Unkown micrometer manufacturer

[peak4]

On peak4 Said:

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

 

Me too, Bill

MichaelG.

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[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

..sure it’s not a plumb-bob..?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Could well be _ but Google Lens doesn’t recognise it.

MichaelG.

[Chris KaminskiParticipant @chriskaminski64716]

http://sharky-fourbees.blogspot.com/2015/10/bundeswehr-klapspaten-west-german-army.html?m=1

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks, Chris !!

… So much for Google Lens

🙁

MichaelG.

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said

so much for Google Lens

🙁

MichaelG.

try it again, but without “trade mark”  text

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Same set of rubbish results

MichaelG.

.

Feel free to try it yourself:

[Ches Green UKParticipant @chesgreenuk]

From the Comments on the link Chris provided I noticed this comment…

“Mookster53January 22, 2017 at 4:55 AM
I got one while stationed in Germany. It is a used 1965 in good condition. It has “Setzer” hand written on one of the straps. It’s amazing how well designed and built these are.”

So I searched for ‘setzer’, eventually finding the German Grube company who, amongst other things, make shovels …https://www.grube.eu/p/round-shovel-model-halle/P67-060/?q=shovel#itemId=67-060

It uses the symbol with the word ‘ideal’. Is it some kind of Quality mark?

Ches

[Chris Kaminski]

On Chris Kaminski Said:

On Michael Gilligan Said

so much for Google Lens

🙁

MichaelG.

try it again, but without “trade mark”  text

Didn’t work for me and I removed the dimples to sharpen the edges, thus:

Chris has the magic touch, finding the logo on a West German entrenching tool.

He was right in #774431 though I missed it!

Definitely West German, pre-unification, because it has a NATO Stock Number (5120-12-1211532)   ISO Group’s website doesn’t identify the manufacturer, but another might.  Researching ‘SPATEN, MEHRZWECK’ might reveal more too.

Anyway, we now know  the trade-mark was current in 1965.  Mysterious OSKO was a West German manufacturer of micrometers and military grade shovels and probably much else.  Probably disappeared after becoming unprofitable or merging with a larger firm who didn’t use the old name or trade-mark.  Dunno.

Judging by the spade in the trade-mark, the firm majored in hand-tools, suggesting micrometers were a side-line.  Could be cheap and cheerful or posh.

Be interesting to have TomK’s collection calibrated.     He said: ‘All of my micrometers work and can be used and are accurate.‘   But without calibrating them no-one knows how accurate they are!  May not matter – a collection of micrometers bought for fun and interest don’t have to be accurate at all.

As Tomk’s collection is a pre-loved mix of micrometers of unknown quality from different sources, there must be inconsistencies due to wear, damage, or cost-cutting manufacture.  Accuracy declines with age; it depends on how good the thread was new and on how worn it is now.  No micrometer is accurate after being dropped on a  concrete floor!

My guess is the collection are all accurate in the ±0.003″ region, with many good to ±0.001″, and a few even better.   For ordinary working ±0.003″ accuracy is often ‘good enough’, but not for making exchangeable parts, and unacceptable in a tool-room!

Calibrating micrometers isn’t easy, especially to better than 1 thou.  Needs a set of gauge blocks in top condition, ideally calibrated themselves, a temperature controlled room, a magnifying glass,  good feel for the instrument, and several meticulous repeat readings of each step across the scale.  Lots of tedious averaging and the record keeping has to be strictly honest.

Fortunately I work almost entirely up to the  ±0.02mm/1 thou, mostly below, and way below tool-room standards. Most of my measuring is done with a digital caliper and the micrometer only comes out on special occasions.   Trusted because it’s new, been mollycoddled, and I checked against a set of parallels.   Though the measurements aren’t tenths accurate, the micrometer correctly detects the parallels aren’t quite consistent.  My digital calipers all say the parallels are perfect because they aren’t accurate enough to pick up the errors.

Back to tracing OSKO though, I think a German speaker living in Germany is needed.

Dave

 

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Just for completeness … here’s the one from the shovel [ready for processing]

MichaelG.

.

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

Same set of rubbish results

MichaelG.

sometimes you need to help google

that’s how I found mine:

[peak4Participant @peak4]

By coincidence, I have a apparently identical entrenching tool and case, but with no markings at all, so maybe they were made to a set specification by several manufacturers.
I also have a single sided one stamped “Made in GDR” in a green Strichtarn rubberised canvas case.

For anyone interested, see this current ebay Item
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196934742711

Bill

[Chris Kaminski]

On Chris Kaminski Said:

On Michael Gilligan Said:

Same set of rubbish results

MichaelG.

sometimes you need to help google

that’s how I found mine:

 

Well done, Chris … but doesn’t that rather pre-suppose that you already know what you are looking-for ?

… it still doesn’t find the micrometers.

MichaelG.

[Chris KaminskiParticipant @chriskaminski64716]

Well done, Chris … but doesn’t that rather pre-suppose that you already know what you are looking-for ?

… it still doesn’t find the micrometers.

MichaelG.

Indeed it does, but…

it was a fair guess that we were talking about German tool, and well worth trying

yes, it doesn’t find the micrometers, but it finds a logo (as used by some FRG company?)

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Now this is great fun … I just tried chatGPT

Here are my questions, each of which received its conversational reply

1. osko micrometer
2. No thank you … I would like to know specifically about the osko company
3. osko trade mark also appears on a German entrenching tool
4. Very helpful, thank you.

I am really rather impressed.

MichaelG.

 

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

Whatever the history / time-frame of the trade-mark, the cases shown in the earlier photos look to be very clean and new.

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

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

MichaelG.

.

hate to do it again 🙂

search for German Imperial (State) Crown,

for example:

and a  really nice one from German WW1 bayonet

all distinctly different to British examples

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

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

MichaelG.

.

Nice try, Chris … but ^^^

MichaelG.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

I wouldn’t read too much into Crown symbols; very widely used for everything from royal houses to Christmas hats of the cheapest possible construction.

Here’s Ubuntu’s current icon:

Ubuntu is a LInux operating system.  The word is Zulu and means freedom.  The company is British, but registered in the Isle of Man.  I thought the crown might refer to King Charles III.  It doesn’t, look closely at the animals!

Ubuntu explain: ‘The numbat, a small enigmatic marsupial from Australia may not be the first creature that comes to mind when one ponders nobility. However, looks can be deceiving. These incredible and endangered species are actually pocket size anteaters which live purely on ants that they catch with a tongue a third the length of their body. With a back of black and white stripes much like a kingly robe, they were elected as the state animal emblem of Western Australia. The numbat is a testament that those from humble beginnings can make their mark on the world.‘

Obvious innit!

🙂

Dave

[SillyOldDuffer]

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

….. The word is Zulu and means freedom.  …

Err, no it doesn’t, ubuntu means ‘humanity’. 😉

Rob

[Grindstone Cowboy]

On Grindstone Cowboy Said:

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

….. The word is Zulu and means freedom.  …

Err, no it doesn’t, ubuntu means ‘humanity’. 😉

Rob

Now that’s odd because I looked it up in Linux-land to check!  Now of course, I can’t find the reference.   Humanity is much closer to the African meaning, but even that’s skimming the surface – ubuntu is a philosophy!

Top marks to Rob, I was wrong!  Doesn’t alter my point about crowns though!

Dave

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Wikipedia page is quite informative:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_philosophy

MichaelG.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

In the spirit of Ubuntu, you are forgiven, Dave.

Incidentally, and I haven’t looked at all the preceding links so may have missed somone else pointing this out, but the German State Crown looks a decent match to me, including the orb and cross on the top…

Found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_State_Crown

Rob

[Grindstone Cowboy]

On Grindstone Cowboy Said:

…so may have missed somone else pointing this out, but the German State Crown looks a decent match to me, including the orb and cross on the top…

 

Found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_State_Crown

Rob

yes, I have pointed in the direction of German State Crown

(it is indeed orb and cross that makes it specific)

but I don’t think it brings forward our search for specific micrometer manufacturer…

[Chris Kaminski]

On Chris Kaminski Said:

[…] but I don’t think it brings forward our search for specific micrometer manufacturer…

Agreed 100% Chris

MichaelG.

[Author]

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