Older Hardware vs Newer Hardware .... Quality etc.

[JoeLee]

In the process of restoring my 24" finger brake I decided to make some new hardware to replace some of the older mangled up stuff like the two phillister head adjustment screws pictured. I changed any nut and bolt adjusting screws to thumb screws and thumb wheels to replace the nuts. Now I don't have to reach for wrenches to adjust any of the settings. I didn't want to single point the two 5/16" - 18 adjustment screws so I made the knurled knobs and decided to get a couple long set screws trim them to length and press fit them into the knobs.

No big deal but I couldn't find any hex socket set screws that are 2 plus inches in length, at least not locally. The threaded rod at the hardware store was pretty well dinged up from all the sliding in and out of the rack. On the way out the girl said wait..... I have one more place to look. They had a shelf with some older boxes of hardware, what luck. She found a box of the old style square head set screws in lengths up to 3". I grabbed a half a dozen of them, like .40 ea. Looking at the boxes these were probably early 70's maybe. Real heavy paper boxes with the perforated metal clips on the box corners. The threads looked so nice and clean, no ridges or ragged edges, unlike the newer stuff you get today. So I went to take a hack saw to cut the square head off one of them and it slid right across it, couldn't scratch it with a file either. These are hard. I've turned set screws in the past with carbide with no issues but wouldn't attempt to try turning these. I may try to anneal them by heating them up with the torch until they turn blue. That should do it right ??? They don't need to be hard.

JL.....................

[Mike72]

Cut the heads off with an abrasive wheel, like a dremel, or grind off most of the corners on the heads and machine them to size with a carbide bit.

[JoeLee]

Cut the heads off with an abrasive wheel, like a dremel, or grind off most of the corners on the heads and machine them to size with a carbide bit.

I was going to do that but I don't think you can cut these with carbide. I hate to ruin a good insert just to find out.

JL.....

[J Tiers]

Try a trashed insert first. If it cuts, then try the good one.

Or just grind to what you want. You've got grinders.

[JoeLee]

Try a trashed insert first. If it cuts, then try the good one.

Or just grind to what you want. You've got grinders.

I plan on trying that tomorrow but my past experience has been if it can't be scratched with a file then there's a good chance it'll ruin a carbide insert right quick.
Also will try drawing it back. But my main point was how nice the older hardware is as compared to the newer stuff.

JL................

[nickel-city-fab]

FWIW, Ace hardware has those screw as a regular stock item. At least, my local franchise does. They also have gun screws.

[JoeLee]

FWIW, Ace hardware has those screw as a regular stock item. At least, my local franchise does. They also have gun screws.

Thanks, that's good to know. I don't have an Ace locally here. Nearest one is about maybe 13 miles from me. Interesting that they would carry gun screws.

JL...............

[darryl]

Our local hardware store used to be just down the street from where I worked. I was in there 2-3 times a week, and they all knew me. Went in one day and the guy said 'you know what you're looking for'- so I went downstairs into the old section where they had pretty much the leftover old style hardware. What a find that was for me.

[wierdscience]

I plan on trying that tomorrow but my past experience has been if it can't be scratched with a file then there's a good chance it'll ruin a carbide insert right quick.
Also will try drawing it back. But my main point was how nice the older hardware is as compared to the newer stuff.

JL................

I use a bunch of those at work in sizes up to 1"-8 for jacking bolts. The same company is still in business and still making those. I'm not sure on
the smaller diameters, but the 1/2-13 ones at least are just case hardened.

[nickel-city-fab]

Thanks, that's good to know. I don't have an Ace locally here. Nearest one is about maybe 13 miles from me. Interesting that they would carry gun screws.

JL...............

Maybe check them out sometime when you get a chance. My local Ace recently upgraded their franchise , including the fastener aisle. I am astounded every time I go in there because it turns into a real education all by itself. And every time I go in there, I threaten to win the lotto and buy out the entire aisle! They all know me well enough that we all joke about it, and one time the lady that owns it actually gave a wholesale quote on it...

[JoeLee]

I use a bunch of those at work in sizes up to 1"-8 for jacking bolts. The same company is still in business and still making those. I'm not sure on
the smaller diameters, but the 1/2-13 ones at least are just case hardened.

Do you know who the company is ??

JL.............

[JoeLee]

Maybe check them out sometime when you get a chance. My local Ace recently upgraded their franchise , including the fastener aisle. I am astounded every time I go in there because it turns into a real education all by itself. And every time I go in there, I threaten to win the lotto and buy out the entire aisle! They all know me well enough that we all joke about it, and one time the lady that owns it actually gave a wholesale quote on it...

Do all the Ace stores carry the same stuff?? I'm guessing probably not.
I'd like to buy out all the old hardware in my local industrial store but the problem is they want today's prices for yesteryears hardware.
They have a nice assortment of brass there too. I was told I'm the only one that ever looks for stuff like this.

JL.............

[JoeLee]

Here is some other old hardware I've bought from them in the past for various projects.
I have some square head bolts similar to the ones in my first post but these have a flange under the head.



JL.................

[nickel-city-fab]

Do all the Ace stores carry the same stuff?? I'm guessing probably not.
I'd like to buy out all the old hardware in my local industrial store but the problem is they want today's prices for yesteryears hardware.
They have a nice assortment of brass there too. I was told I'm the only one that ever looks for stuff like this.

JL.............

I don't think they are all identical, but I do know they are similar. For myself, I don't mind the prices for older hardware because often there is no alternative.

[Bented]

I don't think they are all identical, but I do know they are similar. For myself, I don't mind the prices for older hardware because often there is no alternative.

Old does not always mean "higher" quality merely lower pricing.
Many manufacturers produce simple hardware that outperforms 40 year old hardware, consumers will not pay for this however.

Holo-Krome is still alive and kicking.

https://www.holo-krome.com/product-line.html