In my last column, I wrote about leafing through old cable-tool rig catalogs, looking for a picture of the controls of a 20W rig. Drillers in many areas used this popular machine years ago, and some still do. As I wrote, the catalog for the 20W and its larger brother the 22W were very, very detailed. They included recommended drilling tools for each rig and for the size of hole drilled. The catalogs also included a list of recommended fishing tools preceded by the statement that “even the best driller could come across a fishing job especially in deep holes and tough formations.” They did not say that these tools were a necessity but strongly recommended having them on hand.
The recommended fishing tools included a swivel rope socket, a drill stem and a set of fishing jars. Fishing jars are like drilling jars but with a much longer stroke to avoid hitting both ways when fishing out tightly stuck tools. The list also included a horn socket, a latch jack and a center rope spear, all of which I wrote about in previous columns. It also included a combination socket, which I have written about (but with an extra detail) and a regular slip socket, sometimes known as a ring-collar socket, and a full-circle socket with two sets of slips.