tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28887707501720937522011-04-21T14:49:12.852-05:00Maintained by the editor of the Missouri Valley Wrench Club Newsletter, as another window into the old wrench collecting hobby.S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.comBlogger121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-60378285604468142582009-03-16T22:35:00.008-05:002009-03-16T23:08:35.284-05:00

The first issue of the Missouri Valley Wrench Club Newsletter in June, 1982 noted the recent closing of Leverage Tools of Glenvil, Nebraska -- the company had been bought out by Stanley.LEVERAGE TOOLS self-adjusting locking pliers, clamps, etc. are now collectibles. One of the newer pieces in the Richard Carter auction inventory was a set of ratchet-action open end wrenches patented in 1957

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-79869580761276238852009-03-14T22:12:00.005-05:002009-03-14T22:58:23.609-05:00

The history of the interesting and collectible tools is filled with false starts, ambition over-reaching ability to deliver, and many other factors resulting in scarcity. The sale inventory of the Richard Carter collection auction the weekend of Feb. 27th- March 1st had several examples. The Oct. 5, 1880 Genry A. Chapman patent combination wrench and pipe cutter looked hand-made. The "

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-48759823295922902252009-01-04T13:53:00.005-06:002009-01-05T08:49:31.279-06:00

A couple of key components of the MVWC web site are reconstructed. One new piece is evolving. A "wrench only" subset of Recent DATAMP Activity is getting off the ground. It is meant to have the dual effect of bringing continuous new content to www.mvwc.org, and help promote effective use of the patent research at DATAMP. A tech savvy member of the DATAMP team figured out how to construct an

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-47973246489562515312008-12-18T09:44:00.012-06:002009-01-05T08:50:40.859-06:00

No, the first word in the title is not emoticons, or a quote from the guy in the wrench suit, but a bemused reflection on the unexpected demise of the old mvwc.org web site shown above. The old web site is dead, but a new mvwc.org is springing up. Maybe, like the later iterations of Bartholomew Cubbins' hats, the new version will be more glorious than its predecessor. In the mean time,

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-77881168251201722312008-11-30T22:47:00.003-06:002008-11-30T23:36:14.962-06:00

I spent a quarter hour paging through a binder full of FORD/FERGUSON operator and parts manuals a few weeks ago. I was looking for one detail which I did not find. If I had found it, I would have been able to turn speculation into fact. The bookshelf above contains documentation with a leavening of hearsay and speculation. There are a few bound auction sale lists. The wrench books include "

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-1507137307547631992008-11-21T21:13:00.005-06:002008-11-22T23:26:21.433-06:00

The so-called "cut-out-letter" malleable iron wrenches are an interesting subset of the old wrench enthusiasm. The JOHN DEERE TR590 is probably on most collectors' "gee it would be nice to have one" list, and serious collectors know the location of every "known example." Would-be owners start ticking off who might be amenable to selling theirs, and set aside cash assets to move quickly if a

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-17318590037639138962008-11-14T21:44:00.004-06:002008-11-14T22:34:43.183-06:00

When I started adding wrench and pliers patents to DATAMP, I first set out to add "known" patents identified by old wrench enthusiasts over the years, and later used the U.S. Patent system "CCLs" (e.g. 81/ .. TOOLS) to examine patents by classification.I eventually decided the most thorough way to cover the territory is to look at "every" patent. That can be done since the old U.S. patents are

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-14016805147818710572008-11-08T15:49:00.006-06:002008-11-08T16:52:38.056-06:00

People inquire about the availability of dad and mom's"Antique and Unusual Wrenches", by Schulz's. The book evolved out ofearlier books by MarvinWullweber . It took three years to compile andproduce, and first came to market in late 1989. Some minor revisionsand additions were made for the second printing in 1992 and all laterprintings. Mom kept it in print for a few years after dad died

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-27520859216021401452008-11-07T18:39:00.004-06:002008-11-07T22:59:13.722-06:00

One of the miscellaneous wrench photos I found in FLICKR(r) was a street band with a wrench xylophone for the percussion.The title for this entry actually is inviting a response. I have set up a FLICKR account on behalf of the Missouri Valley Wrench Club and for the community of antique wrench enthusiasts.I want to make this blog and the FLICKR(r) entries whatever best serves you -- the

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-51123642203054482332008-11-06T22:08:00.002-06:002008-11-06T22:31:36.709-06:00

Whiling some hours away on vacation a few days ago, I started poking through FLICKR wrench photos. In no particular order ...A big Norwegian wrench --A wrench chair -- Giant wrenches in Colorado Springs --Oklahoma business sign -- New Orleans hardware & plumbing supply store sign (there are lots of FLICKR photo sets that include this store) --Outside a plumber's union hall on Bell in Des Moines

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-82432063947688700612008-10-20T18:06:00.004-05:002008-11-07T18:35:35.548-06:00

In addition to the Missouri Valley Wrench Club newsletter, a substantial portion of my "hobby" time the last few years has been devoted to adding patent entries to DATAMP. One wonderful thing about DATAMP is that it is a volunteer collaboration that (so far at least) is free of advertising.The image in this post is copied from my DATAMP entry for U.S. patent no. 426,224. It incorporates

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2888770750172093752.post-44779538770452437722008-10-20T13:25:00.003-05:002008-11-07T18:36:48.365-06:00

In my "day job" at a public library in Nebraska, I'm encouraged to become adept with Web 2.0 concepts and tools. So, here's a blog.If you're already active in the Missouri Valley Wrench Club, the rest of this may be old hat.If you are not a member but want to learn more, check out the club's modest web site at www.mvwc.org or "Bus" Haury's Wrenching News.I also have a small flickr(r) photo

S.Schulzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15554788899899378732noreply@blogger.com1