A 9" Level

There's no maker's name on it. For a cheap-looking tool, it's remarkably well-thought-out and constructed.

I checked it against another level, and its accuracy appears to be just fine.

I think I'll hang this on my toolboard along with a plastic 8" level I have. I quite like this level.

# # #

An Ancient Ford Combination Wrench

The box end is 11/16"; the open end is 1". Embossed on the handle is, "Ford 40-17017 MADE IN CANADA".

It seems this is a head-bolt/spark-plug wrench for the Models 'T' and 'A'.

It dawns on me that it may be high time Ford reintroduced the Model 'T'.

The cars were affordable, and anyone could do the maintenance -- there were no bleepin' computer codes to look up. One of those would suit me just fine.

The wrench can join some others in my miscellaneous wrenches drawer. When the model 'T' is brought back, I'll be ready.

- - -

Whoops. That drawer is full. I hung the wrench on a nail. That's even better. Should anyone drop by with a Model 'T' in need of a tune-up, the wrench'll be right handy.

# # #

An Offset Striker

I don't know what else to call it. I have no idea what its purpose is. The business end is blunt -- it's not a chisel.

The head shows evidence of having 'mushroomed' from hard use, and the mushrooming having been ground away, so the thing has certainly been used quite a lot, for whatever it was used for. [I think that's what the English teachers call a 'run on' sentence.]

Anyway, should I ever discover that I need one of these, I'll have one; It'll be in the spare tools drawer.

# # #

A HUGE Cotter Pin Puller

At least, it looks like a cotter pin puller to me. It's a big one, though.

Its overall length is 14". Its major diameter at its mid-point is 9/16". That's a BIG cotter pin puller -- for work on heavy equipment, I suppose.

It can go in the spare tools drawer for now.

# # #

An End Cutting Nipper With Pry Bar Handle Ends

There's no maker's name on it. It looks pretty decent, and in good condition.

This can go in my truck's tool bag. That's a truck tool bag tool if I ever saw one.

# # #

A No-Name 2" C-Clamp

It's a cheap one, but not atrociously so.

It can join my other c-clamps. Clamps are one of those things you can never have too many of.

# # #

A Couple Of CARP Needle Valves

They're 1/4" NPT. Here's a view of a valve needle withdrawn.

Talk about 'obscure'. There's a CARP Industries Corp. in Florida that deals in aircraft parts, but they appear to be completely unrelated to this 'CARP' -- they have a different logo altogether. Here's a close-up of the logo on these valves.

I managed to find that 'exact' logo, but with the name 'FUJIKIN' added. FUJIKIN CARP is a Japanese firm that does make stuff like this. They have a brief article on their website about the significance of 'CARP', and what all is symbolized by the rest of the logo. (Be warned -- the corporate bushwah in there is gag-inducing.)

Anyway, I have a couple of exquisite valves here that I'm unlikely to ever have need of, but, you never know. I'll stash them in the box where I keep similar items.

# # #

A Greenlee 1/2" Conduit Chassis Punch

I just discovered that Greenlee calls these things 'knockouts'; I've always known them as 'chassis punches'. Whatever.

This one is an 'AV 122', 7/8" diameter, in quite good condition.

I have two of these -- 1/2" diameter and 1" diameter. This item can join them in their drawer.

# # #

A Compound Leverage End Cutting Nipper

Something of an antique -- it's in very good condition. This appears to be a 'Bernard' tool from the Wm. Schollhorn Co. That company was acquired by Sargent Manufacturing in about 1950. There's a brief historical note here.

I found a pictorial index at the preceding link that shows exactly this tool. Scroll down to page 11 and there it is -- the No. 165. Schollhorn had quite a product line. A Bernard innovation was the parallel action pliers. A good example is the No. 110, seen at the centre-bottom of the first page (page 6) of the pictorial index.

This can go in the spare tools drawer for now.

# # #

A Wallpaper Seam Roller

I already have one of these, but this tool conjures up a memory; a memory that's very apropos to today's date -- June 13th is my son's birthday.

Some twenty-three years ago, my wife and I were preparing a bedroom of our home for the arrival of our first (and only) child. Full blown wallpapering was not on, but we wanted to apply a cheerful border to the walls up by the ceiling, around the perimeter of the room.

We didn't know whether we'd be getting a boy or a girl, so we chose a pattern that was about equally blue and pink.

For a couple of novices, the job turned out well, but wallpapering is not a line-of-work that my wife and I are ever likely to want to return to.

So, I'll retire this to the toolbox in which a couple of other wallpapering tools reside in retirement.

May they enjoy one another's company.

- - -

'Found A New Use -- TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

I was meaning to tear a sheet of coarse sandpaper into quarters to fit my palm sander. It was '60D' paper, and it didn't want to fold and crease nicely for tearing.

I used the roller to roll down my folds and force them to crease sharply. The paper then tore cleanly and easily.

I'll drill a hole through the tool's handle, and hang it on a nail on a toolboard.

# # #

FEEDBACK

# # #

A Right Angle Drive Attachment

It's old and grimy. There's no maker's name on it. I can't feel much lash between input and output, so the gears inside are probably still in good condition. There's no slop in the bearings.

It has a 5" nominal diameter rubber disc attached to it for a buffing bonnet.

The grease in it is probably sludge by now. I think I'll take it over to the workshop for some TLC. When I'm done with it, I'll stash it away with the Cummins drill.

# # #

A Small Pair Of Long-Nose Pliers

I seem to remember this from time spent in my dad's workshop when I was a boy.

There's no maker's name on it. It looks to be of decent quality, and in pretty good condition. An interesting feature is the wire-cutter portion near the pivot-point -- it's a shear, not a nipper. I can't recall having ever seen that configuration of cutter on a pair of pliers

I'll wire-brush and clean the thing up.

- - -

That's better.



Not by much, but better. Methyl hydrate got the tape residue off the handles. I've oiled the pivot.

Now, where to put it? I have an idea. I have this old Duck Wear tool bag that I used to take to work as a combination briefcase/tool-bag when I was working. The bag has been idle since I got laid off. I may as well start populating it with spare tools, and make a tool kit for the truck. It's quite a good bag.



That's what I'll do.

# # #