Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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The Stillson pattern pipe wrench is an iconic American tool. But where did it come from? Who made it?

This video chronicles the story of Daniel Stillson, and the Walworth Manufacturing Company.

See the story of the 'modern' American Ridgid pipe wrench here: Ridgid: youtu.be/3pcTSzNPbNE&list=PL-fhNrtmTAv286gDzTcav8FyxCagDTouy

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Moar History:
alloy-artifacts.org/walworth-mfg-company.html
bostonglobe.com/2019/12/06/magazine/forgotten-story-americas-most-famous-tool
massplumbers.com/2020/02/07/americas-most-famous-tool-was-invented-here
antique-engine.ns.ca/walworth.html
vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=2071
heatinghelp.com/news-and-media/dead-men-tales/the-little-known-story-behind-a-popular-tool
google.com/books/edition/Class/SC7bJAubs_kC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA5-PA44
google.com/books/edition/The_American_Artisan/kH49AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA7-PA18
archive.org/details/jstor-1822717/mode/2up

Stillson Patents:
patents.google.com/patent/US50748A
patents.google.com/patent/US95744A

Walworth Patents:
patents.google.com/?assignee=Walworth+Co&country=US&sort=old

JJ Walworth Bio:
masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0395

JJ Walworth Obituary:
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspapers%252023%2FNewton%2520MA%2520Graphic%2FNewton%2520MA%2520Graphic%25201896%2FNewton%2520MA%2520Graphic%25201896%252005_0001.pdf

Old Walworth Catalogs:
archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Walworth+Manufacturing+Co.%22
archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22Walworth+Co.%22

Current Walworth Website:
walworth.com/us/quienes-somos.php

1917 South Africa Ad:
google.com/books/edition/South_African_Mining_Engineering_Journal/x5VIAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA499

1920 Walworth Trademark Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Mill_supplies/nec_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA7-PA29

1920 Building Photos:
google.com/books/edition/Iron_Age_Catalogue_of_American_Exports/JGpHi2STwgQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA1133

1922 Factory Photos:
google.com/books/edition/Iron_Trade_Review/utX5raJKDJkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA887

1922 Prize Article:
google.com/books/edition/The_Editor/qWqfor0OlNYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA6-PR5
google.com/books/edition/Printers_Ink/kayHQ4vKQWEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA69
google.com/books/edition/Printers_Ink_Monthly/uJstMpNEK3wC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA1-PA69

1922 Dan Stillson Ad:
google.com/books/edition/The_Oil_Trade_Journal/9PRYAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA8-PA43

1922 Out of Luck Ad:
google.com/books/edition/The_Oil_Trade_Journal/9PRYAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA4-PA39

Stillson Pipe Wrench Lawsuit:
casetext.com/case/walworth-co-v-moore-drop-forging-co
google.com/books/edition/Scientific_American/q9vkV7flD68C?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA477

1928 Strength Test:
google.com/books/edition/Railway_Age/vyXdArGL5iAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA53

1985 Trademark assignment to Mexico:
assignments.uspto.gov/assignments/q?db=tm&sno=72081948

Charlestown Navy Yard Drawings:
archive.org/details/charlestownnavyy00lars/page/n47/mode/2up

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:47 Daniel Stillson
01:30 The Walworth Company
02:11 Stillson's Design
03:24 The Origin Story
04:42 Patent Expiration & Lawsuits
06:18 Ad Campaigns
07:10 Walworth's Other Innovations
08:35 Modern Changes to the Design
09:18 Walworth Today
09:45 Outro