Linemen Pliers
Linemen pliers predate Snap On by 80 years. Samuel Morse came up with Morse code and patented it around 1848. The telegraph started on the East Coast and exploded into the west following train lines. Telegraph lines ran everywhere. In 1851, ten separate firms ran lines into New York City. By the 1920s telegraph lines were everywhere and telegraphs peaked just about the time of the depression.
With all these lines there were men on poles splicing them, Hanging them, Stripping isolation and turning screw heads heads on every pole. The Linemen pliers were the one tool that replaced many: One can strip insulation, cut wire, bent heavy gage wire, turn bolts and even have a little hammer action in a single tool. Naturally auto mechanics did some of the same work for the wiring in a car as well.
The description reads - Powerfully built for gripping, twisting, hammering and cutting
Linemen 57 Early - 1926-1934
Linemen Pliers 57 early - look at the head
Linemen Pliers shows a 57, This has a wide head that was built from 1926 to 1934. On all the early Linemen Pliers the cutout on the jaws is pronounced. This makes the cutter stand out about 100 mils further than the plier grips. I do not know the reason for this, and it is not found on modern tools
Linemen 57 Mid 1934/5
Linemen Pliers 57 Transition - likely 1934. Note the narrower head
Linemen Pliers shows a 57, This has a Narrow head, but is maked 57, the 57 R looks exactly the same, and ran from 1935 to 1960. This Still has a machined gripper that makes the cutter wider than the plier gripper.
Linemen 58 1950
Linemen Pliers 58 Post WWII
Linemen Pliers here shows a 58R (1935-1960). This one is from 1950, note the 58 series has a different Vacuum Grip Pattern (wider). After was moving from Newport to Mt Carmel, Ill the way the tools were changed. These have the markings on the inside of the grips in molded pockets.
