Desperately Seeking Stanley .....

Stigura · 28-07-2019 6:31pm #1

A screw driver, to be precise. But, an extremely particular one

About thirty, or forty years ago now, I somehow acquired this Stanley, flat head screw driver. Didn't buy it in a shop. So, it could have been even older?

It had a sort of mustard / orange coloured handle. " Stanley " printed down it, in black. Handle would have been about three inches long. Broadly of a sort of hexagonal shape? Something like that.

Blade was about four inches. Most notable thing about it was that it was of a sort of dull, gray metal. None of this shiny, silver plating. And, it never took a spot of rust either.

I Loved that screw driver. And, like a love sick old fool, I've spent too many late nights, poring over pages upon pages of the damn things, on the bay. Closely scrutinising every old tool box of junk. Even pming people, to ask if that orange handled one, seventh from the left, has " Stanley " on the handle. In black

Ring any bells with anyone, please?

J.R. · 28-07-2019 6:41pm

https://www.etsy.com/ie/listing/705943718/vintage-stanley-red-handled-3-12?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=stanley+screwdriver&ref=sr_gallery-1-9

Stigura · 28-07-2019 6:47pm

Nearly gave me a heart attack there!

Sadly, no. (Happens I Have that very, red handled Stanley!

Great little thing for changing plugs and what have ye)

Tell ye what though? See the Blue handled Draper? That's the sort of handle we're getting at here. Not the ubiquitous, 'Transparent', golden syrup coloured types.

my3cents · 28-07-2019 7:07pm

OP I know what you are on about as I have a stubby screwdriver from the range. My father (recently died at 85) had a good few of them so I suspect they are from the late 1960's. afaik Stanley first put plastic handles on there screwdrivers in 1964.

Stigura · 28-07-2019 7:16pm

Boosh! And there we have it, so! Now I think about it? I distinctly remember telling my, then, wife how I loved this particular tool. So, yeah; It Would have been forty years ago.

God almighty, how sad is this? A grown man, hankering for a fifty year old screw driver!

Stoner · 28-07-2019 7:23pm

Is that two from the range on the right ?

The mustard handled ones. Never saw them before.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F392312474728

my3cents · 28-07-2019 7:24pm

I think this modern one is as near as you can get for the handle shape and design. The old ones had none of the black markings.

437H96_AS01?hei=800&wid=935

The shaft on the older ones was very different.

Edit> Possible this is from the range that the OP is on about

but I think there is an older version. The odd one I have is at least 30 years old.

Stoner · 28-07-2019 7:30pm

my3cents wrote:

I think this modern one is as near as you can get for the handle shape and design. The old ones had none of the black markings.

I'd the yellow/cream and black ones years ago.

Bought my first Philips in that style when I was a kid, 95p. I think my Dad stole it on me. Showed up in his tool box.

Anyway it sounds like the OP is taking about a solid colour rather than stripes ?

With a peculiar shaped handle.

my3cents · 28-07-2019 7:34pm

Stoner wrote: »

I'd the yellow/cream and black ones years ago.

Bought my first Philips in that style when I was a kid, 95p. I think my Dad stole it on me. Showed up in his tool box.

Anyway it sounds like the OP is taking about a solid colour rather than stripes ?

With a peculiar shaped handle.

Hexagonal handle. I think the early hex ones were transparent yellow acetate.

Stigura · 28-07-2019 7:37pm

This ~ Third from the left ~ has my bum twitching! She mentions there's Stanley in there too ..... PM's are flying, as we speak!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333279067516

Stigura · 28-07-2019 7:40pm

Stoner wrote: »

Anyway it sounds like the OP is taking about a solid colour rather than stripes ?

With a peculiar shaped handle.

Yeppers. Colour was solid. (See my ebay link, above).

I have the tiny, electricians one, with that black and yellow handle. Nasty little thing. Blade's chipped. Don't even like having to use it. They just don't make them like they used to

my3cents · 28-07-2019 7:41pm

Stigura wrote: »

This ~ Third from the left ~ has my bum twitching! She mentions there's Stanley in there too ..... PM's are flying, as we speak!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333279067516

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lot-of-15-Vintage-Screwdrivers-Craftsman-Stanley-and-More/163770636296 ?

Bet the Stanley is the last one on the top row the one on the top on the left. Yellow acetate with black marking.

Stigura · 28-07-2019 7:44pm

Second from the left. Middle row. Black handle? If they did it in black? It could look a lot like that.

Yet to see that same, gray steel though .....

Stigura · 28-07-2019 7:46pm

Damn!!! US just got back to me: Not a Stanley!

Stigura · 28-07-2019 7:51pm

Stoner wrote: »

Is that two from the range on the right ?

The mustard handled ones. Never saw them before.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F392312474728

That could well be the same colourant they used on my one! Maybe the CEO of the times wife liked that colour?

Totally wrong handles though. And still look shiny plated. This dull, gray metal has it. I think That's why I was so smitten with my one. I don't know what metal it was. But, it was fantastic!

angeldaisy · 28-07-2019 7:59pm

just spotted this thread. it could possibly be made of sheffield steel.
I grew up 5 minutes from one of their manufacturing units in Sheffield.
I have great memories as a child visiting with my dad for their 2nd's sales.
this would have been back in the 70s, there's possibly a stash of them in my attic or my mum's garage!!

Stigura · 28-07-2019 8:38pm

Sheffield Steel ....! (Wen Ahh Wert Ludd ....!) Ye might very well be onto something there!

Yeppers. Back when the UK Had a steel industry.

I Knew there was Something about this steel. It just sort of sat there. Perfectly contented in itself. No pretensions. No need. Ye just Knew this steel was, somehow, The Dogs!

Dunno. I've just handled so many shiny, pointy ~ Yes, please. And a bag of Prawn Crackers ~ bloody monstrosities since.

On a moonlit night, ye can sit by ye tool rack, and enjoy the visual of a gentle shower of cheap, nickely plating, dropping off ye vile screw drivers shafts.

Put one in a three pin plugs little, brass, internal screw? Gently turn the handle. Feel that recycled tin can twist and shear, against the might of a few mm of Brass!

God! I Hate junk! :mad:

Stigura · 06-12-2019 10:53pm

Bump!

Come on, folks, any new blood in here now?

It's my birthday, at the end of this month. Another year older, and no less love sick for this beautiful old screwdriver

MrMusician18 · 06-12-2019 10:56pm

Stigura wrote: »

Bump!

Come on, folks, any new blood in here now?

It's my birthday, at the end of this month. Another year older, and no less love sick for this beautiful old screwdriver

Video is private

Stigura · 06-12-2019 11:02pm

Bugger! Thanks, Mr M. I don't know what happened there.

Only a bit of light hearted, off the cuff craic anyway

I like messing around.

cletus · 07-12-2019 9:37am

Stigura, throw up a link to what you're looking for, all the ones in the previous posts are dead.

Stigura · 07-12-2019 5:40pm

Oh, bugger! Yeah. S'pose they would be, now. Being ebay active sales pages

Okay. Just logged on. By later tonight, I'll have gone back to the bay and found something we can work from.

Silent Running · 07-12-2019 5:45pm

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Vintage-Stanley-Flat-Slotted-Screwdrivers-Old-Tools-England-4-X-/143318078708

???

K.Flyer · 07-12-2019 5:50pm

Is this anything like it?

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Stanley-Bell-System-C-Slot-Screwdriver/254444688201?ul_ref=https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5574735181&toolid=10001&campid=5336086427&icep_item=254444688201&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg&srcrot=711-53200-19255-0&rvr_id=2212531522967&rvr_ts=e1438fe516e0ad326ad4b1e3fffebf05&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true&pageci=f5da1828-c5b0-4476-bb82-e443aadcdca8

Stigura · 07-12-2019 5:51pm

Bloody hell; That's close! :eek: That's probably about the colour ~ I can well imagine them using the same stuff again. And, remember it's been about forty years since I laid eyes on the thing ...

But, my one had the more 'usual' shaped handle. None of these fancy, new 'ergonomic' ones. Just the pretty traditional shape we'd see.

And it had " Stanley ", in black, down one of the flat sides.

Silent Running · 07-12-2019 5:51pm

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRxqUIEq1xqHqg_Z7X32snuErUbt5Lr-49M8r4fW-ZBkcLAaeZ9&s

Crap picture but....???

Stigura · 07-12-2019 6:08pm

Silent Running: :eek: O M F G!!!!! That's It!!! (I hope I don't have a heart attack now! I feel like I might!) The top one. That's absolutely f'ing IT!!!

Where'd ye get that shot? Where's the screwdriver??? OMG!

Silent Running · 07-12-2019 6:13pm

Well, at least now we know what we're looking for.

The picture came from this site...

https://picclick.co.uk/8-x-Vintage-Stanley-Screwdrivers-254093561328.html

Looks like the set of 8 sold in January.

If you scroll through the pictures on that link, there are some more seem to still be for sale.

Stigura · 07-12-2019 6:34pm

I've just combed through nearly a Thousand ebay sales! Not there! And, that place ye linked to doesn't work right, for me?

Got any direct links to 'my' one for sale, please?

Silent Running · 07-12-2019 6:38pm

Stigura wrote: »

I've just combed through nearly a Thousand ebay sales! Not there! And, that place ye linked to doesn't work right, for me?

Got any direct links to 'my' one for sale, please?

It's part of a job lot, maybe he'll sell you just the one you want.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183997830964

looksee · 07-12-2019 6:41pm

I've got one of those yellow ones in the first picture. Had it for ever, but its not the same as those opaque yellow in the second pic.

Stigura · 07-12-2019 6:58pm

Indescribable!!! I'm laughing. Shaking. I can't even breath right! LOL!

Can't possibly Thank you enough! Ye well and truly Have made my day!!!

10-12-2019 2:49am

I'm half-hoping it's the wrong one, just so this thread can continue. I've been checking all the old tool boxes and presses where screwdrivers may have been kept to see could I find it (I could find a transparent yellow/gold one, but it wasn't Stanley

).

Congrats Stigura!

Stigura · 01-01-2020 4:03pm

Forty Bloody Years!!!

fineso.mom · 01-01-2020 4:16pm

Delighted for you. Just shows a bit of perservence can work out sometimes.
Last time I saw anyone as exited for an old tool was when my elderly aunt fell in love with her (equally elderly), solicitor.

Desperately Seeking Stanley .....

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