Asquith recently gave examples of courteous English business correspondence. I just have to share with you my example of American rudeness in the Depression-era desperate drive for dollars. This letter was a rare find on eBay, and I thank the old folks who never got around to throwing out their junk mail.

The 1932 letter to a gentleman who had asked for PlieRench literature, but had not sent in an order.

The December, 1925 to 1932 era World Flight Model PlieRench.


Joseph Eifel was the inventor of the PlieRench, one of the world's greatest tools. I have made a study of them, and have been amazed at Eifel's ability to create sales literature that is uniquely American and must have been very effective. The tools, first made in 1921, have sold by the million and are still made. When Eifel invented his tool, he set up a display at an automobile show in Chicago, demonstrating the tool and taking orders. I think he had problems at first getting the tools made and filling his orders. But he did very well within a couple of years. Each tool was accompanied by a booklet explaining the advantages and uses of the tool. There were many pages in these booklets, which were padded with stuff that was not really relevant. But it is all interesting stuff and gives a unique feel for the times in which the booklets were written.

I have a rare booklet that was meant as instructions for street peddlers who could sell the tools on the street or set up at businesses where mechanics worked. It shows, in pictures, just how to amaze the customers with demonstrations of the tools' abilities. A while back, someone sold an actual PlieRench salesman's demonstration case and contents on eBay, but I was outbid. The tools sold for $5.00, or were discounted, a lot of cash in the 1920's. The pitch said one PlieRench replaced dozens of single-purpose tools that would have weighed and cost much more than the PlieRench. It was suggested that a man with a PlieRench could hang around on the street, watching for cars that had stalled. He would then fix the car on the spot, quickly paying back the cost of his wonderful tool. The Model B (1922) even came with a pouch with a belt loop to aid in such operations. The prosperous 1920's must have been good times for Eifel and his Flash Sales Corporation. The December,1925 "World Flight Model" is even now extremely easy to find.

But things must have tightened up in 1930 when the Depression made cash hard to get. Eifel wrote the letter shown above in 1932. It has a certain mix of desperation and optimism. By 1933, Eifel had redesigned his PlieRench, and even introduced a smaller 7" version. Beginning in 1933 and continuing into the 1950's, the year of manufacture was stamped on the tools. The 1930's brochures included with the tools were now folded single sheets instead of booklets, but the list price remained $5.00, stamped right on the tool.

Eifel's May 2, 1916 wrench patent:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=exl...BAJ&dq=1181654
Eifel's June 14, 1932 wrench patent:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=HRR...BAJ&dq=1862817
Eifel's Dec. 20, 1955 wrench patent (the ultra rare Geared Pivot PlieRench, which was a flop):
http://www.google.com/patents?id=JRp...BAJ&dq=2727417
The current PlieRench brochure:
http://www.nopak.com/pdfcat/plierench.pdf
The current maker of the PlieRench:
http://www.nopak.com/Products-Plierench.htm

Larry

Larry,

Way cool! Many thanks for posting the letter. I've seen letters like that from a customer, but never from the business.

I've had and sold quite a few Eifel-Plierwench's in several sizes (and with increasing $ amounts on them. But, I curious, do you know if Nopak, the maker of the modern version, is simply using an expired patent or did they purchase/inherit the rights? It is surprising that Sears did not do it.

And, what the heck do I do with one leftover jaw?

This letter is not rude and it isn't to a customer. This was written to a potential plier salesman who wasn't selling anything, and the letter just tells him that if he isn't going to sell anything, return the 'ball and block', which must have been used to demonstrate the pliers.

If you read the current PlieRench brochure, you will see that Nopak bought the tooling/rights in 1980 after the previous maker lost interest in making PlieRenches.

I can always use another jaw.

Larry

Speaking from personal experience, if an 11 year old kid
is using the wire cutters on one of those plierwrenches,
to cut up bits of coathanger wire, that there's an
inherent flaw in the design which causes the mechanism to
grab ahold of the flesh between thumb and palm, and raise
the *most* unholy blood blister there!

Ouch. I can still feel that....

Jim

several years ago I bought one of those at a garage sale. Really cool tool!!!

"""grab ahold of the flesh between thumb and palm, and raise
the *most* unholy blood blister there!"""

That is why my old pair is sitting in the bottom of the canal, in a hole about 20 feet deep,
in the pump pit! I suppose that in the right spot, or if you have NOTHING, they are fine.
Lets see, right off the old pump pit, there is a set of these pinchers, at least two cheap pipe wrenches with bad jaws, and one large pair of water pump pliers, that of course gave under the squeeze resulting in an even larger blood blister.. and a gen-u-wine snap-on 1/2" impact gun. all thrown in the hole for a very good reason. (that was the second big $
snappy air gun, neither was worth a damn, went to a mac and never looked back!)

Anyway, my moral, better to have the right tool, than one that might work, maybe.
cc

Maybe he meant FLESH instead of Flash?????

Great post.... I'll have to dig out mine for a look again....

It "Pinch Hits" for other tools page 3 of the pdf

My uncle used to say, the first time - accident
the second time - carelessness
the third time - dumb ass stupidity.

I've owned a set of these for many years - a very valuable tool indeed.

Here's text of a letter from Atlas Press to a customer that was included in a package of documents I picked up some where. The Tecnical Service rep seemed to be restraining himself a bit unsuccessfully.

ATLAS PRESS COMPANY
Kalamzoo, Michigan

March 2, 1941
Mr. X. X. XXXX
214 ##th Street
Seattle, Washington


Dear Mr. XXXX

The Atlas No. H42 lathe you returned to us has arrived and we have just completed our inspection of' it. Full credit has been issued to the Ernst Hardware Company to cancel the charges on the replacement lathe we shipped to you.

It is our hope that the new lathe is satisfactory to you in every respect. This letter is being written with that thought in mind. I'm sure that by following the brief suggestions outlined below, you will encounter no difficulty in any phase of precise, craftsmanlike lathe work.

When your lathe arrived here, it was covered with dirt and filth from legs to countershaft. It took a repair man nearly two hours to clean the lathe up for testing purposes. As you know, cleanliness is one of the essential factors in turning out accurate work. Even very tiny chips or dirt particles can destroy the precision which was built into the lathe. Frankly, those of' us who saw the lathe were surprised that it would turn out any kind of' work at all.

We discovered that both lathe bedways had deep scratches and nicks in them. This, too, can cause serious trouble. When that bed was made, the most painstaking and modern manufacturing methods were used to insure its accuracy and smoothness. It was ground on huge specially-designed machines so precisely that all surfaces were accurate within .OOO5”. It was subjected to several thorough inspections before shipment. Natur- ally, it cannot be expected to produce accurate work when the bedways are "Chewed up" as yours were.

Every gib adjustment on the lathe was found to be exceedingly loose. The tool post slide could be shifted, by hand, at least 1/32 side ways. Needless to say, snug sliding fits are essential for good lathe work. Chatter and inaccuracy always result from loose fits. Give are provided on our lathes to compensate .for the natural wear that always occurs between two contacting parts. They should be taken up frequently. The same is true on any precision machine tool, regardless of price.


Your headstock spindle bearings were both badly scored and burned, indicating improper breaking-in. Babbitt bearings are very similar to those used in automobile engines, and must be given the same careful treatment. You will find complete instructions for performing this vital operation in the manual which was furnished with your lathe. Be sure that the spindle is not rotated at speeds higher than 500 RPM until the lathe has been run at least 10 hours.

Both lathe centers and the headstock reducing sleeve, were badly scored and burred. Naturally, they wobbled excessively. It would be impossible to do accurate between-centers work with them.

The carriage binding, which was the cause of your original complaint, was due merely to a large chip of metal which had become embedded underneath the tailstock. This prevented the tailstock from seating properly on the bedways when clamped down. That is why the bedways were spread apart when the tailstock was tightened, and why the tailstock had a tendency to slip.

All pulleys on your lathe were deeply worn, indicating that the lathe had seen plenty of good hard service. In the short while that you had it, you apparently used it more than most lathe owners do in a lifetime. It is only natural to expect that continual wear will eventually result in the appearance of small inaccuracies.

I'm sure that by giving your lathe the care and treatment that any fine machine tool deserves, it will turn out many, many years of trouble-free service. Just keep it clean and well lubricated, and break the bearings in carefully at first. You will be more than satisfied with it.
Please feel free to write whenever we can be of assistance in any wayo Yours very truly,
ATLAS PRESS COMPANY
Henry D. Stern
Technical Service