Giller

[jabberwoki]

Anybody collect Giller stuff?

[lbgradwell]

Maybe OilyRascal?

Whatcha got?

[OilyRascal]

I have been known to have a couple Giller tools.  Ditto "Whatcha got?"

[EVILDR235]

I have a few Giller tools, but I don't collect them. They were made by New Britain weren't they ? The ones I have, I have used over the years. Don't know when or where I got them. They seem to be ok as work tools. I would probably buy more if the price was right.
 EvilDr235

[OilyRascal]

....They were made by New Britain weren't they ? ......

I know, via legal court documents out of TX, there was a time when Shurtleff (Thorsen's head) had a business relationship.  It states David Giller became an employee of Thorsen Tool Company in 1970, but I know there relationship goes back further as they had constructed apartments together in 1968.  The lawsuit also states Giller worked directly for Shurtleff; Shurtleff was Giller's supervisor.  Of all the Giller tools I own I can map each one to a like Thorsen model.  That's all the evidence I have regarding Giller tools production.

SO Did David Giller or Thorsen have anything to do with "Giller" the tool brand?  I still can't prove any relationship.

[jabberwoki]

What i have is a box all taped up with 4 or 5  tool boxes (cannot remember) plus some random tools free to a Giller collector all they have to do is pay the shipping.
I just want them to have a good home.

Thats like payback for the guys that left P&C to start Thorson!

[OilyRascal]

I'd love to have them.  PM inbound.

[kxxr]

For what it's worth, the New Britain Machine Company wiki page does say that they supplied tools to the Giller company. I think that has been mentioned elsewhere, but this looked like a good place to reiterate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Britain_Machine_Company
I picked up a small Giller wrench recently that does not match any Thorsen tools I've spotted. I'll post a picture when the sun comes up. Assuming it does ;)

[kxxr]

Here's the Giller I mentioned. It does look like a Thorsen made wrench, but as I say, I don't recall seeing one marked Thorsen. My recall on these things isn't always that great. It is just under 5 inches in length. I included a group photo with my recently acquired USA Goodwrench adjustable for size comparison. I see plenty of Goodwrench, but this is my first USA Goodwrench.

[OilyRascal]

Also my first USA Goodwrench adjustable to see.   Thanks for sharing!

I'm nearly certain I can make a garage trip and find an "Action" marked wrench matching that Giller.   Fonts smells of Thorsen also.

[EVILDR235]

Seems to me that some Giller wrenches i have do have that Thorsen look to them. In my tool notes book i have a note that Giller was made by New Britain. Maybe Giller was made by several different companys ? Any Giller i have or may get in the future will be a tool to be used. I use hand tools in my line of work. One ones i don't wear out seem to have a habit of walking off from my work area. I can't afford to have high dollar tools turning up missing if you know what i mean

EvilDr235 

[kxxr]

Action; hadn't even given that a thought but now that you mention it, I can also almost picture it. I'll throw this Giller into the Thorsen pile just the same.

[krusty the clown]

So....wasn't giller a contractor to the millitary for hand tools? So it's a safe assumption that thorsen set giller up as a good buddy deal for that purpose? The few giller tools I have look like thorsens as well.

[kxxr]

So....wasn't giller a contractor to the millitary for hand tools?

True, according to Alloy Artifacts. This fellow details the Thorsen/Giller/Military connections, quoted from AA in his eBay ad for a pretty cool looking tool box.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/130689396370?nma=true&si=Y3Cey2pNHOaiMAdDoOKC6zzkxAM%3D&rt=nc&_trksid=p4340.l2557&orig_cvip=true

[jabberwoki]

A friend of mine has a old promo pic of a snap on factory and a promo pic of a New Britton factory and they`re exactly the same except a different name???