J. Knell Shoe Maker's Pincers

[Plyerman]

My project for today: cleaning the rust and gunk off an old pair of cobbler's pliers. Not sure when exactly this type of plier fell out of use, but all of the various ones I've seen appear to be VERY old. None of them usually have maker's marks or patent dates, but lo and behold beneath all the rust this one did! PATENTED MAR. 13, 1888. A quick check on Datamp says that it was invented by a Mr. John Knell of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.







the face of the hammer has a fancy pattern of notches in it






The features mentioned in the patent are the "box joint" style pivot, a set of "stops" on the handle that limits how far the jaws can close, and the hammer head which attaches by way of a threaded post.

[HeelSpur]

That's nice and its still in great shape too.

[Papaw]

Great pliers and cool to have the patent to see.

[rusty]

Very nice :)

Knell has an earlier patent, () so  it took 2 tries.

I only know of 4 earlier patents for this type of plier beside these....

Edit: oops..hmm

Knell has 1 *later* patent, 393014....

[Plyerman]

It's Mike Urness's Auction. Catalog listing is at:
http://www.greatplanestrading.com/HUM14/HUM14.htm

Huh, well that's ironic. I was just surfing through the pictures for next month's Great Planes Trading auction, and they have one of these listed! It looks pretty much the same as mine, except there is some marking on the lower plier jaw that mine doesn't have. Can't quite make out what it says though...

[mvwcnews]

The mark on the other jaw of the pair in Great Planes auction is "WHITCHER."  The Frank Whitcher Company made cobbler's tools & Whitcher had shoemaker's pincers patents as well  ( e. g. http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?number=372246&typeCode=0 ).

[Plyerman]

Ah, good info Stan, thanks! I'll have to keep an eye out for a Whitcher patent version like the one shown on Datamp

[lauver]

Plyerman & Rusty,

A very unusual tool, but well thought out and cleverly designed.  Kind of elegant as well.

But, is the "A" on the upper jaw to the left of the patent date a makers mark?  Or perhaps a model designation?  Or an owner mark?  Something else?

Your thoughts toolhounds....

[Plyerman]

I have no idea what the A is, but I found it interesting that both mine and the one listed in the Great Planes Trading auction each have it stamped in the same place.


So does it mean something?