My Plierench Collection

[turnnut]

Yadda, thanks for the tool lesson on your collection, very interesting.

[Yadda]

Yadda, thanks for the tool lesson on your collection, very interesting.

It's a strange passion.  Except for modified tools I have most of the regular  Plierench versions that were sold under different company names.  It has been fun chasing them down.

[Plyerman]

Congrats Lyndon! Awesome that you were able to land that one! And given how scarce they seem to be, I think you got it for a great price.

So what are your initial impressions of the geared-pivot mechanism? Functional, or too gadgety?
 

[Yadda]

So what are your initial impressions of the geared-pivot mechanism? Functional, or too gadgety?

Thanks Bob! I wanted it 1 cent more than the other guy.   

More gadget than genius is my initial opinion.   It resides in that weird world between channel locks and slipjoint pliers with a disfunctional geared pivot.  Not a speck of rust after 63 years.  In fact, I've seen photos of two others and none of them have rust.  Possibly coated? They are light gold.  Maybe TiN coated? Is there any way to determine this? I think Bus has one maybe he has some perspective? In 1953-55 it sold for $3.50 to $4.  Regular pliers were probably less than $2 at the time and would have worked just as well.

[Plyerman]

Interesting thoughts on the mechanism, thanks. Plating wise, titanium nitride (TiN) coating is relatively recent technology, only becoming common on consumer goods in the last 15 or 20 years, so it's probably not that. Possibly zinc cadmium, which can appear in various shades of gold? Sometimes it is bright yellow, other times it is "faded" looking, although I don't know why that is.

[Plyerman]

Finally posting a pic of the pretty one I got several months ago. The case is marked CHROM, the tool doesn't have any special markings on it. I've got a photo of a chrome-plated one that says FORGED CHROM-MOLLY! ALLOY on the back face, but mine is blank.   

[p_toad]

nice.  very nice.   you suck.   

[Plyerman]

Heh heh, thanks!

[lptools]

Nice find!!!!!!!!

[mvwcnews]

Strange coincidence -- just today came across a Febr. 1951 ad for the Eifel which lets us know that the jaws were interchangeable since 1933, and that the 4X "long jaw" was a recent addition to the ensemble.   I digitized the ad & put it in FLICKR to accompany the 1927 Eifel ad that has been there since 2015. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mvwcnews/39739531972 ) = 1951 ad.
( https://www.flickr.com/photos/mvwcnews/20415294673 ) = 1927 ad.

[Yadda]

Strange coincidence -- just today came across a Febr. 1951 ad for the Eifel which lets us know that the jaws were interchangeable since 1933, and that the 4X "long jaw" was a recent addition to the ensemble.   I digitized the ad & put it in FLICKR to accompany the 1927 Eifel ad that has been there since 2015. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mvwcnews/39739531972 ) = 1951 ad.
( https://www.flickr.com/photos/mvwcnews/20415294673 ) = 1927 ad.

The new ad mentions "up to 8 jaws in the Master kit".  This includes the Grip Clamp jaw which in my personal experience is very rare. I've only seen a few photos and a couple of mentions in advertisements like this. 

[bill300d]

I like the free bottle opener they gave you when ordering in the 1951 ad. Has anyone ever seen one? In my travels I don't remember ever seeing one.

[international3414]

I looked thru all the pictures but didn't see any with the threaded lock stop or what ever it was for?..*

[mvwcnews]

I like the free bottle opener they gave you when ordering in the 1951 ad. Has anyone ever seen one? In my travels I don't remember ever seeing one.

The "free bottle opener" was the EIFEL MULTITOOL.  Examples come up on the "bay" every now & then, but sell for a lot more than the original price of 15 cents.

[Yadda]

I like the free bottle opener they gave you when ordering in the 1951 ad. Has anyone ever seen one? In my travels I don't remember ever seeing one.

The "free bottle opener" was the EIFEL MULTITOOL.  Examples come up on the "bay" every now & then, but sell for a lot more than the original price of 15 cents.

There are three different versions.  The first one if the E-F Angle screwdriver tool.  It looks very different.  It was given away with the kits in the mid 20's to the late 20's.  The second, The Eifel Multitool was given away with kits and via mail request in magazine ads from 1932ish to around the late 40's.  Th third looks similar to the second and was made after the company moved from Chicago to Chicago 40.  I have one of the two third versions I have ever seen. I bought it out of an eBay store located in Australia.  I have a hand full of the second and a couple of the EF Angle drivers.