Thread: Mauser tools

Hello people,

My question today pertains to Mauser vernier calipers.

Did they make their own or did someone else ?
Do they have any other measuring tools with their name on it ?
I couldn't find anything online on this.
If you know of a good source of info, please let me know.
Thanks

I have a 6" Mauser vernier caliper, possibly '50's vintage that reads "Mauser, Germany" on one side and "Made for George Scherr & Company, New York 12" on the other. That may indicate that Mauser did the actual manufacturing. I like it because it reads in fractional and decimal inches on one side and metric on the other. Makes conversions fast and easy.

Tom B.

Yep,
I have the same thing from George Scherr in N.Y. too.
It came in a plastic case.

I have several Mauser micrometers in sizes somewhere between 3 to 12 inches. They are in nice wooden cases and I bought them new around 1980 or so.

Larry

To my knowledge, Mauser made their own instruments. As a young person working in machine shops, on one occasion, I worked with a toolmaker who had served his apprenticeship at DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Munition Fabrik- the German Weapons and munitions manufactory). This toolmaker had emigrated to the USA in the 1950's, and took an interest in me and took the time to show me various things around the shop. He used to refer to vernier calipers having a thumb-operated lock on the slide as a "mauser" lock. He had some Mauser-made vernier calipers which actually had the "Mauser" trademark engraved on the head of the fixed jaw. He told me that Mauser and DWM had been intertwined. He also told me that, at various times when things were slow in the weapons side of the business, Mauser had made and marketed vernier calipers, using their own patented "Mauser Lock". Whether Mauser made any othe rmachinist' measuring instruments byond vernier calipers is something I never found out.

There's a nice Mauser mic (metric) on ebay right now.
The auction is still going on so i dont know if its ok to post a link but its worth a look.

Most of my gun and history books give the explanation. At the end of world war II, Mauser really couldn't justify making firearms since the Nazis were "no longer in authority". Actually the Allies pretty much forbid it. They were allowed to make precision tools and sewing machines I believe....pretty much peace time manufacturing. Since most manufacturers were in the same boat....lots of skill, no customers....everyone was scrambling to find anything OTHER than weapons to make. So I'm sure Mauser produced for anyone who would buy. Messerschmidt (sp) built a little tandem two seat car to try and stay in business. If you saw the movie The Addams Family, you'll recognize the bubble top car driven by cousin "it".

nicely made and useful

If it just says "germany", it's older than 50s. Stuff made after the split is always marked West Germany.... until the wall came down.

My first posting in your fine forum. I am a collector of Oberndorf firearms, mostly German martial contracts.

Below are some images of a Mauser exhibit from an international trade show in the 1920's. These are from the book 'The Mauser Archive' by Jon Speed. ISBN 0-88935-437-5. It doesn't have much information on tools, it is mainly geared towards sporting and military arms, period inventories, prototypes, etc.

I believe Mauser was always in the business of selling tools, both before the Great War and after, based on some of the ancillary information available in this, and other Speed books (Smallbore & Mauser Sporting rifles).

Also imaged is a couple of Mauser 'tool's in my inventory, 1916 & 1906 Gewehr 98s, and a 1880-dated InfantrieGewehr M71.

I have one that came from an estate sale years ago I found it in the dirt floor in the shop building about a week after the sale. I just happened to kick the dirt and gravel and it appeared.

It must be one that was made befor the split all it says on it is Mauser on the front and made in Germany on the back also stainless and hardened through out.

I have used it for years and would not trade it for a new one.










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My apologies for the photo quality my camera has no macro and the lighting is hard to get just right.

Thank you.

James

Hi All

Just thought I would chime in on the Mauser Caliper. I bought one yesterday in a lether case almost new at a yard sale for $0.25.
It is marked INOX under the Mauser logo.

My question is what are the scales in German running the full length of the back as well as 4 tables labled "Metr.Gew.&SI" on the back of the slider.

Thanks
Morg

I have an almost identical Caliper, minus the Mauser logo.

My scales read the same as James' and when I walked out to the barn this morning I thought I was going to see the same thing as posted by James. I did with 1 exception.
Where his says "STAINLESS" with the Mauser? logo, mine says "HAHN & KOLB" With a HAHN & KOLB STUTTGART logo. (H & K, in a box type S) I'm not sure if this make mine older newer or just different. Again it read "Made in Germany", I am the third owner based on engravings of previous owners, and I'm pretty sure the last guy that owned it retired before the wall came down... Any insight?

For those of you who don't own a pair of these, they are NICE calipers. They sit on TOP of my 9" 'Stainless steel hardened throughout' Mitutoyo calipers. The not so Mauser, "Mauser lock" is nice.

Regards,
Doug S.

Originally Posted by MorganEarp

It is marked INOX under the Mauser logo.

Morg,

You may know that in France Inox is their shortened word for stainless,the full word is 'inoxydable'. Not sure why Germans would stamp the calipers inox though, maybe they use the same word?

Great thread! I'll be scouting yard-sales for Mausers... and all my fruends will think I'm nutty!

I always thought that IT drove a BMW Isetta... but I think that was only in the late '80s Aadams Family movie.

An old Deutch friend told me once, that in a race between a horse and a Messerschmidt, that the horse would always leave a Mess'er Shmidt behind...

Thanks Peter for the Stainless translation.

I'm still curious about the tables and scales on the back - Anyone?

Morg

what is on the back of the caliper:

















here are 3 german vernier calipers, 2 different mauser, one helios.

the helios has a table for threading asme standard & special machine screws, and a table of fractions of an inch through 64ths.

one mauser has a metric scale (front side is inches)

second mauser has:
a. an index of the weight of steel, for round & square (calibrated to diameter you are measuring.
b. a table i have'nt figured out (metr. gew.)

i don't know how to resize these photographs, but if you click on the image, it will zoom in for you (probably), so you'll be able to read the numbers on the back of these calipers.


ihth

"a table i have'nt figured out (metr. gew.)"

metr. gew. = Metric Threads

I could not see the numbers in your picture, so I don't know what it says about threads.

Larry

" rostfrei " was the stainless term i used to see on german items ....forget which , maybe a private label , & maybe they adopted a new one
best wishes
docn8as

Hi All

The first image (firstvernier.jpg) posted by Disasterarea is very close. As soon as I figure out how to get back onto Photobucket I will post a couple of pix of my caliper.

In the interim I'm busily working to get my "New" South Bend 9" lathe set up.
I say new as it was built in 1935, but new to me. It's a "C" model and I am going to try to convert it to a "B" if I can find a 3-1/2 foot lead screw, apron and a cross ford screw with a gear. Just bought a Thread chasing dial, but my apron doesn't have the hole for it.

Morg