My dad always called them water pump pliers. Every time he said "water pump pliers" I knew a specific pair he wanted. I'd fetch the 16" green handle DIAMOND brand pair. They belonged to his father in the 50's. I still use them occasionally.
I just posted a very similar story. Waterpump pliers, in my 20s I would say Waterpump pliers and I would get stared at as if I had bugs crawling out of my ears.
Channellock makes Channellock pliers in both straight jaw and V jaw similar to Vise-Grip Pliers having straight and curved jaws. Below is a listing of the straight and V jaw pliers which come in the same length (there are more lengths of straight jaws than V jaws). 6.5” - Straight Jaw: Model 426; V Jaw: Model 412 9.5” - Straight Jaw: Model 420; V Jaw: Model 422 10” - Straight Jaw: Model 430; V Jaw: Model 432 12” - Straight Jaw: Model 440; V Jaw: Model 442 The V jaws work well on pipes and hose fittings since the V jaws grip on four points instead of two or three for straight jaw Channellocks. Channellock also makes a plier that is similar to the parrot head but in a traditional Channellock called a Griplock. It is worth getting a copy of their catalog on their website (a pdf file). Catus Maximus has a video that discusses the different styles of channellocks titled “ChannelLock Tongue & Groove Pliers Review & Comparison” which is where I found out about the V jaw pliers.
I LIKE the Ruud heater! Bet it'd work just FINE after you got through with it! We have a RUUD heat pump since 05 and have replaced one fan motor and nothing since I built a roof over it to keep the rain and ice out of it. Also have tried other pliers and if I need anything HELD, I either use a Rigid pipe wrench or old style Chanel-locks. Blessed with another week so God Bless YOU, you silly Scout Crafter You!
No shade tree mechanic would be caught dead without a pair or two of Channellocks in their toolbox. You may mess up a bolt or nut to get home but they’ll get you there, and I speak from experience, too many actually. Our hot water heater is a GE heat pump type, it works very well and dehumifies our laundry room at the same time. Sadly one year after we purchased it GE shut down their Louisville operation and sold off manufacturing to Bradford White, so parts and service are still available. That Rudd however, once reconditioned will probably be heating water 100 years later, just a beautiful piece of hardware.
Great story on the Channel-Lock Company. A classic tale of inventing a tool and building a company around it. You have to give them heaps of credit for maintaining their level of quality while keeping costs down in today's economy. Of course I have several pairs of them laying around here somewhere.... I find the smaller sizes to be especially handy at times... They also make one of the most efficient oil filter removal tools I have ever seen.. The RUUD water heater should be a priority for you... That thing is going to be a real monster once it is refurbished. It will probably run for another hundred years. With some metal polish and a bit of paint, the water heater should be a centerpiece for any home...and next Spring, when you can turn off the heater, it will continue to provide hot water without firing the old furnace... You'll love it.
I have always liked those old water heaters. Probably because I'm a plumber , I always thought it would be a great piece for the shop. I have only see a couple of them ever in the wild. Channellock's are great as well. There are not very many American tool companies left.
Greetings from New Zealand - we have those early failing steel hot water heaters here too. We also have the somewhat more sensible copper ones. Mine died finally this year - at 62 years old. Needless to say its replacement is also copper. And I have a couple of pairs of good channel lock pipe wrenches in my van.
Love the hot water heater!! It reminds me of one my Scout troop used in camp! We took a beer keg and put a spigot on it and a copper coil that we would put over the campfire. Five gallons of hot water no problem!!
That Ruud water heater is amazing! (BTW, it's pronounced Rude) That would be gorgeous restored! I love the Channel Locks. I needed more bite and recently got a 16" Craftsman pair. No complaints
You are correct on a lot of Knipex pliers. You really need to be making money with them to justify the price, a good part of the time. However, just this year I bought a very specific pair for cutting plastic. It is worth the added expense, in some cases. In my case, I thought it was.
That stove looked awesome, I'd love to see one get the Scoutcrafter treatment, it's a shame everything today is built to be replaced ! I do love a Channellock and have a few, although they cost a little more here in the UK, I was fortunate enough to buy some Knipex "Alligator" pliers in a Boxing day sale at one of our big box stores (online) here in the uk a few years ago, I ordered 3 each of the 6, 8 & 10" they dropped the 8" but I still got 3 each of the 6 & 10" for £1 each (!) - these are normally £20+ here so a real bargain ! I also have a small pair of the Knipex Plier-Wrenches - expensive but amazing tools ! For personal reasons I particularly like the original Chanellocks with the dual branding !
I have used Channellock pliers for years and I have always found them to be easy to use, affordable and excellent quality. When I was working as a machine operator I used the originals like you restored and they worked great too. Thanks for sharing this.
It’s really amazing how the inventors of these pliers came up with mechanisms that can hold pipes and nuts so well. Looking at the teeth and their angle of how they are optimized to grip cylindrical objects. They are all very innovative. I’d like to hear a comparison ring of low quality steel to listen to the difference.
The old water heater is awesome. I got lucky, the house I just moved out of still had a working water heater that was made 26 years ago and in service for 24 and counting. I was thinking of charging people in the neighborhood to come look at it!
The 420s are my fav channel lock... and I have never know the slip joint pliers to be called anything other than channel lock🙂 I was...pretty old before I knew better..lol.. meant to say I enjoyed the poor man's rivet Wednesday and look forward to seeing more of the leather work you have up your sleeve.. I watch u on the picture box and forget to comment on videos sometimes.. anyways..have a great weekend Mr. John
That water heater looks absolutely amazing. I would display it in my living room if I had the room! Great resto job on the channellocks, they came out great. Thanks for sharing yet another awesome episode!
As an apprentice electrician, back in the early 70's, the main brand available over here, in England, were Diamalloy, so the name became the "standard" description, for these,,!! (As in, pass me my Diamalloys,).. I still have maybe 4, from those days, in a couple of sizes,, and use them all the time,, All the best,, John...
I have a couple of pairs of the those Irwin box design and I use them a lot. They would definitely be included in an emergency or automobile tool box. I also have a bunch of Channel Lock tools. I'm happy hear that they are still made here.
Beautiful job on the Channellocks and I love that old hot water heater. When we moved into our current house - it started life as a hunter's cabin back in the '30's - we found the original water heater in a corner of the basement that was fashioned from an old coal stove that had been wrapped with about 30 feet of 3/4" copper tubing. Needless to say we've upgraded a bit but that one you found on eBay would make for a great conversation starter and it probably has enough life still left in it for the next 50 years.
Thanks for the video sir, found the Channel Lock history interesting, and the refurbishing of the 420 plier. Always fun to here the topics. The water heater issue, I just replaced a 25 year old water heater for my step daughter, biggest thing I have found with them is nobody flushes them out periodically to keep the lime build up down and if they have an anode rod, they need to be checked periodically also. I would love to get my hands on an old water heater like the one you found on eBay,be fun to set it up.
The secret to the water heater obsolence is to replace the anode every few years but since its often next to impossible due in part to size constrictions. And they're practically glued in. I've never even done one but I know they make designs that come in 3 pieces so they can fit in even tighter spots. I need to find a universal water heater socket as I have no idea what they are off the top of my head.
I actually had to but the right size real socket (also don't recall the size, but big) as the cheapo little pressed tin job was too whimpy, and use a breaker bar with a cheater pipe, and a buddy hanging onto the water heater, to get mine out. Since you mentioned it, I think I should probably do it again, been a while......
Awesome video as always! Thank you for the shout out. It is much appreciated. Yes, it does seem that since I first put up the review video, that they have improved them a bit!
That Ruud would be an excellent restoration for your channel! I once found a pair of small Channellocks in the drop ceiling in my office, while changing a fluorescent fixture. No one had been up in that part of the ceiling in since it had been remodeled 15 years before - the old maintenance guys were long gone, so it ended up in my tool box at work and I still use it today. Great restoration as usual.
John, i just got my 357 Magdad Ebay auction tool lot in the mail. Inside my lot was a 420 channel lock pliers just like the ones you just did. I cant wait to work on them. Thanks Magdad! 👍🇺🇸Roger
My dad used to call these pliers "clams". I bought a set of the Lock Jaw type pliers from Craftsman 25 years ago and hated them. They worked when I tried them out on stuff. During practical application they stunk! They were tool box queens for many years until I sold them cheap.
Actually picking up that heater takes a very strong man I suppose 😂 It's a beauty, and a shame stuff isn't made that way anymore. I need to check out that pair of channelock I picked up this spring, I think it's very similar but I'm afraid it doesn't say dearmont. Thank you!!
Struggled with junk pliers for years. You popped open your tool box drawer about a year ago and I saw a glimpse of your channellocks. I bought a 10 piece vintage set off Ebay and they're my goto pliers. Just love em!
Steven- I have had most brands of pliers and in my opinion the entire line of Channellock products is awesome. I’m so glad you jumped on that set! Thanks! 😃👍
Hello Scout from Northern California....that RUUD water heater would be so awesome restored with your crafty talent! Please buy it (I didn't notice what the seller was asking for it), but if it's doable at all for you, I'd love to see it spruced up and making hot water for you. I'm a Channelock user for well over 50 years now, and my go to for most of the stuff I do is the big 20 inchers, man I love those things! My journeyman/boss whipped his set out on a nasty water heater take out one day, and I had a brand new set the next day....even on apprentice wages LOL You have a great channel my brother, thank you. Stew
Just snagged a pair from when they were 1st made. they're in great shape! Same with the teeth. Excellent! I'll enjoy cleaning them up and adding them to the collection 😎
I thought this would be just another restoration project. I enjoy restoration so I watched. Imagine my surprise when I found that, not only do you show a typical restoration (though much simplified) but to my surprise you included a wonderful history on the Channellock plier. What a treat! Sad to see you only had 8,100 thousand views and only 28,600 subscribers. If all your videos are this entertaining I was happy to add my name to your list of subs. Thanks for a very informative and entertaining video.
Cast iron and Cooper is a fantastic look. They really go well together. I'd love to have one just as a display piece. Have a great weekend everyone be safe out there 😺👍
My thoughts: Yes to the Rudd. I’d love to see that. The story of channel lock was amazing. I’m embarrassed to say, i called all slip joint pliers, “Channel lock”. 😬
What a fantastic looking water heater you saw on eBay. The embossing on the shell. Amazing !! ( when we built things!) and I agree with you 100% on the channellocks. For the price and overall performance. They are perfect!
I have a pair of the 420's that I picked up recently at an estate sale for $1. One of the best buys I ever made. They cleaned up nicely and I use them all the time. Only difference from yours is that mine have a "BH" marking on the handle instead of the "AK".
That water heater was awesome! Also, I liked how those Channel-locks turned out. I have a old set my dad had and they are my go to pliers. I also have some I won’t mention the name (Stanley) that are junk ! I have tried to do something with them several times but never could. Anyway, great video. Thank You for sharing!
That thing has some nice overtones! Tough to tell if it was in the key of D or G!😁 Either way, great tool and a fantastic resto. Have a fantastic 1st weekend in December!
Yeah, I'm afraid you gotta get that water heater. If you don't, it'll haunt you (and us). BTW, I found the perfect compromise for Knipex vs Channel Lock. I put Knipex on my Amazon wish list, and let other people buy them. ;)
John, it's funny but when I was younger, we always called Channel lock pliers "water pump pliers". I own several small to large and use every day. The box style like Knipex and Irwin/Vise Grip are ok but too many notches to choose from most of the time. I have a couple of the Vise Grip ones and last year bought an 8" and 10" Doyle at HF and they are identical to the Knipex except for the handle color and branding. George
Wow! That is an amazing old water heater! Especially since it is an "instantaneous" water heater! I thought that was a relatively recent/new concept! Who new?
Great video 👍Great information on the history of Channellock pliers. I like the collection of pliers you showed on your video especially the vice grip pliers even though they are not made in U.S.🇺🇸. Some are made in 🇹🇼 Taiwan . I think overall they are pretty decent. The knipex 10 inch pliers are awesome!They will bite down and really grip to get a bolt off. They have came down in price to around $30.00 on Amazon& about $36.00 at Lowe’s. But I still find myself grabbing for my Channellock 420 or 430 pliers because that was what I used for work in the electrical field and all the professional electricians had them and told me at the time that I needed them and I never turned back. They have served me well,great pliers. I think you did a fantastic job 👍on those classic USA 🇺🇸 Channellock 420 pliers. They look like they came out of one of those cardboard boxes 📦 they used back in the day. I have a pair of those Channellock 430x pliers and even though they are made in U.S.A. 🇺🇸 they do not have that feel in the hand like the classic 430 Channellocks. Now the cross hatched teeth are really nice but, that feel in the hand with their handles not a fan of ,but I am trying to give them a chance 😂.Well again great video and you have a wonderful weekend! 😀👍👍
I'm a professional plumber and have been for years. Original Channellock is the only one I use. I have several sets. The other brands are either over priced , or cheap made garbage, Just because a Tool says Professional doesn't mean Professionals use them. They are usually just a Fad or As seen on TV that tries to trick people into spending too much money for cheap tools that don't last.
Haha, in the 1970s while in the Navy I got stationed in Maryland. The apt I rented had the owner right next door. When I needed some tools, as I had none, he gave me a pair of those type channel-locks, plus 2 old screwdrivers, a flat & a Philips, a regular pliers and a hammer. I used just those tools through the 70s to do everything, even changing oil on the car. Then I got a nice tool set. I still have all but the hammer and use them all the time. They are in a kitchen drawer.😄
Hello! New subscriber here. I stumbled onto your channel a few days ago and I don't know how this has "flown under my radar" for so long. This channel is fantastic! I have been in "catch-up mode" binge watching all your old videos for hours each day. I love your enthusiasm for quality. I was wondering, how do you find out about all these tool shows & flea markets? I live in Connecticut and noticed you attending some shows right in my own backyard that I didn't even know existed! 🤦♂️ I am definitely going to make an effort to attend as many CT tool shows as I can now that I know they are here. Thanks for all the effort you put into your channel! 👍
Hello and Welcome! The show season starts in the Spring. Save your money because there are tons of great things to buy! 😃👍 I’m so glad you are enjoying the channel and if ever you have a question just ask me in the comments of the most current video. Hope to bump into you soon! All the best! 😃👍
Hi Scout , Cool Water Heater . I Love My Channellocks ! Great Tools . Been Using Them Since I was A Teenager . Right Still USA Made. Along With Kliens , Williams and Wright Tools.
Get the Ruud. Do a series of videos on it. "Hi Scoutcrafter here, TGIF made it through another week. This week's episode of the Ruud is. . . " among other things on that weeks agenda. 👍 Nat gas cheaper than oil there? Only used as when needed. Cost analysis? In Fl, mine is electric. Set at 120°F. On timer. Powered only 8 hrs a day in summer. 12 hrs in 4-5 colder months. Proper maintenance, 20 yrs easy. Oil is only to go up in $$$. // pliers came out great! Yea!
Been looking for the book "Dictionary of American hand tools". there usually sold out or to expensive I'm to Frugal (Cheap) Found one they missed my discount of $5.00 so I let it go. I can't stand it will have to go back and purchase it. thank you for showing it, I think. eagle
My Channel Lock pliers are one of the more frequently used shop tools I own. I have them in several sizes and find them very useful. My late father called them "water pump" pliers because back in the day one of their uses was to tighten the packing nut on car water pumps so the packing material would keep the pump from leaking and gradually emptying the cooling system. I still have his Channel Locks.
I had a set of the 420s when I first got into the trade then switched to the knipex, I prefer the knipex but for the price the channel locks work great. I have several sets at home that get used frequently.
I was just at an antique shop yesterday where they had a big storage tub full of tools. $1 per tool! I could not pass it by without looking. I picked 11 tools including 2 channellock brand tools! A slipjont and needlenose pliers.
@@ScoutCrafter I am sure there are deals to be found everywhere, you just need to keep an aye out for the opportunities and have the patience to wait for them! 👍😁👍
That heater is great! I need a new one now, your not kidding about the warrentee. We have very hard water and ours literally fills up with a white calcium paste! So now it takes a water softener to get hot water too. You cant win anymore!
I think the water heater restored and used in your home would greatly compliment your push clipper lawn mower. Your home would make a fantastic museum.
Hi Scout, you mentioned that good quality American steel is used to make Cannelocks rather than recycled steel. There is no problem using recycled steel as once it’s all melted together it becomes more or less new steel again. The difference with American and British steel is the way it’s produced. Temperature needs to be closely monitored and the carbon content needs to be at around 1%. Then expensive elements like tungsten, chromium, vanadium and molybdenum need to be added in precise amounts. Getting all this correct in a huge cauldron of molten metal is a science in itself and this is just to produce the high quality steel in the first place, then the tool manufacturers have to use precise methods to harden and temper their products. It’s these reasons, and not so much cheap wages, that quality American and British steels are expensive compared to imported steels. I like to buy older tools that were made before the cheap imports arrived. Back then quality was the most important factor not price. Great video as usual my friend. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺
Stuart- Making quality steel is a real Science. Unlike recycling Aluminum steel has lots of steps in both composition and tempering. Many companies have tried to replicate the process but can’t. The problem with recycled steel is if the steel was flawed that gets recycled it’s difficult to purify the new batch. When you start with pure ingredients there are no contaminants to begin with. That’s why they are paying top dollar for WW1 steel. 😃👍
That Andy m gets everywhere , Charlotte dobre and now scoutcrafter .... Love that cold water heater ..... Great sound to the channel locks , only you John only you , maybe a Christmas tube like those wrenches but from channel locks and crow bars this year ? Channel lock makes sense now !! Love em !!
well, I searched and searched, till the end and no "Snoop", so I backtrack and there he was perched above your head from the get go...hope you and your critters are doing well, icy and a little snow here in "Freeattle"
I remember the old water heater shown on a smaller scale in out house in the city , Dad called it a side arm or a side man heater, it fed into a galvanized uninsulated holding tank. I recently saw one restored at Lehmans Hardware in Kidron Ohio. Being Amish country does one think of a connection that it has no electrical controls?
After 30+ years as a Plumber, I have yet to find a need for a "hot" water heater. Ill stick with a regular water heater, LOL As a Plumber I still have my first pair of 420s as well as some 480s which double as a weapon and a ton of other channel lock brand pliers, I also have a Bahco set of box type with very narrow jaws that come in handy for some faucet repairs,
The hot water heater looks a fair bit like the whole house wood furnace at my grandpa's cabin near Canada. It had on it that it came from Minneapolis, MN so I used to bask in its warmth and imagine how it probably came by train most of the way and that last 50 miles on a horse drawn wagon. The thing was so massive you could take 2-3 armfuls of wood from the crooks' of your elbows to just under your chin and it would only barely fill it halfway!
My dad always called them water pump pliers. Every time he said "water pump pliers" I knew a specific pair he wanted. I'd fetch the 16" green handle DIAMOND brand pair. They belonged to his father in the 50's. I still use them occasionally.
I just posted a very similar story. Waterpump pliers, in my 20s I would say Waterpump pliers and I would get stared at as if I had bugs crawling out of my ears.
You know you want it. Think about the cool videos and think about seeing it everyday after you restore it. That water heater is awesome.
I love old cast iron stuff, that antique water heater was really neat.
Can’t wait to see the episode of that hot water heater restoration. Lol.
Channel Locks are a Great tool!
Channellock makes Channellock pliers in both straight jaw and V jaw similar to Vise-Grip Pliers having straight and curved jaws. Below is a listing of the straight and V jaw pliers which come in the same length (there are more lengths of straight jaws than V jaws).
6.5” - Straight Jaw: Model 426; V Jaw: Model 412
9.5” - Straight Jaw: Model 420; V Jaw: Model 422
10” - Straight Jaw: Model 430; V Jaw: Model 432
12” - Straight Jaw: Model 440; V Jaw: Model 442
The V jaws work well on pipes and hose fittings since the V jaws grip on four points instead of two or three for straight jaw Channellocks.
Channellock also makes a plier that is similar to the parrot head but in a traditional Channellock called a Griplock. It is worth getting a copy of their catalog on their website (a pdf file).
Catus Maximus has a video that discusses the different styles of channellocks titled “ChannelLock Tongue & Groove Pliers Review & Comparison” which is where I found out about the V jaw pliers.
Great info! Thanks! 😃👍
Great product Channellock.....one of my go to tools .. favorite is parrot jaw. Great design ..Super form made a great design also
I LIKE the Ruud heater! Bet it'd work just FINE after you got through with it! We have a RUUD heat pump since 05 and have replaced one fan motor and nothing since I built a roof over it to keep the rain and ice out of it. Also have tried other pliers and if I need anything HELD, I either use a Rigid pipe wrench or old style Chanel-locks. Blessed with another week so God Bless YOU, you silly Scout Crafter You!
No shade tree mechanic would be caught dead without a pair or two of Channellocks in their toolbox. You may mess up a bolt or nut to get home but they’ll get you there, and I speak from experience, too many actually. Our hot water heater is a GE heat pump type, it works very well and dehumifies our laundry room at the same time. Sadly one year after we purchased it GE shut down their Louisville operation and sold off manufacturing to Bradford White, so parts and service are still available. That Rudd however, once reconditioned will probably be heating water 100 years later, just a beautiful piece of hardware.
That Rudd water heater would look great restored, and you're just the person to do it.. Another great video S.C.. Take care my friend...
Great story on the Channel-Lock Company. A classic tale of inventing a tool and building a company around it. You have to give them heaps of credit for maintaining their level of quality while keeping costs down in today's economy. Of course I have several pairs of them laying around here somewhere.... I find the smaller sizes to be especially handy at times... They also make one of the most efficient oil filter removal tools I have ever seen..
The RUUD water heater should be a priority for you... That thing is going to be a real monster once it is refurbished. It will probably run for another hundred years. With some metal polish and a bit of paint, the water heater should be a centerpiece for any home...and next Spring, when you can turn off the heater, it will continue to provide hot water without firing the old furnace... You'll love it.
I have always liked those old water heaters. Probably because I'm a plumber , I always thought it would be a great piece for the shop. I have only see a couple of them ever in the wild. Channellock's are great as well. There are not very many American tool companies left.
Greetings from New Zealand - we have those early failing steel hot water heaters here too. We also have the somewhat more sensible copper ones. Mine died finally this year - at 62 years old. Needless to say its replacement is also copper.
And I have a couple of pairs of good channel lock pipe wrenches in my van.
Love the hot water heater!! It reminds me of one my Scout troop used in camp! We took a beer keg and put a spigot on it and a copper coil that we would put over the campfire. Five gallons of hot water no problem!!
That Ruud water heater is amazing! (BTW, it's pronounced Rude) That would be gorgeous restored!
I love the Channel Locks. I needed more bite and recently got a 16" Craftsman pair. No complaints
You are correct on a lot of Knipex pliers. You really need to be making money with them to justify the price, a good part of the time. However, just this year I bought a very specific pair for cutting plastic. It is worth the added expense, in some cases. In my case, I thought it was.
That stove looked awesome, I'd love to see one get the Scoutcrafter treatment, it's a shame everything today is built to be replaced !
I do love a Channellock and have a few, although they cost a little more here in the UK, I was fortunate enough to buy some Knipex "Alligator" pliers in a Boxing day sale at one of our big box stores (online) here in the uk a few years ago, I ordered 3 each of the 6, 8 & 10" they dropped the 8" but I still got 3 each of the 6 & 10" for £1 each (!) - these are normally £20+ here so a real bargain ! I also have a small pair of the Knipex Plier-Wrenches - expensive but amazing tools !
For personal reasons I particularly like the original Chanellocks with the dual branding !
I have used Channellock pliers for years and I have always found them to be easy to use, affordable and excellent quality. When I was working as a machine operator I used the originals like you restored and they worked great too. Thanks for sharing this.
It’s really amazing how the inventors of these pliers came up with mechanisms that can hold pipes and nuts so well. Looking at the teeth and their angle of how they are optimized to grip cylindrical objects. They are all very innovative. I’d like to hear a comparison ring of low quality steel to listen to the difference.
The old water heater is awesome. I got lucky, the house I just moved out of still had a working water heater that was made 26 years ago and in service for 24 and counting. I was thinking of charging people in the neighborhood to come look at it!
That water heater is AWESOME! Great job on the Channel Locks and great history lesson. 👍🏿
The 420s are my fav channel lock... and I have never know the slip joint pliers to be called anything other than channel lock🙂 I was...pretty old before I knew better..lol.. meant to say I enjoyed the poor man's rivet Wednesday and look forward to seeing more of the leather work you have up your sleeve.. I watch u on the picture box and forget to comment on videos sometimes.. anyways..have a great weekend Mr. John
That water heater looks absolutely amazing. I would display it in my living room if I had the room! Great resto job on the channellocks, they came out great. Thanks for sharing yet another awesome episode!
I have never had a water heater last for more than 8 years. I keep the bottom blown down to remove sediment. Once again you are correct !!!!
As an apprentice electrician, back in the early 70's, the main brand available over here, in England, were Diamalloy, so the name became the "standard" description, for these,,!!
(As in, pass me my Diamalloys,).. I still have maybe 4, from those days, in a couple of sizes,, and use them all the time,,
All the best,, John...
I have a couple of pairs of the those Irwin box design and I use them a lot. They would definitely be included in an emergency or automobile tool box. I also have a bunch of Channel Lock tools. I'm happy hear that they are still made here.
Beautiful job on the Channellocks and I love that old hot water heater. When we moved into our current house - it started life as a hunter's cabin back in the '30's - we found the original water heater in a corner of the basement that was fashioned from an old coal stove that had been wrapped with about 30 feet of 3/4" copper tubing. Needless to say we've upgraded a bit but that one you found on eBay would make for a great conversation starter and it probably has enough life still left in it for the next 50 years.
I have a #760 in my toolbox. I used them to remove bulkhead fuel filter bowls from a CH-46E.They worked like a champ and didn't destroy it. ECK USMC
Thanks for the video sir, found the Channel Lock history interesting, and the refurbishing of the 420 plier. Always fun to here the topics. The water heater issue, I just replaced a 25 year old water heater for my step daughter, biggest thing I have found with them is nobody flushes them out periodically to keep the lime build up down and if they have an anode rod, they need to be checked periodically also. I would love to get my hands on an old water heater like the one you found on eBay,be fun to set it up.
Another great video John. Great info, history and restoration. Exactly why we tune in.
This really psychs me up for Jacktown in the spring.
The secret to the water heater obsolence is to replace the anode every few years but since its often next to impossible due in part to size constrictions. And they're practically glued in. I've never even done one but I know they make designs that come in 3 pieces so they can fit in even tighter spots. I need to find a universal water heater socket as I have no idea what they are off the top of my head.
I actually had to but the right size real socket (also don't recall the size, but big) as the cheapo little pressed tin job was too whimpy, and use a breaker bar with a cheater pipe, and a buddy hanging onto the water heater, to get mine out. Since you mentioned it, I think I should probably do it again, been a while......
Awesome video as always! Thank you for the shout out. It is much appreciated. Yes, it does seem that since I first put up the review video, that they have improved them a bit!
Guaranteed they saw your video Scott! 😃👍
@@ScoutCrafter I hope so! That’s why we do these reviews.
It's a "yes" from me. I'm up for an antique water heater restoration 🙂
Just wanted to make sure I say, I love these videos they bring a lot of joy to a lot of people.
Thanks so very much!! 😃👍
That Ruud would be an excellent restoration for your channel! I once found a pair of small Channellocks in the drop ceiling in my office, while changing a fluorescent fixture. No one had been up in that part of the ceiling in since it had been remodeled 15 years before - the old maintenance guys were long gone, so it ended up in my tool box at work and I still use it today. Great restoration as usual.
The old historic water heater seems to be an interior part of the movie "Nautilus" What a great example of former craftsmenschip.
Definitely the coolest hot water heater I've ever seen!
John, i just got my 357 Magdad Ebay auction tool lot in the mail. Inside my lot was a 420 channel lock pliers just like the ones you just did. I cant wait to work on them. Thanks Magdad! 👍🇺🇸Roger
357 had some awesome auctions this year!!! 😃👍
My dad used to call these pliers "clams". I bought a set of the Lock Jaw type pliers from Craftsman 25 years ago and hated them. They worked when I tried them out on stuff. During practical application they stunk! They were tool box queens for many years until I sold them cheap.
Actually picking up that heater takes a very strong man I suppose 😂 It's a beauty, and a shame stuff isn't made that way anymore. I need to check out that pair of channelock I picked up this spring, I think it's very similar but I'm afraid it doesn't say dearmont. Thank you!!
That vintage Rudd water heater is neat.Good refurbish on te channellocks, cheers !
That water heater would be a top view video. Would be awesome.
That water heater is a beauty even if it doesn't work its well worth restoring just as a conversation piece.
That Water Heater is awesome! I do like the Channel Lock brand pliers!
Struggled with junk pliers for years. You popped open your tool box drawer about a year ago and I saw a glimpse of your channellocks. I bought a 10 piece vintage set off Ebay and they're my goto pliers. Just love em!
Steven- I have had most brands of pliers and in my opinion the entire line of Channellock products is awesome. I’m so glad you jumped on that set! Thanks! 😃👍
Hello Scout from Northern California....that RUUD water heater would be so awesome restored with your crafty talent! Please buy it (I didn't notice what the seller was asking for it), but if it's doable at all for you, I'd love to see it spruced up and making hot water for you. I'm a Channelock user for well over 50 years now, and my go to for most of the stuff I do is the big 20 inchers, man I love those things! My journeyman/boss whipped his set out on a nasty water heater take out one day, and I had a brand new set the next day....even on apprentice wages LOL You have a great channel my brother, thank you. Stew
Just snagged a pair from when they were 1st made. they're in great shape! Same with the teeth. Excellent! I'll enjoy cleaning them up and adding them to the collection 😎
I thought this would be just another restoration project. I enjoy restoration so I watched. Imagine my surprise when I found that, not only do you show a typical restoration (though much simplified) but to my surprise you included a wonderful history on the Channellock plier. What a treat! Sad to see you only had 8,100 thousand views and only 28,600 subscribers. If all your videos are this entertaining I was happy to add my name to your list of subs. Thanks for a very informative and entertaining video.
Cast iron and Cooper is a fantastic look. They really go well together. I'd love to have one just as a display piece. Have a great weekend everyone be safe out there 😺👍
My thoughts:
Yes to the Rudd. I’d love to see that.
The story of channel lock was amazing. I’m embarrassed to say, i called all slip joint pliers, “Channel lock”. 😬
That water heater is a piece of art! 🛠👍😊
What a fantastic looking water heater you saw on eBay. The embossing on the shell. Amazing !! ( when we built things!) and I agree with you 100% on the channellocks. For the price and overall performance. They are perfect!
That Ruud is a work of art!
I have a pair of the 420's that I picked up recently at an estate sale for $1. One of the best buys I ever made. They cleaned up nicely and I use them all the time. Only difference from yours is that mine have a "BH" marking on the handle instead of the "AK".
I wonder if those markings are date codes? 🤔😃👍
Restoring that water heater would be a helluva series…
That water heater was awesome! Also, I liked how those Channel-locks turned out. I have a old set my dad had and they are my go to pliers. I also have some I won’t mention the name (Stanley) that are junk ! I have tried to do something with them several times but never could. Anyway, great video. Thank You for sharing!
Channelock. I have 8 pair, and I'm not a collector. My favorite pliers
Another great video. I’m not sure if anyone else mentioned it, but calling it a hot water heater is a misnomer. It’s just a water heater 😂
I would donate to a fund to get you that water heater because I would love to see you bring it back to new. That would be an awesome project to watch.
That thing has some nice overtones! Tough to tell if it was in the key of D or G!😁 Either way, great tool and a fantastic resto. Have a fantastic 1st weekend in December!
Yeah, I'm afraid you gotta get that water heater. If you don't, it'll haunt you (and us).
BTW, I found the perfect compromise for Knipex vs Channel Lock. I put Knipex on my Amazon wish list, and let other people buy them. ;)
John, it's funny but when I was younger, we always called Channel lock pliers "water pump pliers". I own several small to large and use every day.
The box style like Knipex and Irwin/Vise Grip are ok but too many notches to choose from most of the time. I have a couple of the Vise Grip ones and last year bought an 8" and 10" Doyle at HF and they are identical to the Knipex except for the handle color and branding.
George
Wow! That is an amazing old water heater! Especially since it is an "instantaneous" water heater! I thought that was a relatively recent/new concept! Who new?
Great video 👍Great information on the history of Channellock pliers. I like the collection of pliers you showed on your video especially the vice grip pliers even though they are not made in U.S.🇺🇸. Some are made in 🇹🇼 Taiwan . I think overall they are pretty decent. The knipex 10 inch pliers are awesome!They will bite down and really grip to get a bolt off. They have came down in price to around $30.00 on Amazon& about $36.00 at Lowe’s. But I still find myself grabbing for my Channellock 420 or 430 pliers because that was what I used for work in the electrical field and all the professional electricians had them and told me at the time that I needed them and I never turned back. They have served me well,great pliers. I think you did a fantastic job 👍on those classic USA 🇺🇸 Channellock 420 pliers. They look like they came out of one of those cardboard boxes 📦 they used back in the day. I have a pair of those Channellock 430x pliers and even though they are made in U.S.A. 🇺🇸 they do not have that feel in the hand like the classic 430 Channellocks. Now the cross hatched teeth are really nice but, that feel in the hand with their handles not a fan of ,but I am trying to give them a chance 😂.Well again great video and you have a wonderful weekend! 😀👍👍
Steven- It’s funny how sometimes we have to get used to a tool. 😃👍
I'm a professional plumber and have been for years. Original Channellock is the only one I use. I have several sets. The other brands are either over priced , or cheap made garbage, Just because a Tool says Professional doesn't mean Professionals use them. They are usually just a Fad or As seen on TV that tries to trick people into spending too much money for cheap tools that don't last.
Ruud is pronounced the same as "rude". Ya gotta love Channellocks. 🥰
I found that out this morning when seeing a video on there products. 😂👍
Haha, in the 1970s while in the Navy I got stationed in Maryland. The apt I rented had the owner right next door. When I needed some tools, as I had none, he gave me a pair of those type channel-locks, plus 2 old screwdrivers, a flat & a Philips, a regular pliers and a hammer. I used just those tools through the 70s to do everything, even changing oil on the car. Then I got a nice tool set. I still have all but the hammer and use them all the time. They are in a kitchen drawer.😄
Hello! New subscriber here. I stumbled onto your channel a few days ago and I don't know how this has "flown under my radar" for so long. This channel is fantastic! I have been in "catch-up mode" binge watching all your old videos for hours each day. I love your enthusiasm for quality.
I was wondering, how do you find out about all these tool shows & flea markets? I live in Connecticut and noticed you attending some shows right in my own backyard that I didn't even know existed! 🤦♂️ I am definitely going to make an effort to attend as many CT tool shows as I can now that I know they are here. Thanks for all the effort you put into your channel! 👍
Hello and Welcome! The show season starts in the Spring. Save your money because there are tons of great things to buy! 😃👍 I’m so glad you are enjoying the channel and if ever you have a question just ask me in the comments of the most current video. Hope to bump into you soon! All the best! 😃👍
Hi Scout , Cool Water Heater . I Love My Channellocks ! Great Tools . Been Using Them Since I was A Teenager . Right Still USA Made. Along With Kliens , Williams and Wright Tools.
Those lock jaw pliers are pretty cool!
Get the Ruud. Do a series of videos on it. "Hi Scoutcrafter here, TGIF made it through another week. This week's episode of the Ruud is. . . " among other things on that weeks agenda. 👍
Nat gas cheaper than oil there? Only used as when needed. Cost analysis?
In Fl, mine is electric. Set at 120°F. On timer. Powered only 8 hrs a day in summer. 12 hrs in 4-5 colder months. Proper maintenance, 20 yrs easy.
Oil is only to go up in $$$. // pliers came out great! Yea!
Been looking for the book "Dictionary of American hand tools". there usually sold out or to expensive I'm to Frugal (Cheap) Found one they missed my discount of $5.00 so I let it go. I can't stand it will have to go back and purchase it. thank you for showing it, I think. eagle
Love those made in Pa Channellock tools.
The look of the water is awesome.
Enjoyed the show again today.
Have a Jesus filled day everyone
Greg in Michigan
HA!!!! Thanks for the SHOUT OUT!!!!!
My Channel Lock pliers are one of the more frequently used shop tools I own. I have them in several sizes and find them very useful. My late father called them "water pump" pliers because back in the day one of their uses was to tighten the packing nut on car water pumps so the packing material would keep the pump from leaking and gradually emptying the cooling system. I still have his Channel Locks.
I had a set of the 420s when I first got into the trade then switched to the knipex, I prefer the knipex but for the price the channel locks work great. I have several sets at home that get used frequently.
I was just at an antique shop yesterday where they had a big storage tub full of tools. $1 per tool! I could not pass it by without looking. I picked 11 tools including 2 channellock brand tools! A slipjont and needlenose pliers.
James- You always seem to get good deals in Ohio!!! 😃👍
@@ScoutCrafter I am sure there are deals to be found everywhere, you just need to keep an aye out for the opportunities and have the patience to wait for them! 👍😁👍
Fantastic history lesson I have a few channellock tools really great
Steel your so right great stuff god bless take care have a great weekend 🙏👍🦅🇺🇸🗽🇳🇿
Great video. I also love channel lock. That old water heater looks really cool. Have a great weekend. 👍❤..
That heater is great! I need a new one now, your not kidding about the warrentee. We have very hard water and ours literally fills up with a white calcium paste! So now it takes a water softener to get hot water too. You cant win anymore!
That water heater is incredible and would make a great project! Channel lock is a good company that makes good stuff. Take care. 😃👍🏼
if you have a problem getting Knipex to grip, turn them over so the teeth are in the correct "bite" position and they won't slip.
I think the water heater restored and used in your home would greatly compliment your push clipper lawn mower. Your home would make a fantastic museum.
Do it John!!!! Go get it and restore it!!!
Hi Scout, you mentioned that good quality American steel is used to make Cannelocks rather than recycled steel. There is no problem using recycled steel as once it’s all melted together it becomes more or less new steel again. The difference with American and British steel is the way it’s produced. Temperature needs to be closely monitored and the carbon content needs to be at around 1%. Then expensive elements like tungsten, chromium, vanadium and molybdenum need to be added in precise amounts. Getting all this correct in a huge cauldron of molten metal is a science in itself and this is just to produce the high quality steel in the first place, then the tool manufacturers have to use precise methods to harden and temper their products. It’s these reasons, and not so much cheap wages, that quality American and British steels are expensive compared to imported steels. I like to buy older tools that were made before the cheap imports arrived. Back then quality was the most important factor not price. Great video as usual my friend. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺
Stuart- Making quality steel is a real Science. Unlike recycling Aluminum steel has lots of steps in both composition and tempering. Many companies have tried to replicate the process but can’t. The problem with recycled steel is if the steel was flawed that gets recycled it’s difficult to purify the new batch. When you start with pure ingredients there are no contaminants to begin with. That’s why they are paying top dollar for WW1 steel. 😃👍
That Andy m gets everywhere , Charlotte dobre and now scoutcrafter .... Love that cold water heater ..... Great sound to the channel locks , only you John only you , maybe a Christmas tube like those wrenches but from channel locks and crow bars this year ? Channel lock makes sense now !! Love em !!
well, I searched and searched, till the end and no "Snoop", so I backtrack and there he was perched above your head from the get go...hope you and your critters are doing well, icy and a little snow here in "Freeattle"
Ruud and rheem hot water heaters, furnaces, A/C units are still quality in my opinion. I’ve had all of them trouble free for quite a while now.
Thanks John.
Great rant about water heaters gotta love that cast iron one wow I never saw anything like that as far as a water heater 😮
I remember the old water heater shown on a smaller scale in out house in the city , Dad called it a side arm or a side man heater, it fed into a galvanized uninsulated holding tank. I recently saw one restored at Lehmans Hardware in Kidron Ohio. Being Amish country does one think of a connection that it has no electrical controls?
I have a slip joint channel lock #460 pliers, they are great, I used them to remove fuel filter off ch-46 helicopters, Eck usmc
After 30+ years as a Plumber, I have yet to find a need for a "hot" water heater. Ill stick with a regular water heater, LOL As a Plumber I still have my first pair of 420s as well as some 480s which double as a weapon and a ton of other channel lock brand pliers, I also have a Bahco set of box type with very narrow jaws that come in handy for some faucet repairs,
The 480’s are Monsters! 😂👍
The hot water heater looks a fair bit like the whole house wood furnace at my grandpa's cabin near Canada. It had on it that it came from Minneapolis, MN so I used to bask in its warmth and imagine how it probably came by train most of the way and that last 50 miles on a horse drawn wagon.
The thing was so massive you could take 2-3 armfuls of wood from the crooks' of your elbows to just under your chin and it would only barely fill it halfway!
Would be an amazing project
I love that RUUD water heater!
GOTTA LOVE CHANNEL LOCKS, GOOD ONE, KEEP WELL...
I desperately need to see you restore that cast iron hot water heater!!
I would like to see you restore the hot water heater. Merry Christmas sir!
Everybody needs a pair of "water pump" pliers.