Progress is fine, but it's gone on for too long.
with apologies to Ogden Nash...
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Snap On valve adjustment adjusting tool
This is nice solid tool for adjusting valves, attach an appropriate sized socket to loosen the locking nut, then adjust the clearance with the slotted screwdriver knob. The patent date is 1924 so its a hundred eyars old. This one is still in use today.
Friday, November 13, 2026
Art of the Motorcycle
This must be one of the longest lasting shopping bags in history. We rode all night to get to the Guggenheim to see the show in 1998, were much impressed and brought souvenirs back in this bag. It's been in use ever since and finally deteriorated to useability. I think its time to relaunch the show.
Tool mutilation
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Schuil Duimstokken (Folding Rule)
Yet another name I've never seen before. Most of the folding wooden rules that appear around here are Lufkin or Rabone Chesterman. Nice to see something from a different country and to find another manufacturer.
Schuil Holland was founded in 1938 in the town of Leeuwarden in the north of Holland. They moved to nearby Drachten 10 years later, I wonder why? The company is known for manufacturing precision folding rules for carpentry, construction, and assembly trades. This one is nice traditional boxwood with brass hinges, 100 cm long. They also made them in aluminum.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Gravely 526 Two wheel tractor
Monday, November 9, 2026
Tramontina #2 plane
One of my vices is vises, Bison
Interesting vise from Poland. Tighten normally, then a cam action clamp does the final securing. Good for repetitive work. These vises are still being made. More here.
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Shingling hatchet head
The Crucible Cast Steel stamping is the only marking on this well-used shingling hammer. It appears there were several companies that stamped Crucible Steel in their edged tools, referring to the process of melting iron with carbon in a crucible which resulted in a high quality steel.
It's likely the head shown was either C. Hammond of Philadelphia or Isaiah Blood of Ballston, NY who made premium shingling axes and tools that regularly used "Cast Steel" or "Crucible" on their tools . A little googling shows both manufacturers made shingling hammers of this shape.















