GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

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mudbox
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by mudbox » Wed Sep 24, 2014 6:07 pm

Well, the Phillips is 4" now. 8)
Thanks Silly'sMB for the suggestion. I was able to get the extra 1/2" in length by using the vise and a hammer.
The blade seems to have remained well seated in the handle. So I suppose this is a keeper for 41-S-1638
Image

Now if I can figure out these close quarter drivers… :roll: Spec calls for 1/4" width of blade and 1-3/4" length. The only one that's close is the unknown 'USA" driver at the bottom. Top to bottom: Irwin (made U.S. of A.), Bridgeport, M-F Co. (miller falls maybe?), and unbranded USA.
Maybe the hammer and vise again?! :shock: :lol: :lol:
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by Wingnutt » Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:14 am

Mudbox,

Image

This advertisement from page 154 of the November 1939 Popular Mechanics supports the conjecture that your red stubby with the "M-F Co" marking was indeed mfgred by Millers Falls. While the ad is black and white, note the reference to a "red, transparent, indestructible, shockproof, plastic" handle as if the color was a branding feature of that line. The stubby in the ad, which is a 1-1/2, like yours, is marked "G. P. Co." for Goodell-Pratt, so I would assume yours is a subsequent generation. Perhaps wartime.

If Millers Falls mfgred a 1-3/4, we'd need a catalog or something to know the model number to look for. But at least we know what model number to avoid: 854.
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by mudbox » Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:00 am

Awesome! Thanks Wingnutt, for tracking that down.
The one I have is also a #584. So close, but no cigar. :roll:
That ad is a great read. It has all the buzzwords in there.
I think it only cost me $0.50! Good to see that some things remain constant. :lol:
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by Wingnutt » Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:17 am

I stumbled on it doing more generic close-quarter screwdriver research. Remembered seeing yours. Happy to report it.
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by Hartofoak » Thu Oct 23, 2014 2:40 pm

I would also rate the 41-S-1228 screwdriver as one of the rarest tools to locate for the GMTK. Seeing your example in the flesh today Silly's MB, made me very envious, even though there has been a bit of doubt about the Vlchek contracts. I'm still to find my example.
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by d42jeep » Sun Oct 26, 2014 11:12 am

Thanks to Mudbox and Silly I took a look at some Irwin ink marked slotted screwdrivers I had that didn't match the specs. I decided to disassemble them and shorten the blades and then re-rivet them. Surprisingly, they didn't come out too bad.
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by mudbox » Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:30 pm

I found this 4" Phillips driver 41-S-1638. Fits the spec but from a brand that I'm not familiar with.
Has metal plate on the butt end of the driver.
Anyone have any info on this manufacturer?
Ferrule on the driver says:
No 2 Point
VESSEL
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Image
Thanks for looking.
-Jason

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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by Hartofoak » Wed Dec 17, 2014 12:20 pm

Came across this vintage RAPD image of a close quarter screwdriver in action .... Can you read what is on it?
Screwdriver Close Quarter M3A1.jpg
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by d42jeep » Wed Dec 17, 2014 2:53 pm

Great picture. It seems like it could be Tobrin and it might smell like diesel oil.
-Don
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Close Quarter screwdriver 41-S-1063

Post by Hartofoak » Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:28 am

I came across this screwdriver for sale which closely matches the specification of 41-S-1063. The website looks interesting as well. Someone may like to grab it.
http://www.oldtoolman.com/tool/OTM-2785/
Corsair USA 41-S-1063.jpg
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Goodell-Pratt Stubby

Post by Hartofoak » Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:11 am

This is the first U.S.A. made 1/4" stubby screwdriver that I've come across in the UK. It was made by Goodell-Pratt sometime around 1937 or after and is similar to the one featured in Wingnutt's posting within this thread. The handle is of red 'Permaloid' cellulose acetate plasic much like the 'M-F' listed by 'mudbox' earlier. It is very close to the 41-S-1063 specifications and will be my MVMTS keeper even though it's described as the one to avoid in a previous post! There is a very good read outlining the take over of Goodell-Pratt by Miller Falls during the Great Depression years: http://oldtoolheaven.com/history/history10.htm
The website describes how Miller Falls continued to use the Goodell-Pratt name well into 1944, using both names on their catalogues.
Goodell Pratt 41-S-1063.jpg
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1942 Advert Permaloid & Miller Falls.jpg
1942 Advert Permaloid & Miller Falls.jpg (134.93 KiB) Viewed 2989 times
MB 298781 DoD: est. 01-19-44 (ex British Army 1958)
T1 Trailer: "Transportation Equipment Co."
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Re: Goodell-Pratt Stubby

Post by mudbox » Sun Jan 18, 2015 2:20 pm

Hartofoak wrote:This is the first U.S.A. made 1/4" stubby screwdriver that I've come across in the UK. It was made by Goodell-Pratt sometime around 1937 or after and is similar to the one featured in Wingnutt's posting within this thread. The handle is of red 'Permaloid' cellulose acetate plasic much like the 'M-F' listed by 'mudbox' earlier. It is very close to the 41-S-1063 specifications and will be my MVMTS keeper even though it's described as the one to avoid in a previous post!
Great find! A unique looking driver with the red handle. Yours appears to be in fantastic condition.
Hartofoak wrote:There is a very good read outlining the take over of Goodell-Pratt by Miller Falls during the Great Depression years: http://oldtoolheaven.com/history/history10.htm
The website describes how Miller Falls continued to use the Goodell-Pratt name well into 1944, using both names on their catalogues.
Thanks for the link. A good read. The documented and continued use of the G-P Brand makes me feel better about the Goodell-Pratt branded double offset screwdriver that I have. 8)

I found this unbranded example recently as well. At 1-9/16", it also falls just short of the spec.
Image
-Jason

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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers 41-S-1228

Post by Hartofoak » Sat Oct 07, 2017 12:20 pm

Thought I'd post my recent attempts to locate the GMTK 5 1/2" 41-S-1228 "Electrician's Screwdriver, now that we have access to Wingnutt's June 1939 Federal Specification Catalogue. This specifies that the Electrician's/Cabinet Type 1 screwdriver has a 5 1/2in long x 5/32in (? difficult to read) wide blade. Overall length is 9 1/2in. I've been searching for one of these for several years but have never found a Bridgeport, Vlchek or Irwin example as posted in this thread. More recently I acquired an American Stanley that has come very close. One specification that I had not realised is that quoted for the diameter of the wooden handle as 7/8in. In spite of allowed tolerances to these figures, this excludes most of my other examples. Here's a photo of the examples I have collected:
Screwdrivers x7.jpg
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Re: GMTK Electricians screwdrivers

Post by Steve Webb » Mon Oct 09, 2017 5:25 pm

This recent topic does indeed confirm electricians screwdrivers were shockproof from electrical shock not pounding on shock

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=255087
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