The Stillson Pipe Wrench - History & Lore

[@johnmote1137]

Can't tell you how much I enjoy your tool histories. Always informative and always a bit humorous.

[@ballinator]

Thanks! Glad you're getting the humor.

[@theodorgiosan2570]

I do HVAC repair specializing in steam systems, and I still use many of these Stillson wrenches. I have them in sizes 6" through 32". They are very inexpensive at antique stores and yard sales, and do an incredible job screwing iron pipe. The jaws on the larger wrenches open further than most of the modern ones. The company that made these, Walworth, also made radiators out of wrought iron pipe with cast iron bases and tops in the 1800s. I have one as part of the heating system in my own house. I also have two more modern Walworth 2 inch gate valves at the boiler, both built in 1989. Walworth is still around to this day.

[@JohnCorbet-w4g]

Your channel is one of my favorites. Don't ever stop. Pssst. Someone in sunglasses was poking around my tools and asked if I was subscribed to that 'Ballinator' guys channel. I denied everything and cleared my browser history!

[@ballinator]

LOL. Thanks, man!

[@bestfriendhank1424]

When I was a young lad, I couldn’t get the cap on a bottle of vanilla flavored Dr. McGillicuddy’s off by hand. So, I used a pipe wrench. It got the cap unscrewed, but it also destroyed the glass bottle neck. True story.

[@petersipp5247]

I have a 24" Stillison pipe wrench, Walworth is cast in the handle. It has helped me run many hundreds of feet of threaded pipe...with no leaks. It is light, more so than a 24" Ridgid. It has two springs. I bought it in about 1980. I have taken good care of it, clean the jaws, WD40 inside the nut. Never used a "cheater pipe" on it. Handle is straight and true. Great tool.

[@ballinator]

Very cool!

[@fourbanger]

Top notch production..... Thanks for the history lesson

[@ballinator]

You're welcome! Thanks for the encouragement.

[@ms1250-t7r]

Great history - hard to imagine a major corporation today forgoing outright purchase of a promising patent in favor of ongoing royalties because it would make the inventor more over time. It tells you how much respect the Walworths had for Stillson. I have one of the "old style" wrenches and it's still going - got it at a flea market, no idea how old it is. They aren't just good for pipes - the smaller wrenches are great for removing broken/rounded off bolts or studs as well as bending hot steel.

[@ballinator]

Yeah, I was surprised about that part too. One source said he initially asked for $1,500 cash. If true he ended up making 70 times that over time.

[@louisriverin2295]

Thank you !!! 👍

[@ballinator]

You're welcome!

[@MarkPorter-oo4xv]

Another awesome video 👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@ballinator]

Thanks, man!

[@rawbacon]

Santa never brought me a Coes or a Stillson.🎅

[@branned]

Love the channel. I need to go check my wall hangers and see which versions I own😉😉

[@hansnoeldner1861]

Thanks for another great tool lore episode! I have to say that not seeing you pop open a can of B vitamin supplements got me worried, but apparently you survived...

[@h.mandelene3279]

This happened to many brands. "Escalator" was a registered trademark but lost for this reason.

[@warrenjones744]

"Snap-On Supremacist Militia" How apt! great job Ball

[@ballinator]

Thanks!

[@jeffmoss26]

These are so good

[@hansnoeldner1861]

Thanks!

[@ballinator]

You're welcome. Thank You!

[@mattk04]

Informative video, thank you. The best part? Mickeys Big Mouth @6:27!

[@ballinator]

You're welcome! Thanks for noticing that.

[@danohstoolbox]

great video as always 😂😅😊❤

[@ballinator]

Thanks!

[@ahobimo732]

I often use a pipe wrench to open those little cans of PVC or ABS cement that practically weld themselves shut after a couple uses.

[@paulhunt598]

Fun episode and informative. I abandoned the Stillson design in favor of Ridgid wrenched over 40 years ago. I keep a pair of "restored" Trimco 24" pipe wrenches for sentimental reasons. One was my first 24" wrench and the older version belonged to my grandfather. I have never tried the Knipex approach to pipe wrenches. They just look too weird to me. I can't convince myself that Knipex Cobra or Alligator pliers are viable pipe wrench alternatives either, even though I have many of each design. Some folks still embrace the Stillson design as a viable tool, but I don't care much for the design. I bet they were novel when introduced and highly regarded.

[@ballinator]

Thanks! Yeah I tried using the Knipex on pipe, you still have to maintain a grip on the handles to get it to hold on. There's also that 'swedish' style one where it looks like a vise-grip combined with a pipe wrench. I haven't tried those yet.

[@cougarhunter33]

I see Stillson wrenches all the time at estate sales. I mainly leave them behind for one reason - no hole in the handle for hanging.

[@ballinator]

Hang from the upper jaw? It looks weird when you have one wrench in the row hanging upside down, but it works.

[@1pcfred]

I don't know if I have a genuine Stillson pipe wrench. I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for one now. I'm pretty set on pipe wrenches as far as users go. There is the collecting aspect to consider too though.

[@ballinator]

Yeah, I hardly ever do plumbing work, but still been piecing together sets of the different styles of wrenches.

[@1pcfred]

@@ballinator I'm not plumbing on a regular basis either. I just had a small plumbing victory here not too long ago though. It was more of a fail that I turned around into success eventually. So far so good with my fix too. Knock on wood. I think the worst part about plumbing is usually the contortionist act it takes to access the stuff. It's rarely in a convenient location. At least that's been my experience. Even the classic under the sink is a pain in the back to get to.

[@davidgold5961]

1:58 great video but the White House illustration is incorrect. You are showing it with the Truman Balcony installed, which was not done until the 1950s. Otherwise good job.

[@ballinator]

Interesting. I'll have to spend some time reading about the history of that building.

[@P_RO_]

I've thought about starting a town called "Laylow" as it seems a lot of people might go there, but as poor as I am it's only a pipe dream 🤣 In my younger days I remember seeing Stillson type wrenches and being told they were junk. Everyone used Rigid with the cast handle. It made for a better hammer too. I still have one i my plumbing bag since I occasionally deal with galvanized water pipes and sometimes the pipe pliers ain't enough.

[@kkarllwt]

I clean up, paint and repair pipe wrenches, I tell people that if they just need a good wrench for the house, One they may use once a year, the stilson style is just fine. I keep a 24 inch one by my vise for when I need to 'adjust' something. Or, loosen almost anything.

[@fastbusiness]

The Mexican pipe wrench cartel will back off once they learn that they are dealing with the original and most notorious Ballinator "ballbuster" cartel. 😂

[@asbestosfiber]

Aspirin used to belong to the Bayer company

[@ballinator]

Interesting.

[@alan-sk7ky]

Does this mean, that americans will now start calling them 'Stillsons'

[@ballinator]

When I was a kid the old-timers always called them Stillsons. Not sure when it dropped out of the vernacular.

[@JohnSmith-yl6dn]

Yeah, you might need to find a safe house. Maybe the witness protection program. You gotta stay on the down low.

[@JohnSmith-yl6dn]

😂

[@CandidZulu]

That frame looks like a weak link.

[@ballinator]

It could be. I've never seen one break there though.

[@CandidZulu]

@@ballinator Good forgings of more expensive steel will compensate for shortcomings in design. Awesome channel btw!

[@ballinator]

@@CandidZulu Thanks!