Hazard A Guess: Week of March 14, 2002

Hello from Hazard!

First, there’s springlike temperatures in the high 50s, then there’s gale-force winds and the mercury drops to 19 degrees. It’s winter in the Midwest, all right.

Of course, nothing heats you up like puzzling over a Hazard item, right?

Well, we have several smart readers who quickly identified item No. 641 as taps for “refreshing” damaged threads or for making new threads.

Gary Curfman identified the curved taps specifically as the type of tap holders used with a precision automatic tapping machine. Currently a maintenance superintendent at Kent State University, Curfman used to work in a nut factory with the Lamson and Sessions Co., and used such a tapping machine.

“These were a hollow tube that the tap was silver soldered into,” he writes. “When you wore out the threads, you had another one ready to go into the machine.

“They were a slow machine, but very dependable; a very oily machine to run.”

Mark Brooks of Sewickley, Pa., did a little research and found the taps in a 1947 Standard-Machinists Supply Co. catalog. The catalog says the bent shank taps are designed for use in automatic tapping machines.

Other readers correctly identifying the tools were: Col. Milton Lorens, Amherst, Ohio; Mike Esposito, Salem, Ohio; Don Watson, Columbia Station, Ohio; and Reuben Altman of Shippenville, Pa.

Mr. Esposito brought a similar tool into the office, which we show for you this week. (No, you don’t get to guess on this one; it’s another variety of tap for threading!).

In case you were wondering, our original item No. 641 bore the markings: “K10 P&W Hfd. Ct. USA,” and the size was marked on each. Thanks to Kenneth Wilson of East Palestine, Ohio, for sharing the tools with Hazard.

Our new item comes from Gailey Henderson of Williamstown, W.Va. (Don’t guess a “pocket knife” either – that’s just there for size perspective!)

If you think you have a good guess, send your responses to: Hazard a Guess, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or via e-mail to: editorial@farmanddairy.com.

Each week, you can also log on to our Web site – www.farmanddairy.com – and take a look at the latest Hazard items, plus the items from the last four weeks. Just click on the “Hazard a Guess” link along the left hand side. You can also submit your guesses from our Web site.