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"Trig-O-Matic!" You gotta love it!
These wire strippers were patented in 1947 by Stuart G. Wood of Rockford, Illinois. From what I can determine, he went on to found the Wood Specialty Manufacturing Company in the same city. This particular tool was apparently made for the General Cement Manufacturing Company, also of Rockford, which was founded in 1930 by Stanley B. Valiulis and Richard Ellis. Their initial product was a general purpose cement designed to repair phonograph and radio cabinets and repair torn speaker cones. Over the years, their product line expanded to meet changing market conditions, and in 1959 the company changed its name to GC Electronics. Unlike the Wood Specialty Manufacturing Company, GC Electronics is still in business.
Anyway, they're very nice wire strippers and have given me no cause to complain, especially since they were made over 50 years ago.
I found a set of these, in a tin box with a slotted wood block holding 8 additional sizes of cutters, in my uncle's basement when I was cleaning out his house after he passed. As luck would have it, I needed to strip some 24 G phone wire, but the wrong cutters were in. Had to remove 7 screws to change the cutters(!), so I got to see the internals - interesting. Worked fine, stripped the wires, and back in operation. It's 2018, and these wer General Cement brand from 1951 - the year my wife was born. American goods.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't see the typo - wer instead of were - on the preview screen, and there's no way to edit a comment!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment! Love these old tools.
ReplyDeleteI have a set and am looking for another for a friend of mine. I had no idea that there was other cutters. How interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend how I helped look up the same tool and I think he will be willing to sell them
DeleteI have one just like this, but there is something wrong with it. The jaws open before it has a chance to grip the wire. I would like to fix it if I can. Also not sure about the On/Off position.
ReplyDeleteUnknown: you may have figured this out already but the "On-Off" lever is what keeps the jaws closed so it can grip the wire and strip it. The "off" position (lever swung counter clockwise) lets you strip the insulation totally off the wire, actually almost launches it off the wire. The "on" position keeps the jaws apart so you just separate the insulation, leaves the insulation on the wire to remove easily later. There are 2 settings for "on", just play with it and you'll see if you use the "on" setting. I never use the "on" because I don't do stripping ahead of time, just when I'm ready to connect.
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