Jennings auger bits

[Gary Herrmann]

I picked up some Jennings bits recently - pretty decent shape, but they need sharpening.

The thing I'm curious about is some of them are marked Russell Jennings - the name is stamped parallel to the length of bit on the shaft. One is marked Russell Jennings Made in USA in a kind of stamped box perpendicular to the shaft.

A couple are marked something like
Russell Jennings
100
Stanley 100 years

in a kind of stamped box perpendicular to the shaft. I'll try to take pics once my wife brings the camera home.

I assume the stamps are just indicative of different years they were made, but was just wondering if anyone could offer any insight.

[Roger Bell]

Bits are not my field of expertise, however, since no one has stepped up, here goes.

RJ was a private company that was ultimately snapped up, as were many others by Stanley big-boys and incorporated into their line. Fact. I dont have the dates, but that is simply a matter of research, if you really want to know bad enough.

RJ's also refer to one of two common patterns as does Irwin. With RJ's being superior for hardwoods and having a greater twist. Various companies made the RJ type pattern.

When Stanley acquired RJ, they named the RJ pattern bits the 100's. Older RJ's are stamped merely Russell Jennings in a parallel pattern you describe. Newer are often stamped Stanley or 100's in a perpendicular pattern you describe. I have examples of each in a lot I am preparing for sale, so this is quite fresh in my mind. These 100's were made well into the late 50's early 60's. I own a nice set in a plastic case made in the early 60's. I am not certain that the parallel vs perpendicular was a certain sign of being made by different company owners.....but the probability is likely, I would think.

Both bits are pretty much identical in terms of looks. I don't know about the relative quality of the steel or those kinds of differences. I havent sharpened enough of each RJ or Stanley/RJ to know, or at least to remember. Not to be confused, however, with the more common Irwin pattern, used in softwoods.