Progress is fine, but it's gone on for too long.

Friday, June 19, 2026

The G man meets C & B Rods

No relation to me, but Clawson & Bal's business practices led to a 1939 tax lawsuit regarding whether a connecting rod is a taxable item.

I always get a bit queasy when I find these surgical tools, I would definitely need anesthetics for this one. Nasty. Text stamped in the handle looks like Teur a Paris, Google Translate says Author in Paris but we'll just leave it there. Futuristic (for twenty years ago) Ridgid hammer included for scale.

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Early farm innovation...

As Wilbur tested the new machine gun mount on his biplane, it occurred to him that it would make an excellent rowcropping agricultural tool, battling both potato bugs and groundhogs.

This picture was taken while I was flipping through a book at an antique market, so I don't know what's actually going on.

Google Lens tells me this is a Blériot XI- the first plane across the English Channel, it it is obviously not.

One of my vices is vises; Lakeside

Lakeside was a brand name that Montgomery Ward used for their tools, a little googling shows people certain that they were all American-made but this 3" one comes from Belgium! Too bad the swivel base is missing, it looks like a nice home workshop vise.

Trackmaster Triumph

Just a nice side view of a cool flattracker. But what's with the front brake?

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Did I need this?

Suddenly I have acquired a 1937 Allis Chalmers B. Not completely stock but very nice. How could someone say no to this?

Henley Filson wrench

According to this Garage Journal thread, the Henley Filson Company was located in North Vernon, Indiana where they were listed as a maker of dies and forgings. The tools appear with different labelling, this earlier post shows a very similar wrench with just the Filson name. Other than the GJ thread there is not much info online about the company or products.

Monday, June 15, 2026

Magazines come and go... Superbike Illustrated

A nice high quality glossy magazine from 1986, covering a range of of notable motorcycles, modern and historical, even a bicycle! It seems to have been shortlived, this is Volume 1 Number 2 and is the only issue appearing online in 2026. I don't recognize any of the staff names. R.I.P.