UK HAW BC AA70C

Item number                           :           UK HAW BC AA70C

Origin                                     :           United Kingdom

Style                                       :           English Style

Gauge                                     :           12

Suitable for pinfire                 :           Yes

Stabilizer                                 :          No

Cartridge pusher                    :           No. This is what it makes AA70″R”

Maker                                     :           G. & J.W. HAWKSLEY Ltd, Carver Street, Sheffield

Markings                                :           “G. & J.W. HAWKSLEY’S .” and “12” on press lever

Biggest length                        :           270 mm

Weight                                   :           492 grams

Length of shell tube               :           44 mm.

Suspension of press lever       :           Single

Press handle                           :           Round steel lever with ebony handle. Retains most of the original case hardening.

Turning handle                       :           Steel patented lever with ebony handle. Retains almost all of the original case hardeling

Closing cup                            :           Brass

Materials body                       :           Cast Iron

Paint                                       :           Retains almost all of the original red paint

Table clamp                            :           Top oval with little handmade pins. Like Dixon does. (After 1947?) Screw top round without pins.

Condition                               :           Very good

Repairs                                   :           None

Remarks                                 :

The only written information available is from the (Cornell Publications) reprint of the Hawksley catalogue from 1889. This catalogue is not complete. There are tools that are not mentioned in this catalogue.

Unlike Dixon, Hawksley does not list the catalogue numbers on the tools themselves. It is therefore often a matter of guessing what the catalogue number of a tool is. I have done my very best to achieve some ranking.

Most of the Hawksley bench rest closers – apart from the A50 and (A)A44 models – have numbers with an (A)A70 in the number. Actually, the only exception is the A31C. That the tool with the Dixon no.5 press lever.

The best quality Hawksley tools have horn handles. The 2^nd and 3^rd  quality tools have ebony handles. Quite often it is very difficult to tell the difference between ebony and horn. The kind of horn (buffalo?) Hawksley used is very dark; black. Just as ebony. If you have both materials in a pure form you can heat them and smell the difference. The handles of loading tools however are always a bit greasy. That means that you always get the same scent.

The 1889 catalogue describes the AA70R  as follows:

“Short barrel Turnover, japanned, blued lever, ebony handles.”

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