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B&D-176 Price: SOLD There are two possibilities for the maker of this brace: Charles Amidon, whose U.S. Patent No. 283,844 gives the design of the ratchet mechanism, and William Ives, whose U.S. Patent No. 202,548 applies to the chuck. Alas, there are no patent dates marked on the frame or chuck and not even any maker's markings. The wrist handle's ferrules are plain pewter, not the characteristic swaged steel of the usual Amidon product, but the pad is secured against unscrewing from the quill by just a single screw, which is a characteristic of many Amidon braces. The brace itself is in excellent operating condition, with only toolbox dings to the tropical hardwood handles. I have added a suitable spring to the jaws, as the original, if any, was absent; I think it works better than the ones suggested by the inventor. The ratchet operates with little friction, which is an asset to the boring of small holes or to the starting of wood screws.
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