Tool Talk

Classic Auto and Motorcycle Tools => Classic Auto and Motorcycle Tools => Topic started by: Nasutushenri on March 17, 2018, 09:45:30 AM

Title: Herbrand wrench
Post by: Nasutushenri on March 17, 2018, 09:45:30 AM: Found this Herbrand four-way rim wrench No.1050-X in a local charity shop.
Paid € 2.00 (about $ 2.50).
Dates probably from the thirties or forties.
Wonder how it came to the Netherlands.
Could it be in the toolkit of an American car?

Regards
Henri
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: jimwrench on March 17, 2018, 10:28:32 AM: Your English is very good but I don't know anything about your wrench. Nice find .
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: strik9 on March 17, 2018, 10:32:20 AM: What cars would be in any typical street scene of the immediate post war period? Germany into the mid 50's was a lot of then new American cars in the mix.

England had no shortage of them either.

I am wondering if your home town had some too.
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: skipskip on March 17, 2018, 10:33:48 AM: Popular aftermarket wheel wrench.

probably did come in a car trunk, but not as part of the original tool kit.

Nice find, I bet not too many in Europe

heck, not too many here either

Skip
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: oldgoaly on March 17, 2018, 10:36:20 AM: Hi Henri!
from a 1937 catalog
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: turnnut on March 17, 2018, 11:06:30 AM: aftermarket, automobile mfg. would only supply a wheel wrench that would fit their auto lug nut.

nice find, I have not found one like that here in Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: Nasutushenri on March 20, 2018, 07:42:39 AM: Thanks for the reactions and the information, especially for the 1937 catalog print.
There were certainly many American cars here after the war.

Found another Herbrand wrench on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-Antique-FORD-Model-A-LUG-WRENCH-TIRE-IRON-Chevy-car-old-auto-HERBRAND-TOOL-/173011884015?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368
Quite a price. Unthinkable in the Netherlands.

Regards
Henri
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: turnnut on March 20, 2018, 08:47:20 AM: Nasutushenri, that price is way overboard also here in the USA.

back in the early 1950's a Herbrand truck would come to the garage just like the Snap-On does today,
the guy would show you his newest tools, but he carried a big assortment of Herbrand tools,
yes, I would buy some and he would stop by every week and pick up his payments from us,
sometimes 50 cents to $ 1.oo a week would be ok with him, as long as he kept selling.

after I left that job and went to work in the mill, my car was broken into and they stole my tool box
with all those tools.
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: Nasutushenri on March 21, 2018, 08:55:32 AM: Turnnut, good to know about the price. Besides, I do not intend to sell.
Nice story about the former sales method of Herbrand.
Snap-on also sells here by truck.
Whether that also goes on account, I don't know.
As far as I know, you can't buy the tools in a store.

Regards
Henri
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: Bill Houghton on April 17, 2018, 11:29:22 AM: I did a lot of tire work using that type of wrench. Probably a lot of us did and have done. Once you get the nut loose, or, when installing, once you get it started, you can hold onto the end of the wrench and give the cross-bar a good push, and spin the nut off of the stud/up to the wheel almost as fast as an air tool will do.
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: turnnut on April 17, 2018, 01:30:53 PM: yes, spun many with that type of tool, plus when there were stubborn nuts, I would put the wrench on the nut, and a block of wood on
the opposite end and stand on the cross bar, either left or right side, depending on if it was a RH or LH threaded nut.
Title: Re: Herbrand wrench
Post by: p_toad on April 17, 2018, 10:31:22 PM: haha...reminds me of the time (many years ago) when i twisted off two of the lug bolts trying to get a tire off to give to a friend (old ones had been impacted on...ugh). :sad: I was younger then. :tongue: