There are several things to
note about this handle.Top Page > Clamps as Products > Makers of Wooden Clamps (WC) > Dodge Manufacturing
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The first example in my collection was too small for the "Dodge M'F'G Co" imprint; it merely had "Mishawaka IND". This was a puzzle, and not enough to research its origins. A second example is even smaller, and has no maker's mark, but the chamfering is the same. The mystery was solved when Lloyd Henley found, and told me of, the example with a full maker's mark.
There are several things to
note about this handle.
The handle has a long smooth neck to the shaft, and a very gentle taper to the end, which is flat. The "corner" to the end is flat, not dished as with Aldrich.
This example is lathe cut, and the lathe was set up so that the
final thread is circular, with uniform depth.
The diameter of the end is
slightly greater than the root diameter of the thread, so that the
roots show.
This example has
characteristics of Dodge.
The handle has a very gentle taper to the end, which is flat. The "corner" to the end is flat, not dished as with Aldrich, but larger than on the other handle, and at a different angle.
This example is lathe cut, and the lathe was set up so that the
final thread becomes gradually more shallow.
The tip is not flat, but almost conical. The thread
continues almost the length of the shaft.
A nicely preserved example of the mark (provided
through the generosity of Lloyd Henley). A smaller clamp (the first I
found) has only the "Mishawaka IND" mark, as there is no
room for the longer cartouche. A yet smaller clamp has no marks at
all, but shares the chamfering, so I believe it is a Dodge.
Notice the chamfer, a pair of steps, along seven edges of each
jaw. These are along the wedge, along the outside, and along the
back, where these meet the top and bottom sides, and also where the
outside and back meet.
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Copyright © 1996- Wooden Clamp Journal