Them wer't days

[johnbs]

When the UK made a wide range of high quality screws etc. NB Pre-GKN.
I bought these from a local builders merchant in about 1980: boxes of old stock on the counter sold at knock-down prices. Really well-made screws, and what amuses me is the description Dark Florentine bronzed; at least implying that you could buy a lighter shade!
John

 

[Droogs]

Oooh sheradized screws not seen those in a long time

 

[Fitzroy]

What a coincidence. Just today I was clearing a drawer at work and found a box my colleague gave me years back when he discovered I was into woodwork.

Nettlefolds 3/8th x 5, light B.M.A (bronze metal antique). Turns out there was also a regular BMA. Astonishing range of finishes that used to be on offer.

 

[RichardG]

It's such a shame we have stopped using all our old measurements. The last hardware store I knew where you could still ask for a Gross of nails and be understood has closed

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You didn't need to ask for a gross, just a box. They were packed by the gross.

 

[Argus]

New-fangled Phillips drive..... never really caught on.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Oooh sheradized screws not seen those in a long time

No, sheradized ones were/are grey black.

 

[Droogs]

they look that really dark grey on my monitor, just like my panel pins

 

[Fitzroy]

 

[Cabinetman]

Good old tool shop in town closed about 30 years ago, amongst other bits, I picked up a box of 2 1/2” 7's, (I think —very fine, may have been 5's ) only tried to use them once as the pilot drilling to stop them snapping was torturous.
My ex came home with a brown sheradised? Wall ornament and I was delighted to have the correct screws to match— just sometimes these long stored treasures do come in!

 

[clogs]

all my old slotted screws except for brass I gave away before the big move.....
Now find I diff to buy hard /tough screws of anykind....(like S/Fix gold self start etc)....
nobody stocks fancy brands either...
not seen any Torx's drive for that matter and dont ask about Impact Ph No 2's bits....
all I can buy works like no2's....never chucked out so many worn out bit's....
"Cheese Gromitt"
If ever I get back will stock up on decent bits....

 

[JobandKnock]

To try and correct a misunderstanding about sherardised fixings - sherardising is a dry or vapour galvanising (rustproofing) process - so it is normally only done with steel fixings. So there wouldn't be much point in sherardising brass screws. In the main it has been replaced by bright zinc plating, the main exception which comes to mind being twist nails, which are still sherardised

 

[Cabinetman]

To try and correct a misunderstanding about sherardised fixings - sherardising is a dry or vapour galvanising (tustproofing) process - so it is normally only done with steel fixings. So there wouldn't be much point in sherardising brass screws. In the main it has been replaced by bright zinc plating, the main exception which comes to mind being twist nails, which are still sherardised

Thanks, never knew how it was done, but I did know it wasn’t used on brass. Ian

 

[daftdog]

I was lucky my father who would have been 100 next week left me with hundreds of old screws in a jar and assorted small /tinny woodscrews still in boxes some of these have been useful to match repairs on antiques. I will never be able to use them all. Is there anyone who holds a stock of of this type of no longer available items who might be interested in these that be can made available to others in the future. Most are slotted heads some are Brass some are MS.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I bought several thousand screws when an old store closed about 40 years ago, incuding brass and in obscure sizes like 3/8 x 3, 5/8 x 7, 7/8 x 5 etc. I kept them in two tool boxes until one day a richard head I worked with picked a box up without checking it was shut, spilling the contents into a large pile on the floor. Sorry, he said, I only picked it up like this ............ whereupon he did exactly the same thing with the second box. I passed most of them on unsorted, life is too short.

 

[AFFF]

It's such a shame we have stopped using all our old measurements. The last hardware store I knew where you could still ask for a Gross of nails and be understood has closed

There is a small hardware store near me that still sells screws out the box. In any quantity you want. Great when you just need one or two of an unusual length or size

 

[Glitch]

When the UK made a wide range of high quality screws etc. NB Pre-GKN.
I bought these from a local builders merchant in about 1980: boxes of old stock on the counter sold at knock-down prices. Really well-made screws, and what amuses me is the description Dark Florentine bronzed; at least implying that you could buy a lighter shade!
John

They're not all good though.
It says there's 'One Gross'

 

[Sheptonphil]

There is a small hardware store near me that still sells screws out the box. In any quantity you want. Great when you just need one or two of an unusual length or size

Ditto, our local hardware store has all manner of fixings sold individually. Screws, bolts, nuts, washers, masonry fixings et al. Even a handful of nails is no problem, just like the hardware store I worked in for many years in the early seventies, nails sold by the quarter pound.

 

[schnapps95]

When the UK made a wide range of high quality screws etc. NB Pre-GKN.
I bought these from a local builders merchant in about 1980: boxes of old stock on the counter sold at knock-down prices. Really well-made screws, and what amuses me is the description Dark Florentine bronzed; at least implying that you could buy a lighter shade!
John

I have just notice this thread today, Sunday. I believe GKN started making screw circa 1902- 1905, using the brand name Nettlefolds, later changed to GKN. I have a copy of their screw department catalogue dated 1927 and they were still making screws up to 40G (yes, forty gauge) when I started my apprenticeship in 1956. I was instructed thus about screws: - To find the gauge measure across the head in 1/16”s, then multiply by 2 and, finally, deduct 2. For example, 6/16” x 2 = 12, deduct 2 = 10 gauge.

As screws are parallel lengthways, I was only allowed to hammer a screw in the length of the plain bit of the shank as this punched a hole into the timber to fit the plain bit of the shank. This doesn’t work with modern screws. If we were using brass screws on brass fittings, we always used steel ones first and then changed them to brass as it prevented snapping any off. Depending on size, they were boxers in grosses; ½ and ¼ grosses. For younger readers, 1 gross = 144.

Nettlefolds made an amazing range of screws whereas, nowadays, it is hard to get some sizes. Currently, I believe that most screws are made in Vietnam, apart from Reisser and Spax, which are made in Germany and are very good quality.

 

[J-G]

...I started my apprenticeship in 1956...

I'm tempted to respond 'Schnapp' - since I did the same, but not in fastenings (Toolmaker) but I did work for E.O.French, a fastenings distributor for a while and clearly remember using the 'Blue Book' to determine prices. This was a publication produced by GKN to provide a 'base' price for screws and depending upon the customers standing (as far as sales volume was concerned) they would get a discount from the 'Blue book' price - sometimes as high as 70% and often quoted as 'less 40, less 10' which wasn't quite 50%. I later owned/ran a hardware shop where I also sold screws by 1,2, 10, 20 - whatever. Were it not for a divorce, I might well still be doing so!