How old is it ?

[BlackbuttWA]

Can anyone shed some light on this tool.
Interested in the age especially.
Stamped : John Rabone & Sons, Birmingham, England" 50 ft wind-up steel tape measure.

Attachment 219041

Attachment 219042


Regards
Col

[orraloon]

Cant say for sure but they are still used on ships to dip fuel and ballast tanks. That one however has a standard tape measure clip on the end so would be used in building. See if google has any history on Rabone. I have a couple of folding rules by them.
Regards
John

[BlackbuttWA]

Thanks John.

I have Googled all the combinations of the names I can think of without success.
I will keep trying though.

Col

[orraloon]

Hi Col,
Found this
John Rabone & Sons - Hockley Abbey Works, Birmingham - Traditional Woodworking Tools Internet Magazine - wkFineTools.com
Regards

[TobyC]

General info here.

Couple of oil gauges here.



From here.

There are catalogs available but not for free access online. Don't know when yours was made.

Toby

[orraloon]

Never heard the term oil guage and I suspect it may be the Americian term. On British and Australian ships it is called a sounding tape.
Regards
John

[TobyC]

Rabone was (is?) a Brit company, and the above site selling the "OIL GAUGERS' STEEL TAPE" and the "OIL GAUGE TAPE ON FRAME WINDER." is a UK website.

Toby

[orraloon]

Oh well I suspected wrong and the marketing name is an oil guage tape. Still called a sounding tape by those who use them. Never heard it called anything else in the 40 so years I have used one.
Regards
John

[Heavansabove]

As Rabone merged with Chesterman in 1963, the measuring tape was made before then. Measuring tapes changed little in design during the 20th century, so difficult to date, however the painted handle suggests late, ie 1960s. A number of companies made these types of tapes

Cheers
Peter