Small Gloat

[Mike Hutchison]

Found these items at an estate sale Fri (Aug. 30th)
Total price $1
These poor pix after some triage
I thought the files were a set initially; they are L-R
Heller Nu-Cut 2nd Cut
Johnson 2nd Cut
Disston
All USA Made
The offset ? screwdriver is a Millers Falls No 199
The Blacksmith(best guess @ type) hammer had a decal
on handle but it was too far gone to read or save at least by me
Real reason for posting is the little Lufkin Combo SquareNo 2504R with a 4" long rule;
is this meant to be a tool or a toy or salesman's sample?
269724269725269726269727

[Dave Beauchesne]

Mike - a major ' YOU SUCK ' - a buck ?? Seriously, the Lufkin is a user - the 4'' blade in Starrett I think I have seen, but quite rare; Lufkin stuff is decent quality. Depending on what you do, the small size can be really handy. Either use it, sell it to me for ten times your investment, or throw it away!! Well done. ( a buck - sheesh ).

[Judson Green]

Well done. I think you'll find the smaller combination square to be extremely handy. I have a 6" starrett and it is easily my most used square.

[Shawn Pixley]

You scored. That hammer is very useful in my shop. I have 2. One with a dressed face for blacksmithing and one general purpose. I would call it a small sledge. My grandfather used a number of lufkin tools (from the 40's and 50's). I have found them to be comparable to Starett. I have never seen a 4" combo. But I think it would be very useful.

[Mike Hutchison]

Thanks for input, gentlemen
As far as the Square goes-would use of this size of combo square be more likely by a patternmaker or machinist;
someone like that as opposed to general use. Also, to completely reveal my ignorance: does it look like I have it
reassembled correctly. Especially the 45 Deg. part?
I had been looking for a combo square like this one but with 12"+- rule.
One reason I thought this square might be sort of a "novelty" type item instead of a tool per se, is a
round Lufkin tape I have which commemorates the 1912 Ohio Hardware Assoc. meeting. Tape is 36" length.

[Judson Green]

As to who might historical use the square I haven't the foggiest, but simply find the size to be just right most of the time. And I'm not really sure what you mean by reassembled right, but the 45° head I usually use for center finding. Like prior to lathe work. Sometimes other things. And I usually have it right where you have it on the rule. The other head (90°/45°) is moved around alot on my squares depending on use, usually at one end or the other, sometimes I use it for a marking gauge. You might find that a 6" rule will fit with those heads for a little extra capacity.

I'd keep my eyes open for a 12" with the heads. And a protractor head.

[Jim Matthews]

I must have picked everything over, last year.

This year, all the Swamp Yankees have at tag sales are those
glass baby food jars full of unsorted screws.

That, and every variation on useless Craftsman "timesavers".

Why don't the kids just give Dad cash on Father's day -
they can't even remember where the receipt went...

[Jim Koepke]

Great find Mike.

The centering head is usually removed to use the combo-square head or the other way around. One simple solution is to find another steel rule to fit one or the other heads.

Most of the time my combination squares sit unused. The one that gets used the most is the one with the shortest rule.

jtk

[Eric Mayhew]

Your combo square is assembled correctly. I have a Starrett one of the same size without the center head. Lufkin precision measuring tools (micrometers, etc.) are comparable to Starrett; some might even say they are superior to them... That's another topic!