Millers Falls Braces 1401 through 1872

Much of this listing has been developed from information found in Millers Falls catalogs. The features listed for each brace may differ from actual examples. While the company typically stressed new features in its catalogs, it seldom mentioned the disappearance of a feature or a feature that had become so commonly accepted that it was no longer noteworthy. Then too, production practices varied from catalog copy and illustrations were slow to be updated. By 1960, catalog copy had become so vague that a detailed description of features is not possible.

Nos. 1401 - 1404

Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting

Ebonized hardwood head and handle; nickel plated; springless alligator jaws.

This series was marketed as part of the Mohawk line of economy braces 1917-1919. (Not to be confused with the later Mohawk-Shelburne braces.)

Illustration from 1915 catalog.

No. 1410; 1410 M-S

Mohawk-Shelburne Ratchet Brace ca. 1935-ca. 1948
Millers Falls Ratchet Brace, ca. 1949-1972

1. 1935 — half-boxed ratchet; stained hardwood head and sweep handle; polished steel parts; red-enameled shifter ring; malleable alligator jaws.
2. 1949 — as above, but shifter ring no longer painted red.
3. 1960 — as above, but black-stained hardwood handles.

Introduced as No. 1410 M-S in the Mohawk-Shelburne series of economy tools, the brace was offered as a Millers Falls product when the Mohawk-Shelburne line was discontinued.

The No. 1410 was shipped with the V-Line (Value Line) label on the sweep handle from 1956 to ca. 1960.

Illustration from 1935 catalog.

No. 1610 M-S

Mohawk-Shelburne Ratchet Brace

A half-boxed ratchet; stained hardwood head and sweep handle; polished steel parts; red-enameled shifter ring; malleable alligator jaws.

Introduced as part of the Mohawk-Shelburne series of economy tools, the brace was dropped when the line was discontinued.

Illustration from 1935 catalog.

Nos. 1641 - 1643

Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting

1. 1915 — tumbled and stained hardwood head and handle; rough polished and nickel plated; springless alligator jaws.
2. 1917 — as above, catalog emphasizes light weight construction.

This series was marketed as part of the Mohawk line of economy braces 1917-1919. (Not to be confused with the later Mohawk-Shelburne braces.) Identical to Nos. 1661-1663, but lacks ratchet.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.

Nos. 1661 - 1663

Barber Improved Ratchet Brace

1. 1915 — half-boxed ratchet; tumbled and stained hardwood head and handle; rough polished and nickel plated; springless alligator jaws.
2. 1917 — as above, catalog emphasizes light weight construction.
3. 1922 — as above, but metal rings in sweep handle to prevent splitting.
4. 1936 — as above, but ball bearing head.

This series was marketed as part of the Mohawk line of economy braces in 1917-1919. (Not to be confused with the later Mohawk-Shelburne braces.) In the latter 1920s, it was the company’s best selling series of ratchet braces. Identical to Nos. 1641-1643 save for ratchet.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.

Nos. 1708 - 1712; 1710 M-S

Mohawk-Shelburne Ratchet Brace, ca. 1935-ca. 1948
Millers Falls Ratchet Brace, ca. 1948 to end of production

1. 1935 — half-boxed ratchet; lacquered hardwood head and handle; steel clad, ball bearing head; nickel plated; alligator jaws.
2. 1949 — as above, but ‘toothless’ alligator jaws.

This series was shipped with the V-Line (Value Line) label on the sweep handle from 1956 to ca. 1960.

No. 1710 M-S was originally introduced as part of the Mohawk-Shelburne line of economy tools and was offered as a Millers Falls product when the brand was discontinued.

Illustration from 1935 catalog.

Nos. 1769 - 1773

Lion Ratchet Brace

A fully boxed ratchet; cocobolo head and handle; steel clad, ball bearing head, metal rings inserted in sweep handle to prevent splitting; steel washer between ratchet and chuck sockets; nickel plated; octagonal Lion ball bearing chuck with Leland’s universal jaws.

Identical to Nos. 769-773 save the Lion chuck has an octagonal shell.

More information on the Lion brace is available. Illustration from 1929 catalog.

Nos. 1810 M-S

Mohawk-Shelburne Ratchet Brace

Fully boxed ratchet; lacquered hardwood head and handle; steel clad, ball bearing head; metal rings inserted in sweep handle to prevent splitting; nickel plated save for chuck shell and ratchet dogs; ball bearing chuck with forged steel alligator jaws.

Introduced as part of Mohawk-Shelburne series of economy tools, No. 1810 M-S was dropped when the line was discontinued.

Illustration from 1939 catalog.

Nos. 1870 - 1872

Lion Ratchet Brace

Concealed ratchet; cocobolo head and handle; steel clad, ball bearing head; ball bearing sweep handle; steel washer between ratchet and chuck sockets; nickel plated; octagonal Lion ball bearing chuck with Leland’s universal jaws.

Identical to Nos. 870-872 save the Lion chuck has an octagonal shell.

More information on the Lion brace is available. Illustration from 1929 catalog.

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