Millers Falls 8 Inch Square

[Matt Hardy]

Picked this up today for $2 at a estate sale. Any idea the age? It reads Millers Falls No. 1438. I have seen Millers Falls items but never a square like this. I was thinking I would do a light sanding and add a clear finish or oil of some kind. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Jamie Schmitz]

I have no idea on the age but I really like how the graduations are etched into the metal. Nice to give it more life.

[David Spurr]

Nice find.

[Larry Browning]

I have one similar to that. I don't think it is a Miller Falls though. Mine may be a knock off of this one. Mine is not accurate so it sits in a drawer somewhere.

[Brian Tymchak]

Googled this up. 1965 Spokane Newspaper ad showing MF 1438 Tri-Square for $3.25. Look in bottom left corner.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19651024&id=169WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1402,2913175&hl=en


BTW, I would not refinish it until you found a definitive value for the tool. It will likely be worth more with the original finish.

[Tom Deutsch]

I second Brian's thoughts. It's beautiful as it is.

[Matt Hardy]

Thanks for the feedback. While it has a whole lot more value than $2 to me I never thought it would be worth a whole lot in general. That said, I now agree that I will just leave it as is and use it as needed.

[Garth Almgren]

Googled this up. 1965 Spokane Newspaper ad showing MF 1438 Tri-Square for $3.25. Look in bottom left corner.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19651024&id=169WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1402,2913175&hl=en
On sale for $1.99! What a deal!

Also, from the Lumber Sales ad in the middle of the page: 3/4" 4x8 sheets of ply for less than $4 and 12 studs for a buck, or 1000 for $50. Just wow.

[Greg Hines, MD]

Googled this up. 1965 Spokane Newspaper ad showing MF 1438 Tri-Square for $3.25. Look in bottom left corner.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19651024&id=169WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1402,2913175&hl=en


BTW, I would not refinish it until you found a definitive value for the tool. It will likely be worth more with the original finish.

And in related news on the page above, the National Council of Churches advises the United States to end its opposition of China in the United Nations.

Doc

[Brian W Evans]

There is a really fun inflation calculator here (http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl). It says that $3.96 in 1965 dollars is worth $30 today. The $1 price of those dozen studs would be $7.58 today. I assume the excellent prices are due to Spokane's proximity to lots of logging?

[Tom Walz]

I bought some Miller's Falls chisels in the early 70's.

Great chisels.