PEXTO 13-8 Gas Pliers Probably 1930s For Sale

Peck, Stow & Wilcox Company, PEXTO, began business in 1870 in Southington, CT. The company became well known for its tools and metal working machines. In 1950 the company was acquired by Billings and Spencer and in 1962 Billings was acquired by the Crescent Niagara corporation. Later, the PEXTO logo was used by RW Acquisition, L.L.C. and has no relationship to the former manufacturer.PEXTO’s Gas Pliers were manufactured and sold from the early 20th Century into the 1930s. The earliest PEXTO catalog available on Archive.org, 1910, displays the Pliers available in five sizes. The same Pliers also appear in the 1938 catalog where they are offered as “Polished at no extra cost or Nickel Plated to order, at extra cost.” No later years catalogs are available. The stamped “PEXTO-Oval” logo was registered in 1915, so it is safe to conclude it is about that time that would be the earliest they would have been produced. It is also likely, given the above catalog information that they were manufactured at least until 1938.
The apparent distinctions between the No. 13 Gas Pliers and similar “Burner Pliers”, like PEXTO’s No. 3s, are the Handles. Only the Gas Pliers have one Handle Screwdriver-Tipped and the other with a Round Flat End (see images). The Gas Plier were marketed as being “For use by Plumbers, Gas Fitters and allied trade and are exceptionally strong.” Nowadays, such Pliers are valued because of their assorted ways of gripping and the degree of pressure that can be applied without handle flex. At least one modern manufacturer advertises similarly designed pliers as being useful for removing head-damaged screws and rounded nuts.The business end of the Pliers is quite versatile and able to grip strongly because of the aggressive ways ordinary pliers cannot (see images). There is evidence that the Pliers have been used, but not abusively, or not so the Pliers show evidence. The Teeth are sharp and the Jaws meet properly. There is what might be evidence of plating on some flat surfaces (see images). The Screwdriver Tip is flat and undamaged. The Round Handle end is also flat and undamaged (see images). The handles are straight )see images).Usually we suggest that old tools can be put to work but that they are more deserving of being allowed to take it easy and be show-off casually as a part of an accumulation or carefully as a part of a collection. This tool, though, might need to be put back on the job as something more than a typical Plier or Pliers because of its sturdy and useful qualities. If it doesn’t find a good home quickly we’ll probably keep it and put it to work.We will ship the Gas Plierw by USPS Ground Advantage on the next regular business day following receipt of payment.Reference:

• \"The Peck, Stow & Wilcox Co.: Catalogue No. 10 by Peck, Stow & Wilcox Co., 1910\" Mechanics\' Hand Tools: Catalogue No. 20: Tool Section by Peck, Stow & Wilcox Co., 1920\" Mechanics Hand Tools: Catalog No. 38 by Peck, Stow & Wilcox Co. [1938]\"