Lololol this is my favorite comment to date. I can see it now: SPACEBALLS THE RESTORATION. Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made!
Those H.K.Porter Bull Dog bolt cutter came out STUNNING! I wish to thank you for restoring a piece of my dad's working life! He was a machinist from the late 1950's till 1978 when he retired. I love restoring tools that were made there. I have restored bolt cutters as old as 1906 and 1916. My dad was born in 1912. In my picture I'm holding a H.K.Porter 1940 Type R tree limb cutter. It was restored by my friend Vic of Big Vic's Workshop. I love the color Grey you chose! My choice of colors are Duplicolor Red and Black engine enamel. I find they are perfect color matches to the original colors and the "ENGINE" type of paint seems appropriate because their #Boston, #Everett # Somerville 43 plant made train engines up to 1950s. All of the town names were all the same plant, but had town boundary changes over time. If you wonder about the #43 that refers to 02143 the zip code of plant. It appeared when Boston was on the forged tools and then again when Somerville was on there tools! The son of a H.K.Porter machinist thanks you for the restoration of their tool!
Hi Stephen! Thank YOU so much for such a wonderful comment. Comments like these put a huge smile on my face and they make these restorations so worthwhile to share with the world. Big Vic and I follow each other on UA-cam and Instagram, so I always love hearing about his projects too! Thank you for sharing your dad's story and the explanation of the #43!! I had no idea and the Internet was pretty light on info about them! The color is actually light blue-gray, but I'll admit it looks a bit more obvious that it's blue in real life than in the video. Either way, I just love the color too. I'll have to look into maybe using Duplicolor on future restorations! Thanks again Stephen, talk soon.
@@CatalystRestorations your welcome. Blue is also a good color as well H.K.Porter used it on their nut breakers and impact drivers. I have my dad's impact driver and when I wanted to paint it I used my brother's H.K.Porter nut breaker which was blue to match the paint. That was a Rust-Oleum.
Металл нужно чистить а потом нагревать и делать прямым, выпрямить... а так получилось сломали 1 раз и ты второй раз... это правельно... но нет нечего страшного ..если только будет сильная нагрузка потом и он сломаеться там где гнулся!
Yes they (My Mechanics) have resources and great skills, but sometimes is over engineered as for example creating a metric standard nut or bolt instead of use a new one that surely they had at their workshop, only to show up their skills and make the video longer. It's a great channel don't get me wrong, but sometimes got repetitive.
@@RickDekkard The "unnecessary " building of all the tools, fasteners and so on is the absolute best on this channel. He is not trying to be cheap or fast or effective in any way. He is just putting 1000% effort into a piece for 100% perfection
It’s nice to see someone who doesn’t have thousands of dollars of equipment doing restorations and doing a nice job of it! I think I would’ve used hammerite tool paint myself but I like the colors you chose! Well done!
Thank you! The whole point of my channel is exactly that - to make restorations as accessible as possible to anyone with basic tools. As for the paint, I think it's just a branding thing but the paint I used is basically equivalent to the Hammerite brand.
Great restoration! Here's a tip for press straightening: use 3 rods to "over-press" the piece. Two rods go on the right and left sides of the concavity, and the third goes on the convex point. When you close the vise the rods act to bent the piece beyond straight, which will then flex back due to metal memory. Hope this is helpful.
This is great advice, thanks JL! In the world of metallurgical engineering that metal 'memory' is called its elasticity and any permanent bending is called plastic deformation!
@@xl000 You are right, there is no such scientific term, but what people mean by this, is the metal operating in the elastic deformation area of the Young's Modulus of Elasticity graph. A hint for the non-engineers for further investigation.....
Fanatasic work. Great to see people caring for old tools most people would just through out. Those cutters will still be going in another 50 years when some tools today don’t last a year. It’s a pleasure to watch your work.
Agreed. You are no mymecohanics. You are you! Great job to adapt and overcome that. One you keep building your experience and tools you can be a master like my mechanics. Don't be hard on yourself. Keep restoring and learning. Good job!!! 👍
Agreed. If it works, that's what matters most. My mechanics started off like this I'll bet. Nobody is perfect right out of the gate. Keep working at it and eventually you'll be just as good. 👍👍 Not gonna say better because My Mechanics is good. Darn good. But you can get close.
You can weld new material onto the blades. Grind it flat and lay a bead of weld along the edge. Make sure your welding material is hardenable - regular wire won't work. Once youve got enough material laid down you can shape it and then re-harden . Little bit of work and you could have the jaws meeting accurately again.
Awesome advice Linsey! Honestly I didn't even consider that, but you're totally right, provided you choose the appropriately hardenable wire and appropriately re-heat treat! I'm a professional Materials Engineer by day, so this is one of my favorite comments so far 😁👍
When I saw these bolt cutters, my jaw dropped. It brought back memories of my dad’s tools. He had not one, but two of these exact bolt cutters. I remember them after all these years because of the lettering that was cast into the handles. They looked like the “before” example, all beat up and rusty, which was very unlike how my dad took care of his tools (he was a Tool & Die layout man for International Harvester in Springfield, Ohio by trade, and generally kept his tools well-organized and immaculate). I remember trying to replace the same round flange-ended bolt that you replaced on one of the two (the one that was less beat up) when I was a teenager, although I did a much poorer job of it (I simply pounded one end of a bolt flat and drilled a hole in it, which A) caused it to be brittle, and B) didn’t leave enough meat on it to keep it from snapping at my teenage self’s first attempt to use it for what I look back on now and assume was probably a felony). If I had known then that they were as old as they were, I would have done a better job of keeping track of them. I’m sure they wound up in a junk heap somewhere, as my mom didn’t have any idea what all was out there in dad’s “junk” (as she called it)… she just wanted it gone.
Such great memories! These cutters really are pretty unique and eye-catching. I live in northeast Ohio myself so I love your story of your dad working for International Harvester. You can pretty readily find these exact bolt cutters on ebay for like ~$20 every few months (or flea markets for $5 like where I found mine!)- might be fun for you to try to restore one all the way! And maybe not just for nefarious purposes this time! 😉
It takes a lot of courage to put your work out there for the world to see. Excellent job! Anytime I see old tools like this, I think of my grandfather who was the fix-it, repair, maintenance man at a steel mill in Pittsburgh. He created and altered many tools for his work. When offered the VP position in the company, he turned it down because he loved the work he was doing.
Thanks foe the kind words Phillip! If my videos even help just a few people learn how to restore their own things or keep them entertained for a few minutes then I've done my job with this channel! That's really interesting about your grandfather. I myself am a metallurgical engineer and work for a steel company. I totally understand your grandfather not wanting the VP job - honestly, I'd feel the same way. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and similarly a go-to fix-it-yourself kind of guy. He used to design room-sized cameras back in the 1960s and 70s.
Yes, it does take some guts to put it out there. And thx for the story you added as well. If not for those hard working dads and grandfathers the world woukd be full of woke individuals who couldn't "fix" their way out of a paper bag. Bless all those folks who laid the ground for us to fix things and work hard and respect the work and tools of the past.
Extremely admirable job. Plenty of opportunities to learn from this project. Myself I have several pair of these - all in various stages of rusty decline. I started collecting them about 6 years ago simply for the artistic appreciation. They bring me pleasure every time I look at them hanging on the wall. You have shown such respect for the tool in this restoration. You encourage me to do more to mine than the surface lubrication I have done for preservation. Great job, great video!
Thank you for the very kind words, Lee. I never even owed a bolt cutter before this, let alone an antique one, but I didn't let that stop me. And I agree, the craftsmanship and detail makes them almost a work of art. How many tools these days have instructions built in on the cast iron?! Good luck restoring yours and if you have any questions I can answer while you're working on them, don't hesitate to ask here so everyone else can learn together!
Lee thanks for liking H.K.Porter bolt cutters for artistic appreciation. However I hate to see the tools made at their #Boston#Everett# Somerville 43, Massachusetts remain rusty and dirty. My dad taught me to take care of my tools. Since my dad left this world many years ago I take care of his tools that were made at that plant in Mass. He was a machinist there in the late 1959s to 1978. If you can make those tools better than when you got them that's a plus! Thanks for having them hanging on your wall.
I watched out of critical curiosity. The self-effacing comment comparing yourself to mymechanics won me. I've been a follower there for years, and truly, he is the best and a daunting standard to hold yourself to. You did a damn fine job and one to be proud of using the tools and methods you had at hand. 10/10
Thanks for the kind words! He's about as good as it gets right now and of course I'm a huge fan of his as well. I'm just happy there's someone to continue to push me to keep refining my skills. I'm a student for life!
I have a really bad dislike to crescent hammers! I prefer the 6 point socket. Much to easy to round off nuts with a crescent hammer. Nice job cleaning up the metal from being misused. I've seen guys weld on additional metal to increase the blade size. Very nice job sir. It looks almost new!
You mean crescent wrenches? They're not great for every job, that's for sure. And you're correct, several other commenters also suggested welding new material on if necessary!
@@CatalystRestorations You were also not using them correctly. The fixed jaw should always be on the "outside" do to speak. You were correct when tightening, but it should be flipped over when loosening. Give it a try, it feels much more secure...
Great result, really like it! But why don't you use a proper wrench at work? This adjustable wrench you are using is not a best idea (paint damage, dimensions of head are too high). What is the profit?
Awesome job. Love these kind of videos. Suggestions, use the correct size wrench, get a sandblaster, and wear your gloves when handling chemicals and wire brushes. Bravo
Thanks Eric! All great suggestions. Evaporust, the rust remover solution, is completely safe on skin but you can never be too careful. And a media blaster setup would be great to have. I have been reluctant to purchase a setup because the point of Catalyst Restorations is to make restorations accessible to people who do not have large setups with thousands of dollars in equipment.
I have falen in love with those castelated securing nuts, I think they must have been cast and tapped as I cannot think of a way to machine them myself. Keep on with the restorations as it gives us great tips and is satisfying to watch. If I can offer just one observation, chamfering the external edges of the rivet hole prior to peining gives a better flush and neater finish. Well deserved like and suscribe.
Agreed on those nuts. Really neat piece of engineering work there, especially for the time. Excellent tip in the chamfering too. Absolutely going to use that in a future project!
Hahaha I did not expect to get a comment like this, but thank you 😅. This isn't my day job though (someday maybe...I can dream), and honestly I get all my callouses from the gym way more than my restoration work.
This is awesome. Years ago when I worked on vehicles and construction equipment, my mother in law would always complain at family dinners that my hands needed to be washed. No matter how many times I tried to explain that my hands were stained and as clean as they could be, she never listened. I eventually just ignored her whenever she brought it up.
I volunteer for a UK charity ‘WorkAid’, in the tool renovation area - our tools may not finish up as pristine as this, but they are safe and work perfectly, ready to be sent to start-up businesses and schools, mainly in Western Africa. Really satisfying work.
That is SO amazing! What a fantasic organization and way to give back to the world with your skills. I should look into if there any versions of that in the United States. Thanks for watching and sharing!
I'm going to be honest Scott, I've never heard them called a Swedish nut lathe before but I'm dying over here 😂. The older the tool, the more wonky the sizing is on those nuts and bolts so it's really whatever I'm feeling in the moment! People have very strong opinions over which is "correct" though, hahaha
I just discovered you channel! Im a fan of restoring work, specially (very) about tools getting a new extended life, above all those with 60++ years and thinking how proud our ancestors might be looking at their great grandchildren restoring the tools they used and looking us using them again. You got a new suscriber and fan from Argentina! Here is your like too! :D
I always binge mymechanics as my wind down bedtime videos and I saw the "I’m no mymechanics" line and I was like lol? Funny joke? Then I realised this actually wasn’t mymechanics. Explains why no sandblasting and the different looking hands lmao. But good job bc it took me that long to realise!
Are these bolt cutters really that old? It is hard to believe looking at their blades, which are not so badly chipped. As if they were little used Robie as a miner in a hard coal mine in Poland and I deal with such tools, I also know what I am talking about.
They were not likely made in 1896, but definitely no later than the early 1900's because HK Porter changed the design away from this by the 1910's. Some other commenters suggested it was probably used on a construction site, since it was covered in concrete and the jaws' chips plus the bent handles suggest someone was getting some extra leverage to cut rebar. As you probably also saw I had to crank the adjustment screws all the way down, so the jaws had been refaced a number of times.
@@CatalystRestorations The jaws have for sure been replaced. Even so far, at a construction site, something forcible is often done on the so-called "patent". If there is a thicker rebar to cut and there is no force to cut it, the scissor arms are extended. Various "patents" are also used in the mine, not necessarily compliant with occupational health and safety, the creativity of which would not be ashamed of Macgyver himself. All this to achieve the intended goal.
I'm not sure if I could explain it correctly, but it feels so satisfying to see something so worn down, to see that someone needed the tool in so many occasions.
My father bought a pair of those cutters in the late 1950s. They were sized for cutting 1/2 inch bolts. I replaced the jaws after trying to cut a case hardened lock. I still use them.
If I could make a few suggestions. You do good work, but I'd suggest that if you're going to restore "Made in the USA" tools, you might want to consider getting a set of Standard wrenches or sockets to take them apart. Using Metric sockets risks rounding off corners on nuts due to improper fit. Also, don't use adjustable wrenches if you have the proper open/box wrench or socket available. Adjustable wrenches have play that can damage nuts/bolts. The last thing you want to do when "restoring" something is to cause additional wear/damage. Keep up the good work!
Hi. Just spent the whole evening binge watching all of your videos from start to finish. I found your restorations to be very entertaining and informative and cannot wait until your next upload. Keep up the good work.
@@CatalystRestorations The main reason your adjustable wrench slipped is due to you using it backwards. you always pull toward the adjustable jaw. way too many knuckles have been busted due to misuse of tools. Don't ask my how I know :)
@@georgeshaw8276 I got written up by the squadron safety officer when I was in the USAF for unsafe tool use. This was back in 1979. That’s how I learned the ‘correct’ way to use an adjustable wrench. Have a good day.
For what it's worth, here's my rule of thumb. Use a single hex socket. If you can't then use a multi-hex. If you can't then use a ring spanner. If you can't then use an open-ended spanner. The absolute last resort is an adjustable wrench.
I have the same pair of cutters, found them in rough shape over 40 years ago. I stripped them down, sharpened and repainted them in the 80's, they're still in my tool box today. I really never gave much thought as to how old they were though, I suppose they're older than I had first thought.
That's awesome! Yeah, this design has been pretty standard for over a century. These were *patented* in 1892, so they're likely a bit newer than that, but still pretty darn old!
Absolutely stunning. Historical, entertaining, and relaxing to watch all at the same time. It's like watching The Waltons, a reminder of a time and space when things were hard, true, and worthwhile. Thanks for your efforts.
If your going to use a crappy crescent wrench at least use it correctly. You always torque "against" moving jaw .when doing so it bites into fastener instead of opening to shear off corners. Just like a pipe wrench "into the adjustable jaw"
If you would tighten the two square headed screws where the handles meet the jaws, that is how you can tighten the jaws closer to completely closed. Great job thought.
You are correct! I did it off camera in this video, but at the end you'll see the screws were adjusted in about as far they could go! On my more recent HK Porter bolt cutter restoration where I do japanning I show the adjustments on camera 😉
Great job on the bolt cutters. Never realized hk porter company built so many things as I worked in the early 70’s at hk porter manufactoring transformers, the kind found on poles and behind buildings
That's awesome! Yeah, in my research of these bolt cutters I had no idea how many different industries they had a foot in! Locomotive manufacturing is the one that really surprised me. Really neat.
They're not meant to cut hardened steel (says right on the blades) so lock would be out. Rear you technically could but as other commenters have noted these were probably used for that exact purpose (since they're covered in concrete) and the jaws are still all torn up from that.
It would be dope and a lot faster too. I try to not use tools that most people don't have easy access to in their own workshops though, so that people can restore their own tools if they have something similar.
They really are quite something. Another commenter thought that they were covered in concrete because they were used to cut rebar on a job site. Might be true!
Great work! to make new cutting edges, hard face them. Tig weld using old hardened drill bits as a filler rod to make new cutting edges, then grind to the new cutting edge size.
In the beginning I miss some kind of Star Wars theme or a "We break for nobody"-sign.
Lololol this is my favorite comment to date. I can see it now: SPACEBALLS THE RESTORATION. Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made!
😂
اإا له
😮
@CatalystRestorations
Those H.K.Porter Bull Dog bolt cutter came out STUNNING! I wish to thank you for restoring a piece of my dad's working life! He was a machinist from the late 1950's till 1978 when he retired. I love restoring tools that were made there. I have restored bolt cutters as old as 1906 and 1916. My dad was born in 1912. In my picture I'm holding a H.K.Porter 1940 Type R tree limb cutter. It was restored by my friend Vic of Big Vic's Workshop. I love the color Grey you chose! My choice of colors are Duplicolor Red and Black engine enamel. I find they are perfect color matches to the original colors and the "ENGINE" type of paint seems appropriate because their #Boston, #Everett # Somerville 43 plant made train engines up to 1950s. All of the town names were all the same plant, but had town boundary changes over time. If you wonder about the #43 that refers to 02143 the zip code of plant. It appeared when Boston was on the forged tools and then again when Somerville was on there tools! The son of a H.K.Porter machinist thanks you for the restoration of their tool!
Hi Stephen! Thank YOU so much for such a wonderful comment. Comments like these put a huge smile on my face and they make these restorations so worthwhile to share with the world. Big Vic and I follow each other on UA-cam and Instagram, so I always love hearing about his projects too! Thank you for sharing your dad's story and the explanation of the #43!! I had no idea and the Internet was pretty light on info about them! The color is actually light blue-gray, but I'll admit it looks a bit more obvious that it's blue in real life than in the video. Either way, I just love the color too. I'll have to look into maybe using Duplicolor on future restorations! Thanks again Stephen, talk soon.
@@CatalystRestorations your welcome. Blue is also a good color as well H.K.Porter used it on their nut breakers and impact drivers. I have my dad's impact driver and when I wanted to paint it I used my brother's H.K.Porter nut breaker which was blue to match the paint. That was a Rust-Oleum.
Металл нужно чистить а потом нагревать и делать прямым, выпрямить... а так получилось сломали 1 раз и ты второй раз... это правельно... но нет нечего страшного ..если только будет сильная нагрузка потом и он сломаеться там где гнулся!
@@stephenkent8903 1 million viewers completely agree!!! such rich history and such tremendous passion and ability. thank you for sharing!
I liked the honesty in “I’m not mymechanics”. Simple and straight. You gave the tool a new life and that’s what counts. Nice job!
Thanks! We all already know Mymechanics is the platinum standard, but we can't all be him so why try to imitate?!
Yes they (My Mechanics) have resources and great skills, but sometimes is over engineered as for example creating a metric standard nut or bolt instead of use a new one that surely they had at their workshop, only to show up their skills and make the video longer. It's a great channel don't get me wrong, but sometimes got repetitive.
@@RickDekkard The "unnecessary " building of all the tools, fasteners and so on is the absolute best on this channel. He is not trying to be cheap or fast or effective in any way. He is just putting 1000% effort into a piece for 100% perfection
It’s nice to see someone who doesn’t have thousands of dollars of equipment doing restorations and doing a nice job of it! I think I would’ve used hammerite tool paint myself but I like the colors you chose! Well done!
Thank you! The whole point of my channel is exactly that - to make restorations as accessible as possible to anyone with basic tools.
As for the paint, I think it's just a branding thing but the paint I used is basically equivalent to the Hammerite brand.
Great restoration!
Here's a tip for press straightening: use 3 rods to "over-press" the piece.
Two rods go on the right and left sides of the concavity, and the third goes on the convex point.
When you close the vise the rods act to bent the piece beyond straight, which will then flex back due to metal memory.
Hope this is helpful.
This is great advice, thanks JL! In the world of metallurgical engineering that metal 'memory' is called its elasticity and any permanent bending is called plastic deformation!
no such thing as metal memory.
@@xl000 So, springs don't exist?
@@xl000 Some people have no such thing as knowledge. 😅
@@xl000 You are right, there is no such scientific term, but what people mean by this, is the metal operating in the elastic deformation area of the Young's Modulus of Elasticity graph. A hint for the non-engineers for further investigation.....
Fanatasic work. Great to see people caring for old tools most people would just through out. Those cutters will still be going in another 50 years when some tools today don’t last a year. It’s a pleasure to watch your work.
Thanks Andy! One man's trash is another man's treasure for another whole generation!
@@CatalystRestorations
I think we all want to trust someone in our lives as much as he trusted those glass jars not to break. Great work.
Hahaha, this is one of my favorite comments! Something about them being salsa jars in their former lives makes them stronger 💪💪
@@CatalystRestorations I you did try...with bigger and bigger pieces
Agreed. You are no mymecohanics. You are you! Great job to adapt and overcome that. One you keep building your experience and tools you can be a master like my mechanics. Don't be hard on yourself. Keep restoring and learning. Good job!!! 👍
Thank you Tim for the encouragement!!
Agreed. If it works, that's what matters most. My mechanics started off like this I'll bet. Nobody is perfect right out of the gate. Keep working at it and eventually you'll be just as good. 👍👍
Not gonna say better because My Mechanics is good. Darn good. But you can get close.
Well said I was thinking the same, buddy you did a great job with simple tools well done 👍
@@leesmith2162 Thank you Lee!
I'm not My Mechanics hahaha I liked your humility, you won another subscriber here from Brazil, a big hug!!
Haha I know what I'm capable of but sometimes I surprise even myself! Thanks for subscribing!
You can weld new material onto the blades. Grind it flat and lay a bead of weld along the edge. Make sure your welding material is hardenable - regular wire won't work. Once youve got enough material laid down you can shape it and then re-harden . Little bit of work and you could have the jaws meeting accurately again.
Awesome advice Linsey! Honestly I didn't even consider that, but you're totally right, provided you choose the appropriately hardenable wire and appropriately re-heat treat! I'm a professional Materials Engineer by day, so this is one of my favorite comments so far 😁👍
There are tool steel electrodes
Use an old drill bit in place of a tig rod.
Yep tool steel rods are expensive tho
I don’t think something like that would be worth it for this.
When I saw these bolt cutters, my jaw dropped. It brought back memories of my dad’s tools. He had not one, but two of these exact bolt cutters. I remember them after all these years because of the lettering that was cast into the handles. They looked like the “before” example, all beat up and rusty, which was very unlike how my dad took care of his tools (he was a Tool & Die layout man for International Harvester in Springfield, Ohio by trade, and generally kept his tools well-organized and immaculate).
I remember trying to replace the same round flange-ended bolt that you replaced on one of the two (the one that was less beat up) when I was a teenager, although I did a much poorer job of it (I simply pounded one end of a bolt flat and drilled a hole in it, which A) caused it to be brittle, and B) didn’t leave enough meat on it to keep it from snapping at my teenage self’s first attempt to use it for what I look back on now and assume was probably a felony).
If I had known then that they were as old as they were, I would have done a better job of keeping track of them. I’m sure they wound up in a junk heap somewhere, as my mom didn’t have any idea what all was out there in dad’s “junk” (as she called it)… she just wanted it gone.
Such great memories! These cutters really are pretty unique and eye-catching. I live in northeast Ohio myself so I love your story of your dad working for International Harvester. You can pretty readily find these exact bolt cutters on ebay for like ~$20 every few months (or flea markets for $5 like where I found mine!)- might be fun for you to try to restore one all the way! And maybe not just for nefarious purposes this time! 😉
Great respect given to Mymechanics guy. Huge respect to you. And awesomely restored.
Thanks Sanjay!!
i love watching these as i fall asleep.....no disrespect its just very soothing
None taken, I love falling asleep to restoration videos too!!
It takes a lot of courage to put your work out there for the world to see. Excellent job!
Anytime I see old tools like this, I think of my grandfather who was the fix-it, repair, maintenance man at a steel mill in Pittsburgh. He created and altered many tools for his work. When offered the VP position in the company, he turned it down because he loved the work he was doing.
Thanks foe the kind words Phillip! If my videos even help just a few people learn how to restore their own things or keep them entertained for a few minutes then I've done my job with this channel!
That's really interesting about your grandfather. I myself am a metallurgical engineer and work for a steel company. I totally understand your grandfather not wanting the VP job - honestly, I'd feel the same way. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and similarly a go-to fix-it-yourself kind of guy. He used to design room-sized cameras back in the 1960s and 70s.
Yes, it does take some guts to put it out there. And thx for the story you added as well. If not for those hard working dads and grandfathers the world woukd be full of woke individuals who couldn't "fix" their way out of a paper bag. Bless all those folks who laid the ground for us to fix things and work hard and respect the work and tools of the past.
UA-cam algorithm brought me here. I enjoyed this video! :)
Thanks! Praise be to our UA-cam algorithm overlords 😬
I don't think I have ever seen someone do this much detailing on such a common tool. Thanks for sharing. 👍😁🇨🇱🇺🇸
Thank Paul! I take pride in the details!
Why would anybody.....not commonly used at my shop. Took away antique look
@@carlmorgan8452 Imagine thinking "bolt cutters are rarely used in MY shop, therefore why should anyone on Earth bother restoring a pair of them"
Wtf...the video is suspiciously addictive to watch...
30 minutes goes by in the blink of an eye!
What a remarkable transformation. Great restoration job. Love seeing these old tools being brought back to life for another generation’s use.
Thanks Shed Man!!
Anyone else get the hidden valley ranch and pizza duo commercial. Put the ranch in the fridge for a day and that duo be bussin
dude hell yeah. @ranchdressing sponsor me
Extremely admirable job. Plenty of opportunities to learn from this project. Myself I have several pair of these - all in various stages of rusty decline. I started collecting them about 6 years ago simply for the artistic appreciation. They bring me pleasure every time I look at them hanging on the wall. You have shown such respect for the tool in this restoration. You encourage me to do more to mine than the surface lubrication I have done for preservation. Great job, great video!
Thank you for the very kind words, Lee. I never even owed a bolt cutter before this, let alone an antique one, but I didn't let that stop me. And I agree, the craftsmanship and detail makes them almost a work of art. How many tools these days have instructions built in on the cast iron?! Good luck restoring yours and if you have any questions I can answer while you're working on them, don't hesitate to ask here so everyone else can learn together!
Lee thanks for liking H.K.Porter bolt cutters for artistic appreciation. However I hate to see the tools made at their #Boston#Everett# Somerville 43, Massachusetts remain rusty and dirty. My dad taught me to take care of my tools. Since my dad left this world many years ago I take care of his tools that were made at that plant in Mass. He was a machinist there in the late 1959s to 1978. If you can make those tools better than when you got them that's a plus! Thanks for having them hanging on your wall.
I watched out of critical curiosity. The self-effacing comment comparing yourself to mymechanics won me. I've been a follower there for years, and truly, he is the best and a daunting standard to hold yourself to. You did a damn fine job and one to be proud of using the tools and methods you had at hand. 10/10
Thanks for the kind words! He's about as good as it gets right now and of course I'm a huge fan of his as well. I'm just happy there's someone to continue to push me to keep refining my skills. I'm a student for life!
good hands wrong tools asmymetal work teacher and my father taught me someone put this in use thesame way to take it out
I like the use of the" universal nut buggerer ,"
Works well in the garden as a plant label
This is a great iron cutter and a great value on the market 💪
Indeed it is!
I have a really bad dislike to crescent hammers! I prefer the 6 point socket. Much to easy to round off nuts with a crescent hammer. Nice job cleaning up the metal from being misused. I've seen guys weld on additional metal to increase the blade size. Very nice job sir. It looks almost new!
You mean crescent wrenches? They're not great for every job, that's for sure. And you're correct, several other commenters also suggested welding new material on if necessary!
@@CatalystRestorations You were also not using them correctly. The fixed jaw should always be on the "outside" do to speak. You were correct when tightening, but it should be flipped over when loosening. Give it a try, it feels much more secure...
@@stevebothe1416 Yup. If you watch any of my videos published since this one, this has been corrected!
IMPRESSIVE!!!
MAGNIFICENT WORK!!!
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you so much!
Great result, really like it! But why don't you use a proper wrench at work? This adjustable wrench you are using is not a best idea (paint damage, dimensions of head are too high). What is the profit?
Yup, for sure. Lesson learned for next time!
@@CatalystRestorations also is not good form to use metric sockets n SAE fasteners
So nice to see this fine piece of history rescued.
Awesome job. Love these kind of videos. Suggestions, use the correct size wrench, get a sandblaster, and wear your gloves when handling chemicals and wire brushes.
Bravo
Thanks Eric! All great suggestions. Evaporust, the rust remover solution, is completely safe on skin but you can never be too careful. And a media blaster setup would be great to have. I have been reluctant to purchase a setup because the point of Catalyst Restorations is to make restorations accessible to people who do not have large setups with thousands of dollars in equipment.
Great job! I'm constantly looking for old tools to restore. Those were a real find!
Thanks! These are still one of the best finds ever for me!
I have falen in love with those castelated securing nuts, I think they must have been cast and tapped as I cannot think of a way to machine them myself. Keep on with the restorations as it gives us great tips and is satisfying to watch. If I can offer just one observation, chamfering the external edges of the rivet hole prior to peining gives a better flush and neater finish. Well deserved like and suscribe.
Agreed on those nuts. Really neat piece of engineering work there, especially for the time. Excellent tip in the chamfering too. Absolutely going to use that in a future project!
You could machine them with a larger head and then mill out the sides to leave the castleations.
Me gustó todo el proceso de reparación. Buen trabajo.
Gracias
Thank you for watching!!!
I'm guessing these may have been used on a job site to cut rebar for concrete work.
Didn't even consider that as a possibility, but I think you're spot-on!
Хорошие болторезы окупаются за одну ночь))))
"Good bolt cutters pay for themselves over night"
Haha! Это шутка про кражу? (is this a joke about theft?!)
@@CatalystRestorations именно))) русская поговорка 😂
"Russian proverb". That's hilarious!
🤣🤣🤣👍
20:05 thx for honoring mymechanics in such a humorous way. 😂
All glory to the restoration god
You have quite pretty hands for someone who works with them all day. You won some kind of genetic jackpot, that's for sure
Hahaha I did not expect to get a comment like this, but thank you 😅. This isn't my day job though (someday maybe...I can dream), and honestly I get all my callouses from the gym way more than my restoration work.
This is awesome. Years ago when I worked on vehicles and construction equipment, my mother in law would always complain at family dinners that my hands needed to be washed. No matter how many times I tried to explain that my hands were stained and as clean as they could be, she never listened. I eventually just ignored her whenever she brought it up.
@@GhostDrummer It's true! Grease and oil don't just come off with an easy rinse!
Yoshikage Kira?
Does anyone know his onlyfans. I want to see more
BEAUTIFUL !!
THANK YOU!
those bolt cutters saw some serious work
Some of the other commenters suggested it was used to cut rebar on a job site! 😬
Who in hell gives a thumbs down?
Some "Half Wit" for sure~!! 😡
It was Frankenstein
Who In Out Inbetween Outbetween The Heaven Limbo Purgatory Memphis Heck Hell Gives A Thumbs Up Down Sideways Side To Side 👍😊 LOL 🤣😂
@@rickmcdonald1557
It Was 😟😯😶 Me Or Was 😟😯😶 It LOL 🤣😂
rust enthusiasts?
very nice. always in joy your video's.
Thank you so much for watching Rusty!!
I volunteer for a UK charity ‘WorkAid’, in the tool renovation area - our tools may not finish up as pristine as this, but they are safe and work perfectly, ready to be sent to start-up businesses and schools, mainly in Western Africa. Really satisfying work.
That is SO amazing! What a fantasic organization and way to give back to the world with your skills. I should look into if there any versions of that in the United States. Thanks for watching and sharing!
I like the way you chose to use the Swedish nut lathe first, then the ratchet and socket wrench second. Bonus points for that!
I'm going to be honest Scott, I've never heard them called a Swedish nut lathe before but I'm dying over here 😂. The older the tool, the more wonky the sizing is on those nuts and bolts so it's really whatever I'm feeling in the moment! People have very strong opinions over which is "correct" though, hahaha
I find the love of this sort of work, fascinating. If you want a good set of tools, car boot sales, yard sales and markets are where you buy them.
Absolutely true! Thank you for watching!
Antique Meat Grinder Engines Restoration // Rusty Meat Grinder Restoration
ua-cam.com/video/uLyyw1xxb1w/v-deo.html
I just discovered you channel! Im a fan of restoring work, specially (very) about tools getting a new extended life, above all those with 60++ years and thinking how proud our ancestors might be looking at their great grandchildren restoring the tools they used and looking us using them again.
You got a new suscriber and fan from Argentina!
Here is your like too! :D
So glad you found me and welcome to the channel! 😁👍Thanks for the sub and like! New video is dropping soon!
@@CatalystRestorations I will be waiting for it!
Purdy! Should last another 130 years.
2152 is only a few years away!
You restoration it very well
Thanks!
grande maestro.. saludos desde jujuy argentina.
Thank you very much! Greetings from the USA!
Love the "my mechanics" mention, lol!
All glory to the restoration god himself
Mind blowing
Nicely done. Awesome stuff
Thanks Michael!
I always binge mymechanics as my wind down bedtime videos and I saw the "I’m no mymechanics" line and I was like lol? Funny joke? Then I realised this actually wasn’t mymechanics. Explains why no sandblasting and the different looking hands lmao. But good job bc it took me that long to realise!
I consider that to be about the highest form of compliment I can receive! Thanks Marshadi!
Are these bolt cutters really that old? It is hard to believe looking at their blades, which are not so badly chipped. As if they were little used Robie as a miner in a hard coal mine in Poland and I deal with such tools, I also know what I am talking about.
They were not likely made in 1896, but definitely no later than the early 1900's because HK Porter changed the design away from this by the 1910's. Some other commenters suggested it was probably used on a construction site, since it was covered in concrete and the jaws' chips plus the bent handles suggest someone was getting some extra leverage to cut rebar. As you probably also saw I had to crank the adjustment screws all the way down, so the jaws had been refaced a number of times.
@@CatalystRestorations The jaws have for sure been replaced. Even so far, at a construction site, something forcible is often done on the so-called "patent". If there is a thicker rebar to cut and there is no force to cut it, the scissor arms are extended. Various "patents" are also used in the mine, not necessarily compliant with occupational health and safety, the creativity of which would not be ashamed of Macgyver himself. All this to achieve the intended goal.
@@pawelpawel2133 Yup, the 'ol cheater bar! 😉
And that's what a clean job look s like my friend
Thanks Vico!
I'm not sure if I could explain it correctly, but it feels so satisfying to see something so worn down, to see that someone needed the tool in so many occasions.
It's just as satisfying to actually do it for real as watching the video!
Những dụng cụ được sản suất cách đây hơn 30 năm trở về trước làm rất đẹp và sử dụng rất bền
There's a saying here in America "they don't make them like they used to" and certainly for things like this it's true!
HOW MANY NAILS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO??? YOU MONSTER!!
LOTS OF BOLTS, BUT ONLY 1 NAIL TECHNICALLY. AND YES, I AM A MONSTER.
Excellent restoration
Thanks!
Nice made restoration mate!
Thanks mate!
Beautiful restoration of a very old tool and now I bet it’s better than most new tools. Super job.
Thanks Greg! They don't make em like they used to!
My father bought a pair of those cutters in the late 1950s. They were sized for cutting 1/2 inch bolts. I replaced the jaws after trying to cut a case hardened lock. I still use them.
They are indestructible! (as long you don't try to cut hardened steel with them 😅)
Great job!!!
Thanks Chuck!!
Great Video Thanks 😊
Thank YOU!
If I could make a few suggestions. You do good work, but I'd suggest that if you're going to restore "Made in the USA" tools, you might want to consider getting a set of Standard wrenches or sockets to take them apart. Using Metric sockets risks rounding off corners on nuts due to improper fit. Also, don't use adjustable wrenches if you have the proper open/box wrench or socket available. Adjustable wrenches have play that can damage nuts/bolts. The last thing you want to do when "restoring" something is to cause additional wear/damage. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the suggestions Rob!
Great job, but please stop using your shifting spanner back to front! It’s stronger the other way.
Check out my more recent bolt cutter restorations to see if I learned my lesson 😉
beautiful tool and built to last. love all the articulated joints.
It looked very nice. You did an excellent job. Keep up the good work and I will keep watching God bless.
Thanks Donald!
Hi. Just spent the whole evening binge watching all of your videos from start to finish. I found your restorations to be very entertaining and informative and cannot wait until your next upload. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much Kelvin!! Next video drops by the end of the month! 😁
I heard that deep breath when you slipped with that adjustable wrench🤣I know your pain I do it all the time at work🤣
Hahaha, yuuuup 😅
@@CatalystRestorations The main reason your adjustable wrench slipped is due to you using it backwards. you always pull toward the adjustable jaw. way too many knuckles have been busted due to misuse of tools. Don't ask my how I know :)
@@georgeshaw8276 Thanks for the tip George! Nobody had ever told me that before!
@@georgeshaw8276 I got written up by the squadron safety officer when I was in the USAF for unsafe tool use. This was back in 1979. That’s how I learned the ‘correct’ way to use an adjustable wrench. Have a good day.
For what it's worth, here's my rule of thumb. Use a single hex socket. If you can't then use a multi-hex. If you can't then use a ring spanner. If you can't then use an open-ended spanner. The absolute last resort is an adjustable wrench.
Great tip!
An excellent restoration. Enjoyed the video. It was very instructional.
Thank you!
Надеюсь вы в защитных очках на последнем кадре. Шикарно получилось (лайк)
I sure was! Safety first! Thanks for watching!
I have the same pair of cutters, found them in rough shape over 40 years ago. I stripped them down, sharpened and repainted them in the 80's, they're still in my tool box today. I really never gave much thought as to how old they were though, I suppose they're older than I had first thought.
That's awesome! Yeah, this design has been pretty standard for over a century. These were *patented* in 1892, so they're likely a bit newer than that, but still pretty darn old!
Nice work. What is the black paint you use?
For the jaws? I used Rustoleum professional high performance enamel. Satin black.
I think our friends playing the game
I don't know what this means, but for anyone else reading this you just lost the game
Absolutely stunning. Historical, entertaining, and relaxing to watch all at the same time. It's like watching The Waltons, a reminder of a time and space when things were hard, true, and worthwhile. Thanks for your efforts.
Thanks for the nice words and thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it!
The adjustable wrench works infinitely better when your not using it backwards turn it around it wont slip as much!!!
That damn crescent wrench gave me anxiety.
Yeah, me too 😅
Nice work 👍👍👍
Thank you!
Love the paint you used
Thanks, me too! One of my favorites.
The soul of that tool is now soooo happy....
Indeed!! Makes me happy just thinking about it! 😁
If your going to use a crappy crescent wrench at least use it correctly. You always torque "against" moving jaw .when doing so it bites into fastener instead of opening to shear off corners.
Just like a pipe wrench "into the adjustable jaw"
Thanks Paladin! Don't worry - about 50 other commenters beat you to the punch to correct the same thing! 😂👍
@@CatalystRestorations lol cool beans great channel
What a beautiful job you’ve done. They seem to have so many more parts than modern bolt croppers
Thank you! Definitely don't make them like that today!
Wow love your work man. Looks great
Thanks!!
If you would tighten the two square headed screws where the handles meet the jaws, that is how you can tighten the jaws closer to completely closed. Great job thought.
You are correct! I did it off camera in this video, but at the end you'll see the screws were adjusted in about as far they could go! On my more recent HK Porter bolt cutter restoration where I do japanning I show the adjustments on camera 😉
Nicely done. 🎉 thanks
Thank you, Kelly!
You have a talent, son! No doubt about that. Keep on working and you'll be a master in no time. There's no substitute for experience!
Thank you so much for the words of encouragement, Maximus!! You are 100% right!
Great job on the bolt cutters. Never realized hk porter company built so many things as I worked in the early 70’s at hk porter manufactoring transformers, the kind found on poles and behind buildings
That's awesome! Yeah, in my research of these bolt cutters I had no idea how many different industries they had a foot in! Locomotive manufacturing is the one that really surprised me. Really neat.
It is perfect. You are the best.
YOU'RE the best!
Outstanding!
Thank you very much! 😁
Great work.
What do you use as rust remover?
Thanks! In this video I used Evaporust to remove the rust.
Nice job, they look beautiful. I wonder if they will cut a master lock or rebar?
They're not meant to cut hardened steel (says right on the blades) so lock would be out. Rear you technically could but as other commenters have noted these were probably used for that exact purpose (since they're covered in concrete) and the jaws are still all torn up from that.
Sand blasting would be dope..so satisfying..
It would be dope and a lot faster too. I try to not use tools that most people don't have easy access to in their own workshops though, so that people can restore their own tools if they have something similar.
Amazing design. Still made today. I have a pair that belonged to my grandfather. They have concrete on them as well.
They really are quite something. Another commenter thought that they were covered in concrete because they were used to cut rebar on a job site. Might be true!
If needed, you can adjust the bolts on the side at the jig point to narrow the gap in the jaws.
Correct! I should've shown it on camera, but I adjusted the side bolts to bring that jaw gap to as small as it could go before testing!
Good job, well done
Great work! to make new cutting edges, hard face them. Tig weld using old hardened drill bits as a filler rod to make new cutting edges, then grind to the new cutting edge size.
Great advice! Now all I need is a TIG welder...😬
Un énorme travail.....minutieux...Bravo !!! 🌹🌹🌹🌿🌿🌿🌸🌸🌸🍀🍀🍀
Merci beaucoup!
I have the 0.14 version, a little smaller i think, it was from my father. Excellent job.
Thank you! I'd love to get ahold of a pair of the smaller ones someday. Maybe a future video!
awe inspiring craftsmanship!
HK Porter did a nice job with that design, eh? 😉
130 years old! My Dad had a bolt cutter similar to that one. It worked fine,the last time I saw it.
They really dialed in the quintessential design way back then!