" A bit of a puzzle..."

[steven c newman]

As Insp. Lestrade would say. While gingerly putting a few things away, found a few items that needed some info on..
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Fancy pin vise. The yellow handle is hollow all the way through to the tip of the metal shaft
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The Knurled part will retract a bit, and there is a ball bearing down there that also retracts. The shaft of a bit needs a single spot for the ball to engage. On the metal shaft: "TRIPLEBIT" On the yellow plastic handle was molded:
The Lima Iron & Metal Co. 421 S. Central Ave. Lima Ohio and even a phone number....4-9191....any clues on the two of these?

Next up is a plain red wrapper....
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Kind of a plastic like wrapper, untied the strings..
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Hmmm, lots of printing going on...
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HIKRAFT TOOL CO. of Greenfield, Ohio. Cat. # 544 (?) Auger bit set of 5 bits. Sizes listed as 1/4", 3/8",1/2", 5/8, and 3/4".

Not sure if these were made by Irwin for this seller....

Part of the rest of the treasure being put away today..
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Since I went and made bits for the smaller three ....
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One of the 130s needs a shifter replaced. The 131A could act as a walking stick, when fully extended....

So, about the first two items, any clues? Anyone ever hear of a company called "HiKraft"?

[steven c newman]

Ok, have since found an ad in a 1950 Popular Mechanics mag. Came with three tips, two stored in the handle. You slid the third bit out, replaced it with the next in the handle. $1.50 back then. I think I could take a few old screwdrivers, cut the shafts, and grind a detent spot. Just need to find the right sized shaft.

I looked up the Lima company....they have moved south a couple blocks, and are a recycle dealer.

[steven c newman]

Well, I guess the drill bit set will remain a puzzle. I looked up the "brand" name....long gone. There IS a place in Greenfield, OH...but they do more towards my old trade...concrete tools.

re: the bits for Yankee screwdrivers: Saw a post long ago. They described how to do a bit of grinding on driver bits. You need to grind a notch on the end to match what Yankee used. Usually the notch further up, to lock the bit into a holder, is almost in the right spot for the Yankee's chuck. The tip for the 135A needed to be slimmed down, to fit into the chuck. So...now I guess I'll be on the lookout for a shifter for a 130A, as one of the two sitting there is missing the shifter/selector/slider.

Need to make a few tips for the TRIPLEBIT handle. With all the old screwdrivers I've picked this year.....might have a couple I can adapt.

Auger bits look like the Irwins I have picked this year. Need to clean them up, and see what they need. They look barely used, other than a bit of rust...

[J. Greg Jones]

I used to live in Hillsboro, then Washington CH, OH while working outside Greenfield, so I am familiar with some history of the area. Hicraft was a manufacturer of bits, chisels, etc. They were later bought out by Mecto (which was later bought by K-D Tools), and they made wrenches in Greenfield that competed with the Mac Tools made just up the road in Sabina. A Google search of 'mecto hicraft tools' will give you a little more background. I believe the Greenfield plant closed in the late '70s, early '80s, but I could be mistaken.

[steven c newman]

Thank you for the piece of the puzzle....