Tools of the Trade

[SteveBarrus]

Hello Damien,

Thanks for posting. I like seeing tools and buying these old tools. I like a lot of the tools you have and love the search for the treasures.
I like finding and putting sets together, holding them in my hands and feeling the balance they have then putting them to use. I travel for my primary job way to much and work on boots and shoes way to little and have decided that this year it is time to bring things home and do more things that are pleasing to the sole. To me that is boot and shoe making and this year 12 pair.

2017 I was able to find the following tools that are in excellent condition, sharp teeth and tight joints.

fullsizeoutput_882.jpeg

Swedish Berg Pincers 501, 502, & 503

fullsizeoutput_87e.jpeg

Whitcher Pincers # 1, 2, 3, & 4

fullsizeoutput_892.jpeg

Barnsley and Christensen Bulldogs

fullsizeoutput_898.jpeg

Peg Breakers. I can't say how many years I have looked for these things every since I saw D.W.'s and then within 30 days I found both.

fullsizeoutput_894.jpeg

Awls. Awls come and go on eBay and I have finally acquired all that I will ever need. Now it will be upgrading the hafts.

Next are the hammers. I must have 35 and everyone different. I will get cleaned up and some re-handled.
Keep looking because there are still so many great tools to be found out there.

Cheers,

Steve Barrus

[dw]

Steve,

Good looking collection...and you almost have as many awls as I have . And nice to see another pair of Christensens...as good or better than the Barnsleys.

I don't know what it is about tools...I used to buy a tool two three time a month off Ebay. Course now the quality has gone down and the price has gone up. Thing to do is weed out the really excellant ones and keep them for yourself. Sell off the others to pay for your purchases. And never buy a tool that you can't see clearly from all angles. DAMHIKT.

Friend of mine in Laramie Wyoming invited me and Randee over for dinner one evening and afterward, he drug out this old chest...more like foot locker except bigger...which was packed with tools. Old tools. Rare tools. Really, really good tools. While I was "wowing" and drooling, he said "Yeah, I want to be at my own estate sale." Never forgot that.

[SteveBarrus]

DW,

What is it with tools? The old ones that feel so nice. The patina of hand forging. The beauty of curves, brass, steel and art. The function, form, style...
My latest searches that helped me find these tools were on eBay.de and eBay.fr. the 503 came from France with two other pincers for 18.88 Euro plus shipping. I got 8 good looking 502's, not berg but are very nice average 23.00. The 501 is a Stanley but looks identical to a Berg 22.00. The two peg breakers TOWNSEND 44.00 & other 35.00. So the deals are still out there. The Whitcher were much harder to get. Nice ones without worn out joints and for an ok price were not in eBau.com but did manage to find them at eBay.co.uk. French eBay got the awls. I must have 200 of all sizes inseaming and square. The photo above are inseaming. the square awls are 6 sizes 55mm-110mm from US. These are still on eBay in packets of 12. Do a search for "Rare 1950 English Form 12 awls" 36.00 and less. Clean beautiful awls. I sent 6 sizes to Dick for patterns.

s-l1600.jpg

To much travel, to much time alone, and to much time on eBay.

All good.

Cheers,

Steve Barrus

[martin]

Great collections, a pleasure to view the pictures!

[Steve Barrus]

Here is a stone waist burnishing tool I got in a lot of tools from France eBay. Not exactly sure what it is called but I think it should probably be in a museum.

fullsizeoutput_9af.jpeg

fullsizeoutput_9a9.jpeg

I also found this Randall stitcher on craigslist. The price was excellent so I will use it for side seaming. (No more hand seaming) I have just ordered a table and motor which cost more than the stitcher. I spent a few days cleaning it up and getting her to sew properly. She had set for the past 20 years in a nice dry location so rust was minimal but the dust was very thick.

fullsizeoutput_9e2.jpeg

Cheers,

Steve Barrus

[Steve Barrus]

German lasting pincer set I was able to piece together over the past year. looks like a 1 & 2 just stamped with no name, perhaps a newer 3, & a Garantie No 4. Unlike the Swedish Berg style all pincers are the same length.

fullsizeoutput_a03.jpeg

fullsizeoutput_9fb.jpeg

[dw]

You have a great collection of tools, Steve...makes me jealous, although I probably have a similar set. Except for the stone waist burnisher--I've seen them but never seen them in use. Do you know how they are used and what the results are>

[Steve Barrus]

I am somewhat leery of using the stone burnisher as the stone is rougher than I would like. The wood its self would burnish the waist to a fine polish. I will give it a try on a scrap and post the results.
I have searched for how the stone tool was used and have not found an answer.

Steve Barrus

[agathos]

IMG_20180427_213159310.jpg

I bought these on Ebay for a reasonable price. Said they were NOS. The bottom jaw is nicely toothed, top jaw smooth.

USM marking says 13 N. Is anyone familiar with this smooth top jaw set up?

I really wanted a round hammer plier and these seemed like the best deal. I'm not sure if I'm a doofus for buying the smooth jaw.

Ebay presently has some beat up looking Witchers that are going (asking) for more than I paid for these.

[dw]

Very nice looking pincers.

I've had about six iterations of similar USM pincers through the years--I've never seen a pair with smooth jaws.Hopefully someone else...maybe @das...will have more information. My immediate take is that they could be useful.

I sold or traded all my USM whitchers for Christensen whitchers. Just something about the look and feel and use of them...FWIW.

[das]

Never seen the smooth top jaw either. Might be handy for delicate leather with fragile grain finishes, to alleviate teeth marks or tearing--just guessing here. Retired my Whitchers for Sewdish Berg pincers.

[agathos]

Well as it is for me for now, I'll probably never have a full set of tools devoted to any specific craft. Bums me out a little bit. However, it is interesting to note that the tools I am acquiring for this distinguished craft are only useful toward this particular craft. There are specialized tools in other realms like auto repair, but it seems that every tool used in boot/shoe making is specialized.

A "Thanks" to Duncan McHarg for his videos and explaining that his skiving knife was an old saw blade. He held it up to the camera just long enough for me to get the correct angle for the edge.

Mine is hardly a good example, but is is hardened and tempered. I don't even have a grinder, but I did what I could with what I have. The edge is not perfect or polished yet, but it is quite sharp, and I've been getting good use of it so far. It cost $4 and the time I spent learning/relearning/figuring out what I need to do to get the job done.

knife1.jpg

[das]

Looks nice. Wrap the handle portion with a strip of some thin leather, stuck with all-purpose cement and you'll handle it more comfortably with less fatigue.

[ArborCW]

I've been working in earnest the past six months to acquire tools for shoemaking. I've purchased a few pairs of Swedish-style lasting pliers along the way that have some "slop" or looseness in the joint. Before I take them over to the machine shop and drill them out, I'm wondering if there's another way to tighten the fitting that holds them together. It almost looks as though it's a big metal pin flattened on both sides that serves as the fulcrum for the pliers. Does anyone know - can this be hammered down by a blacksmith to re-tighten the joint?? There has to be a way to repair it; I can't imagine a tool of this era and for this purpose was made to not be serviceable.

[das]

Carefully lay them on an anvil so one side of the pivot-rivet head rests square. Moderately tap--do not bludgeon--with a ball-peen hammer on the other side of the rivet. Maybe 3-4 taps, then test. Do it just enough to reduce the slop. If you over-do it you can't undo it. The rivet may be soft or tempered, so it might tighten quickly, or take a few more wacks.

[ArborCW]

Carefully lay them on an anvil so one side of the pivot-rivet head rests square. Moderately tap--do not bludgeon--with a ball-peen hammer on the other side of the rivet. Maybe 3-4 taps, then test. Do it just enough to reduce the slop. If you over-do it you can't undo it. The rivet may be soft or tempered, so it might tighten quickly, or take a few more wacks.

Very much appreciate the help! I have multiple pairs that can use the service; will give it a go this weekend.

[das]

Slow and steady wins the race here. Bash them too hard and the joint will become too stiff.

[dmcharg]

Glad to be of help Agathos Mine needs re-hardening and tempering; didn't get it quite right last time and it's still a bit soft.
Cheers

[SharonKudrle]

I want to make 2 piece boots/wellingtons and I was getting tired of doing first and second crimps on boards to get modern pre-stretched out leather as smooth as possible. Age and strength are factors for me. I was looking for a crimp break, kind of like looking for a horse if you have to walk everywhere, and a beautiful Ferrari came into sight.... A slightly used Sigma 163, and somehow, it is now mine! I feel like the Little old Lady of Pasadena. It has a steam feature that needs a hose attachment and hydraulic power and has special electrical high power needs. I'm also not sure how to use it and haven't set it up yet, but I can't wait to try it! Rumor has it that it can scorch a vamp if one isn't careful. ~1863 and manual breaks, bye-bye!
Sharon

[dw]

Nice! Now all we need are pictures--of the machine and of the results.

[SharonKudrle]

I want to make 2 piece boots/wellingtons and I was getting tired of doing first and second crimps on boards to get modern pre-stretched out leather as smooth as possible. Age and strength are factors for me. I was looking for a crimp break, kind of like looking for a horse if you have to walk everywhere, and a beautiful Ferrari came into sight.... A slightly used Sigma 163, and somehow, it is now mine! I feel like the Little old Lady of Pasadena. It has a steam feature that needs a hose attachment and hydraulic power and has special electrical high power needs. I'm also not sure how to use it and haven't set it up yet, but I can't wait to try it! Rumor has it that it can scorch a vamp if one isn't careful. ~1863 and manual breaks, bye-bye!
Sharon

[dw]

Sharon,

What's it look like from the side?

Hope you get it up and running soon, I am interested in seeing what it can do.

[homeboy]

I'm interested also! Thanks for sharing!

[das]

More pix please. I know that machine all too well, I know what it can do. You're a lucky pup! Do not use the heat feature for veg-tanned, just wet and crimp, tack to boards to dry.

[SharonKudrle]

IMG_1403.JPG