Top of Site > Clamps as Things > Field Guide > Top of Section
Table of Contents:
My major interest is in wooden hand screws, commonly called clamps. These fit into a general Taxonomy .
The collector is faced with the problem,
Where did this come from?This field guide is intended to provide some guidance.
The first question is factory made
or craft
made
?
Clue 1: Factory made clamps tend to be better made, with less tear-out at the holes in the jaws, with better surface finish, with more uniform chamfering. However, there are exceptions.
Clue 2: Factory made clamps almost always have two distinct
spindles, while craft made sometimes have a single universal
spindle
that can be used in either position. (One known exception
is Hempe , who made wooden clamps under its own mark, and for Craftsman, and apparently for A and A.)
Clue 3:Factory made clamps usually have a maker's mark that includes the town and state, while craft made often have just a name, or initials, with no location.
My focus is on factory made.
There are distinct regional variations - all the Rhode Island
manufacturers share some aspects amongst themselves, while the
Massachusetts manufacturers share other aspects. In addition, each
manufacturer has its own distinct look
, so that (after a
while) you can spot them at a distance.
The usual characteristics to check are the type and location of chamfering on the jaws; the shape of the handles of each spindle; the shape of the tip on the through spindle. I have outlines and photos of each characteristic; just follow the links!
I will treat jaws together. In my experience, users rarely break up a pair.
Note, however, that a wooden clamp is made of two distinct jaws, which cannot substitute for one another.
If the jaws bear a legible maker 's mark, or dealer 's mark or label, or an owner 's mark, then the question is, Do
the spindles go with the jaws?
; Otherwise, the question is,
Who made this?
Stopped spindles , or terminal spindles, have a stub end to fit into the pit of the stopped jaw; so they belong in the end hole of the jaws. But they are sometimes used as substitutes for lost or broken through spindles. Even when they are in the right place, they are easily switched from clamp to clamp.
Through Spindles , or central spindles, have a shoulder to press against the stopped jaw, so they belong in the middle hole of the jaws. But they are sometimes used as substitutes for stopped spindles (after a bit of damage is done to the tip). They are less easily switched from clamp to clamp.
These can be easily switched between the two positions on a clamp. They have both a shoulder, and a stub. The presence of universal spindles is usually a mark of a craft made clamp.
There are several related pages, that discuss clamps as things:
last revised and validated
Copyright © 1996- Wooden Clamp Journal