Peck, Stow, & Wilcox Company (Pexto)

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Selected Tools
• References and Resources
• What's New (Last Updated Oct. 4, 2009)
  Recent changes to this page:

  • 10/04/2009: Added Pexto 30 6 Inch Lineman's Pliers.
  • 02/22/2009: Added Pexto 240[-8] 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers.
  • 09/30/2007: Added Pexto "Carlson" Parrot-Head Pliers.
  • 09/16/2007: Added Pexto 22-5 1/2 Slip-Joint Pliers.
  • 06/25/2007: Added Pexto 30 7 Inch Lineman's Pliers.
  • 06/24/2007: Moved to separate page.
  • 03/25/2007: Added Pexto No. 20 4-1/2 Inch Flat-Nose Pliers.
  • 03/16/2007: Added Pexto 7-8 Combination Pliers.
  • 03/07/2007: Added Pexto No. 14 Gas and Burner Pliers and a Pexto 8 Inch Pipe Wrench.
  • 03/04/2007: Added a Pexto 500-8 Lineman's Pliers.
  • 02/14/2007: Added Pexto No. 60 Carpenter's Pincers
  • 01/08/2007: Added Pexto 30 6 Inch Lineman's Pliers.
  • 12/17/2006: Added Pexto 20 Box-Joint Flat-Nose Pliers
  • 12/16/2006: Added Pexto No. 8 Bent-Nose Pliers and Pexto No. 27 Diagonal Cutters.
  • 12/07/2006: Added Pexto 13-7 Gas and Burner Pliers.
  • 11/26/2006: Added Pexto 240-7 Lineman's Pliers.
  • 10/10/2006: Added a P.S. & W. Solid Bar Monkey Wrench.

Introduction

The Peck, Stow, & Wilcox Company was an important manufacturer of tools and machinery in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries.

Company History

The Peck, Stow, & Wilcox Company was organized in 1870 by a three-way merger of the Peck, Smith Manufacturing Company, the S. Stow Manufacturing Company, and the Roys & Wilcox Company. In 1880 the company was chartered by an act of the Connecticu legislature.

A 1901 Manual of Statistics notes that the company made tinner's machinery, tools, and household utensils. The 1901 sales were listed as $1,152,000.

Patents

Trademarks

Selected Tools

Pexto "Solid Bar" Monkey Wrench

Our first figure shows an interesting early example of a patented "monkey" wrench produced by Pexto.

Fig. 1. Pexto "Solid Bar" Monkey Wrench, ca. 1900.

In Fig. 1 we see a Pexto "Solid Bar" adjustable wrench, marked "P.S.W. & Co." and "Made in U.S.A." with the patent date "Pat. Jan 14, 1896". The overall length is 6.5 inches.

The corresponding patent was found to be #553,059, issued to R.C. Ellrich with assignment to the Peck, Stow, & Wilcox Company. The patent describes a novel construction technique whereby the fixed jaw can be made integral with the shaft and handle, instead of being added after assembling the sliding jaw. The trick to the assembly is that the sliding jaw has slits in the back, allowing it to be spread open for installation over the shaft.

Pexto 8 Inch Stillson Pattern Pipe Wrench

Fig. 2. Pexto 8 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 2 shows a Pexto 8 inch pipe wrench of the Stillson design, marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PEXTO-Oval logo.

The overall length is 7.0 inches.

The original Stillson pipe wrench design is described by patent #95,744, issued to Daniel Stillson in 1869 and arguably one of the most famous tool patents of all time. The Stillson pipe wrench was highly successful for its maker (Walworth) and generated a small fortune in royalties for the inventor, a fact that probably encouraged generations of later inventors to develop their ideas.

Stillson pipe wrenches were produced by a wide range of manufacturers after the patent expired, and many of these continued to be marked "Stillson" or "Stillson Pattern".

Pexto Early No. 60 6 Inch Carpenter's Pincers

Fig. 3. Pexto Early No. 60 6 Inch Carpenter's Pincers.

Fig. 3 shows an early pair of Pexto No. 60 carpenter's pincers, marked "P.S.&W. Co." and "Made in U.S.A." on the handle.

The overall length is 5.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The model number is not marked on the pincers, but was found by reference to Pexto catalog No. 26T of 1927. This model was available in a range of sizes with nominal lengths 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 inches.

The catalog also listed the very similar No. 50 Carpenter's Pincers, identical to the No. 60 but without the wire cutting slot between the jaws.

Pexto WO-6 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 4. Pexto WO-6 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Inset for Handle Pattern.

Fig. 4 shows a pair of Pexto WO-6 combination pliers, marked "Made in USA" with the PEXTO-Oval logo.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

Pexto 7-8 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 5. Pexto 7-8 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 5 shows a pair of Pexto 7-8 slip-joint combination pliers, stamped "Made in USA" with the PEXTO-Oval logo, and with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the underside of one handle.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

Pexto 8 Bent-Nose Slip-Joint Pliers

Fig. 6. Pexto 8 Bent-Nose Slip-Joint Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 6 shows the Pexto No. 8 bent-nose combination pliers, marked "P.S. &W. Co." with the PEXTO-Oval logo, and with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the underside of one handle.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

Pexto 22-5 1/2 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 7. Pexto 22-5 1/2 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 7 at the left shows a pair of Pexto 22-5 1/2 slip-joint combination pliers, marked with just the Pexto brand and model.

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

Pexto "Carlson" Parrot-Head Pliers

Fig. 8. Pexto Carlson Parrot-Head Pliers.

Fig. 8 at the left shows a pair of Pexto 7 inch parrot-head pliers, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the PEXTO-Oval logo, and with "Carlson" forged into one handle.

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

Pexto No. 20 4-1/2 Inch Box-Joint Flat-Nose Pliers

The next figures show two sizes of the Pexto No. 20 box-joint flat-nose pliers.

Fig. 9. Pexto No. 20 4-1/2 Box-Joint Flat-Nose Pliers, with Inset for Joint Detail.

Fig. 9 shows a pair of Pexto No. 20 4-1/2 inch flat-nose pliers, marked "P.S.&W.Co." and "U.S.A." with the PEXTO-Oval logo. (The etched markings are very faint, though, and require a magnifying glass to read.)

The overall length is 4.6 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

Pexto No. 20 5 Inch Box-Joint Flat-Nose Pliers

Fig. 10. Pexto No. 20-5 Box-Joint Flat-Nose Pliers, with Inset for Joint Detail.

Fig. 10 shows a pair of Pexto No. 20 5 inch flat-nose pliers, marked "P.S.&W.Co." and "U.S.A." with the PEXTO-Oval logo.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

Pexto No. 27 Box-Joint Diagonal Cutters

Fig. 11. Pexto No. 27 Box-Joint Diagonal Cutters, with Inset for Side View.

The overall length is 5.3 inches.

Pexto 30 Box-Joint 6 Inch Lineman's Pliers

The next two figures show examples of the Pexto No. 30 6 inch lineman's pliers.

Fig. 12. Pexto 30 Box-Joint 6 Inch Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 12 shows a pair of Pexto model 30 6 inch lineman's pliers, marked "P.S. & W." and "Guaranteed".

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

Fig. 13. Pexto 30 Box-Joint 6 Inch Lineman's Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail.

Fig. 13 shows a later pair of Pexto model 30 6 inch lineman's pliers, stamped "P.S.&W. Co." and "USA" with the PEXTO-Oval logo.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Pexto 30 7 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers

The next two figures show examples of the Model 30 lineman's pliers in the 7 inch size.

Fig. 14. Pexto 30 7 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 14 at the left shows an earlier example, a pair of Pexto Model 30 7 inch lineman's pliers marked "P.S. & W." and "Guaranteed".

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

Fig. 15. Pexto 30 7 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Box Detail.

Fig. 15 at the left shows a later pair of Pexto Model 30 lineman's pliers, marked "P.S. & W. Co. U.S.A." with the PEXTO-Oval logo.

The overall length is 7.3 inches.

Pexto 240-7 7 Inch Lineman's Pliers

Fig. 16. Pexto 240-7 7 Inch Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Handle Pattern.

The overall length is 7.2 inches.

Pexto 240[-8] 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers

Fig. 17. Pexto 240[-8] 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail.

Fig. 17 shows a pair of Pexto 240[-8] 8 inch lineman's pliers, stamped "P. S. & W." and "Guaranteed" around the pivot.

The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Pexto 500-8 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers

Fig. 18. Pexto 500-8 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

The overall length is 8.4 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

Pexto 13-7 7 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers

Fig. 19. Pexto 13-7 7 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers.

Fig. 19 shows a pair of Pexto 13-7 gas and burner pliers, marked "Made in U.S.A." near the pivot.

The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

Pexto No. 14 10 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers

Fig. 20. Pexto No. 14 10 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Jaw Detail.

Fig. 20 shows a pair of Pexto No. 14 10 inch gas and burner pliers, marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PEXTO-Oval logo.

The overall length is 10.5 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts collection.

Patent and Trademark Information

Patent 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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