Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: stanley62 on October 18, 2011, 11:19:38 AM

Title: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: stanley62 on October 18, 2011, 11:19:38 AM

Looks like some sort of tire tool?  Stamped    A.  PLOMB  B-1 on one side.  CALIF-TOOL on the other.
Any ideas???

  Jim

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: Neals on October 18, 2011, 11:31:18 AM

Looks like a brake spoon for adjusting drum brakes to me. But I been wrong before.

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: Ken W. on October 18, 2011, 11:36:58 AM

That's what it is . A brake spoon.

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: jimwrench on October 18, 2011, 12:30:24 PM

 agree with brake spoon. can't see amount of bend in your photo and brake spoons would have more offset than photo appears to show but photos are often misleading. B1 is not listed in Plomb catalogs I have. Must be of older vintage. Only B designation I found was for B5 which is offset screwdriver.

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: stanley62 on October 18, 2011, 02:51:22 PM

I don't think it would ever be listed as a Plomb tool.   Per AA,

Alphonse Plomb was one of the founders of that company, and when he left Plomb Tool around 1917, he started the A. Plomb Tool Company business.

California Tool continued to manufacture the A. Plomb line of tools for some years, and the tools were typically marked with both "Calif-Tool" and "A. Plomb" stamped markings. The "A. Plomb" marking was probably intended to show continuity with the older business and its customers; as far as is known, Alphonse Plomb retired after selling his business and had no further involvement with CTC.

If it were in a catalog, I think it would be a California Tool catalog.

  Jim

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: stanley62 on October 18, 2011, 02:56:02 PM

Here is a picture from the side.  Probably should have included this the first go round for clarity.
  Jim

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: jimwrench on October 18, 2011, 03:47:30 PM

 Now that looks like a brake tool.

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: Neals on October 18, 2011, 11:06:09 PM

From what I can find it looks like hydraulic drum brakes were introduced in the mid 1930's. I'm guessing that was when the adjusters that would use a spoon to adjust came in. That is just a guess as I have never worked on anything older than mid 50's

Title: Re: A. Plomb Whatsit
Post by: 1930 on October 19, 2011, 05:44:33 AM

Chrysler introduced four wheel lockheed hydraulics in 1924 Chrysler models. Maxwell never adopted these.
You might find interesting as well that 1924 saw the introduction of the first automotive filtration system or oil filter. It was installed on 1924 Maxwell automobiles and of course was transferred to the new Chryslers as Maxwell was phased out.