Anyone good at identifying braces?

[DennisCA]

Bought this online yesterday for 8 euros, no idea what brand it is, just took a chance because it looked good and was cheap and I figured I could use a brace even if I got a drill press.

When it gets here I should be able to find a label somewhere on it, until then perhaps someone wants to play detective?

 

[finnberg]

Hi Dennis
Ha, it seems as though you bought that brace through one of the Finnish auction sites. The brace is a German made Flott bit brace. The Flott braces are generally very good value for money. This model with a button operated ratchet is uncommon. If you inspect the sides of the sweep you should find a stamp with the words "FLOTT D.R.P". D.R.P stands for Deutsches Reichspatent and in this case it relates to the button selector mechanism whích changes the direction of the ratchet.

I own one similar brace. They are not identical but the ratchet mechanism is the same: https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnberg6 ... 4978295457

 

[DennisCA]

Yeah I found it via google image search actually, on tori.fi, thanks for helping to ID it.

 

[DiscoStu]

I thought this was going to be a "which celeb is wearing these braces" ie bright red Bobby Cannon, ones with Hammers on Tommy Walsh!

 

[DennisCA]

I'm afraid none of those names ring a bell to me, but I haven't had a TV since 2006.

 

[DTR]

I haven't had a TV since 2006.

You're not missing much

 

[DennisCA]

Hi Dennis
Ha, it seems as though you bought that brace through one of the Finnish auction sites. The brace is a German made Flott bit brace. The Flott braces are generally very good value for money. This model with a button operated ratchet is uncommon. If you inspect the sides of the sweep you should find a stamp with the words "FLOTT D.R.P". D.R.P stands for Deutsches Reichspatent and in this case it relates to the button selector mechanism whích changes the direction of the ratchet.

I own one similar brace. They are not identical but the ratchet mechanism is the same: https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnberg6 ... 4978295457

I got the brace today and it's in very fine shape, I think this will be excellent for ratcheting as well. Very pleased so far. I looked at the markings and all it says is ‚‚FLOTT‛‛ and on the other side of the handle there's an small picture of a brace, there is no D.R.P. mentioned.

 

[Vann]

Ahh... :!:

I've got a Flott

Mine's not as upmarket as yours (open rachet, etc.). It has rust pitting and a split wooden "wrist" handle. I have picked up too many old braces and this doesn't have a future with me. If you want it, or want the chuck for parts, PM me.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Boringgeoff]

Hi all, I was enticed back here by my friend Vann. I thought I also had a Flott but on checking my small group of German braces no Flott, but two others with the push button ratchet selector.
In the photo the upper one is a four jaw from Henry Boker and the lower one a two jaw by Kaufmann of Solingen.
Although this is the only Kaufmann tool I have seen Boker tools are very common here in Australia especially their auger bits and gimlet bits.
I believe Henry's brother Hermann Boker opened a hardware outlet in New York in about 1837.
I have a lot of North American and British braces but these are the only ones with the push button selector that I have seen.
Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[DennisCA]

Thanks for the offer Vann but I'm just gonna need this one brace, not out to start a collection.

 

[Boringgeoff]

Hello,
I was recently given this brace with the only marks on it a small GERMANY on one side of the frame

and the little brace logo on the other side

.

The large chuck is the same as one studied by George Langford at http://www.georgesbasement.com/braces/M ... ace185.htm which in his case is branded Giant Grip. Apart from the chuck Georges example looks very similar to the one originally posted by DennisCA.
I recently saw a brace by Henry Boker of Germany which also has the little brace logo.
Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[Mr_P]

Wolfgang Jordan has some good FLOTT info on his site

http://www.holzwerken.de/museum/hersteller/flott.phtml

Heinrich Böker, Solingen

http://www.holzwerken.de/museum/hersteller/boeker.phtml

 

[Boringgeoff]

Thanks for those links Mr_P, very interesting.

 

[DennisCA]

The brace above has been quite a useful brace as a high torque screwdriver

 

[Boringgeoff]

Not only high torque Dennis but also precision. Friends who rebuild old cars swear by the brace and screwdriver bit for all the screws in the wooden frames.