Plomb/Proto Tools

[Muddy]

Anyone know more on what happened that Plomb turned to Proto? I believe it was discussed on the forum years ago but I can't remember.

[j.a.f.e.]

The quick version is Plomb was sued by Fayette R. Plumb, Inc. for trademark infringement. 

Plumb made hammers and when Plomb started to is when the trouble began if memory serves.

There was a year I think 48 or 49 when Plomb tools were double branded Plomb and Proto and those are usually considered very desirable tools.

[GENEG]

The Plumb company (hammers) & the Plomb company (hand tools) coexisted for years.  The understanding was that Plomb wouldn't make hammers.  In 48 or 49 Plumb sued Plomb for name copyright or trademark issues.  Plomb lost & changed their name to Proto.  Some 49 tools were marked with both names...

[GENEG]

J.A.F.E. typed faster than me

[GENEG]

I do have a Ranger ball pein with the PLOMB logo- so I assume it is prior to 49.  I think PLOMB made body hammers, but nothing else while the "understanding" was in effect.  The Plumb lawsuit was unwarranted.  PLOMB was actually a proper name & existed first if I remember correctly.
No wrenches are better looking than the PLOMB pebble finish ones!

[fatfillup]

The above info is how I heard it with minor exception on dates.  Don't know if I am correct or not.  Lawsuit was filed in 1946 and tools were dual branded in 1948.  I have a dual branded 18-inch adjustable wrench that works as smooth as can be.

[GENEG]

info from ALLOY-ARTIFACTS http://alloy-artifacts.org/plomb-tool.html


"Trademark Problems
In 1946 Plomb ran into an odd problem: it was sued for trademark infringement by Fayette R. Plumb, Inc., a company making hammers and other striking tools. According to an article in the December 6, 1948 issue of Time magazine, the roots of the dispute went back to 1926, when Plumb objected to an attempt to register Plomb as a trademark. Apparently the companies negotiated an agreement at the earlier time, but later actions by Plomb were deemed to violate the terms.

The Change to Proto
As a result of this trademark dispute, Plomb was required to change the brand name marked on their tools, and chose "PROTO" (from "PROfessional TOols") as the new name. In 1948 Plomb started marking tools with the "PROTO" mark (this time making sure to register the trademark), and by 1950 the Plomb name had disappeared from its tools.

Although this forced name change may have been a nuisance at the time, the company itself was largely unaffected. Plomb continued operating as the Plomb Tool Company for a number of years after 1950, making the same tool models to the same specifications as it had before, but now marked "Proto Los Angeles"."

[Hickory n Steel]

I do have a Ranger ball pein with the PLOMB logo- so I assume it is prior to 49.  I think PLOMB made body hammers, but nothing else while the "understanding" was in effect.  The Plumb lawsuit was unwarranted.  PLOMB was actually a proper name & existed first if I remember correctly.
No wrenches are better looking than the PLOMB pebble finish ones!

As far as I know Plumb was around longer.

J.Yerkes had a tool works that was already established by the 1860's, and sometime in this decade Fayette Plumb had partnered with him before buying the tool works out entirely a short time after.
I believe Plumb who made axes more than anything had been in full swing by the 1870's using their anchor logo.

It's funny to see that PROTO is still going strong still manufacturing their ubiquitous ratchets that go back to the PLOMB days, while PLUMB is basically dead

They were absorbed by Cooper industries decades ago, and are now just a name used on imported hammers that can sometimes be found at independent local hardware stores.
Even as just a brand name they no longer have any significance.
No marketing, no new tool introduction...etc, they are just a name no longer talked about or seen.

I guess that's actually a good thing, because now when people hear the PLUMB name or discuss it, it will almost exclusively be the golden era when they were making some of the finest axes money could buy.

[j.a.f.e.]

<snip> PLOMB was actually a proper name & existed first if I remember correctly. <snip>

I also recall Plomb as a company was around first.

[Uncle Buck]

<snip> PLOMB was actually a proper name & existed first if I remember correctly. <snip>

I also recall Plomb as a company was around first.

Hopefully i am not misunderstanding, but Plumb hammer/axes company was in business several decades before the Plomb mechanic tools company showed up.

[Hickory n Steel]

<snip> PLOMB was actually a proper name & existed first if I remember correctly. <snip>

I also recall Plomb as a company was around first.

Hopefully i am not misunderstanding, but Plumb hammer/axes company was in business several decades before the Plomb mechanic tools company showed up.

a decade or two I believe.

[j.a.f.e.]

Hopefully i am not misunderstanding, but Plumb hammer/axes company was in business several decades before the Plomb mechanic tools company showed up.

You are correct - I looked it up.

Alphonse Plomb, Jacob Weninger, and Charles Williams formed A plomb in 1907, in 1917 Plomb left and John Pendelton joined the remaining partnership the company then becomming Plomb Tool Manufacturing Company.


Fayette Plumb and Jonathan Yerkes formed a parnership in 1869 as Yerkes & Plumb. In 1886 Yerkes retired and Plumb bought his shares. By 1888 the name was changed to just Plumb.
So Plumb in some form was around almost 40 years before any form of Plomb.

[Uncle Buck]

I have always preferred Plumb hammers, even as a kid when I knew nothing about tools. The very first, and one of the few hammers I bought new was a Plumb wood handle ball peen. I have acquired several others through the years, plus hatchets and an axe or two.

[Hickory n Steel]

Just because it's semi related, here is my J Yerkes 1lb belt axe.
 Forged on December 23 1864.


I have a Cooper era 20oz framer with a red fiberglass handle that belonged to my grandfather,but my all of my Vaughan #999's blow it out of the water
I keep it around because my grandfather built my toy box with it but as a tool I hate it.
If the head itself were marked at all I'd drill out that horrible fiberglass handle and replace it with a proper handle made of hickory.

[Uncle Buck]

Just because it's semi related, here is my J Yerkes 1lb belt axe.
 Forged on December 23 1864.


I have a Cooper era 20oz framer with a red fiberglass handle that belonged to my grandfather,but my all of my Vaughan #999's blow it out of the water
I keep it around because my grandfather built my toy box with it but as a tool I hate it.
If the head itself were marked at all I'd drill out that horrible fiberglass handle and replace it with a proper handle made of hickory.

Nice looking hatchets. That handle looks  like it's begging for linseed oil!