# N.O.S. Wald Tomahawk stem



## detroitbike (Feb 23, 2020)

VINTAGE PREWAR? WALD NO.4 TOMAHAWK STREAMLINED HANDLEBAR STEM *NOS*  | eBay
					

This is the grail of handlebar stems.



					rover.ebay.com
				




  Bob's Listing -Badbob on here


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## tripple3 (Feb 23, 2020)




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## cyclingday (Feb 23, 2020)

Wow!
It doesn’t get any better than that.


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## 1motime (Feb 23, 2020)

Sexy!


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## GTs58 (Feb 23, 2020)

Geeze, someone could build a bike around that.


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## Krakatoa (Feb 23, 2020)

Oh my it's at $666.66!

WALD's in the house!


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## Balloonatic (Feb 24, 2020)

My guess is it will crack $1000.


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## Balloonatic (Feb 24, 2020)

Hmmm... $922 with 5 days to go... might have to revise my forecast, it might do better than a geesle, maybe $1200... hard to get when you want one and everyone who has a Speedline Airflo or Hiawatha seems to want one. It will be interesting to see the price on this one.


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## 1motime (Feb 27, 2020)

Got quiet here.  Over a grand and days to go........


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## piercer_99 (Feb 27, 2020)

Balloonatic said:


> Hmmm... $922 with 5 days to go... might have to revise my forecast, it might do better than a geesle, maybe $1200... hard to get when you want one and everyone who has a Speedline Airflo or Hiawatha seems to want one. It will be interesting to see the price on this one.



it will probably get there.

right now with a little over 2 days to go.

$1,075.00


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## Balloonatic (Feb 27, 2020)

The box and tag hold zero value for me, and don't add any premium to the price really; looking at the condition of the stem itself carefully, it has some pitting and looks like its been mounted at some point, the chrome is hazy/worn at the bottom split, and I can see wrench marks on the bolt head...  but I stepped up last year myself and spent close to a G for one, so I think the old supply 'n demand thing is in full force here. My bike didn't come with one originally, but it completes the air flow look so nicely and ties in the Torrington 15 tear drop pedals, I had to do it. With those over-the-top wild handle bars on the Speedline Airflo, it needs an over-the-top, crazy, exaggerated neck on that bike. Took me forever to find one, and don't think it didn't kill me to spend so much on a damn goose neck.. but sometimes ya gotta do whacha gotta do.


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## blasterracing (Feb 28, 2020)

Balloonatic said:


> The box and tag hold zero value for me, and don't add any premium to the price really; looking at the condition of the stem itself carefully, it has some pitting and looks like its been mounted at some point, the chrome is hazy/worn at the bottom split, and I can see wrench marks on the bolt head...  but I stepped up last year myself and spent close to a G for one, so I think the old supply 'n demand thing is in full force here. My bike didn't come with one originally, but it completes the air flow look so nicely and ties in the Torrington 15 tear drop pedals, I had to do it. With those over-the-top wild handle bars on the Speedline Airflo, it needs an over-the-top, crazy, exaggerated neck on that bike. Took me forever to find one, and don't think it didn't kill me to spend so much on a damn goose neck.. but sometimes ya gotta do whacha gotta do.
> 
> View attachment 1147302



What an awesome example!!!!  Super nice.


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## Pedals Past (Feb 28, 2020)

I have both style Tomahawks and have had many airflows with them but i reall like the look of this stem with lines of the bike


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## detroitbike (Feb 28, 2020)

The one in the box I have looks exactly the same, no marks that I can see.
   Mine has hazy chrome on the bottom also !

       Also there are 5 versions of Tomahawk stems known so far.


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## 1motime (Feb 28, 2020)

detroitbike said:


> The one in the box I have looks exactly the same, no marks that I can see.
> Mine has hazy chrome on the bottom also !
> 
> Also there are 5 versions of Tomahawk stems known so far.



Not show chrome back then.  Shiny protective coating.  Wald did not bother polishing an area that did not show.  Time=money


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## Pedals Past (Feb 28, 2020)

detroitbike said:


> The one in the box I have looks exactly the same, no marks that I can see.
> Mine has hazy chrome on the bottom also !
> 
> Also there are 5 versions of Tomahawk stems known so far.



It has been repopped three times i know of.... the only original examples i have seen is the one on auction and the flat bladed one which i call the nut cracker and prefer


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## 1motime (Feb 28, 2020)

Pedals Past said:


> It has been repopped three times i know of.... the only original examples i have seen is the one on auction and the flat bladed one which i call the nut cracker and prefer



How would a repop value compare to this real one?  Of course the auction has not ended!
Thanks!


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## Pedals Past (Feb 28, 2020)

They used to be in early 90’s $350 repop originals 5-600 then they jumped from that to 5-600 for repops 850-1000 for original now they look to be $1200-1500 for orig


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## 1motime (Feb 28, 2020)

They look to have been a good investment.  I had a couple originals in the early 90's. Gone now.  Never gave any thought about value then.  Just great parts.  I have a bent one.  Maybe I should have it repaired.


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## detroitbike (Feb 29, 2020)

Here’s another 
Similar chrome , I have not cleaned it.


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## 1motime (Feb 29, 2020)

Coming out of the woodwork....


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## cyclingday (Mar 1, 2020)

The three types of Wald 
“Tomahawk Stems.”
The #4




The #5



The#6?






This last one is very unusual, and may have been the first of its type.


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## detroitbike (Mar 1, 2020)

Don’t forget the ‘baby’ and the tall versions!


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## Balloonatic (Mar 1, 2020)

Ah! Interesting @detroitbike, thanks for showing your NOS boxed one! I know you have a pretty large collection of these including a "baby" blade from me that I have never seen before. ;o)

So maybe the hazy, unpolished section at the bottom is not from being mounted, but where they hung the thing when they dipped in the chrome tank? I checked and both mine have the same hazy section below the split. One was NOS with tag (no box) and had some pitting like all the others I see have. 

The chrome on all I have seen is pretty thick and they polish up nicely, but most, even the boxed/NOS ones seem to have some pitting, probably from the factory. They were an accessory on most bikes except for the the one @mrg posted the bike and ad for, I forget the brand of bike; it is likely the only bike known that came with a tomahawk stem stock from the factory, so quality wasn't up as high as say Schwinn chrome which is legendary for being bulletproof and cleaning up really well even with some rust or corrosion. 

This one on ebay is currently at $1220 not including tax (Kentucky state sales tax is 6% currently) plus $20 shipping... so it's already over $1300. Will be curious to see later today how it ends up. 

Does anyone here feel that the presence of box and tag *adds value *to this stem? If so, how much % of a premium do you feel it adds?


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## detroitbike (Mar 1, 2020)

Box & tag only adds if your a hoarder like me!
  My guess is it will hit----- 1575.00 final bid....
  BTW the last one shown by Cyclingday is a tall version and I have seen tall & short ones in that head style.


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## detroitbike (Mar 1, 2020)

Boy was i off !


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## 1motime (Mar 1, 2020)

That is the value of that!


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## GTs58 (Mar 1, 2020)

1motime said:


> That is the value of that!




That's before the sellers discount for being a repeat buyer.  LMAO


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## Nashman (Aug 19, 2020)

Balloonatic said:


> The box and tag hold zero value for me, and don't add any premium to the price really; looking at the condition of the stem itself carefully, it has some pitting and looks like its been mounted at some point, the chrome is hazy/worn at the bottom split, and I can see wrench marks on the bolt head...  but I stepped up last year myself and spent close to a G for one, so I think the old supply 'n demand thing is in full force here. My bike didn't come with one originally, but it completes the air flow look so nicely and ties in the Torrington 15 tear drop pedals, I had to do it. With those over-the-top wild handle bars on the Speedline Airflo, it needs an over-the-top, crazy, exaggerated neck on that bike. Took me forever to find one, and don't think it didn't kill me to spend so much on a damn goose neck.. but sometimes ya gotta do whacha gotta do.
> 
> View attachment 1147302



I hear you.


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## Pedals Past (Aug 20, 2020)

Polishing a original bike and parts to my personal taste you might as well restore it..... our display cases of parts are eye catching and after every ten years or so I always end up selling them since I figure new bikes been found by new blood and the thrill of having them had worn off and is all I feel like is I am robbing the next line of  hobbiests  of the opportunity of either finishing their bikes or of seeking that thrill i got the opportunity of having.... after three rounds the prices go up but eventually you find the stuff again


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