Thread: Brace Fanatics

Great find!

My experience has been that since getting my first brace a couple of years ago, I often see them for almost nothing. The bits however are another matter, so you did well with the package.

Martin,
I thought the book was a catalogue but now I realise my mistake. Interesting to note that Murlands has the No 192 in a similar price range to the 182 which surprises me a bit, considering how infrequently the 192 is found.

Jimhanna,
I've got a brace like that of yours but after a good look with a glass I can't see Febo on the head. If it's an owners mark it is very well done. Mine has, on the front face of the chuck, D.R.G.M. and D.R.P.a which tells us it's German.
I'm thinking it's pre WW2 but I haven't done any research on it, perhaps someone with more knowledge of German tools can give us an idea of the era.

Cheers,
Geoff

Originally Posted by Boringgeoff

Jimhanna,
I've got a brace like that of yours but after a good look with a glass I can't see Febo on the head. If it's an owners mark it is very well done. Mine has, on the front face of the chuck, D.R.G.M. and D.R.P.a which tells us it's German.
I'm thinking it's pre WW2 but I haven't done any research on it, perhaps someone with more knowledge of German tools can give us an idea of the era.

Cheers,
Geoff

My wife looked at the pic and said are you sure that's a B.

Germany Handwriting • FamilySearch
suggests that the third letter could be more like an L in German cursive script.

Sure enough I found Felo.com, a long established German tool maker.
From the website “Our history dates back to 1878 when »Hammermühle«, a factory for forged tools like hammers, pliers and screwdrivers, was founded“
However the Felo name has only been used since 1950. Again from the web site.
“In 1950 the company moved to Neustadt (Hesse) and was renamed as Felo.“

I was wondering why a firm in the 50’s would produce a non-ratchet type brace when the ratchet designs were tried and tested. However reading a bit more about the company on their web site it appears that their prime product has been screwdrivers for a long time.
“Driven by innovative power, quality consciousness and enthusiasm the company became one of the leading screwdriver manufacturers in the world”

Perhaps that explains the design, rather than a wood boring brace which can also use screwdriver bits, maybe the concept was as a high torque screw driving tool with blades fitting in the square slots in the chuck, and the V slots were an add-on to allow secondary use as a drill.
Unfortunately the web site has no information about past product lines.

Regards

Jim

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by Boringgeoff

Jimhanna,
I've got a brace like that of yours but after a good look with a glass I can't see Febo on the head. If it's an owners mark it is very well done. Mine has, on the front face of the chuck, D.R.G.M. and D.R.P.a which tells us it's German.
I'm thinking it's pre WW2 but I haven't done any research on it, perhaps someone with more knowledge of German tools can give us an idea of the era.

Cheers,
Geoff

My wife looked at the pic and said are you sure that's a B.

Germany Handwriting • FamilySearch
suggests that the third letter could be more like an L in German cursive script.

Sure enough I found Felo.com, a long established German tool maker.
From the website “Our history dates back to 1878 when »Hammermühle«, a factory for forged tools like hammers, pliers and screwdrivers, was founded“
However the Felo name has only been used since 1950. Again from the web site.
“In 1950 the company moved to Neustadt (Hesse) and was renamed as Felo.“

I was wondering why a firm in the 50’s would produce a non-ratchet type brace when the ratchet designs were tried and tested. However reading a bit more about the company on their web site it appears that their prime product has been screwdrivers for a long time.
“Driven by innovative power, quality consciousness and enthusiasm the company became one of the leading screwdriver manufacturers in the world”

Perhaps that explains the design, rather than a wood boring brace which can also use screwdriver bits, maybe the concept was as a high torque screw driving tool with blades fitting in the square slots in the chuck, and the V slots were an add-on to allow secondary use as a drill.
Unfortunately the web site has no information about past product lines.

Regards

Jim

Good one Jim,
I'll put a label with that info' on mine. There were a lot of square shank screw driver bits made for use in a brace.
Does yours have the DRGM marks on the face of the chuck? (edit, probably not?)
The brand name, Felo wasn't used until 1950 whereas mine, if I'm correct about DRGM being pre WW2, predates it by perhaps 15 years. In that case we'd expect to see a few of them in existence.

Cheers,
Geoff.

Originally Posted by Boringgeoff

Does yours have the DRGM marks on the face of the chuck?
The brand name, Felo wasn't used until 1950 whereas mine, if I'm correct about DRGM being pre WW2, predates it by perhaps 15 years.

Hi Geoff


We might have to re-think the 1950's date. Mine does have those markings on the bottom of the chuck.
Perhaps the Felo name already existed as one of their brands before they re-named the company in 1950.
chuck marking.jpg


I found another mark on mine as I cleaned off the rust. At first I thought it was an owner's mark CK but it's been stamped quite deep to survive the rust removal, uniform and it's clearly C.K with a single dot between the letters.

ck1.jpg ck2.jpg
We still have CK tools in the UK (ck-tools.com) and I never realised until I looked at the web site that the company name is actually C.K with a single dot.
cksite.JPG

Doesn't help with dates though since ck-tools.com says they've been in existence for "over a hundred years".
There is a possible German connection since C.K stands for the original owner Carl Kammerling. It doesn't seem unreasonable that a German OEM tool maker might supply tools to a UK distributor in the pre-war period so your 1930s date is probably correct.
The Felo.com web site does say that they were selling internationally with their catalogues in four languages during the 1930s.

Regards

Jim

Jim,
I had another look at mine, but no CK visible.
There are varying opinions on the meaning and era of the DRGM initials when you Google it. One I looked at said it was dropped in 1945, another 1952.
As a brace to hold screw driver bits with the ability for the chuck to be tightened with a spanner, it's quite a handy tool.

Cheers,
Geoff.

Jim

Good sleuthing work there.

Regards
Paul

Hi all. Any good links/advice for sharpening auger bits?

Hi M/A, I think most of my knowledge of bit sharpening has been gained on this forum over the years. But you can Google "Sharpening auger bits" and pick up some grains of knowledge amongst the chaff. I have attached two pages from a 1958 Russell Jennings brochure.
Prior to a tool sale the HTPSWA held a couple of months ago I decided to sharpen a pile of auger bits to see if they'd sell. Various sizes and types of auger.
I started by inspecting each one carefully, any with damage or excessive wear were put to one side, this inspection included making sure they were not bent or deformed. Bearing in mind that virtually all of these were old bits and some may have been poorly sharpened in their previous life.
With a slim triangular file the inside faces of the cutting edges were sharpened, and the inner faces of the spurs, on those that had them. The outer faces were given a gentle swipe to make sure there was no bead. I had a piece of Jarrah clamped in the vice to test each bit after sharpening to make sure the lead screw dragged it in ok and that both edges were cutting equally. I was surprised at how many would actually cut unequally, to my eyes both edges looked the same.
I worked out that the edge which wasn't cutting as well had probably been over-sharpened thus reducing its aggression, so in many cases resharpening the better edge seemed to equalise the two and improve the performance. Not in all cases though, some were beyond redemption.
I also found if the lead screw was damaged or worn it was quite difficult to repair even with the fairly fine file I was using.
Hope this is of some help.

Cheers,
Geoff.

Hi,
A few days ago I acquired this traditional English brace, branded R Lloyd & Co. My research has come up with Richard Lloyd & Co of 135 Steel-House Lane Birmingham. The excerpt from Graces guide, below, leads me to a manufacture date of between 1862 and 1873.
As usual any additional info' would be welcome.

From Graces Guide: "Richard Lloyd branched out into Toolmaking in 1862 and had a well-established trade, both home and export, by 1869. The Lloyds' sold the business to Walter Shaw in 1873,"

Cheers,
Geoff.

I don't know how easy it is to get auger bit files over there in Oz; here on the North American continent, we can get them from Lee Valley. They're great for that purpose: double ended, with one end having safe (no teeth) edges and the other safe faces. You can work right up against shoulders and other places you don't want to file, without much risk.

Also, for the screw tip: I've never tried this, but I've seen a tip online for sprucing the tip up if it gets dull. Start to bore a hole in a suitable piece of scrap wood, just until the tip is fully in the wood. Remove it, and put in a bit of abrasive powder (such as auto valve grinding compound, available in the States at your finer auto parts stores), then work the screw in and out several times until it's shiny pretty.

A slight tangent but has anyone noticed the eBay market for second-hand / Morse taper augur bits is utter rubbish in Australia?

I had fine notions of picking up a set of vintage bits and lovingly restoring and keeping sharp. Drilling larger holes is after all an occasional thing for me (don't make chairs).

I have picked up 3-4 job lots from different sellers. Without fail about 70% have been beyond repair (major damage to screw or a cutting wing missing). After first two times I started scrutinising photos much more carefully and there is just never enough detail in the photos.

If the sets were $5-10 each I would take my chances but each time prices have been substantial and around the price of a premium new augur bit.

EDIT: I should also mention that I've noticed the single augur bits from sellers with good photos clearly in good working condition are usually sold as singles at high prices - near price of premium new one. I think the sellers know and are burying rubbish in sets. They advertise as "good for man cave display" suggesting people are buying as decorations.

I have officially given up. I understand the Wood Owls are considered the best in brand but the price was a bit much for me now.

I researched and have now bought online from Promac the most common sizes (3/4inch and 19mm). Can't speak to long-term use but so far they have been excellent.

I have four expansive bits. One marked Snell Clark Expansive, another Clark ConVAL Co USA, a third marked A Clark Pat May, the forth seemed unmarked. Have attached a photo. I believe these would be 1930s vintage but Geoff would be better able to date them as he also has some.

Expansion bits.jpg

Would be happy to pass them on to a good home for $5 each plus postage
Graham

Hi Graham, buying in this thread may be inappropriate, they should be lodged in the market place thread but i will take the second from the top expansive bit for $5 plus postage , thanks Ross