Witherby · Socket firmer · 1840s–1955
Thomas H. Witherby made edge tools in Millbury, Massachusetts, from the 1840s, and won a silver medal for chisels and drawknives at the American Institute fair in New York in 1850. He sold out in 1856, the business carried on as the T. H. Witherby Tool Co., and in 1868 its assets went to the Winsted Hoe Company of Winsted, Connecticut. From 1882 that firm was the Winsted Edge Tool Works, and it stamped T. H. WITHERBY on its chisels until it closed in 1955. So most Witherby chisels you'll see were made in Winsted. Its 1918 list offers socket firmers with plain or bevelled edges and plain or leather-tipped hickory handles it made itself. The guarantee promised a replacement or refund without restriction, and every tool was tested for flex under 250 pounds.
Identify and date it
The common stamp is T. H. WITHERBY over WARRANTED, which collector Trevor Robinson ties to the Winsted Edge Tool Works, and later chisels add WINSTED EDGE TOOL WORKS, WINSTED, CONN. U.S.A. on the back. Marks inside triangles, arrows or a diamond are thought to be earlier. In the 1918 list, Nos. 15 and 150 are bevel-edged and Nos. 10 and 100 square-edged.
If you’ll use it
Buy a Winsted-era firmer with a sound socket and a handle that seats tight. That's the Witherby users have long sought out.
If you’ll collect it
Millbury-era Witherbys, made before 1868, are rare. Brian Welch had seen only one marked WARRANTED.
Handles get split, lost and replaced, and a socket hammered without a handle mushrooms at the rim. Pitting on the back near the edge is the other common problem.
Buying guide
A single Winsted-made socket firmer to use asks about $20–35 delivered, and most of the 33 or so listed sit at $25–70 delivered. Look in the photos for T. H. WITHERBY over WARRANTED, the common Winsted stamp, and a socket rim that's round rather than mushroomed. Ask whether the handle seats tight, since many have been replaced, and for a photo of the flat back near the edge, where light rust is fine and deep pits are not. Collectors want Millbury chisels made before 1868, which are rare, so treat a Civil War era title as a claim and check the stamp, because marks inside triangles, arrows or a diamond are thought to be earlier and WARRANTED points to Winsted. Skip the $163 set, which doesn't say how many chisels it holds.
$20.50est. delivered
A 3/4-inch bevel-edge socket chisel for about $21 delivered, the lowest here. Check the stamp and the socket rim in the photos, and ask whether the handle is tight.
VINTAGE T.H. WITHERBY 3/4" BEVEL EDGE SOCKET CHISEL 6"
$34.99delivered
A 3/4-inch chisel titled Witherby/Winsted Connecticut for $35 with free shipping, the Winsted-era firmer users look for. Ask whether the handle seats tight and for a photo of the back near the edge.
Vintage chisel Witherby/Winsted Connecticut USA Antique 3/4”
$91.54est. delivered
Titled Civil War era with an early stamp, which would make it a scarce Millbury chisel, at $92 delivered, about $20 over the band top. An early mark inside a triangle, arrow or diamond fits the claim, while WARRANTED points to Winsted, so check the stamp photo before you offer.
T.H. WITHERBY 1.34" Bevel‑Edge Firmer Socket Chisel Civil War Era Early Stamp
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$20.50est. delivered
$15.00 + $5.50 shipping
Buy It Now$15.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Good buy
3/4-inch bevel edge, the cheapest here.
Seller: txcobra
100% positive
Used$34.99delivered
$34.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$34.99
Good buy
3/4-inch, Winsted per the title. Free shipping.
Seller: springpetrichor
99.8% positive
Used$91.54est. delivered
$79.95 + $11.59 shipping
Buy It Now$79.95
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
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Good buy
Titled Civil War era with an early stamp. Check the mark.
Seller: toomanydogz
98.9% positive
Used$32.89est. delivered
$24.99 + $7.90 shipping
Buy It Now$24.99
Our take
Stubby 1-1/4 inch, marked Winsted Conn. per the title.
Seller: frenchfryjack
100% positive
Used$36.70est. delivered
$25.00 + $11.70 shipping
Buy It Now$25.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
1-inch bevel edge. Ask what the title means by a welded steel handle.
Seller: shayneblair
99.8% positive
Used$57.56est. delivered
$51.09 + $6.47 shipping
Buy It Now$51.09
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
13/32-inch, marked Winsted Edge Tool Works per the title.
Seller: the-kool-toolz
100% positive
Used$70.69est. delivered
$59.99 + $10.70 shipping
Buy It Now$59.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
3/4-inch socket chisel, Winsted Edge Tool Works per the title.
Seller: stephenm586
100% positive
Used$162.75est. delivered
$152.95 + $9.80 shipping
Buy It Now$152.95
Priced high
A set with no count in the title, about $90 over the band top.
Seller: hllcrlwrld
99.7% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 11, 2026.
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