Old tools doing timeless work
08-09-20 | 03:12 AM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 16,082
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From: PDX
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
This tool has been with me for 45 years, still does exactly what its supposed too.
Its all about leverage.
Its all about leverage.
08-09-20 | 07:06 AM
#3
Hoards Thumbshifters
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 429
From: Signal Mountain, TN
Bikes: '23 Black Mtn MC, '87 Bruce Gordon Chinook, '08 Jamis Aurora, '86 Trek 560, '97 Mongoose Rockadile, & '91 Trek 750
I like this! I have an old Park version of the tool, and have warped some parts of it from this same activity. Seems so logical to do what you are doing here with the clamp.
08-09-20 | 07:14 AM
#4
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08-09-20 | 09:16 AM
#7
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,305
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From: Peoria, IL
The Var 3rd Hand might be my only really vintage tool, although I've been accumulating bike tools since the mid 70's. I've had the spring versions of 3rd hands, but the Var tool just works so much easier.
one of the other tools that I use periodically is one that my dad made for me back when the SunTour Cyclone GT derailleur first came out. The tool is a two pronged device to remove the nut off of the back of the lower pivot shaft. SunTour did make a tool for this, but I only learned of it a couple of decades later.
Steve in Peoria
one of the other tools that I use periodically is one that my dad made for me back when the SunTour Cyclone GT derailleur first came out. The tool is a two pronged device to remove the nut off of the back of the lower pivot shaft. SunTour did make a tool for this, but I only learned of it a couple of decades later.
Steve in Peoria
08-09-20 | 10:35 AM
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2018
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From: The Urban Shores Of Michigami
Bikes: ........................................ .....Holdsworth "Special"..... .......Falcon "Special".......... .........Miyata 912........... ........................................
no shop is complete without a sturdy VISE....
08-09-20 | 11:12 AM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,130
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From: Medford MA
Bikes: Ron Cooper touring, 1959 Jack Taylor 650b ladyback touring tandem, Vitus 979, Joe Bell painted Claud Butler Dalesman, Colin Laing curved tube tandem, heavily-Dilberted 1982 Trek 6xx, René Herse tandem
Old Shimano crank extractor and even older Rampar-branded Hozan BB taps. Equally old can of tap-magic cutting oil in the lower right corner. Always down for bringing my old Holds/Claud back from the edge of the pit.
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Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
08-09-20 | 01:12 PM
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 21,770
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From: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Old books and tools
I taught myself how to work on bikes when I was in high school. My Dad bought me a Nishiki 10 speed to ride to high school complete with turkey levers and rat trap pedals. I decided to rebuild it. It took me one day to take it apart and over a week to overhaul it and put it back together. 
Before rebuilding the bike, I picked up a copy of Richard's bike book and a small set of tools that came in a plastic zippered folder. It was a pretty complete set of tools but I've lost most of them over the years other than the metric wrenches. I remember reading in Richard's bike book that tools should at least be drop forged. These are Hozan drop forged wrenches and they still fit my hands better than any other wrenchs I've owned. Both the book and the tools are over 40 years old.
Before rebuilding the bike, I picked up a copy of Richard's bike book and a small set of tools that came in a plastic zippered folder. It was a pretty complete set of tools but I've lost most of them over the years other than the metric wrenches. I remember reading in Richard's bike book that tools should at least be drop forged. These are Hozan drop forged wrenches and they still fit my hands better than any other wrenchs I've owned. Both the book and the tools are over 40 years old.
Last edited by bikemig; 08-09-20 at 06:34 PM.
08-09-20 | 11:07 PM
#12
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,841
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From: The Urban Shores Of Michigami
Bikes: ........................................ .....Holdsworth "Special"..... .......Falcon "Special".......... .........Miyata 912........... ........................................
My 1950's era ShopSmith no longer does any woodworking duties so it is now my dedicated bike part cleaner/polisher....
08-09-20 | 11:12 PM
#13
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,841
Likes: 721
From: The Urban Shores Of Michigami
Bikes: ........................................ .....Holdsworth "Special"..... .......Falcon "Special".......... .........Miyata 912........... ........................................
here's an example of what it can do to a an old beat-up crankset.... First I use fine grit emery cloth to remove any deep scratches and gouges, next ShopSmith with soft wire wheel at slow speed, then any polishing compound with a microfiber cloth by hand....
08-10-20 | 06:37 PM
#15
Freshman Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 5,867
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From: City of Angels
Bikes: A few too many
08-10-20 | 07:53 PM
#16
08-10-20 | 10:43 PM
#18
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Joined: Nov 2015
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My oldest bike tool presently is my Park Tools crankset extractor wrench with the dual sized screw-in barrel for standard ISO threading and older French crankset threading (I think they quit making it a long time ago.). Otherwise, it would have been the tiny Rivoli chain breaker tool that I lost (like most if them do), a long time ago, in my earliest biking days in college. Those small flat pedal wrenches also tend to lose themselves quite easily. I went through a few sets of those already, too....
08-12-20 | 06:33 PM
#19
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,841
Likes: 721
From: The Urban Shores Of Michigami
Bikes: ........................................ .....Holdsworth "Special"..... .......Falcon "Special".......... .........Miyata 912........... ........................................
08-12-20 | 09:01 PM
#20
Bike Butcher of Portland
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 12,434
Likes: 7,938
From: Portland, OR
Bikes: It's complicated.
Same as it ever was
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
08-12-20 | 09:58 PM
#21
"Same as it ever was":
Great music for bike work!
Last edited by Charles Wahl; 08-12-20 at 10:01 PM.
08-12-20 | 10:15 PM
#22
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 14,153
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From: Portland, OR
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Not a bike tool but the Stanley 9 1/5 block plane my dad gave me a long time ago. Years later gave me Craftsman jack plane. Then a really sweet Lie-Nielsen 102 low angle block plane. Bought a Lie Nielsen rabbit plane. Those 4 planes are really useful! Everything from serious wood removal to finessing oak end grain.
And funny story re: the 9 1/2. My dad gave my younger brother a Craftsman 9 1/2. On evening, we took our planes apart and compared them. A few parts were different; not in any manner that mattered. All the key parts were not only identical, they were cut on the same machines. Same scratches. Now, over 4 decades later, we both still have ours and still use them.
And funny story re: the 9 1/2. My dad gave my younger brother a Craftsman 9 1/2. On evening, we took our planes apart and compared them. A few parts were different; not in any manner that mattered. All the key parts were not only identical, they were cut on the same machines. Same scratches. Now, over 4 decades later, we both still have ours and still use them.
08-12-20 | 10:48 PM
#23
Senior Member
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 58
Likes: 28
I love old tools! None of mine are bike specific though. I have an old Snap-on 1/2 drive ratchet thats been with me so long that Ive forgotten where I got it. One day it gave up the ghost while I was fighting a particularly stubborn bolt. Later that week the Snap-on dealer popped by the shop so I inquired about having it fixed.
" Whoa! Thats an old one." He says.
He then takes me into the truck and shows me a chart of dates codes.
"This is from 1952. You know, you're supposed to be the original purchaser to get warranty, but what the hell."
He digs in a drawer and not only does he have a rebuild kit for it but it was entirely free.
" Whoa! Thats an old one." He says.
He then takes me into the truck and shows me a chart of dates codes.
"This is from 1952. You know, you're supposed to be the original purchaser to get warranty, but what the hell."
He digs in a drawer and not only does he have a rebuild kit for it but it was entirely free.
08-18-20 | 01:23 AM
#25
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 19
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From: Timisoara, Romania
Very nice work!!!