Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: superzstuff on October 06, 2012, 09:00:28 PM

Title: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: superzstuff on October 06, 2012, 09:00:28 PM
I have seen very few of these type adjustables and the last one I remember, I think, had ends turned in different directions. This one has ends turned the same way. Marked Diamond Calk Horse Shoe Co. seems different too. How many makers produced these?
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on October 06, 2012, 09:16:27 PM
I know Crescent also made them, as I have one.

Mike
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: Papaw on October 06, 2012, 09:19:11 PM
Diamond and Crescent both made them, and seems like all I've seen are like the one pictured.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: superzstuff on October 06, 2012, 09:37:25 PM
Thanks, it has been since the 70's last time I saw on and just couldn't remember. Glad to finally get one though.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: oldtools on October 07, 2012, 01:53:15 AM
Kool Tool
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on October 07, 2012, 06:49:23 AM
There is also a rare variant of these double enders that was made on the old "S" handle adjustable wrench pattern.  As you can imagine these are are a strange looking 'critter'.  They were made by either Billings & Spencer or Bemis & Call.  My memory fails me here.  Also I haven't been able to find an image to post.  Will keep looking for that.

Both Crescent and Diamond made the type you have in 4 sizes(that I am aware of).  There is a 4-6, a 6-8, an 8-10, and the 10-12 like yours.

They were also available in two finishes.  A bright finish, nickle/chrome, and black oxide like yours.

I was told by a fellow at a tractor show last year, that these were also made in a 12-15 version.  Not quite sure I believe this, as I have never seen one, nor have I ever talked to anyone else who has.  There is also no online reference to one.

Now you only have to get 7 more to have a complete collection of all that were commonly make.

Good Luck,  Mike
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on October 07, 2012, 07:02:55 AM
Here is the Bemis & Call version, courtesy of Larry and Carol Meekers web site.

  Also, although an image was not available, there was at least a 6-8 in. double ender that was made by Scholler Mfg. Co. of Buffalo, NY.  Also from the Meeker's site.

(http://www.antiqbuyer.com/images/ARCHIVE_PICS/farm-archive-pics/wrench/bc_double2.jpg)
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: 1930 on October 07, 2012, 09:29:02 AM
Wow, I like that wrench, sign me up on your next giveway
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: Bill Houghton on October 07, 2012, 11:50:34 AM
Besides the cool factor, what's the benefit of these?  Why did the makers produce them?
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: Lewill2 on October 07, 2012, 06:02:30 PM
The B&C that Mike posted is different in that it is a nut and pipe combination wrench. The crescent style first posted is just 2 sizes of a standard nut style crescent wrench combined.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on October 09, 2012, 06:51:05 AM
Lewill2,  You are quite right.  In my zeal to get it posted, I missed that detail.  However, it brings up several other questions.

Did Bemis & Call make one with nut wrenches on both ends, similar to the one I posted?

Did anyone else make make a double ender that had a nut wrench on one end and a pipe wrench on the other?

Actually, marrying a Stillson pipe wrench and a Crescent wrench might be an interesting project.  It would make a neat tool.

Mike
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: Branson on October 09, 2012, 07:02:33 AM
Besides the cool factor, what's the benefit of these?  Why did the makers produce them?

Same reason they made DOE and DBE wrenches.  There are times when you just gotta have two different sized wrenches.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: Lewill2 on October 09, 2012, 10:08:29 AM
Mike, the only B&C I recall is the combo as pictured, nut and pipe. I don't recall seeing another S shaped double nut before. Carall (spelling?) made a crescent style that you can reverse the jaw to change it from a nut to a pipe wrench. I can't think of another nut and pipe combo similar to the B&C. There are several makers of the monkey style nut and pipe combo wrenches.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: lebaron on October 09, 2012, 08:37:29 PM
I think there was one made by Merit for Sears.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on October 09, 2012, 10:35:29 PM
If anyone seriously wants a double ender, good old 21shark has had one on ebay forever.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dead-Mint-BEMIS-CALL-Double-Ended-Wrench-6-inch-/330792888351?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d04cae81f
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: 1930 on October 10, 2012, 03:57:34 AM
That price is ridiculous, Ill wait for the next giveway and cross my fingers
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on October 10, 2012, 05:03:00 PM
His prices are always high.  Generally really nice stuff though.  He has a "Baby Coes" for $275.  On his website it's $225.  Still a mite high in my opinion.

Mike
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: amertrac on October 10, 2012, 05:49:50 PM
Another style
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on October 10, 2012, 09:15:16 PM
In his Oct. 27th auction Martin Donnelly has one of these listed.  The one he has is marked BUCKEYE along the shank in raised letters.

Nice wrench Bob.

Mike
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: fflintstone on October 10, 2012, 09:25:51 PM
I hope to one day pick up a double ender at a garage sale or flea. I have seen them at tractor shows but in general them guys want too much money for rusty junk.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: amertrac on October 11, 2012, 06:01:48 AM
I hope to one day pick up a double ender at a garage sale or flea. I have seen them at tractor shows but in general them guys want too much money for rusty junk.
Mr. Stone, are you the gentleman who had the missfortune of having a fire in your tool shed? If so when you put in a claim on insurance did you claim the market value of the tools or what you paid for them. What kind( if any) of a hassle did the insurance company give you?
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: rusty on October 11, 2012, 05:44:17 PM
Says it all:
"get 12 months financing
Subject to credit approval.See terms"

LOL!
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: fflintstone on October 11, 2012, 07:42:52 PM
I hope to one day pick up a double ender at a garage sale or flea. I have seen them at tractor shows but in general them guys want too much money for rusty junk.
Mr. Stone, are you the gentleman who had the missfortune of having a fire in your tool shed? If so when you put in a claim on insurance did you claim the market value of the tools or what you paid for them. What kind( if any) of a hassle did the insurance company give you?

I actually had the misfortune of having two fires. I learned a lot about insurance and as a result I did better on the second fire.
I did not have old collectable tools; I had vintage American mechanics tools. For the most part I received 75% of the retail value. I had to fight to get that.
There are detailed “what I learned from the fire” threads in garage gazette, tools and garages, and garage journal. It is stickied at the top at tools and garages.
http://www.toolsandgarages.com/index.php?topic=3969.0

Insurance laws vary by state so I won’t go into it here.
Read what I wrote, and if you have any questions feel free to PM me.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: 1930 on October 12, 2012, 04:00:32 AM
I hope to one day pick up a double ender at a garage sale or flea. I have seen them at tractor shows but in general them guys want too much money for rusty junk.
Mr. Stone, are you the gentleman who had the missfortune of having a fire in your tool shed? If so when you put in a claim on insurance did you claim the market value of the tools or what you paid for them. What kind( if any) of a hassle did the insurance company give you?

I actually had the misfortune of having two fires. I learned a lot about insurance and as a result I did better on the second fire.
I did not have old collectable tools; I had vintage American mechanics tools. For the most part I received 75% of the retail value. I had to fight to get that.
There are detailed “what I learned from the fire” threads in garage gazette, tools and garages, and garage journal. It is stickied at the top at tools and garages.
http://www.toolsandgarages.com/index.php?topic=3969.0

Insurance laws vary by state so I won’t go into it here.
Read what I wrote, and if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Id like to say

If you dont retire on the third one Im gonna be disappointed

but that might be misconstrued as an implication of something which its not, all in good fun
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on January 22, 2013, 07:24:37 PM
Here are a  couple pictures of the double ended Crescent type adjustables that were manufactured.  Pictures are of only the 4in.-6in. size since that is all I collect.

Top is a Crescent

Middle a Diamond

Bottom a Scholler

I just got the Scholler last week at the Flywheeler's Tractor & Antique Engine Show.  The first and only one I have seen.  It's not perfect, but will have to do until a better one comes along...if that ever happens. :)

I believe these are the only 3 companies that made this particular style wrench.

Mike


 
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: rusty on January 22, 2013, 09:07:48 PM

>I believe these are the only 3 companies that made this particular style wrench.

Likely, but there are other markings....;P

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/craftsman-early-tools-p4.html#merit-adj-10in
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mikeswrenches on January 22, 2013, 09:16:45 PM
Kind of interesting that Sears had a double end adjustable in the their second line, Merit, but not in Craftsman.

I don't think I've ever seen any Merit tools, certainly not the double ender.  Another one to look for.

Thanks Rusty for the link.

Mike
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: wvtools on January 22, 2013, 09:57:31 PM
I have had several, but no good ones for quite a long while.  I used to get anywhere from 25 to 50 for them, depending on condition.  They are frequently twisted.

I have a customer in OH who has over 125 of them.  He keeps talking about selling them off, but I do not think he ever will.  He also have over 400 4 inch adjustables.

P. S. He is not just blowing steam about his numbers.  I have seen pictures of his collection.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: scottg on January 23, 2013, 12:04:10 AM
I found a Lakeside. Monkey Wards probably and the only one I ever saw.  It cleaned up really pretty.  I was needing cash and sold it, but I guess my auction pictures weren't good enough, and too many guys were asleep at the switch.
 It went for less than a common Crescent. sigh
 yours Scott
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: amertrac on January 23, 2013, 03:46:58 AM
(http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g208/amertrac/GEDC1794_zps6d2cbc2a.jpg)                                             HOW ABOUT THIS  BELMONT / BUCKLEY  bob w.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: superzstuff on January 23, 2013, 08:08:15 AM
All these pictures of "S" shaped versions answered my original question. I remembered seeing a double ender in the 70's, but I thought the ends were turned in different directions. The standard styles, like the one I have, ends are turned in same direction.
Thanks for all the info. Happy to see all the interest.
Title: Re: Double ended adjustable wrench
Post by: mvwcnews on January 29, 2013, 11:00:29 PM
I ran across a CRESCENT "new product" ad for their double ender line in 1915 ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvwcnews/8411934259/ ).  The ad gives their rationale.   CRESCENT TOOL made them in the old heavy line & then in the lighter "CRESTOLOY" line as well.

Beside Crescent, Diamond Calk & Diamalloy, SCHOLLER, GEDORE, possibly hardware wholesaler brands like KEEN KUTTER, there were some odd German made imports in the 20s & early 30's that were just marked with the "maxim opening size" on each end.