OT Old tools

As I posted a while back I still have a few of my late fathers tools one
indispensible item is a 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 offset ring key its one of those no
nonsense built to last spanners. With a patina of age which enables it to
hide in the deepest corners of the garage undetected usually when most
needed I thought a cleanup would be in order so I gave it a good polish with
a rotary wire brush intending to put a lick of (bright) paint on to make it
visible . I have new respect for british workmanship once cleaned up it it
reveals itself as a Britool chrome alloy ' war finish ' so at a minimum
its 60+ years old and still as crisp fitting as new despite the lower
specification of a war finish rather puts some of the flaky japanese crap of
10 years ago into the shade. I'm very tempted to pop into a plating shop and
have it nickel plated
Derek

Derek <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
about:
> As I posted a while back I still have a few of my late fathers tools
> one indispensible item is a 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 offset ring key its one of
> those no nonsense built to last spanners. With a patina of age which
> enables it to hide in the deepest corners of the garage undetected
> usually when most needed I thought a cleanup would be in order so I
> gave it a good polish with a rotary wire brush intending to put a
> lick of (bright) paint on to make it visible . I have new respect for
> british workmanship once cleaned up it it reveals itself as a Britool
> chrome alloy ' war finish ' so at a minimum its 60+ years old and
> still as crisp fitting as new despite the lower specification of a
> war finish rather puts some of the flaky japanese crap of 10 years
> ago into the shade. I'm very tempted to pop into a plating shop and
> have it nickel plated Derek

For all the tools I have been given It would probably be worth buying a
kit... I understand they aren't that expensive, but I'm not sure what the
guy who was telling me this was getting paid an hour.

Lee D

"Lee_D" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Derek <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
> about:
>> As I posted a while back I still have a few of my late fathers tools
>> one indispensible item is a 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 offset ring key its one of
>> those no nonsense built to last spanners. With a patina of age which
>> enables it to hide in the deepest corners of the garage undetected
>> usually when most needed I thought a cleanup would be in order so I
>> gave it a good polish with a rotary wire brush intending to put a
>> lick of (bright) paint on to make it visible . I have new respect for
>> british workmanship once cleaned up it it reveals itself as a Britool
>> chrome alloy ' war finish ' so at a minimum its 60+ years old and
>> still as crisp fitting as new despite the lower specification of a
>> war finish rather puts some of the flaky japanese crap of 10 years
>> ago into the shade. I'm very tempted to pop into a plating shop and
>> have it nickel plated Derek
>
> For all the tools I have been given It would probably be worth buying a
> kit... I understand they aren't that expensive, but I'm not sure what the
> guy who was telling me this was getting paid an hour.
>
> Lee D
That was my first job from school ( Electroplating lab techie until the
company 'downsized' a year later) the problem is getting rid of the
solutions when you have finished down the plugole is a no no .However
electroless nickel is magical stuff you need to keep it hot and it just
deposits without any electrical input
http://www.caswelleurope.co.uk/electronic.htm
we used to do it 200galls a shot for very hi spec jobs lovely stuff and not
too nasty to work with.
Derek

On or around Sun, 01 Oct 2006 14:15:22 GMT, "Derek"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

> As I posted a while back I still have a few of my late fathers tools one
>indispensible item is a 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 offset ring key its one of those no
>nonsense built to last spanners. With a patina of age which enables it to
>hide in the deepest corners of the garage undetected usually when most
>needed I thought a cleanup would be in order so I gave it a good polish with
>a rotary wire brush intending to put a lick of (bright) paint on to make it
>visible . I have new respect for british workmanship once cleaned up it it
>reveals itself as a Britool chrome alloy ' war finish ' so at a minimum
>its 60+ years old and still as crisp fitting as new despite the lower
>specification of a war finish rather puts some of the flaky japanese crap of
>10 years ago into the shade. I'm very tempted to pop into a plating shop and
>have it nickel plated

I have one of them, too. probably the same model. I wouldn't plate it,
IIWY, "war finish" means "no plating" AFAIK. "normal" ones had chrome on
'em. I don't think the actual tool was compromised.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
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On Sun, 01 Oct 2006 14:15:22 GMT, "Derek"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> As I posted a while back I still have a few of my late fathers tools one
>indispensible item is a 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 offset ring key its one of those no
>nonsense built to last spanners. With a patina of age which enables it to
>hide in the deepest corners of the garage undetected usually when most
>needed I thought a cleanup would be in order so I gave it a good polish with
>a rotary wire brush intending to put a lick of (bright) paint on to make it
>visible . I have new respect for british workmanship once cleaned up it it
>reveals itself as a Britool chrome alloy ' war finish ' so at a minimum
>its 60+ years old and still as crisp fitting as new despite the lower
>specification of a war finish rather puts some of the flaky japanese crap of
>10 years ago into the shade. I'm very tempted to pop into a plating shop and
>have it nickel plated
>Derek
>

Without doubt the best spanners and sockets i have are Britool, and
not one of them is under 30 years old.

Alex

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Sun, 01 Oct 2006 14:15:22 GMT, "Derek"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>> As I posted a while back I still have a few of my late fathers tools one
>>indispensible item is a 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 offset ring key its one of those no
>>nonsense built to last spanners. With a patina of age which enables it to
>>hide in the deepest corners of the garage undetected usually when most
>>needed I thought a cleanup would be in order so I gave it a good polish
>>with
>>a rotary wire brush intending to put a lick of (bright) paint on to make
>>it
>>visible . I have new respect for british workmanship once cleaned up it it
>>reveals itself as a Britool chrome alloy ' war finish ' so at a minimum
>>its 60+ years old and still as crisp fitting as new despite the lower
>>specification of a war finish rather puts some of the flaky japanese crap
>>of
>>10 years ago into the shade. I'm very tempted to pop into a plating shop
>>and
>>have it nickel plated
>
> I have one of them, too. probably the same model. I wouldn't plate it,
> IIWY, "war finish" means "no plating" AFAIK. "normal" ones had chrome on
> 'em. I don't think the actual tool was compromised.
> --
> Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
> 0123456789112345678921234567893123456789412345678951234567896123456789712345
> 1 weebl: What's this? | in recognition of the fun that is weebl and bob
> 2 bob: it a SigRuler! | check out the weebl and bob archive:
> 3 weebl: How Handy! | http://www.weebl.jolt.co.uk/archives.php

I was doing a little research on the subject (as you do) and war finish is
also applied when as the toolmakers craftsmen are away to war lesser
mortals ( inc women) were doing the finishing and producing what the
manufacturers rated as a very basic product. Not having the machining
skills of the craftsman they merely removed burrs and sharp edges not
polishing tools to the high level expected of 1st grade tools apparently it
applies to machines as well so I will be on the lookout. When you think
about it though out in the field with happy chappies taking pot shots in
your direction with large calibre weapons I reckon war finish would be much
safer than highly polished.
Derek

Derek wrote:
> "Lee_D" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Derek <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
>> about:
>>> As I posted a while back I still have a few of my late fathers tools
>>> one indispensible item is a 1 1/4 x 1 5/16 offset ring key its one of
>>> those no nonsense built to last spanners. With a patina of age which
>>> enables it to hide in the deepest corners of the garage undetected
>>> usually when most needed I thought a cleanup would be in order so I
>>> gave it a good polish with a rotary wire brush intending to put a
>>> lick of (bright) paint on to make it visible . I have new respect for
>>> british workmanship once cleaned up it it reveals itself as a Britool
>>> chrome alloy ' war finish ' so at a minimum its 60+ years old and
>>> still as crisp fitting as new despite the lower specification of a
>>> war finish rather puts some of the flaky japanese crap of 10 years
>>> ago into the shade. I'm very tempted to pop into a plating shop and
>>> have it nickel plated Derek
>> For all the tools I have been given It would probably be worth buying a
>> kit... I understand they aren't that expensive, but I'm not sure what the
>> guy who was telling me this was getting paid an hour.
>>
>> Lee D
> That was my first job from school ( Electroplating lab techie until the
> company 'downsized' a year later) the problem is getting rid of the
> solutions when you have finished down the plugole is a no no .However
> electroless nickel is magical stuff you need to keep it hot and it just
> deposits without any electrical input
> http://www.caswelleurope.co.uk/electronic.htm
> we used to do it 200galls a shot for very hi spec jobs lovely stuff and not
> too nasty to work with.
> Derek
>
>
That Caswell site looks intereesting - it'd be nice to plate stuff I've turned
on the lathe, but they don't seem to have an email address so that I could
enquire if they had an Australian distributor. Guess I'll have to Google around ...

--
Karen

If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.'
Catherine Aird

On Sun, 01 Oct 2006 23:43:43 +0100, Duracell Bunny <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Derek wrote:
>> ...
>> electroless nickel is magical stuff you need to keep it hot and it just
>> deposits without any electrical input
>> http://www.caswelleurope.co.uk/electronic.htm
>> we used to do it 200galls a shot for very hi spec jobs lovely stuff and
>> not too nasty to work with.
>> Derek
> That Caswell site looks intereesting - it'd be nice to plate stuff I've
> turned on the lathe, but they don't seem to have an email address so
> that I could enquire if they had an Australian distributor. Guess I'll
> have to Google around ...

buried on the home page: info@...

--
William Tasso

Land Rover - 110 V8
Discovery - V8

you could try

http://www.aimf.org.au

may be links from there to Oz or NZ based companies


Wolfie

"Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 01 Oct 2006 14:15:22 GMT, "Derek"
>
> Without doubt the best spanners and sockets i have are Britool, and
> not one of them is under 30 years old.
>
> Alex

I actually rate my Japanese (yes, Japanese!) socket set rather highly. It's
over 30 years old now, was bought from a catalogue (yep again, a catalogue
which my mum used to agent for) when I was a brassic 17 year old with my
first pride and joy - an 11 year old Austin A40, the original hatchback,
that I bought for £50. The socket set is unlabelled apart from "Made in
Japan", is still in its original tin box, has had a new ratchet handle
because I lost the original in a scrap yard (dropped it between a pile of
cars into some bottomless goop when changing a socket) and has just had to
have a replacement 19mm socket bought as the original cracked a couple of
weeks back whilst splitting a John Deere tractor in half. Oh yes, it has a
full range of sizes; metric AF and Whit and has been well used over the
years, quite often with a length of pipe increasing the leverage. However,
for everything else it's Britool. Ones I'd definitely steer well clear of
are King Dick, more often seen with a little arrow stamped on 'em somewhere,
usually open-ended and usually made with something with the strength of
cheese.

Steve

In message <[email protected]>
"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On Sun, 01 Oct 2006 14:15:22 GMT, "Derek"
>>
>> Without doubt the best spanners and sockets i have are Britool, and
>> not one of them is under 30 years old.
>>
>> Alex
>
>I actually rate my Japanese (yes, Japanese!) socket set rather highly. It's
>over 30 years old now, was bought from a catalogue (yep again, a catalogue
>which my mum used to agent for) when I was a brassic 17 year old with my
>first pride and joy - an 11 year old Austin A40, the original hatchback,
>that I bought for £50. The socket set is unlabelled apart from "Made in


I have the remnants of a thirty year old socket set (made in japan),
does Kamasa ring a bell.

Steve.


--
http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk
Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
Using a British RISC Operating System 100% immune to any Windows virus.
"Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble". Henry Royce

Stephen Hull wrote:
> In message <[email protected]>
> "Steve" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> "Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> On Sun, 01 Oct 2006 14:15:22 GMT, "Derek"
>>>
>>> Without doubt the best spanners and sockets i have are Britool, and
>>> not one of them is under 30 years old.
>>>
>>> Alex
>>
>> I actually rate my Japanese (yes, Japanese!) socket set rather
>> highly. It's over 30 years old now, was bought from a catalogue
>> (yep again, a catalogue which my mum used to agent for) when I was a
>> brassic 17 year old with my first pride and joy - an 11 year old
>> Austin A40, the original hatchback, that I bought for £50. The
>> socket set is unlabelled apart from "Made in
>
>
> I have the remnants of a thirty year old socket set (made in japan),
> does Kamasa ring a bell.
>
> Steve.

Does indeed, got a very passable set of combi spanners of theirs, about that
vintage, although the plasic roll is showing its age a bit.

--
Don't say it cannot be done, rather what is needed to do it!

If the answer is offensive maybe the question was inappropriate

The fiend of my fiend is my enema!

"Stephen Hull" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>
> "Steve" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >"Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >> On Sun, 01 Oct 2006 14:15:22 GMT, "Derek"
> >>
> >> Without doubt the best spanners and sockets i have are Britool, and
> >> not one of them is under 30 years old.
> >>
> >> Alex
> >
> >I actually rate my Japanese (yes, Japanese!) socket set rather highly.
It's
> >over 30 years old now, was bought from a catalogue (yep again, a
catalogue
> >which my mum used to agent for) when I was a brassic 17 year old with my
> >first pride and joy - an 11 year old Austin A40, the original hatchback,
> >that I bought for £50. The socket set is unlabelled apart from "Made in
>
>
> I have the remnants of a thirty year old socket set (made in japan),
> does Kamasa ring a bell.
>
> Steve.

No I'm almost 100% certain it's not a Kamasa one, although I did get a 3/8
drive Kamasa socket set from somewhere at a later time. The only markings
on the items in this one are as I said before, "Made in Japan" plus "Cr-Mo"
and the size of each socket. There's nothing embossed into the tin box lid
either. The main thing I like, apart from the fact that they've lasted so
long and paid for themselves an unreckonable number of times, is that
they're a bit deeper than the standard sockets you seem to get these days
and will fit properly and snugly on a nut that's got more than a gnats
eyelash of bolt thread showing through it. They're an old friend in the
workshop and the full range of Whit sizes is an absolute boon (....said the
man with a Series!).

Steve

In message <[email protected]>
"GbH" <[email protected]> wrote:

[snip]

>> I have the remnants of a thirty year old socket set (made in japan),
>> does Kamasa ring a bell.
>>
>> Steve.
>
>Does indeed, got a very passable set of combi spanners of theirs, about that
>vintage, although the plasic roll is showing its age a bit.
>

My old socket set was in a metal box, (long since gone), I replaced it
with "Mac tool" socket sets. I've still got one of those big red tool
boxes on wheels which now lives in my shed since I gave up the paint
business.

Steve.


--
http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk
Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
Using a British RISC Operating System 100% immune to any Windows virus.
"Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble". Henry Royce

In message <[email protected]>
"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote:

[snip]

>> I have the remnants of a thirty year old socket set (made in japan),
>> does Kamasa ring a bell.
>>
>> Steve.
>
>No I'm almost 100% certain it's not a Kamasa one, although I did get a 3/8
>drive Kamasa socket set from somewhere at a later time. The only markings
>on the items in this one are as I said before, "Made in Japan" plus "Cr-Mo"
>and the size of each socket. There's nothing embossed into the tin box lid
>either. The main thing I like, apart from the fact that they've lasted so
>long and paid for themselves an unreckonable number of times, is that
>they're a bit deeper than the standard sockets you seem to get these days
>and will fit properly and snugly on a nut that's got more than a gnats
>eyelash of bolt thread showing through it. They're an old friend in the
>workshop and the full range of Whit sizes is an absolute boon (....said the
>man with a Series!).
>
>Steve
>
I wonder if you can still buy them, giving that you ever manage to
identify them of course?

Steve.


--
http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk
Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
Using a British RISC Operating System 100% immune to any Windows virus.
"Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble". Henry Royce

On or around Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:03:48 GMT, "GbH"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Does indeed, got a very passable set of combi spanners of theirs, about that
>vintage, although the plasic roll is showing its age a bit.

Kamasa, like Draper, doe several ranges of quality all under the same name.
The top-end kamasa is pretty good, ditto the draper "expert" stuff.

elcheapo kamasa are made of toffee.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!

Steve wrote:

>
> No I'm almost 100% certain it's not a Kamasa one, although I did get a 3/8
> drive Kamasa socket set from somewhere at a later time. The only markings
> on the items in this one are as I said before, "Made in Japan" plus "Cr-Mo"
> and the size of each socket. There's nothing embossed into the tin box lid
> either.

I've got a set of them too - which I've passed on to my 12 year old son
now he's showing an interest in things mechanical. A fair proportion of
my tool collection is Snap-On or Koken, both of which seem to handle
unworldly amounts of abuse (impact wrenches and stupidly long breaker bars).


--
EMB

"Stephen Hull" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>
> "Steve" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> >> I have the remnants of a thirty year old socket set (made in japan),
> >> does Kamasa ring a bell.
> >>
> >> Steve.
> >
> >No I'm almost 100% certain it's not a Kamasa one, although I did get a
3/8
> >drive Kamasa socket set from somewhere at a later time. The only
markings
> >on the items in this one are as I said before, "Made in Japan" plus
"Cr-Mo"
> >and the size of each socket. There's nothing embossed into the tin box
lid
> >either. The main thing I like, apart from the fact that they've lasted
so
> >long and paid for themselves an unreckonable number of times, is that
> >they're a bit deeper than the standard sockets you seem to get these days
> >and will fit properly and snugly on a nut that's got more than a gnats
> >eyelash of bolt thread showing through it. They're an old friend in the
> >workshop and the full range of Whit sizes is an absolute boon (....said
the
> >man with a Series!).
> >
> >Steve
> >
> I wonder if you can still buy them, giving that you ever manage to
> identify them of course?
>
> Steve.
>
>
> --
GEDOR ring a bell, mine still complete & well used after 30 years
Chris

(snip)>>
>> --
> GEDOR ring a bell, mine still complete & well used after 30 years
> Chris
>
>I have a GEDORE Whitworth-sizes socket set I bought from a Swiss emporium
>in Nigeria in 1964. Still going strong, even the ratchet handle.

Stephen

Derek <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
about:


I'd just like to point out that as of October 1st in the UK due to new
legistlation work colleagues who are able to get on a bus for "half" can no
longer be refered to as "OLD TOOLS".

Nor can you take the **** in a birthday card it has been suggested!

Worlds going mad. My counter part at work will now have to be referred to as
Grumpy git which doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Grumpy old git.




Lee D