Forged Steel Products Company

Vacuum Grip Logo on Plier Handles.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Summary of Tool Models
• Slip-Joint Pliers
• Fixed-Pivot Cutting Pliers
• Other Fixed-Pivot Pliers
• Specialty Tools
• References and Resources
• What's New (Last Updated May 22, 2008)
  Recent changes to this page:

  • 05/22/2008: Added Vacuum Grip No. 34 Pliers.
  • 05/12/2008: Updated model table.
  • 03/08/2008: Added Vacuum Grip No. 62 Pliers.
  • 02/11/2008: Added Vacuum Grip No. 70-A Lockring Pliers.
  • 12/14/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 61 Pliers.
  • 12/03/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 7 Battery Pliers.
  • 11/10/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 14 Long-Handled Steeldraulic Pliers.
  • 10/21/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 49 Slip-Joint Pliers.
  • 10/18/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 137 Slip-Joint Pliers.
  • 10/16/2007: Added rare Vacuum Grip No. 25 Thin-Nose Combination Pliers.
  • 09/12/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 56 Lineman's Pliers.
  • 08/13/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 87 Diagonal Cutters.
  • 04/05/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 36 Slip-Joint Pliers.
  • 03/26/2007: Added Vacuum Grip Early No. 65 Pliers.
  • 02/18/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 31 Brake Spring Pliers.
  • 02/14/2007: Reorganized sections, added a Vacuum Grip No. 13 Piston Ring Groove Cleaner.
  • 02/10/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 5 Midget Ignition Pliers.
  • 02/06/2007: Filled in some company history, added logo and Vacuum Grip No. 17 End Nippers.
  • 02/04/2007: Moved to a separate page, added Vacuum Grip No. 9 Water Pump Pliers and Vacuum Grip No. 86 Diagonal Cutters.
  • 02/02/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 46 Pliers and Vacuum Grip No. 386 Diagonal Cutters.
  • 01/27/2007: Added Vacuum Grip No. 65 Slip-Joint Pliers.
  • 01/22/2007: Added Vacuum Grip 70-A Lock-Ring Pliers and a rare Vacuum Grip No. 14 Straight-Handled Steeldraulic Pliers.
  • 12/15/2006: Added Vacuum Grip 308 Battery Pliers.
  • 12/10/2006: Added Vacuum Grip 47 Slip-Joint Pliers.
  • 12/09/2006: Added Vacuum Grip 86 Diagonal Cutters.
  • 10/30/2006: Added Vacuum Grip No. 207 Parrot-Head Pliers and Vacuum Grip No. 14 Steeldraulic Pliers.

Introduction

Forged Steel Products is best known for their line of "Vacuum Grip" pliers, tools of exceptional quality with a distinctive handle pattern. In addition to producing notable tools, Forged Steel Products also played an important role in the development of the Snap-On Wrench Company, and was eventually acquired by Snap-On.

Company History

Currently we don't have a specific source for information regarding Forged Steel Products, but have pieced together parts of their history, mostly from their association with Snap-On.

Forged Steel Products was apparently a family-run business, owned and operated by William E. Myers and possibly other family members. The company was founded sometime around 1920, and their principal products were pliers, cutters, and related hand tools.

The company's first location is believed to have been in Newark, New Jersey, as some of their early tools are marked with this location. But by 1924 the company had moved to Newport, Pennsylvania and remained there for many years.

Forged Steel Products sold their products under the brand name "Vacuum Grip", a name derived from the distinctive gripping pattern forged into the handles. This handle pattern design featured rows of dimples resembling suction cups, and was described and illustrated in design patent #D57,252, issued to Earl W. Myers on March 8, 1921. Early Vacuum Grip pliers generally included a patent notice with the "3-8-21" date.

In 1924 William Myers met with Stanton Palmer and other management of the Snap-On Wrench Company, a meeting that would prove important for both companies. Myers showed his pliers and apparently impressed the Snap-On executives with their quality. Snap-On had been looking for a line of pliers to offer through their Motor Tool Specialty Company distributor, and so a sales agreement was negotiated between the two companies.

In addition to selling their pliers through Snap-On, Forged Steel Products agreed to act as a contract manufacturer for open-end wrenches, punches, and chisels, using some of the excess forging capacity at the factory in Newport. These other tools were marked as part of the new Blue Point brand established by Snap-On in the mid 1920s.

The sales agreement apparently worked out well for both companies. Vacuum Grip pliers were prominently shown in the Snap-On catalogs, and Snap-On's direct sales force introduced the pliers to a much greater market. Snap-On expanded rapidly during the 1920s, and the Blue Point tool line proved to be very successful.

By 1931 Forged Steel Products had become one of Snap-On's biggest creditors, and when Snap-On's president Stanton Palmer died that year, William Myers assumed the additional role of president of Snap-On. Both companies continued to prosper during the 1930s, despite the difficult business conditions caused by the Great Depression.

Myers served as president of Snap-On until his death in 1939, at which time Joseph Johnson, one of the original founders of Snap-On, became president of both Snap-On and Forged Steel Products. The close relationship between the companies was formalized in 1945 when Snap-On acquired Forged Steel Products, which subsequently operated as a division of Snap-On. (The 1945 date is based on an advertisement from that year listing Forged Steel Products as a division of Snap-On.)

Tools produced in 1946 and later continued to be marked with the "Vacuum Grip" brand, but were marked with the Snap-On name instead of Forged Steel Products. The Newport factory remained in operation until 1958, after which the production of Vacuum Grip tools was absorbed into other Snap-On facilities.

Patents and Trademarks

Design Patent #D57,252

Currently only one patent is known to have been issued to Forged Steel Products, the design patent for their distinctive handle pattern. The handle pattern is described and illustrated in design patent #D57,252, issued to Earl W. Myers on March 8, 1921.

Although the design patent clearly illustrates rows of dimples resembling suction cups, the patent document doesn't actually mention suction cups or use the phrase "vacuum grip".

Vacuum Grip Trademark, or Lack Thereof

In the late 1930s or 1940, Forged Steel Products filed a trademark registration for its "Vacuum Grip" brand, and some later tools are actually marked with a "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." notice. At this point the company had been using Vacuum Grip as a brand name for 20 years, yet despite the long usage of the mark, the trademark application was denied.

The company appealed the denial, but a decision by the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals on June 30, 1941 upheld the denied application. (See 121 F.2d 492 In re FORGED STEEL PRODUCTS CO. for the full story.) The rationale for the denied application was that if the tool handles incorporated suction-cup like dimples, then the term "vacuum grip" was merely descriptive of an essential element of the product, and therefore did not warrant trademark protection.

Manufacturing Dates

Many of the Vacuum Grip tools were sold through Snap-On dealers, and these tools were generally marked with Snap-On style date codes. It's not known whether all of the Vacuum Grip production was similarly marked, although it would have made sense to do so.

In any event, the frequent presence of date codes means that the manufacturing date for Vacuum Grip tools can often be placed within a particular year. When we refer to a date code in this article, the Snap-On style single digit code is implied, unless otherwise clarified.

Summary of Tool Models

Forged Steel Products produced a relatively small number of different models of pliers, small enough that we can easily summarize them in a table. Table 1 below lists all of the known pliers, together with some basic information such as the style and length. The table also shows the approximate year when each particular model was first offered, subject of course to limitations of catalog resources.

Slip-Joint Pliers

Slip-joint pliers were among the first tools produced by Forged Steel Products. We'll begin this section with several examples believed to represent the earliest production of the company, based on the markings and handle pattern.

No. 25 Thin-Nose Combination Pliers

Fig. 1. Vacuum Grip No. 25 Thin-Nose Combination Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1920.

Fig. 1 shows a very early pair of Vacuum Grip No. 25 thin-nose combination pliers, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newark, N.J. U.S.A." near the pivot, with "Vacuum Grip" and "No. 25" on the reverse (see lower inset).

The overall length is 5.0 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

Several details of the markings and construction of these pliers indicate a very early production date, possibly just after the "Vacuum Grip" design had been developed. Especially notable here is the lack of the patent notice, otherwise almost universally marked on the company's pliers. Also notable is the simple block letter marking for "Vacuum Grip", instead of the fancier logo form used later.

An important construction detail to note is that the handle pattern on these pliers has a ridge around the outside of the pattern, a feature missing from later examples. This pattern is closer to that shown in the patent illustration (see patent #D57,252), but may have caused difficulty for the die makers.

Later examples generally have the suction cups fading away at the edges of the pattern; see for example the Vacuum Grip No. 36 Pliers shown in a later figure.

One last note is that the marking for Newark (New Jersey) on these pliers is less commonly seen, with most examples of Vacuum Grip tools being marked for Newport (Pennsylvania). Newark is presumed to be the earlier location of the company, as Forged Steel Products is known to have been in Newport from the mid 1920s onward. No information is available on the exact timing of the move from Newark, but the company is thought to have been established in Newport by 1924.

No. 46 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 2. Vacuum Grip No. 46 Slip-Joint Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1921-1923.

Fig. 2 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 46 slip-joint pliers, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newark, N.J. U.S.A." near the pivot, with "Vacuum Grip" and "Pat. 3-8-21" on the reverse (see lower inset).

The overall length is 5.9 inches, and the finish is nickel plating, though now worn off in some areas.

The pliers are marked with the patent date "Pat. 3-8-21", corresponding to the Myers design patent #D57,252. The presence of the patent notice itself at least indicates production in 1921 or later.

As noted for the previous example, these pliers have a distinct "ridge" around the dimple pattern on the handles, closely matching the pattern illustrated with the design patent.

No. 65 Slip-Joint Thin-Nose Combination Pliers

The next figures show two generations of the No. 65 slip-joint thin combination pliers, a model that featured jaws equipped for gripping both flat and rounded objects, and with cutting edges as well.

Fig. 3. Vacuum Grip No. 65 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1921-1924.

Our earlier example is shown in Fig. 3, a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 65 slip-joint combination pliers marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newark, NJ. U.S.A." with "Pats. Pdg." on the front. The reverse is marked "Vacuum Grip No. 65" and "Pat. 3-8-21", as seen in the lower inset.

The overall length is 5.2 inches, and the finish is polished nickel plating.

As with the previous figures, these pliers are marked for the Newark location, indicating that these are of early production. The early production is also indicated by ridge enclosing the handle pattern, a feature missing from later examples.

The extra "Pats. Pdg." patent notice on these pliers is of particular interest, as it suggests that there were additional patents filed for this model beyond the standard handle design patent. An extensive patent search has failed to locate the corresponding patent, if any, so it's possible that the patent claims were denied.

Fig. 4. Vacuum Grip No. 65 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 4 shows a later pair of Vacuum Grip No. 65 slip-joint combination pliers, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot, with "Vacuum Grip" and "Pat. 3-8-21" on the reverse (see lower inset). An additional marking "Made in U.S.A." is forged into the underside of the handles, as shown in the middle inset.

The overall length is 5.5 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

The top inset shows the thin profile of the pliers.

No. 34 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 5A. Vacuum Grip No. 34 Slip-Joint Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1937.

Fig. 5A shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 34 slip-joint combination pliers, stamped with the "Vacuum Grip" logo and "Pat. 3-8-21" near the pivot, with "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." on the reverse (see lower inset).

The overall length is 4.4 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

The middle inset shows a close-up of small marking on the underside of one handle, believed to be a "7" date code for 1937.

No. 36 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 5B. Vacuum Grip No. 36 Slip-Joint Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 5B shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 36 slip-joint combination pliers, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot, with "Vacuum Grip" and "Pat. 3-8-21" on the reverse (see lower inset).

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

The middle inset shows the "Made in U.S.A." marking forged into the underside of the handles.

No. 47 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 6. Vacuum Grip No. 47 Slip-Joint Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Marking Detail.

Fig. 6 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 47 slip-joint pliers, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." near the pivot, with "Vacuum Grip" and "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." on the reverse (see upper inset).

The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

The middle and lower insets show the handle detail, with "Vacuum Grip" incorporated into the gripping pattern, and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the underside of the handles.

No. 49 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 7. Vacuum Grip No. 49 Slip-Joint Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1931.

The largest of the heavy-duty models is shown in Fig. 7, a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 49 slip-joint combination pliers. The pliers are marked with the Vacuum Grip logo and "Pat. 3-8-21" near the pivot, with "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." on the reverse (see lower inset).

The overall length is 9.2 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

The middle inset shows the "-1" date code stamped into the underside of one handle. Although this is not a standard Snap-On code, it likely indicates production in 1931, as an extension from the "-7", "-8", and "-9" codes used in the 1920s.

No. 137 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 8. Vacuum Grip No. 137 Slip-Joint Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1927.

Fig. 8 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 137 slip-joint combination pliers, marked with the Vacuum Grip logo and "Pat. 3-8-21" near the pivot, with "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." on the reverse (see lower left inset).

The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

The lower right inset shows the "-7" date code stamped on the underside of one handle, indicating production in 1927. The Vacuum Grip No. 137 pliers were offered in the Snap-On catalogs as early as 1926.

No. 61 6 Inch Angle-Grip Pliers

Fig. 9. Vacuum Grip No. 61 6 Inch Angle-Grip Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Marking Detail, 1929.

Fig. 9 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 61 6 inch angle-grip pliers, stamped "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." on the handle, with the Vacuum Grip logo and "Pat. 3-8-21" on the reverse.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is nickel plating, with some loss due to wear.

The lower right inset shows a close-up of the Snap-On style date code "-9" stamped on the underside of the handle, indicating production in 1929.

The patent date corresponds to design patent #D57,252.

No. 62 8 Inch Angle-Grip Pliers

Fig. 10. Vacuum Grip No. 62 8 Inch Angle-Grip Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 10 shows a rare pair of Vacuum Grip No. 62 8 inch angle-grip pliers, stamped "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." on the handle, with the Vacuum Grip logo and "Pat. 3-8-21" on the reverse. The pliers are also marked with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the underside of the handles (not shown).

The overall length is 8.2 inches. The finish is plain steel with pitting due to rust.

The patent date corresponds to design patent #D57,252.

No. 207 Parrot-Head Combination Pliers

Fig. 11. Vacuum Grip No. 207 Parrot-Head Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Marking Detail, 1929.

Fig. 11 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 207 parrot-head pliers, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." on the reverse. The overall length is 7.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The pliers are also marked with the patent date "Pat. 3-8-21", which corresponds to design patent #D57,252.

The lower right inset shows the small Snap-On style date code "-9" stamped on the underside of the handle, indicating production in 1929.

This model was apparently not generally available through Snap-On, except for a limited period in the mid 1930s. The No. 207 pliers were not listed in the 1933 and 1939 catalogs, but were listed in the 1936 catalog, according to information passed by another collector. Assuming that the date code on this example correctly represents 1929, this would provide evidence that pliers were being date-coded even if not intended for Snap-On distribution.

No. 308 Slip-Joint Battery Pliers

Fig. 12. Vacuum Grip No. 308 Slip-Joint Battery Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Marking Detail, 1939.

Fig. 12 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 308 battery pliers, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." near the pivot. The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

The inset shows the "Vacuum Grip" trademark and patent notice "Pat. 3-8-21" corresponding to design patent #D57,252.

These pliers are unusual in their slip-joint design, as standard battery pliers generally have a fixed pivot.

The model 308 pliers were first offered sometime after 1933, as they are not available in a Snap-On catalog for that year. These pliers have a small "9" stamped on the underside of one handle, which is likely a Snap-On date code for 1939.

Tongue-and-Groove Pliers

The "Channellock" tongue-and-groove plier design invented by the Champion DeArment company in 1934 (see patent #1,950,362) was a major advance in the art of plier making. By 1939 Forged Steel Products was offering a model of pliers of the Channellock design, the No. 9 water pump pliers shown in the next figure.

No. 9 Tongue-and-Groove Water Pump Pliers

Fig. 13. Vacuum Grip No. 9 Tongue-and-Groove Water Pump Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Marking Detail, 1939.

Fig. 13 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 9 water pump pliers of the Channellock tongue-and-groove design. The pliers are marked "Pat. 3-8-21" on one handle, with "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." on the reverse (see lower inset).

The overall length is 9.7 inches at the widest opening position. The finish is nickel plating, but with a bad case of "nickel peel" from rust or exposure to corrosive agents.

Although not shown in the photograph, the inside of one handle is marked with a date code for 1939.

The upper inset shows the patent notice "Pat. In Can. 1933 U.S. Pat. 1950362" marked on the reverse, referring to the well-known 1934 Manning patent #1,950,362 for Champion DeArment. This notice indicates that either Forged Steel Products licensed the patent, or more likely that this model was made for Vacuum Grip by Champion DeArment.

The middle inset shows the handle pattern of the pliers, actually just stamped rings in this case, rather than the raised dimples found on wider handles.

A similar pair of pliers made by Champion DeArment can be seen as the Early Channellock 420 Pliers.

Fixed-Pivot Cutters

No. 17 End Nippers

Fig. 14. Vacuum Grip No. 17 End Nippers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1930.

Fig. 14 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 17 end nipper pliers, marked "Pat. 3-8-21" with "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." on the reverse.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The middle inset shows the "0" digit stamped into the underside of one handle, believed to be a date code for 1930.

No. 56 Lineman's Pliers

Fig. 15. Vacuum Grip No. 56 Lineman's Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 15 at the left shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 56 lineman's pliers, marked "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot, and with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the underside of the handles.

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The reverse is also stamped "W.M.B.A." and "Grove City, PA." around the pivot, possibly indicating that these were made for a specific customer. The circular hole in the side-cutting edges also suggests a special-order model, as this was likely intended for stripping wire of a particular gauge.

The No. 56 pliers were first listed in the 1927 Snap-On catalog, but the illustration there showed the lineman's pliers with rectangular heads and angled sides, rather than the rounded head ("New England" style) of the present example.

No. 86 Diagonal Cutters

Fig. 16. Vacuum Grip No. 86 Diagonal Cutters, with Insets for Side View and Date Code, 1935.

Fig. 16 at the left shows an earlier pair of Vacuum Grip No. 86 diagonal cutting pliers, marked "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot. (The markings are a bit difficult to read due to pitting from rust.)

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The lower inset shows the "5" digit stamped into the underside of one handle, a date code for 1935.

Fig. 17. Vacuum Grip No. 86 Diagonal Cutters, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 17 at the left shows a somewhat later pair of Vacuum Grip No. 86 diagonal cutters, marked "Newport, PA U.S.A." near the pivot, and with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the handles.

The overall length is 6.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Note that the handle pattern on these pliers has been simplified, with the multiple rows of forged dimples replaced by a single row of stamped rings. This might have been done to save costs on the forging dies, or perhaps to allow the use of narrower handles. The later Snap-On catalogs make a distinction between the handle patterns, referring to the present one as the "stamped vacuum grip pattern".

No. 87 Diagonal Cutters

Fig. 18. Vacuum Grip No. 87 Diagonal Cutters, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 18 at the left shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 87 diagonal cutting pliers, marked "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot, and with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the underside of the handles.

The overall length is 7.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 386 Diagonal Cutters

Fig. 19. Vacuum Grip No. 386 Diagonal Cutters, with Insets for Side View and Date Code, 1929.

Fig. 19 at the left shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 386 diagonal cutting pliers, marked "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot, and with a "9-" date code on the underside of one handle.

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Other Fixed-Pivot Pliers

No. 5 Midget Ignition Pliers

Fig. 20. Vacuum Grip No. 5 Midget Ignition Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1951.

Fig. 20 shows a later pair of Vacuum Grip No. 5 midget ignition pliers, made after Forged Steel Products became a division of Snap-On. The pliers are marked with "Snap-On Tools USA" forged into the underside of one handle, with "Vacuum Grip No. 5" on the other handle (not shown).

The overall length is 4.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 7 Battery Pliers

Fig. 21. Vacuum Grip No. 7 Battery Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 21 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 7 battery pliers, marked with the Vacuum Grip logo and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 14 "Steeldraulic" Pliers

In the late 1920s and early 1930s several makes of automobiles (e.g. Hupmobile, Auburn) were equipped with Steeldraulic brakes, a brand of mechanical brakes with an odd adjusting mechanism. Special pliers were required for making adjustments to these brakes, and not surprisingly the pliers came to be known as Steeldraulic pliers.

Forged Steel Products was one of a number of companies to offer Steeldraulic pliers, and the next several figures will show examples of these distinctive No. 14 pliers. Examples of Steeldraulic pliers from other makers can be found in several pages on this site, including the Blackhawk 2581 Pliers, Bonney 2581 Pliers, Duro-Chrome 2120 Pliers, Herbrand 272 Pliers, and Utica 516 Pliers.

Fig. 22. Vacuum Grip No. 14 Bow-Handled Steeldraulic Pliers, with Insets for Marking Detail and Handle Pattern.

Fig. 22 at the left shows an early pair of Vacuum Grip No. 14 pliers in the very rare bow-handled style. The pliers are marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." on one side, with "Vacuum Grip No. 14" and "Pat. 3-8-21" on the reverse.

The overall length is 5.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent notice on the reverse gives the date corresponding to design patent #D57,252.

The No. 14 pliers in the bow-handled style were offered in the 1931 Snap-On catlog "H".

Fig. 23. Vacuum Grip No. 14 Steeldraulic Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Marking Details.

Fig. 23 shows a later pair of Vacuum Grip No. 14 "Steeldraulic" pliers in the standard bent handle style, marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot, with the Vacuum Grip logo, model number, and patent notice on the reverse.

The overall length is 5.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Fig. 24. Vacuum Grip No. 14 Long-Handled Steeldraulic Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Marking Details, 1937.

Fig. 24 shows a still later pair of Vacuum Grip No. 14 "Steeldraulic" pliers in the bent long-handled style. The pliers are marked "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." near the pivot, with the Vacuum Grip logo, model number, and patent notice on the reverse. A small "7" date code is stamped on the underside of the handle, as shown in the right inset.

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

The 1937 Snap-On catalog shows an illustration of this type of long-handled Steeldraulic pliers, which are listed as the Vacuum Grip model No. 14B.

No. 31 Brake Spring Pliers

Fig. 25. Vacuum Grip No. 31 Brake Spring Pliers, with Insets for Marking Detail and Handle Pattern.

Fig. 25 shows a pair of Vacuum Grip No. 31 brake spring pliers, marked "Pat. 3-8-21" and "Made in U.S.A." near the pivot, and with "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." on the reverse.

The overall length is 13.0 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

No. 70-A Lock-Ring Pliers

The next figures show two generations of the No. 70-A lock-ring pliers.

Fig. 26. Vacuum Grip No. 70-A Lock-Ring Pliers, with Insets for Marking Detail and Handle Pattern.

Fig. 26 shows an earlier pair of Vacuum Grip No. 70-A lock-ring pliers, stamped with the "Vacuum Grip No. 70-A" and "Pat. 3-8-21" near the pivot, and with "Forged Steel Products Co." and "Newport, PA U.S.A." on the reverse.

The overall length is 8.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The handle pattern on this example shows stamped rings rather than the forged dimples of the classic "Vacuum Grip" design.

Fig. 27. Vacuum Grip No. 70-A Lock-Ring Pliers, with Insets for Marking Detail and Handle Pattern, ca. 1948.

Fig. 27 shows a later pair of Vacuum Grip No. 70-A pliers, stamped with the Vacuum Grip logo and "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." near the pivot. The underside of the handles has forged-in markings "Made in U.S.A." with a stylized "8" date code for 1948.

The overall length is 9.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The lower inset shows the handle pattern, the fully forged dimpled pattern rather than the stamped rings seen on the previous example.

The markings and 1948 date code for this example present a bit of a mystery. By late 1945 Forged Steel Products had become a division of Snap-On, and their subsequent production is generally marked with both the Vacuum Grip and Snap-On logos. However, this example appears not to have been marked with the Snap-On brand.

Specialty Tools

No. 13 Piston Ring Groove Cleaner

Fig. 28. Vacuum Grip No. 13 Piston Ring Groove Cleaner, with Inset for Handle Pattern, 1939.

Fig. 28 shows a very rare Vacuum Grip No. 13 piston ring groove cleaner tool, marked with the "Vacuum Grip" name, and with a "9" date code stamped on the underside of one handle.

The overall length is 10.4 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

One of the unusual features of this tool is its slip-joint construction, to allow adjustment for larger or smaller piston diameters.

A tool similar to this is illustrated in the 1931 Snap-On catalog (Catalog "H", page 60), although it appears to have a fixed joint rather than a slip joint. Similar piston ring tools were made by at least one other company, as for example the Bog 328 Piston Ring Groove Cleaner.

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in my personal collection.

Information on the history of the Forged Steel Products Company was found in an online article on the Snap-On Company History.

Additional information was obtained from a Snap-On internal publication called "The Snap-On Story".

Catalog Coverage

Currently we do not have any catalogs from Forged Steel Products itself. However, as the company's line of pliers were distributed by Snap-On, the catalogs from Snap-On provide information for the Vacuum Grip line of pliers.

Product information was obtained from a number of Snap-On catalogs, including Catalog "H" (1931), Catalog "J" (1933), Catalog "N" (1939), Catalog "S" (1948), Catalog "U" (1953), and Catalog "X" (1960).

Patents and Trademarks

Patent and trademark information was obtained from the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) web site at uspto.gov. Patent documents were obtained from sites offering free downloads, notably freepatentsonline.com.

Feedback

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