Peck, Stow, & Wilcox Company (Pexto)

Pexto Logo from 1915 Trademark

Table of Contents

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 Connecticut legislature.

In later advertising the company claimed to have been established in 1819.

Fig. 0A. 1903 Report on History of Peck, Stow & Wilcox. [External Link]

Fig. 0A shows an excerpt from an early history of the company, published on page 333 of the 1903 Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Connecticut, included as part of the Public Documents of the State of Connecticut.

A 1901 Manual of Statistics notes on page 483 [External Link] that the company made tinner's machinery, tools, and household utensils. The 1901 sales were listed as $1,152,000. At that time the company had factories in Southington, Plantsville, and East Berlin, Connecticut, and in Cleveland Ohio as well.

Fig. 0B. 1910 Ad for P.S. & W. No. 30 Pliers. [External Link]

Fig. 0B shows an advertisement for P.S. & W. No. 30 box joint pliers, as published on page xi of the July, 1910 issue of Electrician and Mechanic.

Patents

Trademarks

References and Resources

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

Catalog Coverage

Currently we have only one catalog for Pexto, a reprint of their 1927 catalog 26T entitled "Mechanics Hand Tools". The catalog lists a wide variety of tools, including bit braces, auger bits, wood chisels, axes, hammers, pliers, and wrenches.

Industrial Distributors

Peck, Stow tools were widely available through industrial distributors. We'll add references as time permits.

• Chas. A. Strelinger 1895. The 1895 catalog from Chas. A. Strelinger & Company lists tools from Peck, Stow & Wilcox on page 61-63. The listings include cutting nippers in sizes from 8-12 inches and several models of shears and snips.

• Harron, Rickard & McCone 1918. The 1918 catalog No. 2 from Harron, Rickard & McCone, an industrial distributor, lists an extensive selection of Pexto sheet metal machinery and tools on pages 216 to 234. Also listed are Pexto pliers on pages 136-138 and Pexto shears on pages 142-143.

• Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel 1930. The Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel catalog No. 21 from around 1930 lists Pexto body work tools on page 605, including dolly blocks, spoons, dinging hammers, and fender pliers. Also listed are Pexto fender flange pliers on page 604.

  This catalog is undated and was published without copyright, but the date can be estimated as 1929-1930 by the contents.

Wrenches

Pexto "Solid Bar" 6 Inch Monkey Wrench

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

Fig. 1. Pexto "Solid Bar" 6 Inch 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".

Pliers

Combination Pliers

Pexto 5-10 10 Inch Combination Pliers

Fig. 3. Pexto 5-10 10 Inch Combination Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 3 shows a pair of Pexto 5-10 10 inch combination pliers, stamped with the PEXTO-Oval logo and "Made in USA" near the pivot. The pliers are also marked with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the underside of one handle.

The overall length is 10.0 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

Pexto 7-8 8 Inch Combination Pliers

Fig. 4. Pexto 7-8 8 Inch Combination Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 4 shows a pair of Pexto 7-8 8 inch 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 (not shown).

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

Pexto N8-7 7 Inch Universal Combination Pliers

Fig. 5. Pexto N8-7 7 Inch Universal Combination Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 5 shows a pair of Pexto N8-7 universal 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 (not shown).

The overall length is 6.9 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 WO-6 6 Inch Combination Pliers

Fig. 8. Pexto WO-6 6 Inch Combination Pliers, with Inset for Handle Pattern.

Fig. 8 shows a pair of Pexto WO-6 6 inch 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 "Carlson" Slip-Joint Parrot-Head Pliers

Fig. 9. Pexto Carlson Slip-Joint Parrot-Head Pliers.

Fig. 9 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.

Flat-Nose and Needlenose Pliers

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

Fig. 10 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. 11. Pexto No. 20-5 Box-Joint Flat-Nose Pliers, with Inset for Joint Detail.

Fig. 11 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.

Diagonal Cutters

Pexto No. 27 Box-Joint Diagonal Cutters

Fig. 12. Pexto No. 27 Box-Joint Diagonal Cutters, with Inset for Side View.

The overall length is 5.3 inches.

Lineman's Pliers

Pexto 30 6 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers

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

Fig. 13. Pexto 30 6 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1913-1915.

Fig. 13 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.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the diamond checkered gripping pattern on the handles. Note the V-shaped transition at the front of the gripping pattern.

The diamond checkered gripping pattern with the V-shaped transition allows us to identify Utica Drop Forge as the maker of these pliers. The corresponding Utica model can be seen as the Utica 2050[-6] Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers.

The V-shaped gripping pattern and early P.S.&W. logo indicate early production from 1913 to around 1915.

Fig. 14. Pexto 30 6 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, ca. 1920s.

Fig. 14 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.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the diamond checkered gripping pattern on the handles. Note that the front of the gripping pattern is flat, rather than the V-shape observed in earlier production.

The flat front of the gripping pattern suggests production in the 1920s or later.

Pexto 30-7 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. 15A. Pexto 30 7 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1913-1915.

Fig. 15A shows an earlier pair of Pexto Model 30 7 inch lineman's pliers, stamped "P.S. & W." and "Guaranteed" in a circle logo.

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

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the diamond checkered gripping pattern on the handles. Note the V-shaped transition at the front of the gripping pattern.

The diamond checkered gripping pattern with the V-shaped transition allows us to identify Utica Drop Forge as the maker of these pliers. A similar Utica model can be seen as the Utica 2050[-8] Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers.

The V-shaped gripping pattern and early P.S.&W. logo indicate early production from 1913 to around 1915.

Fig. 15B. Pexto 30 7 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers, with Insets for Handle Pattern and Box Detail, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 15B shows a later pair of Pexto Model 30 7 inch lineman's pliers, marked "P.S. & W. Co. U.S.A." with the PEXTO-Oval logo.

The overall length is 7.3 inches.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the diamond checkered gripping pattern on the handles. Note the V-shaped transition at the front of the gripping pattern.

The V-shaped front of the gripping pattern with the later Pexto oval logo suggests production from around 1915 to 1920.

Pexto 30-8 8 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers

Fig. 16. Pexto 30 8 Inch Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1913-1915.

Fig. 16 shows a pair of Pexto Model 30 8 inch lineman's pliers, stamped marked "P.S. & W." and "Guaranteed" in a circle logo, with the model number below.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the diamond checkered gripping pattern on the handles. Note the V-shaped transition at the front of the gripping pattern.

The diamond checkered gripping pattern with the V-shaped transition allows us to identify Utica Drop Forge as the maker of these pliers. The corresponding Utica model can be seen as the Utica 2050[-8] Box-Joint Lineman's Pliers.

Pexto 240-7 7 Inch Lineman's Pliers

Fig. 17. Pexto 240-7 7 Inch Lineman's Pliers, with Inset for Handle Pattern.

Fig. 17 shows a pair of Pexto 240-7 7 inch lineman's pliers, stamped "P. S. & W." and "Made in U.S.A." across the pivot.

The overall length is 7.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Pexto 240-8 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers

Fig. 18. Pexto 240[-8] 8 Inch Lineman's Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail.

Fig. 18 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. 19. 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.

Other Pliers

Pexto 6-3 6 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers

Fig. 20. Pexto 6-3 6 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Construction Detail.

Fig. 20 shows a pair of Pexto 6-3 6 inch gas and burner pliers, stamped with the PEXTO-Oval logo and "Made in U.S.A." near the pivot.

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Pexto 13-7 7 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers

Fig. 21. Pexto 13-7 7 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers.

Fig. 21 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. 22. Pexto No. 14 10 Inch Gas and Burner Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Jaw Detail.

Fig. 22 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.

Pexto Early [No. 60-6] 6 Inch Carpenter's Pincers

Fig. 23. Pexto Early [No. 60-6] 6 Inch Carpenter's Pincers.

Fig. 23 shows an early pair of Pexto [No. 60-6] 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.