I just cleaned up some surface rust and gunk from this nice little clamp I rescued from a rusted out toolbox I bought, then hit it with some oil to protect the surface.
Here’s a look at the other side:
This being the internet and all, there is a webpage for people interested in the history of clamp companies. From this, the clampguy.info site, I present some history, including the fact that my clamp was designed by the grandfather of the author:
Hargrave brand of Cincinnati Tool Co
The Cincinnati Tool Company was founded in 1877. In 1925, it changed its name to the Hargrave Company, which continued until 1955.
The information below was provided through the kindness of John McCutcheon, of Grand Rapids, Michigan
A “circled H” on tools made by Cincinnati Tool Company signifies that it was designed by my grandfather, John M. Hargrave (1889-1975).
Edward Hollister Hargrave worked for Cincinnati Tool Co. in the late 1800′s. By 1911 or 1912, when he died, I think he was running the company.
John Morris Hargrave (his son) had just graduated from M.I.T., with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was called home to take over the company. (I don’t know if he owned the company or not at that time, but I am pretty certain that he did eventually. I believe he sold the company and retired sometime in the 1950′s.)
The company made a complete line of hand tools of all kinds, from bar, cee and wooden jaw clamps to cold chisels, star drills, etc.
Here is a drawing from Hargrave’s Patent No. 1,918,469 which I found on the Directory of American Tool and Machinery Patents
