Western Electric Bell System 438a Handset Repair Tool

[poplar1]

I have never seen a 514B tool. I do have a NOS 514A, the cloth grip is as hard as a piece of cement.

I still use a 438A to remove spit cups and loosen the rings. It is a much needed tool for me.

Strap wrenches work fine for F1s etc, but I have had no luck on E1s with them..Doug

514A is for F-type handsets only.

[Doug Rose]

David....I also have a NOS 514C with a leather strap! It looks like a 514B but has leather strap instead of cloth?...Doug

[kleenax]

As an aside to this thread, I used to sell these NICE little strap wrenches about 10 years ago.

They are for installing those "automatic flush valves" on urinals manufactured by Sloan. I had an Industrial Plumber friend that gave me an entire shoebox full of them. The valves are polished chrome, and this wrench was created to install them without scratches.

I initially asked him to find me a strap wrench that I could utilize to "surgically" remove those stubborn (chrome-plated) threaded collars on Stromberg-Carlson candlesticks that are used to hold the upper transmitter assembly. They're only about 1" in diameter, so most strap wrenches were too big to use.

These worked wonderfully, and the strap is made of serrated, KEVLAR-reinforced rubber, so it grips GREAT! You can still find them sometimes on eBay, but if you have someone you know that works in commercial plumbing, they may have a few. They honestly throw them away because there is one packed in the box with EVERY one of those auto-flushing valves!

[Doug Rose]

this are by far the worst, I have broken two trying to remove an F1 Handset cap...Doug

[HarrySmith]

I have the same "Sloan" strap wrenches, I use them on all handsets that are stuck. Never failed yet!

[Doug Rose]

I purchased two of the Sloan straps from Ray and still have them. They work like a champ!...Doug

[HarrySmith]

That must be where I got them from also.

[kleenax]

That must be where I got them from also.

Yea, I swear I sold one (at least) to just about every-other-collector out there!  ;-)