This item on eBay got me to looking for the earliest date of origin for slip joint pliers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Antique-Hand-Forged-Cast-Iron-Pliers-by-Blacksmith-Pre1900-Estate-Sale-OLD-/261119604184?pt=Architectural_Garden&hash=item3ccbf0f5d8
Hand forged cast iron is a nice oxymoron. But like I've searched through AA and the oldest reference to slip-joint pliers is a 1904 advertisement. I couldn't find a patent on slip joint construction. When were these developed/invented?
I have a pair of slip joints, nickel plated, made in Iowa, patent date of 1896. Those look suspiciously like Kraeuter, possibly from the 20s. Something about the heft of the jaw around the rivet. Cast iron and hand forged, definite oxy-moron, but I guess you don't have to know what you have in order to sell it.
The Kraeuter pliers I could round up. I thought I had a larger older pair looking the same as the Ebay item but couldn't put my hands on it.
(http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p534/alphinde/846471584_photobucket_208632_.jpg)
I love this!!
I am anxious to know what everyone comes up with.
The slip joint is so universally used now, surely there has to be early ones!!
All mine are too new. Not even worth photographing.
yours Scott
Hand forged cast iron. Hmmmm. I'm reminded of the old Pogo riff, with Albert the Alligator asking for a scoop of ice cream, "right here in my hand," and getting it just that way - scooped and dumped on his hand. I guess you hold your fingers in the shape of the casting you want and have someone pour the molten iron into your cupped hands.
The seller has, by the way, apparently revised the ad, because it no longer refers to "hand forged" anywhere I can see.
I'd be curious to find out what evidence the seller has that these pliers are cast iron. They look to me more like heavily rusted steel.
Later edit: I contacted the seller, and s/he tells me of lots of research and high confidence that they're cast iron. I look at the picture and see breakage after one weekend in my hands.
Quote from: Bill Houghton on October 28, 2012, 03:09:19 PM
Hand forged cast iron. Hmmmm.
I'd be curious to find out what evidence the seller has that these pliers are cast iron. They look to me more like heavily rusted steel.
To my eye, they look like pliers that someone dug up after being buried in the ground for about 20 years.
Most general people today are totaly ignorant of how things are (or were) made, let alone any knowledge of metals (past or present). How many magazine articles do you see where the writer/ journerlist talks about "wrought iron lace" or when you look at ebays wrought iron category we see that nearly all of it is bent steel and cast iron ware, very little hand forged and practicaly none made from wrought (worked) iron! Even some collectors get confused between forged tools stamped cast steel (crucible/ tool steel) and "cast" steel and iron objects that are made by pouring liquid steel or iron into a mould! Sorry for the rant , I guess one of the things a forum like this does is (hopefully) educate ourselves and our many guests! E g. I wouldn't have thought that slip joint pliers went back as far as 1896!
Graeme
I know little to nothing about these things, my excuse is that there is only so much time to educate ourselves so we have to pick a passion and stick with that. Forums like this though help to widen our scope.
Those Iowa pliers may have been made in Marshalltown...maybe. I think I have one of their tools, but likely no splip joint pliers.....forget the company name right now....
DM&FS
Earliest slip joint patent I have found is 295885 mar 25,1884. Called pipe tongs but look like slip joint pliers to me.
You left out the *important* part, it was assigned to Charles E. Billings...
So it is likely the basis for Billings & Spencers slip joint pliers...
Very interesting...