This article is a compilation of correspondence which took place between Crown Jewels of the Wire reader, Bob Reyburn, a retired employee of the Southern California Edison Company and the owner, George Hanson, of the Salisbury "paint pot" described in the November, 1986 (page 3) issue.

Both Bob and George agree that "paint pot" is a misnomer and that the correct terminology should be "grease pot." Bob Reyburn shares the following information:

These Salisbury "grease pots" were one of the first types of a non-conductor material that linemen would carry with them while working on energized electric power lines. The composition-like containers were used before the age of plastics and were very reliable. The Salisbury Co. made many other types of non-conductive materials such as hoods, or protective covers to put over the energized conductor and insulator cover hoods. The age of plastics has just about done away with the old composition material.

George's example is really a unique style. The large hook is for easy hanging on a body belt or on a crossarm. The pot itself contained a very stiff like grease or compound for greasing connections on copper conductors or a real dirty and messy non-corrosive mixture for use on aluminum conductors. A small short stubby brush was used to apply the grease to the connections. I would guess that there could be two types of grease carried in this set up and that the brush had a composition lid or cover attached to its wooden handle.

Bob Reyburn owns this Salisbury grease pot and applicator brush.

My little old grease pot is smaller with only one pot with the lid fastened to the brush handle. The pot is made of hard rubber composition and is 3" in diameter by 3-1/2" deep. It also has the Salisbury markings on its side: "SALISBURY" - JOINT - PASTE - POT. You can see why the little brush had to be so stiff to spread that ugly old "Penetrox A." I used it quite a lot from 1944 to 1970.

That old "Penetrox" was a real pain to have around. It ruined clothes, gloves and was hard to get off of our hands. In applying the grease to the connectors on voltages up to 6600, rubber gloves were used in handling the brush. Voltages over that, a "hot clamp" was using a five foot insulated hot stick.

In the 1960's when aluminum was becoming the standard in all electric line construction, the aluminum connectors came pre-greased. This eliminated the need for additional greasing. So, the old "grease pots" took their place in the back corners of company tool bins.