Wahl's Car Parts Business

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A while back, I posted an article here concerning Wahl’s “extracurricular” activities, presenting evidence including this pencil that Wahl might have been having second thoughts about the writing instruments business towards the end of the 1920s, as its product lines aged and the company was deciding whether to update existing products or try something new (see 

http://leadheadpencils.blogspot.com/2016/10/wahls-extracurricular-activities.html).  That article was inspired by this pencil, which came from Larry Liebman:

The article concluded with advertisements I had found for the “Wahl Spring Brake” shock absorbers, which had me wondering

Enter Howard Edelstein, who pulled me aside at the Ohio Show to look at some pencils he had.  Two of them caught my attention immediately:

Identical utility pencils advertising the “Wahl Spring Brake” and the “Wahl Two-Way Hydraulic Shock Absorber.”

“Holy Cow!” I said.  “You must have read my article!”

Howard just looked at me.  “No.  What article?”

Sigh.  Score one for a fantastic stroke of luck; at least he knew I like pencils . . .