Stevens New York - SOLVED!!

[mvwcnews]

Who's got cab tire replacement rubber, etc.  Many an old tricycle and coaster wagon could be revived with new rubber for the wheels.

Great solve & reminder of how stuff was made to last & to be repaired not so very long ago. 
(rant ) Now we spend big bucks for stuff designed to be thrown away (rip proof garbage bags ) & spend more for throw-away containers than for the "food" within. (end rant).

The Dec. MVWC newsletter is filling up fast -- thanks to papawswrench & other great sources.

[amecks]

Stan, there's a link in my "solved" reply -  www.tricyclefetish.com sells "rope rubber" for tricycle tires. That page has additional links that explain how they do it. They use a heavy wire and weld or solder it in place. I did not find any info on actual antique bicycle tires being held on with wire that could be twisted with the wrench.
Al

[Billman49]

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg_pDvoMWmE

This chap silver solders/brazes the two end of the wire together. Ordinary bicycles date from about 1870, before the days of gas torches/oxy acetylene welding. The modern vaporising blowlamp, dates from about 1882, so for at least ten years some other form of joining the wire would have been required...

The only method would have been to twist the wires together - some form of linesman's splice, where each end is wrapped around the other wire. The 'solid' tyre's heyday was shortlived as Dunlop developed the pneumatic tyre c 1888, and the safety bicycle superceded the old 'bone shakers'...

Doing this in a very confined space between the jaws of the tensioner would require a specialised tool - probably a pair of them....

See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrCegT6aPxw

[stanley62]

I found a tool similar to the Stevens tool from this thread today.  Marked Midwestern Tool Co, Chicago.  Is this the same animal, or something different?

 Jim

[rusty]

Midwestern Tool Co, Chicago, Inc 1922, took over failed Ajax tool co.
At the time, listed as making hobs, milling cutters,tools,fixtures, and automobile pistons...

Old enough perhaps, but just barely....

[stanley62]

Thanks Rusty.  I didn't really figure it was that old, it just looked similar to the Steven tool.

 Jim