Multitool.org Forum
Tool Talk => Collector's Forum => Topic started by: MultiMat on June 05, 2010, 10:50:04 AM
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I now own 3 vintage French MT's. The 2 Seaboard Steel's are from the 50's-60's & I am not sure about the Le Depanneur but I reckon it is a similar age to the 2 Seaboards :think:.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304564-1.jpg)
The Le Depanneur in a Seaboard Steel sandwich.
Thanks to Bob's spotting & US Ebay I recently became the happy owner of a vintage Le Depanneur slip jointed plier MT made by Kita(going by what is stamped on the tool).
The Le Depanneur, besides being old & made in France, is a bit unusual in that it is a MT with adjustable slip jointed pliers.The only other slip jointed plier MT I can think of is the Schrade ST5E :think:.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304549-1.jpg)
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304562.jpg)
Quite a small MT.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304553-1.jpg)
The combined awl , bottle opener & ? wirer striper tool scores a thumb stud but the blade gets a nail nick :think: :D.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304555-1.jpg)
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304558-1.jpg)
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304561-1.jpg)
Not sure how strong the tool is , I would be a bit nervous bearing down hard on a large nut. The metal seems a bit thin :think:
The SeaBoard Steel MT with shifter wrench is a whole lot nicer than the cheap & nasty versions you can get now days.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304569-1.jpg)
It shares what looks like a sailing inspired awl, combined file/screw driver/cap lifter & a slightly smaller blade when compared to its more conventional brother.The wrench MT scores a Phillips head screw driver over the other Seaboard tool.
The 2nd Seaboard Steel MT is a more conventional MT sharing a format that seemed to be quite popular for the time
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/SeaBoard%20Steel/S6303602.jpg)
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304582-1.jpg)
My 2 SeaBoards came with their original leather sheaths 8) 8) :D.
The pliers of the time share a simple but effective spring & handle catch system.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304577-1.jpg)
Seaboard Steel at top , Hubeo(German) middle & Hoffritz(German)bottom.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304576-1.jpg)
Plier catch Hoffritz at top, Seaboard Steel middle & Hubeo bottom.
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll287/multimat426/French%20and%20German%20Vintage%20MTs/S6304580-1.jpg)
Interesting how 2 different nationalities & 3 separate manufactures can be so similar :think: :D
Hubeo at top, SeaBoard Steel middle & Hoffritz at the bottom.
I am fairly sure these tools all come from the 50's-60's amazing that it took Tim Leatherman another 25 odd years to come up with the PST :o.
Now I could really go a latter Le Depanneur model like Bob's :drool: :gimme: :D
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/jooliesews/Bobbys/LeDepanneurchromed.jpg)
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:drool: i love the older tools 8) your becoming the new bob :P
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He's got a way to go yet :D
Nice haul there Mat :tu:
That your total haul for French MTs? which country you moving on to next :P
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I still really like that design of MT :)
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They are fantastic, really classic looking :tu:
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Nice collection there Mat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ah good, you got the Le Depanneur in Mat!! :cheers: I'm not thinking there were very many of those made, as they don't come along very often. :) Congrats! :tu: Quite the oddball don't you think? I'm wondering if those narrow plier jaws canted at an angle like that were designed for something specific? Like a special bicycle tool or something? :think:
For sure no one can accuse them of knocking off someone else's design! :D
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I still really like that design of MT :)
me too :multi:
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the spyderench/Byrdrench has the same head as that seaboard if thats what you mean by 'slipjoint'
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love them all, and yes a thumb stud on a awl is a bit odd :think: still all cool looking :tu:
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Could that actually be a knob to pivot on as a can opener? :think:
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Nice haul Mat! Good to have another member in the Depanneur Club!
(http://gallery.multitool.org/pbmirror/Depanneur04.jpg)
(http://gallery.multitool.org/pbmirror/Depanneur03.jpg)
(http://gallery.multitool.org/pbmirror/Depanneur02.jpg)
(http://gallery.multitool.org/pbmirror/Depanneur01.jpg)
Great design for a tool- I'd love to see a modern day version of it!
Def
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Great design for a tool- I'd love to see a modern day version of it!
Def
care to let me borrow it? >:D
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Great design for a tool- I'd love to see a modern day version of it!
Def
Layout wise it reminds me of the Wichard (http://www.seafaring.com/shipstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=194&products_id=11762&).
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smurf me backwards, have you seen the price! No way are they worth that :ahhh
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Could that actually be a knob to pivot on as a can opener? :think:
I agree with you Mr Whippy...that's part of the can opener arrangement.
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Great design for a tool- I'd love to see a modern day version of it!
Def
care to let me borrow it? >:D
Let me know if you are serious and I'll pack it up. Mine is in mint condition, as if it rolled off the assembly line yesterday.
Neil- if I'm not mistaken, I think Witchard purchased the design and continued to manufacture it, later on with plastic handle scales.
Def
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Great design for a tool- I'd love to see a modern day version of it!
Def
care to let me borrow it? >:D
Let me know if you are serious and I'll pack it up. Mine is in mint condition, as if it rolled off the assembly line yesterday.
Neil- if I'm not mistaken, I think Witchard purchased the design and continued to manufacture it, later on with plastic handle scales.
Def
I am Grant, but the detailed pics will do - for now
:drink:
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Funny that the Le Dep web page is still up, after all these years: :)
http://www.nat.fr/coutellerie/depanner.htm
(http://www.nat.fr/coutellerie/images/depanner.gif)
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Thread Zombie:
I recently received my Le Depanneur and noticed something others seem to have not; a large flat head driver on the end of the slip joint pliers, where it is tapered for the clasp.
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Saw one of these recently in a close out sale but it was still way out of my price range.
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Good score there PD!
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Nice to see another member in the Depanneur club!
I always suspected that the handle on mine was meant to act as a screwdriver but it isn't nearly as defined as yours is. That is a very cool variant!
Def