Circa 1926-ish Forged Steel Products Vacuum Grip No. 96 Needle Nose Pliers

A late-1920s set of Forged Steel Products Vacuum Grip No. 96 needle nose pliers. Around the pivot it’s stamped over the top with the “Vacuum Grip” logo; “No.” and “96” in the center on either side of the pivot, and “Newport, PA. U.S.A.” around the bottom. The No. 96 needle nose pliers was first introduced in 1926, and these are early pliers as there are no date markings stamped on the underside of either handle. The handle pattern giving rise to the name "vacuum grip," design patent #D57,252, was issued to in 1921. In 1945, Snap-On acquired Forged Steel Products.

The overall length is 6-1/2 inches, weight is 4.6 oz, and the finish is plain steel.