All About Pocket Knives

Here is a collection of snips, cutters and pliers I picked up at a local antique mall. These old tools are far better quality than new ones and much cheaper as well. Most of these are Utica Tool but there are two Kleins, a Wiss and a Diamalloy plus a couple that are not marked. I did some research on the Uticas and found that tool collectors date their finds by the stamp on the pivot, just as we knife collectors date knives by the tang stamp. The three diamond stamp was first used around 1910 and was in use for many years, gradually being superseded by other stamps. The stamps with model numbers were used from around 1920 onward, and the curved Utica Tools mark was added in 1943. Finally, around 1960 they went to a simplified curved Utica Model Number USA stamp.

This site has a huge amount of information on Utica Tools:

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifact ... trademarks

Trail, I have a few pretty old snips if your interested in trading for some folders? PM me and i can send some pics if your interested
Gino

nice Trail !! see you got more than one very nice. here is the wrench we talked about

I've got a few old tools i'll post pic's of latter today--i been finding old wrenchs er what ever around this house fer the last eight years my wife was born and raised here and so was her mother so there's alotta nice pieces that i've found and i use quite a few of them too. i've got a tool box i found just yesterday that was in the corner of the basement i'm still flippin out about--the attic is full too i'll clean it out someday but i don't feel rite doin it--when The Blonde One sez to i'll get after it--some of it has been up there since her mother was a small kid and she's 79--pic's latter today

great........ they sure don't make them like they use too !

That's a great old wrench and I appreciate you posting it. The Keen Kutter stamp, whether on a knife, tool or farm implement, shows the pride that people once took in everyday items. I'm looking forward to seeing what PigSticker turned up.

Well my pic's really suck but here's one of the box i found Friday to hold you over till i can take better ones of tools-first time in daylight for 30+ yrs the felt has a few mold spots on it in the drawers be it is in really nice shape considering being stored in a basment

PigSticker wrote:Well my pic's really suck but here's one of the box i found Friday to hold you over till i can take better ones of tools-first time in daylight for 30+ yrs the felt has a few mold spots on it in the drawers be it is in really nice shape considering being stored in a basment

Beautiful old machinist's tool box pigsticker!Does it have a manufacturer's name on it?Don't think it is a Gerstner but a nice one nonetheless.
I collect old machinist's boxes and they make great storage for knives.Yours is quite large as they usually only have either 7 or 9 drawers.
One bit of lore from an old acquaintance of mine(a retired machinist):If the mirror on the top is easily removeable,check behind it.Old machinists used to place a twenty dollar bill behind it that was to be used for burial expenses if he should suddenly die.I haven't found one yet but I keep looking.
You might want to sprinkle a little baking soda in the affected drawers and let it set a bit before vacuuming them out.I wouldn't use Fabreze or anything like that as it might affect some of the knife handles(if you intend to use it for that).

Thanks for the info-Just checked the mirror no $$--Manufactured By: H.Gerstner & Sons--Dayto, Ohio
I've also got the key to it couldn't believe it was still hanging in the lock--I had a motorcycle out in front of the garage for sale everybody that walked in the gargae checked it out and wanted to buy it--This box came out of The GM Engine Plant down in The Hole along the Flint River one of the UAW plants where emploies locked theirselves inside the plant back in the 30's

It must be a really old Gerstner as most of them have recessed drawer pulls that are hinged rings.I get their e-mails all the time and a USA made Gerstner that size today is about $800.That one in that shape is likely worth about a thousand dollars.Believe it or not you can still get hardware and such for the older boxes from them.You have to supply a serial # if I recall but their customer service is great.Check out their website sometime.

Now that's what I call a tool box! You got me going, I have some friends at work in our model shop and I know they have some beautiful old tools and boxes, the camera's going to work with me tomorrow.

Yah, PigSticker, that being a Gerstner is a very sought after tool box. Probably fashioned out of quarter sawn white oak.

Don't lose that key.

Wow thanks for the info we had no idea it could be worth so much--Blondie said she sold the tools to one of her old boy friends years ago and wouldn't part with the box.
Anyway sorry fer the highjack of the thread but heres a pic of a pair of small side cuts that are kinda neat--i can't get the flash off on this camera so pic's are crappy. KRAEUTER.U.S.A." on inside of both handles and look nichol plated

Here's a couple more the channel locks i found in this house a few years back they ain't all that old but if you look close they're inscribed: Basil Henry 11-22-72 the teeth are like new on them we don't know who Basil was. The screw driver i've had since the mid 80's it's from central Illinos and was a give away kinda like an advertising knife. I got alota of collectables out of that place--

Hey guys where do i look for serial #'s on this box i'm not seein em--on the backside of drawers there are #'s hand written in pencil 490 and followed by a single didgit # 1-7 the long drawers two have 490 the long bottom drawer has 490 R
Key is #'d A50M39 think it says Eagle Lock Co. somethingville USA all the lettering near the edges are rubbed smooth so i can't tell

Edit: Been doing a little bit of a search believe this is a Jouneyman's #52 haven't figured out a way to date it though but i have read about the drawers being #'d in pencil i would think that was just a way to keep the drawers all together for each individal box during assembly.
I don't believe i'll do much more than clean the drawers out and wipe it down it's in decent shape compared to the few i've seen on e-bay

I wouldn't do any more than that either.Check with Gerstner and they should be able to give you any info you might need.

[quote="PigSticker"]Key is #'d A50M39 think it says Eagle Lock Co. somethingville USA all the lettering near the edges are rubbed smooth so i can't tell

Pigsticker,
that would be Terryville, Ct., where I live. Too bad, Eagle lock is long gone, but was a huge employer here.

Here is a few I had laying around

...Rounded these up out in my hideout...


Top picture, top row. Left to right...Lindstrom, Sweden. small wire cutters... Blue, Channellock U.S.A... Green, Erem 95E, Swiss... Wheel weight pliers w/hammer head and cutter. National Plier co./ Buffalo, NY/ Pat'd c. 1910... Odd plier with wire cutter on bottom, E.C. Simmons Keen Kutter.


Top picture,bottom row. left to right.2 pair red handles. No name. One without wire cutter has round jaws. I guess they were made for bending wire... Red wire cutters. Krauter 81 U.S.A... Old pair of end nippers, un marked... Ugly old unmarked plier. ..Long jawed needle nose marked Utica 777-6/ Utica U.S.A.



Bottom picture. Across the top is a batch of needle files and 3 handles. Files are marked Swiss Olympic/ made in England. Two of the handles are screw chucks and are made by Starrett. The other is spring loaded and made by Bergeon... The Channellocks are the earliest ones I've ever had. They are marked Champion Derartment/ Meadville, PA on one handle. On the other is no, 420 CHANNELLOCK/ reg U.S. pat.off. On the back side, on one handle they are marked U.S.PAT. 1950362/ PAT. IN CAN. 1933. Nice old plier.


Row of pliers...l to r. Herbrand multi grip junior/VAN-CHROME NO. 168/ Made in U.S.A...Odd ball unmarked plier...Bell System needle nose made by Klein& Sons, Chicago...WIZARD HR 1130. Wizard was a Western Auto brand... Forged Steel Products Co./ Westport, PA. on one side. Vacuum Grip No. C5 on the other... Another little oddball , unmarked plier.


I have a lot more, I just ran out of time and energy. Thanks for looking.
...CCBill...

PigSticker......Im' really dig'n that Box!!!.......I would restore it and put some knives in it.

Here's a couple of pictures of a Gerstner box I picked up today.It is missing two drawers and is going to require some major overhaul but it is a rather unique box in that it is covered with a black leatherette rather than being a natural finished oak.I paid $75 for it which might at first sound like a lot of money for a box in such poor condition but if I wanted to(which I don't)I could part it out to fellow Gerstner collectors and probably make 3 times what I paid for it.
It is the large size ten drawer(26"x16"x9 1/2")and likely made in or around the 1930's.Gerstner is closed until July 11th so I can't get any information on it until then.
I am taking it over to a friend of mine to see if he can construct a couple of drawers for it(fortunately they are the smaller ones)and get some ideas on how to straighten the cabinet and re-tighten the screws holding it together(they are under the covering).The covering is ripped in several places and I will either re-glue it or buy new stuff which is available through Gerstner according to their website.
Even if I invested two or three hundred dollars in the restoration I would have a box that would be worth about a thousand.

Very nice!! .........I wish that I could run across an old one like that....

The quality of these old tools is amazing, especially compared to what you see in the hardware stores today. Take a look at this Henry & Allen Stillson wrench made in Auburn, NY.

Here's a tool not everyone has. Thanks Paul. (paulsvintage)

Speaking of Stillsons, check these out and a nice spanner. Thanks Paul.