Old Dividers - question

[Michael Cuthriell]

I have an old set of very nicely made dividers marked "Vocational School". Has any ever heard of these?

[Mel Fulks]

I'm gonna guess it was a theft prevention marking. That used to be a most common practice. Lot of stuff marked ,even the old prison stripes might be marked "Property of State Penetentiary" ,like if the guy escaped you just watched for the suit.

[Karl Andersson]

As Mel says, the "Vocational School" marking is probably just an ownership thing- if they were learning metal working, they may have needed to distinguish the school's tools from the students'. I'd look really hard for an actual trademark - many marks on old drafting tools like L.S. Starrett and Brown & Sharpe are very fine-lined and easy to miss if there's any wear or corrosion. If you're not familiar with them, the mark on dividers is usually on one arm, between the wing and the hinge.

It could very likely have been made at the school and have no maker's mark if metal working was one of the vocations taught. You say they are nicely made - I'm sure if you posted a picture, George and others would likely be able to tell you whether it was manufactured or hand-made and roughly what timeframe.

[george wilson]

Probably stamped at the school as a theft prevention measure. Hotels used(maybe still do) have special towels with their name on them. When I was young,I even saw "Stolen from......." on a few towels.They may not do that any more as it seems "politically incorrect"(what a silly term!)

[Michael Cuthriell]

I looked closer and one leg has "Vocational School" and the other has "Charleston W. Va". I see no other markings.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/webkit-fake-url://292d2a86-45c1-49a9-80f4-9c354fc5fa0e/imagejpeg

[Michael Cuthriell]

I'm unable to figure out how to attach a photograph.

[Roger Nair]

Kelly/True Temper was located in Charleston WV as also were likely voc-tech schools as would be expected in a manufacturing city.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm unable to figure out how to attach a photograph.

Hi Michael,

Click on the image above the text box shown in the image below:

342159

You will have a choice between picking a file on your computer or from a URL if it is online.

Then you will need to click on upload. The image file will be embedded in your post.

You may need to convert a file on your hard drive to a jpeg if the file is very large.

jtk

[Michael Cuthriell]

342161Photo

[Jim Koepke]

Those look more like manufactured dividers than shop made.

One would have to have a pretty well set up shop to make all of the parts that went into making that pair.

jtk

[Karl Andersson]

Interesting grind on the tips - either it has advantages for slicing a good mark, or a student got a little lazy. Looks like evidence it was used in something other than a metalworking school. Or, if the Vo-tech was also a reformatory, maybe it was used as a nasty shank:rolleyes:

[Bob Glenn]

Michael, please report to the vocational school principal's office. They have been looking for a missing pair of dividers.

[James Pallas]

Came from an era when school budgets were serious. The shop teacher likely had to sign for equipment as coaches and band leaders did also. Even the US Govt. had scripto mechanical pencils made in black and marked "Property of the US Government". My mechanical drawing class equipment was individually marked for the school, by the manufacturer I would guess. Very neatly too.
Jim

[Mel Fulks]

I've worked places where 99 cent clipboards had huge stickers on them with company name. Each pen in the local post office had amount of fine and number of years in prison for stealing it stamped on, and was secured by a chain. Big signs on the walls with prison warnings. Really tough places for interior decorators to shine!