Good afternoon, folk.

I have three old pliers, a large and small side cutter and a set of needle nose that I have had almost 40 years. I know they are older than that because they were handed down from someone who has been deceased even longer than that.

They are good, solid tools, and I have cut a bunch of things with them ,particularly the larger side cutters, that would have destroyed most others I've ever used, and the cutting edges don't even have a scratch on them.

But I cannot find a brand on any of them. I believe the two side cutters are the same brand, but the needlenose look to be a different brand, but have performed just as well.

If I cannot figure out what they actually are it is not really an issue; they will continue to serve me. I'm just really curious who made them because they have impressed me with their durability. Pictures are attached, showing the only possibly identifiable markings I can find.

Thanks in advance for any help you might give me.

Mike

That's a tough one. Someone may have an idea, but If they're not imprinted with the manufacturer seems like it would be a best guess as to who made them.

2 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

That's a tough one. Someone may have an idea, but If they're not imprinted with the manufacturer seems like it would be a best guess as to who made them.

Yeah, I realize that. I'm hoping someone here might recognize the markings that are apparently mostly underneath the rubberized grip material. I absolutely know it's a long shot.

Thanks, Fred.

Anything on the back?

 

Here is a 25 yr old MAC pair.

 

S & K ?  

34 minutes ago, Gunny said:

Anything on the back?

 

Here is a 25 yr old MAC pair.

 

Nothing, Gunny.

Thanks

Can you slip the grips off Mike, get a little squirt of WD40 in there? 

8 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Can you slip the grips off Mike, get a little squirt of WD40 in there? 

I tried, but they are basically welded on after so long a time, I think. But there are definitely markings under there, for whatever reason. I love them and would not want to damage them.I can make out what looks like an s and an x on one side of the handle, something else, maybe a dash. on the other. At least that's what they look like.

Only reason I want to know what they are is that over the years they have seriously impressed me. I can't see them ever going bad after everything I put them through.

I appreciate everyone's chiming in, but I knew it was a long shot anyway.

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by Handfoolery

Gunny, they do look a lot like those MACs, but who knows?

 

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by Handfoolery

2 hours ago, Handfoolery said:

Gunny, they do look a lot like those MACs, but who knows?

 

 

Don't take the rubber coating off, will never be the same.  I've had mine sharpened few times to keep them in good shape.  My go to pair.  Have other brands but nothing off tool truck is same quality as 20 plus years ago.

I have a set that looks exactly like those and performed as well over the years too and they are Craftsman.  Don't know who made them but Craftsman never made their own tools as far as I know.  Mine are probably near 60 years old and still working superbly.

On 10/30/2025 at 10:03 PM, HandyDan said:

I have a set that looks exactly like those and performed as well over the years too and they are Craftsman.  Don't know who made them but Craftsman never made their own tools as far as I know.  Mine are probably near 60 years old and still working superbly.

Craftsman was a brand owned by Sears.  (It's since been sold to Stanley Black & Decker).   Sears never made any of its own tools but contracted them out.  If there is a serial number like XXX.YYYYYYY,  the XXX number signifies to OEM.  For example, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, and GE made a bunch of Kenmore appliances, Emerson made a lot of Craftsman power tools.  http://vintagemachinery.org/craftsman/manufacturers.aspx

 

I always chuckle when I read people saying "I have a model 113 <whatever tool>".   The 113 merely indicates Emerson Electric.   It's sort of like saying, I have a Chevy car.

 

That said, I bought a handful of tools in my teens.  I still  have the pliers and socket wrench set (the latter from Sears).  I think the rest are lost to time.  About 40 years ago, there was a local Sears outlet store that sold what appeared to be discontinued Craftsman tools at a discount.  I got a few there.

Edited November 4, 2025Nov 4 by kmealy

While in college I worked on the dredge Miami. While we were in Corpus Christie I went to Sears and bought a full set of Craftsman Mechanic tools in a tool box. My uncle whom was an engineer Stamped my initials on each tool. I still have the tools in box with some additions. Now that was 50 years ago and now my collection is in a Craftsman rolling toolbox. Oh since I carried those tools in my trunk for many years the box got rusty so had to paint it.

Large pair are ID'd.

 

 

Smaller pair are Made in Korea and no branding. They are still a very nice set as well.

Thanks guys!

Took me a while Mike cause the path to my big mechanics tool box from yester-year was buried and my brain was cluttered remembering to take a pic. I knew yours look very familiar.

 

Couldn't find any identifiers on mine either but I remember buying them from the MAC tool truck roughly circa 1975 or 1976.

 

I don't remember if they were actually MAC or another brand he carried besides MAC and Channelock. Most Channelocks back then (as today) had blue grips if they had any grips at all. They've been good ones and every bit as good as my Snap-ons.

 

The middle pair is a narrow style of needle nose. 

 

Edited December 3, 2025Dec 3 by Grandpadave52

I'm pretty sure they are "Channellock". They made them from 1886. Looking at them I can't say how old they are but for sure they are vintage. 

Edited December 3, 2025Dec 3 by MrRick