will share later

 

[don2]

Hi everyone, I recently found this thread! I've been collecting X-Acto items that I find interesting for a while, and haven't had much luck dating things. Based on what I've seen and read here, this early #82 Box Chest could be late 30s-very early 40s. Is that correct? The #1 and #2 knife handles are black plastic. They have full metal collets...I have another similar set where the collets are black plastic wrapped with a thin piece of metal. The red handle appears to be painted wood. The extra blades are held behind a removable piece of clear plastic that has printing on it...first I've come across this style. The flyer came packed inside the chest.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Based on what I've seen and read here, this early #82 Box Chest could be late 30s-very early 40s.

The logo is definitely first generation. I don't think anything is too definitive, honestly, with respect to dating, but note that boxes with the black hinged steel arm that retains the blades, as on my set in post #1, appear in the 40's ads. Not sure about the plastic thing.

Is there anything on that literature you have that could be dated?

I don't recall seeing the black handles before.

Cool set! Thanks for posting.

 

[don2]

The logo is definitely first generation. I don't think anything is too definitive, honestly, with respect to dating, but note that boxes with the black hinged steel arm that retains the blades, as on my set in post #1, appear in the 40's ads. Not sure about the plastic thing.

Is there anything on that literature you have that could be dated?

I don't recall seeing the black handles before.

Cool set! Thanks for posting.

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, nothing on the little flyer is dated. I've wondered if the black plastic handles could be a sign of wartime production because it was difficult to get aluminum?

 

[Stubby1743]

I also have a pair of #1 & 2 handles in black plastic. Mine differ from those shown in post 150 in that the logo on mine have the added word "KNIFE". These were bought by my late uncle in the 1950s I assume (he died in 1964). They came together in a cardboard box only the top of which I still have. The inside of the box top shows the various blades that were available. The outside is a sort of buff colour with "X-ACTO
KNIFE SET" in gold.





My uncle also had a #5 handle which was made in England. It says of the aluminium body of the handle "X-ACTO MADE IN ENGLAND BY TRIX LTD LONDON W1"



There is currently an identical one of offer on e-bay UK here;- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204319607842

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The inside of the box top shows the various blades that were available.

Love that.

 

[RTM]

Here is a find from a while back, not sure the vintage yet, have not found it anywhere in books yet. ITCL to the rescue, 1969-70 catalog, shown in the Raceway set, listed as a Jewelers's saw. Later they show a 43N, which is a real adjustable jeweler's saw.
Here's another version, on pdf page 15. https://www.rocketshoppe.com/info/X-Acto_1966_Catalog.pdf This one doesn't look as sprung as the ebay one I found. Maybe once I get a blade in it.

X-Acto No 43 jewelers / coping / fret saw. Uses pinless blades, 5", like a fret or jeweler's saw. It's generally coping saw shaped, but very shallow, at only a 2-1/2" depth of cut. the only other image I've seen of one showed it similarly "sprung", not sure if its to keep your knuckles off the deck, or what, but I won't fix it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

X-Acto No 43 coping / fret saw

That is an awesome find!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Elated to have found this fairly large set at the flea market this morning!



The "X-Acto Workshop Guide" found inside is dated 1971.



With everlasting thanks to @Mark Stansbury and his International Tool Catalog Library on IA, I was able to identify it inside the 1969-1970 X-Acto Catalog as Knife and Tool Chest No. 87.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you're a collector, or if you've been following along, you know that X-Acto started expanding in the 60's. @Burgerboy posted some huge Hobby Den sets (hinged in the middle, standing upright) back on page 2, with woodworking type tools. This is kind of a tweener set. Not that big, but bigger than a knife set, and in a bigger (12-1/2" x 7") box. In addition to the common No. 1, No. 2, and No. 6 handles you can see in the main compartment, there's a coping saw, a sanding block, a hand plane, a spokeshave, and a steel rule, as well as four (4) routers and two (2) punches. On the lid, to the right of that wide assortment of blades and gouges, is a double-ended pin vise and a jeweler's screwdriver, for the bits and files inside that vial.

It's missing a few gouges and blades and what X-Acto called a Balsa Stripper (basically a handle with an adjustable fence and holder for a blade). It can be seen in the catalog image to the right in the main compartment between the spokeshave and the hand plane where the empty space in my set is.

Here are some close-ups...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here are some additional details on the box and some pages from the "Workshop Guide". I'm going to scan the whole thing for IA/ITCL.

 

[four.cycle]

^ fabulous find there, Lugz.