Cobra Tool Kit - redux

[Armrer]

Hi Larry, Blackjack-

FOREIGN is 8 mm long and 2.1 mm high.

[BLACKJACK]

Hi Guys - - - -

On Page 5 of this post, Post Number 97, CompClassics posted a picture of the Screwdriver with the "MADE IN ITALY" stamp.

I can "ALMOST" make out the stamping. Can anyone offer a somewhat clearer picture??? Also include the 'height' of the letters and the "length' of the inscription???

Thank you very much. I've accumulated (Mostly from your generous posts) enough information on Cobra Tool Kits to match the first two volumes of the Encyclopedia Brittanica. "Brittanica", for the benefit of you youngsters under 80 years old, were VERY large, hard bound general information books. "Books" as is in paper and cardboard and parchment, etc. They were the ultimate info source during the 50's, 60's, etc. A 'complete set' of 28 volumes would weigh right at 60 pounds. For the record - - - the complete set would NOT put a dent in GOOGLE today. (All Hail Technology).

Y'all have a really great weekend.

BLACKJACK

[legenmetals]

The King Sick and Shelley pliers that I have seen seen to have a camera case tuff wrinkle finish. The BDS have parkerized finish. The foreign stamp letter size is 1/16 tall. I played around trying to stamp with 1/8 inch tall letters and couldn't get coveage due to the radius of the screwdriver shaft. I tried using a hydraulic press also. I decided that it will take one stamp with " Foreign" cut into it with the radius. A cheap flat stamp is around $160.00. You can find one peice stamps on EBay marked made in Italy.

[LMH]

Hey all,
Refinishing of Armer's grease gun.


Glass beading to remove any rust.



Etching Primer undercoat.



Base color coat of blue metallic.



Urethane clear top coat.




The blue color coat used is Nason Spectramaster Blue Metallic, code BM 307. The urethane clear top coat is Nason Clear Urethane, code 498-00 with hardener Nason 483-79. Color match is exact to original. Pretty cool!
Larry

[BLACKJACK]

Beautiful !!

What did you use to polish the "shaft" ??

Looks Great.

BLACKJACK

[Armrer]

Originally Posted by BLACKJACK

Beautiful !!

What did you use to polish the "shaft" ??

Looks Great.

BLACKJACK

The 'shaft' seen in the pix is a tapered drift punch just to hold the body for the images. The pump shaft itself isn't seen.

Best-

Jeff

[BLACKJACK]

W'all, ya coulda fooled me, Huckleberry.

Paint job looks great.

On the original BDS Screwdrivers - - was the "BDS" emblem a "decal" or a "sticker" ??? If a Sticker, was it paper or plastic ??

Thanks.

BLACKJACK

[my427cobra]

Great job Larry. Now on my "winter" project list.

Cheers
Greg

[BLACKJACK]

I have PLENTY of the "King Dick Made in England" Thermal Transfers left. If anyone would like some just send me an address and how many you would like.

Any word yet on the BDS Screwdriver decals ??? I'm down to 2 or 3 remaining projects. (Of course I'll discover a dozen or so additional ones as soon as I finish these).

Y'all have a really great day.

BLACKJACK

[LMH]

Water slide decal.
Larry

[legenmetals]

I took my screwdriver over to my freind Rusty and had him engrave it.

The first picture of him working is with a 50 year old diamond tip engraver. The shaft was to hard to chase with his hand tools. The shaft only has a case hardening. Once he engraved past the hardened part he chased the lettering by hand under the microscope.

The top picture is of the finished part. I must have taken two dozen photos. This is the best that I could do. The bottom part of the letters are hidden because of the radius of the shaft.

[BLACKJACK]

Nice job, I had mine done by a gunsmith,

MADEINITALY


Was done with a laser engraver. looks great. i'll send some pics.


Any word yet on the BDS Decals ???

BLACKJACK

[Armrer]

Blackjack,

Waterslide BDS decals are in process. Will announce as soon as they are done. Who's interested?

Best-

Jeff

[legenmetals]

I'm in

[LMH]

Let me tell you guys about reproducing the BDS decal. This has not been as easy as printing out a jpeg. We... (when I say "we", I mean Jeff did all the work while I sat on my ass and did nothing!!)... broke the original down to it's layers, copied every color in that layer and printed each color back together to make it like the original. "We" found a company using actual ink like it would have been done back in the day and would print it out. As I understand, they are about the only company still printing in the old-school manner. Old-school was the best way to reproduce the decal though, we felt.
Looking forward to seeing the final results!
Larry

[Armrer]

Originally Posted by LMH

Let me tell you guys about reproducing the BDS decal. This has not been as easy as printing out a jpeg. We... (when I say "we", I mean Jeff did all the work while I sat on my ass and did nothing!!)... broke the original down to it's layers, copied every color in that layer and printed each color back together to make it like the original. "We" found a company using actual ink like it would have been done back in the day and would print it out. As I understand, they are about the only company still printing in the old-school manner. Old-school was the best way to reproduce the decal though, we felt.
Looking forward to seeing the final results!
Larry

Larry nailed it. There's ONE waterslide decal company left in the US that is able to use the old solvent based inks. They are 'grandfathered' in by EPA regs because they have been in business since the '30's. Everyone else has to use 'green' inks which have nowhere near the opacity or saturation of color. These will be as they were printed in the early '60s. They will be very durable, and we can supply a special solution that will make them adhere to compound surfaces without bubbles or ripples. They should show up December 20th. Worth the wait

[BLACKJACK]

Thanks Guys, for all the research and great work on this project.

Y'all have a really great day.

BLACKJACK

[picah]

Pls count me in for the water slide decal when available
Best
Ron

[BLACKJACK]

Like my uncle Dan from West Virginia told the "rev-a-noors" when they asked him how that 'still' got into his barn - - - "Y'all ain't gonna beeleeve this sh!t".

I was out walking my two German Shepherds this afternoon. We crossed the street next to the Club House and against the far curb was a rusty pair of pliers. I looked. then I looked again (Here comes the part where "Y'all ain't gonna beeleeve this sh!t"). I picked them up; they were in good shape except for a lot of 'new surface rust'. They were also REALLY stiff. I thought, "NAW", "Can't be", WTF ??? I put them into my jacket pocket and we continued our four mile Walk / Jog.

I had forgotten about the pliers by the time I arrived home until I took off my jacket and the pliers fell out and "took a nice chip" out of a ceramic floor tile.

The dogs and I headed for the work shop to compare the new pliers with my King Dick pliers. They are "IDENTICAL" Same size, same shape, same operating features. There are NO markings on them at all. Mine have (Very Faintly) "King Dick Made In England" diagonally across the Hinge Base.

I soaked the pliers with WD-40 and "worked" the handles several times and they freed up nicely; also much of the surface rust came off. In the next few days I'll try different solutions to clean off the remaining rust. The pliers are in MUCH better shape than mine were before restoring. I can't imagine why there is no Brand Identification on them. It is a Very High Quality tool; tight and solid and substantial. Somebody should be "proud" of it.

Has anyone heard of pliers with NO Markings ?? Any thoughts on who might have made them. I have no idea at this point. They look to New to be originals but they are identical to my King Dicks. On the off chance that there might be a second 'head case collector' in the neighborhood I called the club secretary and asked her to post a note on the club house info board.

I dunno, Huckleberry. Maybe I'll start working on a Second tool kit.

Y'all have a really great day.

BLACKJACK

[legenmetals]

I thought I might check out Hobby Lobby for their Testors software and printing kit used for making custom model water slides.