Mephisto Tools

Private Lugnutz · Jan 4, 2025

I don't do FB or FBMP, but I highly doubt it. My hunch is that Mephisto is far too obscure for something like that. I'm aware that some guys here are in a Plomb FB group and others in a Craftsman FB group. I would imagine there must be a Snap-on group. If I had to guess, maybe Blackhawk. Maybe S-K. You have to put things in perspective. After the most popular brands, there are dozens of second tier (note, in popularity, not quality) brands that are revered and coveted (Armstrong, Barcalo, Billings & Spencer, Bonney, Cornwell, Herbrand, Williams, etc) and I doubt that even those brands have a following on a place like FB/FBMP. I could be wrong.

Rare and obscure don't always equate to popular and desirable. (Or pricey.)

Eric Brown · Mar 17, 2025

Private Lugnutz said:
I found these specialty pliers (for B-X armored electrical cable) at the flea market this morning, and it sent me down a research rabbit hole of fun for several hours. If you don't mind, I will post a bunch of history following this post...

After clean-up...

Adding to this post, I have a Mephisto without the patent stamp and a Utica BX-100 that does.

Eric Brown · Mar 17, 2025

Here is another BX cutter. This one made by Triangle - Armored Cable Tool. This one is shown as received, taken apart, cleaned, put back together. This is based on Florian Froschhauser patent 1670250 (May 15, 1928). Mine is marked patent pending. It does differ from the patent in that the plier jaws were elongated, and the cutter repositioned. In the Triangle 7 picture note in the bottom right on the handle is a small W inside a circle. Indication of who made them? No other patents have been found.

Private Lugnutz · Mar 17, 2025

Eric Brown said:
Here is another BX cutter. This one made by Triangle - Armored Cable Tool.

Dang, that is one complex hand tool! Love that you have the original wooden box it came in.

four.cycle · Mar 17, 2025

That's really quite the contraption, Eric!

Eric Brown · Mar 24, 2025

Eric Brown said:
Here is another BX cutter. This one made by Triangle - Armored Cable Tool. This one is shown as received, taken apart, cleaned, put back together. This is based on Florian Froschhauser patent 1670250 (May 15, 1928). Mine is marked patent pending. It does differ from the patent in that the plier jaws were elongated, and the cutter repositioned. In the Triangle 7 picture note in the bottom right on the handle is a small W inside a circle. Indication of who made them? No other patents have been found.

I have a second Triangle cutter similar to the first. Markings are the same except this polished one does not have the small W in a circle. The only other difference is that this one has two cotter pins instead of one (to the left of the spring). Spring may not be original. Box was missing one end, part of the lid rail was broken, and the lid was split down the middle. Have the box repaired but have not finished it yet.
(Anyone interested in the repair process for the box?). Getting replacement spring for the first one.

Leon bee · Mar 24, 2025

I hadn't seen this discussion yet, and heedlessly clicked like on a post from '19. Some interesting union history in lugnutz's post #8.

LesserSon · Mar 25, 2025

Eric Brown said:
(Anyone interested in the repair process for the box?)

I’m interested in every part of the repair process. Did you match wood species? Did you use a jig with power tool or hand cut those finger joints? What finish will you use?
I do wish it was a Mephisto brand tool/box, to justify posting more on this thread, but maybe others will indulge the tangent.

nz44tool · Jul 16, 2025

Private Lugnutz said:
I found these specialty pliers (for B-X armored electrical cable) at the flea market this morning, and it sent me down a research rabbit hole of fun for several hours. If you don't mind, I will post a bunch of history following this post...

After clean-up...

Wow, those are way cool!

Private Lugnutz · Jul 16, 2025

^ Thanks. Keep scrolling. Several tools with the early fancy font logo.

Oregon rock crusher · Jul 27, 2025

I found a keyhole saw handle with a Mephisto decal yesterday. Didn't see any saws in this thread yet. Ed.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 27, 2025

Oregon rock crusher said:
Didn't see any saws in this thread yet

Definitely a FOAK - and, it's Ives, so first generation! Before they moved to NY and took the brand name as the company name. That's a terrific find.

gordyzx9r · Nov 13, 2025

I've been collecting these Mephisto tools for 2 to 3 years now...the black handled screwdriver was the first Mephisto tool I found and it caught my attention with the "Mephisto" name and the really intricate handle work and font. Been steadily collecting more as I go...a lot cheaper than trying to collect Snap-On, lol. Had some decals made up and had some fun with an old custom tool box I found in an estate sale. And then bought that "hand" holding the pliers off etsy, just seems to fit with the "Mephisto" branding.

My favorites are those 4 specific ones in the pic. I just recenly got that 1914 "ratcheting" and adjustable Mephisto wrench. It looks almost identical to "The Anderson" and I'm guessing since Anderson had the patent for it Mephisto was paying them to produce their version or they were just rebranding it...either way, it's pretty cool and I was able to get it functioning again. Had to fab up a spring clip that goes in between the cams to get it to work properly again.

At some point, I plan on cleaning these up better, maybe polishing them...and then taking some better pics.

gordyzx9r · Nov 13, 2025

I also have a couple of old Mephisto catalogs...and right now I'm on the hunt for a trucker-style/baseball Mephisto cap...missed one on eBay by about 15 minutes last year.

Private Lugnutz · Nov 13, 2025

gordyzx9r said:
...the black handled screwdriver was the first Mephisto tool I found...

Quite the debut! The only examples I have seen were the NOS box of them in the attic of that old hardware store on the American Pickers ep (I posted photos upthread).

gordyzx9r said:
1914 "ratcheting" and adjustable Mephisto wrench.

Sweet! I didn't even know it existed.

gordyzx9r said:
I also have a couple of old Mephisto catalogs...

Please consider uploading scanned PDFs of them to IA/ITCL for its information value to your fellow collectors. You retain the value of the hardcopy as a collectible.

gordyzx9r said:
trucker-style/baseball Mephisto cap..

Interesting. What did the logo look like? Who made them? I am guessing the modern incarnation of the company located in Hudson, NY. They were still in business through the 80s as far as I know, perhaps longer.

Leviton · Nov 13, 2025

gordyzx9r said:
I also have a couple of old Mephisto catalogs...and right now I'm on the hunt for a trucker-style/baseball Mephisto cap...missed one on eBay by about 15 minutes last year.

Private Lugnutz said:
Please consider uploading scanned PDFs of them to IA/ITCL for its information value to your fellow collectors. You retain the value of the hardcopy as a collectible.

Yes - many people would really appreciate the uploads to the International Tool Catalog Library.

Nice finds.

gordyzx9r · Nov 13, 2025

Private Lugnutz said:
Interesting. What did the logo look like? Who made them? I am guessing the modern incarnation of the company located in Hudson, NY. They were still in business through the 80s as far as I know, perhaps longer.

This is a pic from the eBay listing I saved. I'm thinking '80s.

Private Lugnutz · Nov 13, 2025

I'd wear that!

gordyzx9r · Nov 13, 2025

Private Lugnutz said:
Sweet! I didn't even know it existed.

Yeah, me either until I saw it listed in an estate sale along with "The Anderson" version...thankfully, it didn't cost me an arm and a leg and wound up paying around $30 for both. I took a video of the functionality of it but I'll probably have to post it to youtube or some other host site and link it here.

gordyzx9r · Nov 13, 2025

Hopefully, this works. This is a short 12-second video demonstrating the functionality of the Mephisto adjustable ratcheting wrench.

Private Lugnutz · Nov 13, 2025

Similar, but not the same as, the "Any Angle". I was about to say I had seen "The Anderson" version before, and searched my Oddfellows thread, but it was the "Any Angle" I was thinking of.

There is another "Mephisto" example I had forgotten about, posted here...

"Mephisto" adjustable angle adjustable wrench

There was a vintage tool auction over the week-end and I acquired a few tools. I collect vintage wrenches that are interesting and either move or are original ideas. I am having trouble finding information on this one. I got an Any Angle Wrench that is similar, but no reference to the other...

www.garagejournal.com

And some info from 4.c's A-Z Mfgrs List...

four.cycle said:
Anderson / see also Adjustable Ratchet Wrench Co. / "The Anderson" adjustable wrench / patent 1101381 Jun 23 1914 Anton E. Anderson et al /

Anderson / Anderson Ratchet Wrench Co., Chicago, IL / patent 1101381 Jun 23 1914 Anton E. Anderson et al / "Mephisto" adjustable wrench

gordyzx9r · Nov 13, 2025

Private Lugnutz said:
Similar, but not the same as, the "Any Angle". I was about to say I had seen "The Anderson" version before, and searched my Oddfellows thread, but it was the "Any Angle" I was thinking of.

There is another "Mephisto" example I had forgotten about, posted here...

"Mephisto" adjustable angle adjustable wrench

There was a vintage tool auction over the week-end and I acquired a few tools. I collect vintage wrenches that are interesting and either move or are original ideas. I am having trouble finding information on this one. I got an Any Angle Wrench that is similar, but no reference to the other...

www.garagejournal.com

And some info from 4.c's A-Z Mfgrs List...

That any angle is pretty cool...
This is my Mephisto next to The Anderson I bought. I'm keeping the Mephisto, but I'll be selling The Anderson.

tshusker · Dec 11, 2025

My first Mephisto - the No. 101 9" Linesman's Pliers. Very limited catalog resources out there, and could not find this in any (so don't know its age). And red grips are possibly (unmarked) Klein's? Really nice pair of pliers. Glad I picked them up.

Private Lugnutz · Dec 11, 2025

tshusker said:
No. 101 9" Linesman's Pliers.

Terrific find with the older branding.

tshusker said:
And red grips are possibly (unmarked) Klein's?

Or some other kind of aftermarket. That color was very popular. I have Craftsman Vanadium era (late 30's) with similar/same.

gordyzx9r · Dec 12, 2025

tshusker said:
My first Mephisto - the No. 101 9" Linesman's Pliers. Very limited catalog resources out there, and could not find this in any (so don't know its age). And red grips are possibly (unmarked) Klein's? Really nice pair of pliers. Glad I picked them up.

I recently bought a 1967 Mephisto Catalog. The 101 9" is on page 4...but with Mephisto, that doesn't necessarily mean yours was actually made in the '60s. It could have been earlier.

gordyzx9r · Dec 12, 2025

Another Mephisto catalog I've acquired.

gordyzx9r · Dec 12, 2025

And an advertisement for a Mephisto rubber battery storage box in an auto supply catalog of some kind...and now I have something else to search for, lol.

3baygarage · Wednesday at 9:41 PM

A Mephisto Phillips screwdriver.

Mephisto Tools Hudson NY
Shank reads SUPER MADE IN USA NO. 1

Mephisto Tools

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