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What is This?

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Jack fowler
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Postby Jack fowler » Mon May 29, 2006 8:56 am

Does anybody recognize this? I almost ran over it planting corn yesterday. (The point was pointed up) Last fall I plowed very deep and I must have dug it up then. The field I was in, has been farmed over a 100 years and by the looks of this it may be that old.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/Jackf/100_0995.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/Jackf/100_0996.jpg

Thanks,

Jack Fowler

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Merlin
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Postby Merlin » Mon May 29, 2006 9:11 am

That is the top half of a "Monkey Wrench". The original version of a Pipe Wrench only with a hammer head and probably a wooden handle. I still have a few of them.

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Postby Jack fowler » Mon May 29, 2006 10:15 am

Merlin,

Was this a general tool for around the farm? I thought it was something used on a steam engine. Steam Engines were used for farming in this area in the era.

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Postby George Willer » Mon May 29, 2006 10:16 am

Jack,

I too would have called it a "monkey wrench", but it wouldn't have worked as a pipe wrench. I can't find my good one, but this one with a broken jaw will give you an idea what you have.

Above it in my picture is an artifact I recently discovered that was also burried for a very long time. I first thought it was a Collins double bit axe, but after a long cleaning in the electrolysis tank it turns out to be blacksmith made. The joint between the wrought iron body and the forge welded steel cutting edges are clearly visible. I plan to add a handle for display purposes.

In the background is Shorty's new battery box. :D

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Postby beaconlight » Mon May 29, 2006 10:22 am

Today we would use a Cresent Wrench as an adjustable wrench. My dad had a monkey wrench that came with one of his old ford cars. It was all steel and the hammer area of yous was rounded. Ford was stamped on it.

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Postby Jack fowler » Mon May 29, 2006 12:33 pm

Thanks Bill,George and Merlin,

My Dad has a wrench like that. I new I recognized it from somewhere. I also found a blacksmith made double edge axe something like George has. How I found it was opening a door of a log cabin on my wife’s family’s original farm that was built when they moved to this country from Germany. The axe almost hit me in the head when it fell. The handle broke at the axe, but I still have it.

I have some other items as you can see in the other links. I have everything stored in a building for safe keeping so, hopefully someday I can restore.

I guess what I should do is get everything out and take pictures and post so everybody can fill me in what this stuff is.

Thanks again for your time.

Jack Fowler

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/Jackf/100_0998.jpg

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Postby John *.?-!.* cub owner » Mon May 29, 2006 1:53 pm

Jack, those were common tools in the days fo horse draw equipment, another common name ofr them was Stillson wrenches.
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Postby Dan England » Mon May 29, 2006 2:07 pm

John: I am familiar with the term monkey wrench and know what they are. I have heard of Stillson wrenches but didn't know that this was another name for monkey wrench. I have learned something today. Dan

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Postby George Willer » Mon May 29, 2006 3:53 pm

This wrench discussion is getting interesting! I just dug a few out of my junk to use as examples and to muddy the waters.

In the lower right are 3 Stillson pattern pipe wrenches. Only the one with the green handle is a true Stillson. The others are Trimo.

Above the Stillsons is an interesting Trimo... a monkey wrench that resembles the Trimo pipe wrench.

The remaining 5 monkey wrenches resemble Ford's, but only the one in the lower left is a true Ford.

Above the wrenches are two hot chisels, one of which I just discovered will fit my anvil after correcting where some !#$%^ pounded on it.

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Postby Merlin » Mon May 29, 2006 4:41 pm

This was a indispensable wrench in it's time too. You always had your wrench with you that fit everything on the plow in case you were a long ways from the barn and needed it. The single trey hooked to this and the trace chains hooked to the single trey. I have some clevises that goes with the trace chains also.

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Postby beaconlight » Mon May 29, 2006 5:18 pm

George you are making me nostalgic. Both my Grand fathers had Stilson and monkey wrenches.
Your hot chisel has another name but I can't think of it at the moment. I keep wanting to say "froe" but that is for hand splittingles from a block of wood or for handsplitting fence rails.

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Postby George Willer » Mon May 29, 2006 5:59 pm

Jack Fowler wrote:Thanks Bill,George and Merlin,

I also found a blacksmith made double edge axe something like George has. How I found it was opening a door of a log cabin on my wife’s family’s original farm that was built when they moved to this country from Germany. The axe almost hit me in the head when it fell. The handle broke at the axe, but I still have it.

Thanks again for your time.

Jack Fowler



Jack,

Your axe was made for an entirely different purpose. If you put a new handle in it, you'll have to make it, since it had a definite curve for knuckle clearance. Look carefully and (unless it was made for a lefty) you'll see it is flat on the left side, and the bevel from sharpening is on the right side. It was used for hewing the timbers used in most old barns. In use, the timber was first scored with a different axe and yours was used by chopping cross grain to remove material until the desired flat plane was created. For this operation, the log was positioned so that the active side was on the hewer's right. The bent handle was very important.

In another of your photos, I think the last one, the most prominent item was the harness maker's vice. It held the leather securely so the harness maker could punch holes with an awl before inserting the waxed thread stitches with two needles from opposite sides. Part of one jaw of the vise is missing.
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Postby Dan England » Mon May 29, 2006 6:02 pm

Merlin: What holds the wrench in the apparatus in the picture above? Is there a cotter pin which can't be seen in the picture? Also, what is the name of the apparatus? I remember them from growing up on the farm but don't remember their name. Dan

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Postby Merlin » Mon May 29, 2006 6:19 pm

Dan England wrote:Merlin: What holds the wrench in the apparatus in the picture above? Is there a cotter pin which can't be seen in the picture? Also, what is the name of the apparatus? I remember them from growing up on the farm but don't remember their name. Dan


I'm not sure what the name is. I am hoping someone here will know. The wrench is threaded so it just unscrews. I'm going to have to clean it up and oil it one day. It goes through the plow beam.

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Postby 400lbsonacubseatspring » Tue May 30, 2006 4:47 pm

George Willer wrote:Look carefully and (unless it was made for a lefty) you'll see it is flat on the left side, and the bevel from sharpening is on the right side. It was used for hewing the timbers used in most old barns. In use, the timber was first scored with a different axe and yours was used by chopping cross grain to remove material until the desired flat plane was created. For this operation, the log was positioned so that the active side was on the hewer's right. The bent handle was very important.


I've a few examples of a longer bladed axe, George, that is symmetrical on both sides, also used to make beams. Typically mounted to a longer , straight handle, you strattled the log, or stood on top of it, and hewed the sides off the log as you went. As a child, I thought they were battle-axes.

I believe one hewed only partway through on both sides of the log, then flipped the log, and finished the job. I think that's were the term "rough hewn" comes from. I also think that this type of axe is a purely German idea, as you don't see them outside of PA-Dutch areas. They also had a heavier mass behind the head.

Any of them, though, would be useful for beheadings, should the need arise........


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