Unkown micrometer manufacturer

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

I have just bought a 0-0.5″ micrometer made by Osko. It came from Germany, I cannot find information on the internet about this make, There is only a crown on the frame no names to identify the micrometer. The box says it is a Osko micrometer but the micrometer is not an exact fit the box. Anyone seen this make of Micrometer.

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

I would say that is probably an American made micrometer or destined for USA. Graduated in 1/8th’s & 64th’s does not point to German origin. Could be Polish. Crown on body does not match up to logo on box. Cannot see OSKO on the mic’ body.

[Mark EasingwoodParticipant @markeasingwood33578]

The Crown looks like the Swedish Crown, as used on Swedish Timber, and other Swedish goods, might be a clue?

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Might it be a Brown & Sharpe made for export; the screw holding the fixed anvil does feature in several of theirs.

Unfortunately, one of the better resources for this sort of thing is now offline,
https://docplayer.net/41628763-An-incomplete-compendium-of-micrometers-and-their-makers-peter-marks-photos-copyright-their-respective-owners.html

There are 18 captures of it via Archive.org
e.g.

Their box linings are a different colour though.

Bill

[Hugh Stewart-Smith 1Participant @hughstewart-smith1]

TomK,

here is a link to the manufacturer of the micrometer:

Home

they are in Rajkot, Gujarat, India

Hugh                                                             Amadeal Ltd

 

[Chris KaminskiParticipant @chriskaminski64716]

West German tool marking:

[Hugh Stewart-Smith 1Participant @hughstewart-smith1]

Thanks for pointing that out Chris – I stand corrected!

Hugh                                               Amadeal Ltd

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

Hi

Just like to say thanks to all who replied to my query on this micrometer. Unfortunately the information that you have supplied  did not lead to any positive identification of the micrometer. I did contact  the seller but they were unable to supply any information as they had inherited the micrometer from a relations estate.

It’s still a mystery as to where it was made.

Thanks

Tom

[Tomk]

On Tomk Said:

Hi

Just like to say thanks to all who replied to my query on this micrometer. Unfortunately the information that you have supplied  did not lead to any positive identification of the micrometer….

It’s still a mystery as to where it was made.

Thanks

Tom

I’m not surprised – identifying micrometers can be difficult because so many were made by many different makers.   The basic design is 19th century, but early models weren’t particularly accurate because precision threads are hard to make cheaply.   Later, the Americans and Swiss came up a way of grinding them, so for about 20 years all good micrometers came from those countries.   During that time plenty of firms in Europe and Japan made similar looking but somewhat inferior instruments – ordinary threads.   After the Germans cracked the secret in the 1930’s, UK government paid Moore & Wright to buy the wherewithal from Switzerland.

By 1940 I believe all major manufacturing countries had the technology needed to make high-end micrometers, but there were still plenty of firms selling the ordinary type, and these can be made almost anywhere.

Germany is a likely source – desperate for foreign currency after both World Wars and in the East under communism, they manufactured lots of stuff for sale abroad, at any quality from tat to top of the range.   France and Belgium did so on a lesser scale, and probably Italy, Spain, and all the Middle-European countries too.  Unbranded production shifted later to the Far East, so Hong Kong, Taiwan or Japan are possible.   British is less likely, as are US and Swiss, all of these specialising in better made rather than economy.

Export models tend to be unbranded so retailers can label them locally.  Without markings, not easy to tell the difference between a well-made micrometer from a famous maker, an inexpensive version made less carefully by the same firm, or a low-end imitation knocked out in a shed by A.N.Other.   Metric and Imperial markings only show who the maker hoped to sell too.

Tom’s example might be high-end or not – have a look at the thread with a microscope.  Another clue, requiring a good gauge block set, not a rusty ebay bargain, is to check the calibration across the full range.   Should be very close and regular, although a good old micrometer might fail due to wear and tear.   Better made micrometers in good condition tend to have a silky smooth feel, though this disappears gradually with use.

Reckon a book could be written on micrometer makers and how to identify their products.

Dave

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Not much help but I have a 4″ 4 jaw chuck with a similar logo and no further markings:

I did wonder if it has anything to do with Windley Bros who have made surface plates and other metrology items at the Crown works for 120 years but I can find no sign that they used a crown as a logo.

Rod

[Roderick Jenkins]

On Roderick Jenkins Said:

…

 

I did wonder if it has anything to do with Windley Bros who have made surface plates and other metrology items at the Crown works for 120 years but I can find no sign that they used a crown as a logo.

Rod

I liked Windley, except they don’t seem to have made ordinary chucks!   The other turn-off is this example of a ‘Genuine Crown’ on ebay:

Has Rod’s Crown Trademark but I see it’s stamped ‘BRITISH MADE’ when the Windley and Crown Works both have English addresses.  They would have stamped their products ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’.

‘BRITISH MADE’ usually seems to mean Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, but might have stretched to Australia,  Canada, or even Hong Kong! The ‘MADE IN’ thing relates to tariffs and trade restrictions, mostly imposed in the first half of the 20th century.  Quite a lot of my Meccano collection is stamped “Fabrique en Angleterre“, even though mine was all sold in the UK!

Dave

 

[SillyOldDuffer]

On SillyOldDuffer Said:   I’m not surprised – identifying micrometers can be difficult because so many were made by many different makers.   The basic design is 19th century, but early models weren’t particularly accurate because precision threads are hard to make cheaply.   Later, the Americans and Swiss came up a way of grinding them, so for about 20 years all good micrometers came from those countries.   During that time plenty of firms in Europe and Japan made similar looking but somewhat inferior instruments – ordinary threads.   After the Germans cracked the secret in the 1930’s, UK government paid Moore & Wright to buy the wherewithal from Switzerland.…………….

Dave

There’s a bit about that in this recording of a lecture I attended at Kelham Island Museum a while ago, where there was a presentation by a curator from the Ken Hawley Trust

About 9 minutes in;

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

Listening to the video about the museum having around 200 micrometers. Attached picture is some of my collection of 20th century micrometers made before  1970

The ones shown are Moore and wright. All though some look the same they are all different models. Some are Imperial and some Metric. All of my micrometers work and can be used and are accurate.

Some of the differences can be:-

1. Anvil shape

2. Reading to  0.0001 of 1 inch or 0.001 mm use vernier scale

3. Material the anvil is made of, some have carbide anvil,

4. Ratchet Style or no ratchet.

5. Frame size

Have other makes such as Starrett, Brown and sharp, Mitutoyo and other Swiss makes.

I have not counted the full collection but it is around 150 and still growing

Tom

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Does this help answer the original question?

[bernard towers]

On bernard towers Said:

Does this help answer the original question?

Yes, by providing more clues.  The question hasn’t been answered yet.

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

HI

I have a update on the OSKO micrometer. I have acquired another OSKO  micrometer a 25-50mm. This one has the Germany engraved on it and the same crown mark. I have checked the accuracy of both micrometers. The half inch one is OK over the full range. The 25 -50 is not. 25-27 is OK but by 50mm there is an error of 0.02 mm. I looked at the threads on the spindle of 25-50 they have not been ground. So taking a guess that they could be from east Germany made during the Soviet Union era. Does anyone know of a East German company or if East German government used a crown mark on there products.

Tom

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

It doesn’t seem to help, but I was interested to see that both versions are identified as  Type No. 104

… the makings of a stock-control disaster ?

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Incidentally … the mighty Google image search finds nothing to match the specific Crown mark used by OSKO

MichaelG.

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[Martin Dilly 2Participant @martindilly2]

I’d have thought none of the East bloc manufacturers would have used a crown, if only for political reasons.

[Tomk]

On Tomk Said:

Does anyone know of a East German company or if East German government used a crown mark on there products.

Tom

 

 

Chris seemed pretty sure the trade mark on the box was West German from the ’60s
The stamping with the 1/32″ equivalents or the crown, doesn’t seem particularly high quality.
The 1 in the number 10 on the small mic’s thimble seems to be in a different font/size, more akin to a French written font with the rising tick/serif at the top; what does the 15 look like just out of curiosity?

Bill

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

The 1 in the number 10 on the small mic’s thimble seems to be in a different font/size, more akin to a French written font with the rising tick/serif at the top; what does the 15 look like just out of curiosity?

Bill

The font size for the 1 is a different size at the 10 and 15 on the thimble. All the other numbers are all the same size. The engraving on both mics is not the the best there looks like over stamps and misalignment  of the numbers.

Not sure if engraving  stamps have been used to mark them.

Tom

 

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Switched my browsers search region to Germany, and then looked for OSKO.

Possibly OSKO Gmbh of Winkelstraße 31, 48607 Ochtrup, near the Dutch border.

Tomk can translate the German, which seems to be about pottery, solar and recycling.  The firm dates back to 1750, so may have done light engineering.

My google-fu is weak at the best of times, doubly so in German, and the pesky search engine insists on returning hits on Mikroskop (ie microscope)

Dave

 

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I found that one last night, Dave  … but couldn’t see anything to substantiate that date of 1750 so [perhaps wrongly] presumed it to be a typo.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

OSKO 1750

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWS3OiAtKgg

.

 

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I did spend a couple of cups of coffee’s worth of time rooting through the EU trademarks list using screenshots, but didn’t get anywhere
https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/#/tmview

Still curious about the earlier comment re the chap with the spade being west German.

Bill

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