Since it has been a while on Posting a Throw Back Thursday I thought I would give an extra one today.

While out picking I was looking through a flea market we stopped at and walking through a section I spotted this metal ruler. Walked over to where it was and picked it up for a closer look. It was in pretty good shape while some wear visible which is something I like. It shows this was a tool used and not just put back and never unfolded. After a little negotiations I managed to walk away with this Aluminum Stanley No. 426 ruler.

I couldn't wait to get back into the truck and get on the iPad to see just what I had. What was really strange was all of them I found where Stanley SW logo ones. I knew that the STANLEY block logo was before the SW logo so I got to digging a little further to see when this nice ruler might have been made.

They were made from 1919 till 1935. After I opened it up I found that it had three patent dates on the inside, 12-2-13, 1-19-17 and 2-4-17.

These ruler were black with raised numbers and increments 8's on the top and 16's on the bottom.

So in looking for a date for this one I got out several of my Stanley catalogs. I went through my 1914 catalog first and this ruler was not shown in that catalog. The next one I have was a 1920 No.34 Catalog and this is a picture of the ruler shown in the catalog.

So as I said earlier I knew the block logo was used earlier. It is listed as being used from 1907 to 1909 but I think on some items they used it longer.

After looking at the SW logo it was used from 1922 to 1935.

My next Stanley catalog was a 1925 and here is a listing for the No 426 Aluminum Zig Zag Ruler and this one has the SW logo.

So I was seeing all these things saying the SW logo one was very rare. As I have looked into this one, it is my opinion that it was made between 1919 - 1922 which is a smaller time frame. I think I may have come across a rare version of the Stanley No.426 Aluminum Zig Zag Ruler.

When you are out, keep your eyes always open as you never know what you might pick out of a place you don't expect to find anything.

Well I will be back at Patriot Picking....

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John Moody
Site Administratorhttp://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com
“Don’t make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.†Shaker Saying

Those old folding rules take me back John.  My dad always had one in the seat of his truck and I have it in my toolbox.

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Ron Dudelston
Site Administrator

Above and Beyond WoodWorks

Thanks for the input, JM.  Got me to thinking that I have an old "zig zag" wooden ruler that my dad passed down to me.  Gonna have to take a look at it and try to figger out when and where it was made.

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Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'
Scroll Saw Forum Host
'Stop complaining about the storm and learn to dance in the rain.'

What kind did he have or you now have Ron?

Ron Dudelston said:

Those old folding rules take me back John.  My dad always had one in the seat of his truck and I have it in my toolbox.

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Ron Dudelston
Site Administrator

Above and Beyond WoodWorks

Look forward to seeing what kind it is Fred.

Fred Wilson said:

Thanks for the input, JM.  Got me to thinking that I have an old "zig zag" wooden ruler that my dad passed down to me.  Gonna have to take a look at it and try to figger out when and where it was made.

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Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'
Scroll Saw Forum Host
'Stop complaining about the storm and learn to dance in the rain.'

My stepfather used to carry one in his tool belt all the time, there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't use it for something.

I don't know what happened to it, or if he still has it, he might. One of the yellow ones, not sure if it was a Stanley or a Victor though.

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Charles Nicholls
Site Host
nicholls61@att.net
Proud supporter of The Wounded Warrior Project, Homes For Our Troops and the NRA

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