MTFCA Forum

Recently a 90 year man informed me he is clearing out his shop. I originally meet him at a garage sale. He had lots of Blacksmiths tools from his grandfather that purchased. In WWII the blacksmith worked at the Navy yards and evidently was recognized for a few (tool?) designs.

His grandfather also had a TT truck and two spare engines that he would rotate as he repaired. Always keeping one in service.

So when he contacted me this time I didn’t expect to find any I had missed in the past, but I did find this: Take a look and tell me what you think of these tools.

Matt

Handles for pulling a Model A head?

Appears as though one is for a "T" (tapered thread) and the other is "A" (SAE). Nice handles for manipulating a cylinder head, for sure.

Looks like they were made from old spark plugs - Brilliant! (Files idea away for a future project...)

I love stuff like that. Sooooo cool.

My grandfather was an amateur blacksmith and his dad was as well. I have some of their creations and they're among my favorite possessions.

I have a similar tool from my uncle's stash. It is in al "L" shape rather than "T" and was made with a sparkplug base. The L-bar is solid steel and was forged into shape rather than bent.

Here is mine.

Interesting that T-handles pictured both have notches in one end of the horizontal (or top cross piece) of the tools,.......???

Steve,
Good eye! I hadn’t tested/notice the difference in threads.
Yes, only the tapered threaded one (on right) works.

The photos should answer some thoughts/questions mentioned.

Matthew

The handles are made from wristpins/

Makes you wonder how all those mechanics managed to lift the heads without those tools.

Bingo Jim!

The vertical wrist pins are even cut before welded. With wrist pins hardened, depending on tools at hand, that could be a bit of work to cut!

Matt