Millers Falls Braces 140 through 423

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.

No. 140

Ratchet corner borer Ratchet corner borer

  1. 1901 — stained hardwood handles; extra fine teeth on ratchet wheel; nickel plated; alligator jaws.
  2. 1910 — catalog illustrates what appears to be either a Master or a Holdall Chuck with Leland’s Jaws.
  3. 1912 — catalog again illustrates a standard chuck with alligator jaws.

The removable short handle is used to steady the tool while the long handle is used to power the bit. For boring in corners, between joists, etc.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 140 n/a 1901 1922

Nos. 141 - 143

Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting

  1. 1912 — stained hardwood head and handle; polished steel parts; Amidon’s jaws.
  2. 1914 — as above, but springless alligator jaws.
  3. 1917 — as above, catalog emphasizes light weight construction.
  4. 1938 — as above, but ball bearing head.

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.) The bottom of the line from 1912 until its demise, this is the non-ratcheting equivalent of Nos. 161-163.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 141 12 inch 1912 1938
No. 142 10 inch 1912 1960
No. 143 8 inch 1912 1942

Nos. 161 - 163

Barber Improved Ratchet Brace Barber Improved Ratchet Brace

  1. 1912 — half-boxed ratchet; stained hardwood head and handle; polished steel parts; Amidon’s jaws.
  2. 1914 — as above, but springless alligator jaws.
  3. 1917 — as above, catalog emphasizes lightweight construction.
  4. 1922 — as above, but wrist handle with inserted metal rings to prevent splitting.

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.) The ratcheting version of Nos. 141-143, it represented the company’s lowest priced series of ratchet braces 1912-1919.

Illustration from 1919 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 161 12 inch 1912 1933
No. 162 10 inch 1912 1936
No. 163 8 inch 1912 1933

No. 182

Ratcheting Drill Brace Drill Brace

  1. ca. 1882 — non-ratcheting; lignum vitae head; rosewood handle; brass rings in wrist handle to prevent splitting; drill assembly gear held in place by thumb screw; crank is cast as part of main gear; shiny parts nickel plated. (Some photos of this earliest drill brace courtesy Stan Morgan.
  2. ca. 1884 — half-boxed ratchet with ring-type shifter; drill assembly held in place by means of wing nut located above ratchet mechanism; large gear equipped with extendable handle; two sets of forged steel jaws (second set to allow for round bits less than 1/8 inch in diameter).
  1. 1887 — as above, but large gear equipped with extendable handle.
  2. 1890 — as above, but one set of McCoy’s jaws.
  3. 1894 — as above, but ball bearing head.
  4. 1901 — as above, but ratchet no longer adjusted by ring-type shifter, drill assembly now attached by screw passing through large gear; large gear no longer features extendable handle; spring-type alligator jaws.
  5. 1905 — as above, but cocobolo head and handle.
  6. 1910 — as above, but concealedMaster Chuck with Leland’s universal jaws.
  7. 1922 — as above, but stained hardwood head and handle.

Patented by Wallace Lyon on Dec. 13, 1881, the drilling assembly is detachable to allow for use as a traditional brace.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 182 10 inch ca. 1882 1931

No. 192

Ratcheting Drill Brace Ratcheting Drill Brace

Adjustable ratchet; cocobolo head and handle; ball bearing head; shiny parts nickel plated; Master Chuck with Leland’s universal jaws.

The drilling assembly is detachable to allow for use as a traditional brace. It can also be swiveled into any one of three positions illustrated here, allowing the crank to be used in a variety of ways. The extra flexibility was intended to remedy one of the primary disadvantages in the use of a drill brace—that of finding the free space needed to rotate the drill crank when working in a restricted area.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 192 10 inch 1912 1922

Nos. 202 - 203

Barber Improved Ratchet Brace Barber Improved Ratchet Brace

Half-boxed ratchet; unstained hardwood head and handle; tumbled steel parts (not polished); bar-and-slot jaws.

This ratcheting version of Nos. 102-103 represented the low end of the ratchet line.

Illustration from 1905 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 202 10 inch 1905 1912
No. 203 8 inch 1905 1912

Nos. 220 - 223; 220A - 223A

Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting

(Model nos. designated ‘A’ were equipped with a steel clad head.)

  1. 1899 — stained hardwood head and handle; nickel plated; and McCoy’s jaws.
  2. 1910 — as above, but spring-type alligator jaws.
  3. 1912 — as above, but brass rings in wrist handle to prevent splitting.
  4. 1922 — as above, but anti-friction washer in head.
  5. 1929 — as above, but forged alligator jaws.

This mid-priced series could be ordered with an octagonal shell 1912-1915.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 220 14 inch 1912 1922
No. 220A 14 inch 1912 1914
No. 221 12 inch 1905 1935
No. 221A 12 inch 1912 1914
No. 222 10 inch 1899 1935
No. 222A 10 inch 1912 1914
No. 223 8 inch 1899 1935
No. 223A 8 inch 1912 1914

Nos. 261 - 263

Mohawk Ratchet Brace Mohawk Ratchet Brace

  1. 1917 — ratchet with ‘pick out’ pawls (no ring shifter); hardwood head and handle; polished steel parts; springless alligator jaws.
  2. 1929 — as above, but cast 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.) It replaced Nos. 161-163 as the company’s lowest priced series of ratchet braces.

Illustration from 1919 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 261 12 inch 1917 1931
No. 262 10 inch 1917 1931
No. 263 8 inch 1917 1931

Nos. 320 - 324; 320A - 324A

Barber Improved Ratchet Brace Barber Improved Ratchet Brace

(Model nos. designated ‘A’ were equipped with a steel clad head.

  1. 1899 — half-boxed ratchet; stained hardwood head and handle; steel washer between ratchet and chuck sockets; nickel plated; McCoy’s jaws.
  2. 1910 — as above, but spring-type alligator jaws.
  3. 1912 — as above, but brass rings in wrist handle to prevent splitting.
  4. 1914 — as above, but with ball bearing head.

This mid-priced series could also be ordered with an octagonal shell 1912-1929.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 320 14 inch 1912 1922
No. 320A 14 inch 1912 1919
No. 321 12 inch 1901 1936
No. 321A 12 inch 1912 1919
No. 322 10 inch 1899 1936
No. 322A 10 inch 1912 1919
No. 323 8 inch 1899 1936
No. 323A 8 inch 1912 1919
No. 324 6 inch 1915 1917
No. 324A 6 inch 1915 1917

Nos. 401 - 403

Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting Barber Improved Brace, non-ratcheting

  1. 1912 — stained hardwood head and handle; nickel plated; Amidon’s jaws.
  2. 1914 — as above, but springless alligator jaws.
  3. 1922 — as above, but metal rings in wrist handle to prevent splitting.

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.) It is identical to Nos. 421-423 but lacks the ratchet and could be ordered with an octagonal shell 1912-1915.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 401 12 inch 1912 1929
No. 402 10 inch 1912 1929
No. 403 8 inch 1912 1929

Nos. 421 - 423

Barber Improved Ratchet BraceBarber Improved Ratchet Brace

  1. 1912 — half-boxed ratchet; stained hardwood head and handle; nickel plated; Amidon’s jaws.
  2. 1914 — as above, but springless alligator jaws.
  3. 1922 — as above, but metal rings in wrist handle to prevent splitting.
  4. 1935 — as above, but ball bearing head.

This series was marketed as part of the Mohawk line of economy braces ca. 1917. (Not to be confused with the Mohawk-Shelburne braces.) It is identical to Nos. 401-403 save for the ratchet and could be ordered with an octagonal shell 1912-1929.

Illustration from 1915 catalog.


Model No. Sweep Start Date End Date
No. 421 12 inch 1912 1944
No. 422 10 inch 1912 1944
No. 423 8 inch 1912 1944