Original Crank Holder

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Original Crank Holder
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bradley Wallace on Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 02:36 pm:

Thought you might find this interesting. I always get a kick out of original parts that you usually don’t see, like what’s left of an original top, or original upholstery.
Lately I’ve taken to buying and selling T parts to support my habit (more T’s and more parts).
A few weeks ago I went to a very old industrial building to buy some T parts that had been stored in the basement since the 1920’s or 1930’s. It was quite an adventure. In amongst the T parts were things like a civil war cannon ball, a blower motor for a theater organ (the largest electric blower motor I’ve ever seen), juke box parts from the 1940’s, etc. When I got home I started digging through the stuff to see exactly what I’d bought, identify stuff, figure out what I was going to keep for my own stash, and what I was going to sell.

In one box, I found an original crank holder. Probably from the 1917-1926 era, because the buckle isn’t brass.

It was a little dried out, but I soaked it with neat's foot oil and it's flexible again and cleaned up nice.
But anyway, thought you’d enjoy seeing the pictures.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/nrimbxw/Crank%20Holder/3.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/nrimbxw/Crank%20Holder/1c.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/nrimbxw/Crank%20Holder/IMG_0501.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/nrimbxw/Crank%20Holder/IMG_0494.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/nrimbxw/Crank%20Holder/IMG_0497.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/nrimbxw/Crank%20Holder/IMG_0500.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m269/nrimbxw/Crank%20Holder/1b.jpg


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. Gustaf Bryngelson on Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 02:44 pm:

Soaking old leather in neatsfoot oil will not restore it, it will make it soft and pliable, but it will also make it very weak and it will continue to decompose with time. It looks like it was no longer serviceable, and the oil did not restore it to service, it only accelerated its deterioration. The leather preparations on the market are not for use on historic articles, but on leather that is intended to be used, and then discarded when worn out.
Best
Gus


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bradley Wallace on Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 04:31 pm:

Thanks for the advice Gus. What do you recommend?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. Gustaf Bryngelson on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 01:21 am:

Hey Bradley,
With leather, storage is the best preservation, not too dry and not too moist, about 50% humidity, out of sunlight. I have successfully used boot wax on a few leather items to improve appearance, but this is just a surface preparation. Once leather drys out, the damage is done, and adding oil will only start the leather to decompose more quickly. I have a large number of leather items that are over 100 years old, and most are in very good condition, many are still serviceable, the items in the best condition, have had not treatment, only proper storage.
Best
Gus


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 10:35 am:

It may be old, but it is not original!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 02:45 pm:

How can you tell, Larry?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 03:50 pm:

What he is saying is that Model T Fords never came from the factory with leather crank holders.

The fact that it doesn't have a brass buckle is neither here nor there regarding dating it or whether it is for a brass Ford, steel Ford or for a Model T at all as they were used on other cars as well.

If anything, it's an original aftermarket accessory. Then again, it could have been produced anytime in the last 100 years.

60 years ago, my dad had one made by a local harness shop for his '17 touring. If you saw it, you would have no idea when it was actually made.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 05:26 pm:

Some aftermarket crank boots. 1916-1920.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Danial - Veneta OR US Earth Solar System on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 05:32 pm:

Ah, indeed. I had no idea they weren't a factory item.


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