Back from vacation with some old rusty treasures

[J-sews]

We just got back from a week's vacation in Michigan's upper peninsula. If you've never been there, its about as close to heaven on earth as you can get. Beautiful scenery, unspoiled countryside, and (away from the tourist traps) hardly any people. Perfect, IMO. They also have plenty of neat antique dealers, mostly selling old junk, but with a few treasures here and there for those willing to root around in the corners.

So here's a bit of what I hauled home:




The wrench on the right is my first S-shaped one ever. Not a "multitool" per se, but it was old and made out of metal, so how could I say no?   Only thing is it doesn't have any markings on it, so I don't know who made it. Dang.


Second from the right is this old alligator wrench, with two different size openings, three threading dies, and a screwdriver sticking off the left end. It's about 8 and a half inches long:





Third from the right is this crazy hammer, which has an alligator wrench on the top, some sort of claw or stove lid lifter opposite the hammer head, and a screwdriver at the end of the handle. The only markings on it is the word STEEL, cast into one side:





Next is this set of pliers with a wrench at the end of each handle. It is stamped Efficiency Tool Co. One wrench is 1/2", the other is 5/8". The handles come apart so both wrenches can be used at the same time.







Next up is this big tool with a ratchet mechanism. I thought it was an actual socket-ratchet when I bought it, but then some old guy (anybody older than me is an old guy) told me it was a drilling ratchet, for drilling holes.









Last up is this Eifel plier-wrench, which came with a tattered cloth pouch. The real treasure was inside the pouch however, where the original instruction pamphlet was still folded up.







(thinking about changing my name to Tony)

[David]

   What a great good haul Bob.          I really like that pair of pliers with a wrench on each handle.   

[jzmtl]

Neat, this is the first time I've ever heard of a drilling ratchet.

[Zed]

some interesting stuff there Bob nice one mate ,and glad you had a good vacation 

[enki_ck]

I've seen one of those S shaped wrenches in my grandfathers tool chest years ago. I'll go search for it, maybe it's still somewhere.

The ratcheting drill may be a part of an hand drill as seen below. I have one of those in my workshop.


The tool that I like the most are the wrench handled pliers. They look like they can be moved to the second pivot point for grabbing bigger screws and disassembled at the lower hole to use the wrenches individually. Great concept.

(thinking about changing my name to Tony)

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice cluster Bob  I really like that plierench 

[J-sews]

Well, I've done a bit of googling and learned a few things. The wrench-handled pliers were patented way back in 1923 by this fellow from Wisconsin USA:






And they sold for $1.75 at that time:



photo by John K of papawswrench.com




And the ratchet drill is called a Packer's Wrench, or Packer's Drill. It was used in the construction of large buildings, where it was used to drill large holes through the flanges of steel girders. The girders were placed in position, the packers drill was used to drill a hole through both flanges, then using tongs a worker would install a white hot rivet through the holes. While it was still hot, the protruding end of the rivet was then peened over, making the joint permanent. (I didn't know any of this until today)

You can get an idea of how the packers drill works from the last photo, taken from a 1901 advertisement:

[AHB]

That's some really great plier-thingies you got yourself there Bob.. But now you made me browse around for old pliers too.. Must be some sort of "Tony'ism"..


Sent from my Iphone

[Sparky415]

That ratchet looks very interesting 

Hey what do you mean? I leave you lot alone for a couple of days and look what happens 

[David]

That ratchet looks very interesting 

Hey what do you mean? I leave you lot alone for a couple of days and look what happens  

        

[MultiMat]

Bob I like the hammer , the crocodile tool (I have resisted buying one ) & the Efficiency Tool  . Nice haul Bob 

That ratchet looks very interesting 

Hey what do you mean? I leave you lot alone for a couple of days and look what happens 

Tony I bought a nice FootPrint adjustable wrench yesterday & now I need to buy some vinegar 

[David]

Bob, finding the instruction sheet with the Plierench was a real nugget. It sure is sweet when those little things happen!   

[Sparky415]

Bob, finding the instruction sheet with the Plierench was a real nugget. It sure is sweet when those little things happen!   

+1

Bob I like the hammer , the crocodile tool (I have resisted buying one ) & the Efficiency Tool  . Nice haul Bob 

That ratchet looks very interesting 

Hey what do you mean? I leave you lot alone for a couple of days and look what happens 

Tony I bought a nice FootPrint adjustable wrench yesterday & now I need to buy some vinegar 

I didn't know you could get them in Oz Mat 

After they come out of the vinegar and you wash them off, oil immediately 

[nuphoria]

Wow, they look like the multitool equivalent of deep sea creatures 

Great haul Bob

[MultiMat]

Tony I bought a nice FootPrint adjustable wrench yesterday & now I need to buy some vinegar 

I didn't know you could get them in Oz Mat 

After they come out of the vinegar and you wash them off, oil immediately 

Tony you would be surprised what Ol Blighty sent down under  . A lot of my dad's old tools that he inherited from my grand father were made in England. Even some of my toys I had growing up came from the UK  . Not so much comes down under now days though  .

Tony you would of been proud of me , the FootPrint was covered in rust but I could make out the trade mark on the tool's original adjustment bolt  . I said 'How much for the Footprint mate'? Fella gave me a funny look , not sure he understood what I meant by saying Footprint  . I was a little excited & when he said $5 I didn't even haggle  , I would of gone up to $8 so I was happy 

2 litres of vinegar does not go far when treating old tools   
Getting lots of 'what is that smell' from the family 

[Sparky415]

Its good that you found a pair, saves me from sending you some 

I did read that adding a handful of salt makes the vinegar work better  I will try it when I get a min 

Don't forget the 'vinegar rust juice' (vinegaroon?  ) will stain anything it touches 

[J-sews]

Thanks for the heads up about vinegaroon being a nasty stainer, but one of these days I will probably find it out the hard way anyhow. The old chap at work swears that toilet bowl cleaner is an even better rust remover than vinegar, but I'm suspicious. Think I will try it on some old barn nails first just to be safe.

[Sparky415]

Thanks for the heads up about vinegaroon being a nasty stainer, but one of these days I will probably find it out the hard way anyhow. The old chap at work swears that toilet bowl cleaner is an even better rust remover than vinegar, but I'm suspicious. Think I will try it on some old barn nails first just to be safe.

I have just googled it, Its good for leather, wood......... T-shirts and white kitchen worktops 

http://graybear.com.au/vinegaroon-black-leather-dye/

[Grant Lamontagne]

Looks to me like you need to go on vacation a lot more often Bob! 

Def