Lots of Knurling photos

rivett608 · Aug 26, 2007

I was looking at my photo-bucket file and realized I have posted a bunch of knurling photos in different threads and thought it might be helpful to put them all in one.......

Here are some knurls etc...... the first picture is a 1890's Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co. catalog showing some knurls, some catalogs have up to three pages of different patterns...... also is a sample bar of knurls from a circa 1880's tool chest... it was packed up with the gentleman's knurls and holders, all of which I have. At the top is a set with handle similar to that shown.

Here are a few better shots of these... this is the end of that sample bar....

This is what IMHO is one of the nicest sets to use ever made.... it is by Severance Tool Co...... it has diamond, flat both straight and angled, con-cave both straight and angled.... all in different pitches.... and you can also adjust the rotation or angle in the tool holder..... and if you don't like the results you replace the knurl with a cutter, take off a bit and start over without disturbing your set-up.... and even has it's own little tommy bar. If you ever see one of these....BUY IT! I think they were made from the 20's to the 50's, maybe? anyone know?

And these are some knobs from a pair of shop made 21" dividers..... I have taken the one off the wing and set it next to the other..... they are about 7/8" dia...... you can see the guy had some fun with different patterns...

And some more from a shop made center divider...

rivett608 · Aug 26, 2007

The first part was dealing with fine knurls or rope knurls.... stuff other than the normal diamond pattern we see on most everything. What one rarely sees is fancy or decorative knurling..... These are shapes other than lines such as stars, flowers, leaves, Greek keys etc....... they were popular around 1870-1900. First photo is a Montgomery & Co. NY. catalog with a set by BMG, a sample of work showing different patterns, a handle of a shop made center divider with fancy knurling.

This is a close-up of the set...... note for some designs there are both the male and female knurl..... also there is one pattern in two different diameters with different repeats..... these do so really cool work!!!!

A catalog page from a 1893 Otto Young & Co, Chicago. showing some fancies and ropes..... If you know of any information in old books on using these please post..... I have only a few articles.... Thanks

And some samples of the work...

I finally found this article which shows one ways these things can be made.... it is from a book "Making the Small Shop Profitable", by John H. Van Deventer, 1918. reprinted by Lindsay. it has one of the most interesting 5 page articles on knurling I have ever seen... including such things as knurling in the drill press..... actually the whole book is good and may rate in my top 10 for thinking outside the box......

220swift · Aug 26, 2007

Rivett

Very nice. Its easy to see why you collect such neat tools and examples of craftsmanship.

A question on the hand held knurling tool. What was the hardest metal it could be used on ?

Hal

rivett608 · Aug 26, 2007

I have used them on mild steel, brass and silver..... I wouldn't try to knurl anything hardened...... the trick is you use a tee-rest as a fulcrum and have the knurling wheel at about 7 o'clock to the work.... the handle just becomes a lever.....

northernsinger · Aug 26, 2007

Thanks, Rivett, for presenting these interesting items again. I think some are new, though and they are all worth pondering.

jim rozen · Aug 26, 2007

Is THAT how hammacher schlemmer got it's start,
making machinist items???

I recall my mom getting their catalogs when I
was a kid, it was sort of a very upscale spencer
gifts (whos catalogs also showed up from time to
time) but seemed to be concentrating on high end
kitchen gadgets and whatnot.

Jim

rivett608 · Aug 26, 2007

About a 100 years ago H & S was one of the leading tool supply stores in NYC....... they put out wonderful hardboard catalogs, had a fantastic show room, I think they even had a professional window dresser to do their window displays with tool exhibits. They also seem to cater to some of the finer trades such as piano builders.... They also offered "Gentleman's Tool Sets" even back then...... the kitchen stuff was all much later....

All these photos had been posted before... some just buried in obscure threads which is why I dug them all up.

JST · Aug 26, 2007

Those pattern knurls...... How do you make sure they come out exactly even?

It would appear that they put paid to the debate about exact diameters vs the "stuff it in" theory of knurling!

If you don't have the right circumference, it looks like you could easily get half a pattern element when the knurling meets. It could be pretty ugly if they didn't overlap exactly.

L Vanice · Aug 26, 2007

Those very fancy pattern hand knurls remind me of bookbinders' tools. Have you ever seen a really nice old leather bound book with fancy gold work? The linear designs must have been made with fancy or plain edged wheels in a handled tool like those hand knurling tools. Doing a linear design means you don't have to worry about the pattern being mismatched if the circumference of a round bar is not just right. And dampened leather is a lot easier to press a fancy wide wheel into than metal. I have seen a lot more examples of those fancy wheel designs on books than I have on metal items.

Bookbinding rolls are more likely to be made of brass than steel. A linear design roll will probably have a line or notch on the side to mark a beginning point in the design, in case the roll has to be run over the same line more than once.

In addition to gold embossing, leather can have blind (no gold) patterns rolled into it. You often see that sort of work on mens and womens leather belts, especially western designs. I once saw a hand-cranked machine with wide fancy brass wheels being used to make embossed belts.

Here is an example of a fancy linear design rolled into leather: http://www.kennys.ie/BookBindery/personalisedinscription.jpg

Larry

[ 08-26-2007, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: L Vanice ]

rivett608 · Aug 26, 2007

" How do you make sure they come out exactly even?"... ah that is the question I've been searching for the answer to in some old manuscript....... I think it is just trail and error.... keep making the work smaller and eventually you'll come to a size where the pattern divides evenly into...... but I want to read it somewhere.... I find it interesting how little is written about how they were used.... I have another book from 1816 that shows them too.....

And yes I have seen the book binder's rolls.... they are almost always brass as you say and between 2 and 4" in diameter..... also have pretty long handles so you can put your weight into them.....

Wally M · Aug 27, 2007

Aren't some of those called "Milgrains"? I've been hunting those things for years. None yet.

Wally.

Wally M · Aug 27, 2007

http://shorinternational.com/MillgrainBeader.htm

Wally.

Mic addict · Aug 27, 2007

Wow,.
These are all in excellent condition.
Which makes me think, all of the tools you post are in such nice shape. Are most surviving specimens like that or are there lots of really worn n beaten on ones still hanging on ?
For micrometers I would say about 1/2 of what i find are really hurting/junk, only about 10% are in very good condition and the rest are neglected but clean up ok.

rivett608 · Aug 27, 2007

Most of what I have is in good shape.... my friends tease me that I don't buy junk...... and if it is rusty it has to pretty rare for me to bring it home. As for the knurls... all the ones I have are like these... in great shape.... I guess the bad and worn out ones where thrown away...... also a lot of mine were unused especially the one boxed set of fancy ones.

Wally I think there is a fine line between knurling and millgraining..... sort of whether it is being done by a machinist or a jeweler..... and I have a bunch of those little guys too.

Wally M · Aug 27, 2007

I could never settle in my own mind which was what. The line seemed to blur.

What ever they're called, that's a collection to be treasured.

Wally.

rivett608 · Sep 6, 2007

Wow...... these are getting expensive!!!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120156608536

over $ 1500. bucks for a handful.... I wonder if the buyer was someone who saw them here on the PM?

old-biker-uk · Sep 6, 2007

Don't see the pictures - have they been pulled ?
Mark

AntiqueMac · Sep 6, 2007

old-biker-uk,

The pics are still there. Pat Leach, Mr. Peabody, doesn't take them down fast.

The under bidder is an old buddy from MD. He used to own an old tool shop. Still working on who the buyer is.

220swift · Sep 6, 2007

I don't see the pictures either just red X's

Maybe someone can post the EBay pictures and add to Rivett's fine collection of knurling photos.

Hal

AntiqueMac · Sep 7, 2007

Yep! Pics are gone now. Very fast for Pat. I was going to copy them this morning. Bummer.

Lots of Knurling photos

Diamond

Diamond

Stainless

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Hot Rolled

Cast Iron

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Cast Iron

Hot Rolled

Stainless

Hot Rolled

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