Dating vintage Starrett tools

[jamesicus]

TomG wrote:

.......... The Lufkin information might be a good addition there since James probably doesn't want to "pollute" his with non Starrett stuff ..........

Maybe the following will assuage your apprehension that I am too "Starrett biased", Tom.))

Lufkin rules: The Lufkin Rule Co. was long renowned for the excellence of the measuring devices they produced. I particularly liked their No. 117x series folding steel rules - especially the 72" (No. 1176) model.

Lufkin 117x series folding steel rules​

I also used the comparable Starrett No. 451 folding steel rules, but preferred the Lufkins due to their lighter weight, more positive lock-up and larger, more easily read, numbers.

Starrett 451 folding steel rules​

 

[sambo]

:think1:

TomG wrote:


Maybe the following will assuage your apprehension that I am too "Starrett biased", Tom.))

Lufkin rules: The Lufkin Rule Co. was long renowned for the excellence of the measuring devices they produced. I particularly liked their No. 117x series folding steel rules - especially the 72" (No. 1176) model.

Lufkin 117x series folding steel rules​

I also used the comparable Starrett No. 451 folding steel rules, but preferred the Lufkins due to their lighter weight, more positive lock-up and larger, more easily read, numbers.

Starrett 451 folding steel rules​

 

[sambo]

Hi, I'm new to this thread, but have been collecting B&S and Starrett precision tools for decades. To date Starrett micrometers I not only refer to my catalogs but also patent features and markings. Sometime during WW1, patent dates were eliminated from micrometers and the April 1900 ratchet was changed to the B&S type. Knowing this helps break down, within several years, the manufactured date of pre WW1 mikes. After that, many standard models were made unchanged for decades until after WW2 and the satin finished models became standard. I have noticed that the logo "L.S.Starrett - Athol,Mass.USA" was used up to about 1907 on mikes, when the knurling pattern was changed. The logo "The L.S.Starrett Co. Athol, Mass. USA" was used exclusively after that. Patent drawings of 1906 and 1907 show the full knurled thimble. Starrett seems to have had at least four patents for spindle locks on early mikes. Some were never used, but the patent date appears one some models anyway. Probably the only way to know this is to disassemble the mike. You can't have too many around for examination, and even if you have all the catalogs and patent drawings you can't be too positive about any date.

 

[steamguywilly]

over here in Blighty i have a starrett 1"-2" mike No 213 on the body, 212 on the extension part and Pat apr 12 1908 on the thimble, it was £1 at a car boot sale. It states The L.S.starrett co ...Athol Mass USA on the body, When is the last date it could have been made ? I have no carbon dating facilities unfortunately !!. On the reverse it says Pat May 4 1897..........Pat Dec 10? 1907. any info will be appreciated.
Regards
Robert. P.S How does one attach photos to the posts ??

 

[sambo]

:whiteflag::whiteflag:

over here in Blighty i have a starrett 1"-2" mike No 213 on the body, 212 on the extension part and Pat apr 12 1908 on the thimble, it was £1 at a car boot sale. It states The L.S.starrett co ...Athol Mass USA on the body, When is the last date it could have been made ? I have no carbon dating facilities unfortunately !!. On the reverse it says Pat May 4 1897..........Pat Dec 10? 1907. any info will be appreciated.
Regards
Robert. P.S How does one attach photos to the posts ??

Hi steamguywilly, sounds like you have a really nice Starrett. Dating these early mic.s is not an exact science, but lets see what we can do. In the British catalog no. 18, dated 1909, it lists your no. 213 micrometer as reading in ten thousands, for 1/11/3. The two inch attachment, no 213, as probably ordered with the mic. as an extra option and sold for 8/4. Do you still have the original 1 inch standard? The May 4th 1897 patent (#582,154) was the patent that defined Starrett micrometer design construction from then until the present time. The spindle lock shown in the patent was changed a few times since, that's what the patent date of Dec. 10, 1907 (#873,627) is for. I have many Starretts with these dates stamped on them. I odd thing about these, is that if you disassemble them, you can see that they actually used a later patent of July 20, 1909 (#928,889) on all these. Probably the earlier patent was harder to manufacture. I would say that your micrometer was probably made between 1909 and about 1915. During WWI, the pat. stampings were eliminated as a time saving move and never came back. It would be interesting to know if your instrument was originally purchased in the UK. Starrett was quite prolific there. As far as posting pict.s , someone with a little more expertise may be able to help us both!!

 

[sambo]

:man::whistle:

:whiteflag::whiteflag:
Hi steamguywilly, sounds like you have a really nice Starrett. Dating these early mic.s is not an exact science, but lets see what we can do. In the British catalog no. 18, dated 1909, it lists your no. 213 micrometer as reading in ten thousands, for 1/11/3. The two inch attachment, no 213, as probably ordered with the mic. as an extra option and sold for 8/4. Do you still have the original 1 inch standard? The May 4th 1897 patent (#582,154) was the patent that defined Starrett micrometer design construction from then until the present time. The spindle lock shown in the patent was changed a few times since, that's what the patent date of Dec. 10, 1907 (#873,627) is for. I have many Starretts with these dates stamped on them. I odd thing about these, is that if you disassemble them, you can see that they actually used a later patent of July 20, 1909 (#928,889) on all these. Probably the earlier patent was harder to manufacture. I would say that your micrometer was probably made between 1909 and about 1915. During WWI, the pat. stampings were eliminated as a time saving move and never came back. It would be interesting to know if your instrument was originally purchased in the UK. Starrett was quite prolific there. As far as posting pict.s , someone with a little more expertise may be able to help us both!!

P.S. If you look a little closer at the spindle patent you will see it is actually Apr. 17, 1900. This covers the ratchet stop design, that was phased out about 1916 for a simpler design.

 

[steamguywilly]

:man::whistle:
P.S. If you look a little closer at the spindle patent you will see it is actually Apr. 17, 1900. This covers the ratchet stop design, that was phased out about 1916 for a simpler design.

Thanks for the info, The item is actually in really poor condition though,....... but still works as clamp [sorry]
I think that is why it was so cheap. there is no box for it, but it still zero's at zero
Robert {willy}

 

[sambo]

:thinking:

Thanks for the info, The item is actually in really poor condition though,....... but still works as clamp [sorry]
I think that is why it was so cheap. there is no box for it, but it still zero's at zero
Robert {willy}

A lot of the old Starrett's I've seen that come out of the UK have seen severe service. I guess two world wars and Nazi bombing took it's toll.

 

[steamguywilly]

Does any body know how to put photos on this site??

 

[steamguywilly]

here are two more items in my starrett stable. One is a combination set that has a repair near the 60-120 degree place, it is a number 7. then a 2"-3" micrometer that is missing its thimble ! 100 years has been rather traumatic for tools over here in blighty......2 world wars etc etc etc. also a picture of the 1"-2" mike that we have already talked about....The photos have not come out very sharp.. The mike is a No226 and the reverse says Pat 10 march 1891 and May 4 1897.and May 4 1897.