how old is this tubing cutter?

[Lee Barner]

found this while still unpacking from my last move. it was in a box with stuff from my reloading bench. go figure. can't remember when or where I got it. just curious mostly. thanks in advance. Lee

 

[kev74]

From the font on the National logo, I'm guessing 1950's.

 

[22lrfan]

This add from 1941 lists a tubing cutter but unfortunately no photos.

Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office - United States. Patent Office - Google Books

 

[MDF4]

Not sure of the age but I do remember my father,which was a union plumbing contractor back in the 50's having quite a few of these.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Yes, 1950's for sure. Most plumbers had these and used them when copper pipes were used. I had one.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Can't find any info on the manufacturer aside from being founded in 1903. Found one online image for a larger model with plastic handles. No date, but yours has metal knobs, so I'd guess it's much earlier than the 50's; maybe 1920s?

FWIW, there is a 1953 catalog of their garage tools here. Tools look more modern than your pipe cutter.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I had a few of that style in my trucks with a couple different contractors I worked for and there were several in our shop at my last job. Those kind were much easier than the plastic handled Imperials, etc. I never noticed the names on any of them. Rigid sells good ones, too.
Sorry; can't help with the age.

 

[Lee Barner]

I don't know if it show up in the picture, but it says pat pending so it must be an early one. Lee

 

[NYlakesider]

found this while still unpacking from my last move. it was in a box with stuff from my reloading bench. go figure. can't remember when or where I got it. just curious mostly. thanks in advance. Lee

Interesting! Is there a chance it was in your reloading equipment because the reamer part was used on some brass cartridge throats or primer pockets.

When I first started out as a pipe fitter in 1970 I had a couple of those in my tool box. As a newbie I got a lot of hand-me-down stuff!-

 

[arjay]

I’ve owned more of those than I ever wanted too lol (and I’m not a plumber!)

 

[Nevada Ed]

When you move up to the big stuff;

you get a tripod with a chain vise and a big old cutter that is 20-24" long
that you can have fun with, all day long.

PS;
don't stick a bare finger, inside a pipe.

 

[oldbrownhat]

When you move up to the big stuff;

you get a tripod with a chain vise and a big old cutter that is 20-24" long...

I have a bigger hand-held one, before the floor mount models

 

[Secundius]

It looks like a Model 786, which places the date of manufacture around 1945…


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[chuckie]

I had one, the reamer on the one I had folded in so it wasn't sticking out like the in the OP.

 

[delcrossv]

I had one, the reamer on the one I had folded in so it wasn't sticking out like the in the OP.

But then what are you going to use to motivate the apprentices?

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

found this while still unpacking from my last move. it was in a box with stuff from my reloading bench. go figure. can't remember when or where I got it. just curious mostly. thanks in advance. Lee

I'm gonna go with "pretty old"

 

[4K2022]

Interesting! Is there a chance it was in your reloading equipment because the reamer part was used on some brass cartridge throats or primer pockets.

When I first started out as a pipe fitter in 1970 I had a couple of those in my tool box. As a newbie I got a lot of hand-me-down stuff!-

Very Interesting! I was thinking about a “yoke stretcher” ?

 

[mtgianni]

No zip code on the address. IIRC you could still get replacement wheels a couple of decades back.

 

[Secundius]

Does the company still exist? Armstrong made a similar Pipe Cutter to the Model 786 and may have interchangeable parts…


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[AC Man]

Well, I started in 1970 and it is way older than I ever saw in the A/C biz. I did have a belt drive hand me down vacuum pump that weighed about 9,000 lbs. LOL