Still cleaning my shop guys! Ya I know, been on this adventure for three weekends now and I am still finding items of great interest in the dark reccesses of my humble abode.

Many years ago, I came back from my duty station in the Army on a two week leave, during those two weeks I helped Dad on a few woodworking projects and we pulled out this Craftsman 100' tape to measure something, I think we were doing some layout for some garden trellis or something, and during our work a screw came lose, the whole thing came apart and the tape jumped out and landed in a big heap of a tangled mess, it is a steel tape so it was just a big springy mess on the ground. He was ready to trash it on the spot, it was his Dad's, so the tape goes back a bit in family history, though I am not sure how old it is exactly.

But I saved it from doom, I jumped on it and told Dad to back off! It can be saved! Well, I rolled up the steel tape on itself, and put the tape and the case into a plastic bag with the hopes of reviving a bit of family history later on.

So yesterday, about 25 years later I came across this old plastic bag, with the tape still in it. It was still jacked up, and I was in the mindset yesterday to sit down in my patio, spread the tape out, and figure out how to put this back in it's case and get the wind up crank to work again. I got the tape back in ok, the wind up mech works but I am still missing something that holds the mechanism in place, but at least the tape is home and happy now.

I love this old tool, it's in primo condition, and ol grandad owned it, so it's even more special. It is well made, Made in the USA, Sears and Roebuck, when Sears was great. It still even has the original plastic case. I love it, because when you see the tape in the case, it looks all messed up, old and tattered, but when you pop the cover off the case, a jewel is residing inside, kind of like a pearl in an oyster.

 

Oh yes, and did I mention the case is covered in leather!

Wish Craftsman still had that quality. 

 

I have the 50' version in a drawer of my workbench. Got it, along with a Craftsman aluminum framing square, for having the best grades in my vocational course, during my junior year in high school (1962).

So now I know that my tape goes back to at least 1962!

Here's mine- had to wipe off the dust! Also the square. The steel square was my grandfather's. It is a Sargent 14B. Don't know how old it is.

 

 

Great finds and work john. Someday maybe my grand kids will share this memory too.

Good on ya, John. Hope you can figure out how to get it in working condition again. I'm betting that the piece that is missing is what caused it to crater when it did. 

I have a black leather covered one from the late '70s. I think it's laying in a drawer. Been there for at least 15 years. If I haven't lent (read "given") it to my son, I'd be happy to send it to you so you can rob it of the part you need. 

That is a great find John. I have been collecting old tapes for a while. I will have to pull out a few and I love the ones with the leather case.

 

That one is really special because it is a family piece and that is where it should remain. One day it can be passed down to your son and keep it in the family. Over those generations it really begins to take on a very special meaning with a link to the past, something your grandad held in his hands.

 

Nice find.

Patriot Picking in your own shop!

Good on ya, John. Hope you can figure out how to get it in working condition again. I'm betting that the piece that is missing is what caused it to crater when it did. 

I have a black leather covered one from the late '70s. I think it's laying in a drawer. Been there for at least 15 years. If I haven't lent (read "given") it to my son, I'd be happy to send it to you so you can rob it of the part you need. 

If you still have it Gene, I'd love to buy it off of you.

That is a great find John. I have been collecting old tapes for a while. I will have to pull out a few and I love the ones with the leather case.

 

That one is really special because it is a family piece and that is where it should remain. One day it can be passed down to your son and keep it in the family. Over those generations it really begins to take on a very special meaning with a link to the past, something your grandad held in his hands.

 

Nice find.

Patriot Picking in your own shop!

Yes sir! Patriot Picking in my own shop indeed! I do love it, it has memories for sure, and to think dad was ready to trash to it!

Here's mine- had to wipe off the dust! Also the square. The steel square was my grandfather's. It is a Sargent 14B. Don't know how old it is.

That is really cool Lew, and the aluminum square was a big deal back then wasn't it?