My (newest) old combination tools

[Plyerman]

It's been kinda hectic around home and work the past few months, but I have managed to keep up with my favorite passion, which is collecting old combination tools. I've got background info on some of them, but others are still a mystery. Hopefully you fellers can help me fill in the blank spots. So here we go with a few recent acquisitions, in no particular order:


Hoffritz adjustable wrench/knife
These were made in France, with the earliest advertisements I've seen for them dated in the 1950's. This one stamped HOFFRITZ, a U.S. retailer and distributor. Oftentimes same tool is seen with Seaboard Steel markings, another U.S. distributor.





Sealy combination kitchen tool
Produced by Barcalo, a New York company better known for it's wrenches and automotive tools. One-piece stamped steel with a hammer head, screwdriver blade, and cap lifters on one end and an alligator wrench for opening small jar lids on the other. Patented Oct 4, 1938





A. Iske Compound Implements
A cast iron tool from 1873, it combines important-back-then features such as a boot jack (step on the tool with one foot, lodge the heel of your boot into the open jaws, and then PULL to remove boot) a pot lifter (for picking up hot pots off your cast iron stove) and a corn sheller. Wonder why they don't make a tool like this nowadays? :D





Unknown?
A rather ordinary plier tool, with a big alligator wrench on one handle. Also a couple of wire cutter notches around the plier pivot. No markings of any kind. Anybody know how old it is or who the maker was?

[mikeswrenches]

I have a Hoffritz that has a small monkey wrench on the end.  Not quite as good a shape as yours, but close.  No case with mine.  I didn't know they were made in France.  I'm not sure if mine was made there and I'm not home to check it.  I kind of doubt if it was since I don't normally buy things made in France.

Mike

[Plyerman]

Does yours look like this one here? They made it in a 4-1/4" version, and a mini 3" version. 



The monkey wrench knives were made for Hoffritz in Germany. Hoffritz was a big New York cutlery distributor. They had knives and tableware made for them all over the world, then imported and sold them in the U.S.

[Bus]

The Iske patent tool has been on my "Bucket List" for years. Never even had a chance at one.

[mikeswrenches]

Plyerman, That is exactly what they look like and in about the same condition.  I wasn't aware there was a mini version...of course I wasn't aware of the larger ones until I saw them in a GA antique shop back in Feb.  A very well made tool.  Thanks

Mike

[Plyerman]

The Iske patent tool has been on my "Bucket List" for years. Never even had a chance at one.

Bus,
I had no idea what it was when I first saw it. Fortunately for me the seller had listed it poorly and so it didn't draw any attention. I picked it up because it looked interesting and the price was cheap. It was only later that I learned what it was.

Bob

[Plyerman]

Plyerman, That is exactly what they look like and in about the same condition.  I wasn't aware there was a mini version...of course I wasn't aware of the larger ones until I saw them in a GA antique shop back in Feb.  A very well made tool.  Thanks

Mike

Mike,
There are also some Japanese-made ones out there that look almost identical to these. The quality isn't horrible, but they definitely are not as nice as the German-made ones like yours.

Bob

[mvwcnews]

Some of the pliers / alligator wrench combo have a visible marking G.A. GLOOR / Chicago Patented  but no one I'm aware of has gotten closer to identifying its origin than that.

(See lot 647 in 2010 Doug Busch collection auction  --  http://wrenchingnews.com/busch-auction-2010/catalog.html )

[1930]

I do not think  I will ever have another chance at seeing a cooler tool collection than yours

[Plyerman]

Some of the pliers / alligator wrench combo have a visible marking G.A. GLOOR / Chicago Patented  but no one I'm aware of has gotten closer to identifying its origin than that.

(See lot 647 in 2010 Doug Busch collection auction  --  http://wrenchingnews.com/busch-auction-2010/catalog.html )

Yep, that's it alright! Thanks!

Now arghh, I've spent about two hours on google and I can't find out anything more than that. I've found an Albert P. Gloor of Chicago who patented two monkey wrench designs back in the 1920's, and a George A. Gloor who owned a tool making shop in Detroit in the 1910's, but no info about a G.A. Gloor in Chicago during that era. 

Also found a couple of old patents whose design is vaguely similar, but neither is a dead ringer:

[scottg]

Really cool stuff!!
I can't imagine gripping and rocking the alligator end 98 times on the Sealys pat, to open a can, but its ever so cool.
 
The Iskes pat has to have a wood cookstove "eye lifter" in there somewhere.
Stove eyes and their movements were always important, and the keys are always
"missing in plain sight".
I cooked on a wood cookstove for a number of years.  So I had a number of backup eye lifters.

Somewhere around here I have a pair of folding pliers. With handles and folding blades just like your crescent wrench.
  Mine is marked Guttman another NY cutlery dealer, if I'm not mistaken.
    yours Scott
     
     

[Plyerman]

Really cool stuff!!
I can't imagine gripping and rocking the alligator end 98 times on the Sealys pat, to open a can, but its ever so cool.

Yeah, I hear you there! A person would have a blister rubbed raw on their palm long before the beans ever got opened. Same goes for using the alligator wrench. It could not have been comfortable gripping that goofy hammer head while trying to break loose a frozen nut.

Somewhere around here I have a pair of folding pliers. With handles and folding blades just like your crescent wrench.
Mine is marked Guttman another NY cutlery dealer, if I'm not mistaken.
   yours Scott

I'd really like to see those pliers if you can find them! That Gutmann company made a crescent wrench/knife tool (below) but I was not aware of a pliers tool.

[Plyerman]

A few more combination tools. From left to right:

The Original Platypus Multi-Tool
Looks like someone took an ordinary set of 9 inch slip jaw pliers, then welded a hammer head along one side and a couple of hex screwdriver bits on the end of each handle. I don't know who made it or how old it is?

E.A. Berg combination tool
Stamped E.A. Berg, Eskilstuna Sweden along the handle. Did some digging and found out that the E.A. Berg Fabriks AB company was acquired by Bahco in 1959.

Farmer's Ever-Ready ToolKit, hammer version
Produced by Foote Manufacturing of Dayton, Ohio sometime between 1908 and 1917. There is also a hatchet version of this tool, which has a hachet head opposite the hammer instead of a claw.

Ranchman tool
Has "Ranchman" cast on one side, and "Forged Tool Steel" on the other. Looks there used to be a leather hole punch partway down the handle, which is missing on mine. Any other info would be appreciated, thanks!

[mikeswrenches]

Berg also made some of the best wood chisels around.  They don't look like much but are excellent quality.

Mike

[Branson]

Berg also made some of the best wood chisels around.  They don't look like much but are excellent quality.

Mike

Sure enough!  I've acquired several Berg chisels (last one for 50 cents).  These babies will take a 15 degree bevel and hold it!