Monday, November 2, 2015

Vanished Tool Makers: "Colonel" screwdrivers, Sheffield, England



I recently found this 6-inch screwdriver at a thrift store. It was covered with black paint, and the handle had been wrapped with duct tape.  I initially passed it over.  However, I'm a sucker for tools with wooden handles, so I bought it in the end. I figured it was probably a Stanley or a Stanley knock-off, so I was surprised to find "Colonel Sheffield Eng" on the shank.  A google search indicates that there are lots of these screwdrivers out there, and even some chisels by this maker.  Apparently, their screwdrivers were O.E.M. for early post-war Rolls-Royce and Bentley automobiles, so they must have been a going concern. Beyond this, I can find no other information on the firm.

The nice thing about a Colonel is that you can use it to perform general or major work in private.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

That joke is amazing.

The Duke said...

Consider it corporal punishment.

Mark Stansbury said...

It was a house brand for Woolworths stores in the United Kingdom in the 1950s. The tools were manufactured by an unknown firm in Sheffield exclusively for Woolworths, and included trowels, paint scrapers, screwdrivers, and wood chisels.