jlpservicesinc Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 I've wanted this model since the day I saw it.. I called Edwards Shear about 25 years ago looking for information on the 10B.. . having all ready owned a 5 for 10 years and never seeing a 10B I was in dream land when I stopped at a road side Cafe only to see one sitting on the porch for sale.. I gave the lady a deposit and said I'd be back as I was on my MC at the time.. Anyhow, Edwards was still owned by Edwards and they had literature and sales flyers.. The gentleman was kind enough to send me a hard copy of the sales brochure of the large hand shears.. It showed the 5, 5 hydraulic and 10 alligator jaw, and a 15 and 20 parrot jaw.. I immediately called Edwards to see if they had one of the 20's in the back room somewhere that never sold.. The guy laughed and said I was about 5 years to late... I have no idea where that brochure is today as it was in all my books and when I moved sadly I wasn't the one moving the stuff and some of the items went missing.. i just called Edwards and the guy said I was about 3 years to late as they are now owned by a large corp and they have no early information left and no replacement jaws for the 15 or 20.. (while i had the guy on the phone I ordered a new set for the 10B).. I said nothing, not even a PDF.. Guy said " Nothing".. Well I went to the NEB spring meet and noticed this bad boy right off the bat.. I walked over and no one was there.. Turns out it was the NEB selling the unit so I went and tracked down the guy in charge.. This was funny... I walk up, say "Hi".. I'd like to buy that shear up by the trailer.. He said.. I know just the one you are talking about.. I asked are you sure.. He laughed and replied.. YUP, i know the one.. Funny thing is he had a #5 and this #20.. The Number 5 sold to another of the gang there.. I was so excited it then dawned on me that I really don't need another 300lbs shear.. LOL.. I already have a edwards 5 and 10, a huge Johnson JH 11X18 cut off band saw, Steelmax14" cold cutoff saw.. ETC, etc.. Anyhow, It was to sexy to pass up on.. Saturday after I was done.. I loaded it into the back seat of the car and she came home with me.. This is the only 1 I have ever seen... This has the same capacity as the 10B of 1" The 5 and 10 are alligator jawed and will cut wider stock.. 3/4" and 1" cold respectively.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 I know where there are two, one in Ga and one in NC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 Wayne, That is a long ways from here.. Same model? I literally have never seen one except in the flyer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 At the time I just noticed them. One is in regular use at John C. Campbell Folk School and the other was at a friend's shop. He has now sold off all of his Blacksmithing equipment but it is probably still in the Atlanta Blacksmithing community. The one at JCCFS is the bigger of the two, and I didn't think you were interested in buying more. You might contact Paul Garrett, the resident blacksmith and ask him for some information about their shear and if he would send you pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted June 8, 2018 Author Share Posted June 8, 2018 Thanks Wayne... I shoot them over an email.. Lots of these old shears now are out of vogue.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 Like my screwpress. It hardly got any use as everyone wanted to use the hydraulic press that was bought soon after; even for jobs where the screwpress would have been faster and better! I much rather use a hand shear than a cut off wheel! (less noise, less trash in the air, etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted June 8, 2018 Author Share Posted June 8, 2018 I know one of the top sheet metal guys in the USA. He uses nothing but shears. His reasons , cleaner, last longer, cheaper to buy and own, very accurate and if using sharp blades the edges need very little clean up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted July 7, 2018 Author Share Posted July 7, 2018 got the shear cleaned up and painted for it's life with me for the next 50 years.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 Nice! I’m hoping to get to use it some time when you,get you shop up and running. Hey it’s summer time, do you need any help with your shop! Seriously, once I get these knives done I’m available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kulpmontian Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Any ideas on what Edwards no 20 shears cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Welcome aboard from 7500' om SE Wyoming. Glad to have you. This is pretty much a SWAG based on prices for other shears out there and prices for other Edwards shears in the past but I would guess in the US$200-300 range. That is only an approximation and may vary based on the buyer, seller, and location. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 The number 20 is no longer produced.. They haven't been since the 80's is what I remember. The number 20 shears can fetch a little higher price vs the older 10B/E.. They are way outdated in 90% of the modern shops.. With the low cost of bandsaws and such.. They shine with ease of use and quickness of cut and back in the day were a huge labor saver.. Have you run across one for sale or have one you are looking to sell? I paid very little money for this one in very good condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Brouwers Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 There is a 5B in the scrapyard near me. I asked the owners about it and they said that they want to make it into a hydraulic powered shear for processing radiators and other small scrap. They did say that they thought they had another one somewhere, but it is like finding a very rusty needle in a very big haystack....maybe someday they will realize it is a bad idea and I will be able to save that shear from whatever brutal end it might come to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 15 Author Share Posted January 15 Maybe you will get lucky.. The 5's come up for sale often.. The 5 can be a great shear.. I own and used one a lot before I got the 10B.. had it about 5 years before the 10B, Having it well mounted (bolted down) is a must.. The 10B is 3 times the size so could handle some sizes of stock without being bolted down. The 5 is a single throw shear.. Meaning the lever starts above the jaw and gets pulled 180 over the top or until the cut is made. The 10B has 3 shoes and the handle is rotated over the top and re-incerted until the cut is made. The 20 uses a ratchet system which is just up and down vs over the top 180.. Little more friendly.. The Factory sold a 5 hydraulic and a 7 hydraulic.. The manual 5 would cut 3/4" and the hydraulic could cut 1" They also made a #5 parrot jaw vs alligator Jaw but have never found any info on it. The guy I bought it from said it came from a rebar company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Brouwers Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I'm hoping! Thanks for all the information! I already have a Whitney-Roper angle iron shear, but it only fits 1/4 stock. But it has been handy for cutting 1/4 round and square and flat bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I have a 5A mounted to about a 6'x12"x2" plank and it is a serious machine that can do a lot of work. Where I use if the most is if I need a lot of pieces the same length, e.g. reducing a 10' or 20' stick into 16" lengths for miners' candlesticks. For a single length of something I usually use a metal cutting chop saw. Using the #5 by yourself can take some fiddling since the lever and jaws are too far apart to use one hand to hold the work and the other to work the lever. You have to line up the work in the jaws, sometimes using 1 or more blocks to keep the long part reasonable level and then stand up to operate the lever. This would be less of a problem if it was mounted at floor level. The jaws can be reversed when the cutting edge gets worn. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 Here are a bunch of photos of the 10B, the 5 alligator, the 5 Parrot and the 20.. I lined them up for size comparison. ON the 10 your can see the 3 shoes for the lever. The lever is bent at an angle so it sits level in the 5's and the 10B. The 10B is out of sync handle wise from the last time I took it apart to clean it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryFahnoe Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Welcome to Jennifer's shear showroom! Years ago I picked up an Edwards 5A which looks to be the same as what you're calling the alligator...yes Larry, A is for Alligator... A Whitney 3x3x1/4 angle came home with me as well on that trip. Neither has gotten used as the bandsaws are available, but I've held on to both as they're neat. Heavy buggers though! I wouldn't like to move those 10s around very often! I was not aware of the Parrot jaw version, what was the intended purpose of the two styles? --Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Brouwers Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 That 10 is HUGE! How much does it weigh???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 Larry the 5 and 10 alligator type are the oldest from what I can see of the Edwards lines.. They really were aimed it seems at the wagon tire market as their capacity was mention as such. 1/2X4, 3/4X6" etc, etc.. The Parrot jaw evolved as time moved forward and away from the conventional, older wagons and such. No need for the longer cut.. (after WWI technology spelled the end of the blacksmith) Cars vs wagons etc, etc. The cut width was brought down to 3.5" on the shear and moved toward bar stock and cable cutting.. The parrot type was available with different jaw types.. Flat, and V from what I can tell.. there is also a flip down bar that moved the cutting action further away from the jaw base for smaller stock. The alligator type of scissor action is not great at cutting cable unless the blades are very sharp or new (there is a new set of blades on top of the 10B just sitting there). Also there is not way to increase the side clearance between the cutting jaws on the 5 or 10B.. This was addressed in newer parrot models with a side pressure screw. The Newer Parrot jaw type shear is made from Semi-steel and about 2/3rds the weight for a great capacity. The 10B is 370lbs with a 1" sq capacity and the 20 with 1 3/8Sq at 265lbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryFahnoe Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Thanks Jennifer, helpful insight as always. After reading your descriptions I thought to check http://vintagemachinery.org/ and they have a couple of catalog excerpts covering the shears from 1930 and 1953. --Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 Larry, great finds.. Great info as well.. I wonder what were the differences between the Alligator 5 and 5A or if as you mentioned it was simply for "Alligator".. The model 10 I have is a B and I know I've seen model 10E. I'll see if I can find the "model chart" I stashed it away in a book to keep it flat and safe.. I moved nearly all the blacksmithing books and literature out to the school so now can't put my finger or brain onto where I stashed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Brouwers Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I want one of these shears if only because they were made, or branded, Albert Lea, MN. I lived in the small farming town of Hollandale, 15 minutes away from Albert Lea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 Have you been by the old Edwards factory site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Brouwers Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 No. I was 9 when we moved, so the blacksmithing bug hadn't bit me yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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