Tool Talk
Wrench Forum => Wrench Forum => Topic started by: DM11 on August 11, 2013, 02:08:46 PM
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While looking through some old wrenches I found out I had Three No. 25 wrtenches from different tool manufactors. From left to right Bonney, Herbrand and Vlchek
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The WILLIAMS no. 25 in a 1930 hardware wholesaler's catalog has openings for 1/4 & 5/16 U.S.S. Nuts, also fits 5/16 hex cap screw, 5/16 S.A.E. nut or cap screw; the openings are 1/2" & 19/32" , 5 1/2" long, 22 1/2 degree angle heads.
I think the #25 was part of a numbering standard for wrenches in the 1920s - 30s
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Thank you for the information mvwcnews!
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The USS standard/number wrench was made obsolete in 1929 when the US government adopted SAE to replace the hodge-podge of standards used before. The wrenching public did not embrace SAE well and after 1929 dual marked with any other with SAE appears on many maker's wrenches. Many of the older cars and machines using the older standards still existed and were in use yet.
In 1946 the gov mandated that only SAE wrenches be produced after the WWII war efforts more or less standardized the fasteners used in a lot of industry. By the mid 50's it appears that most all mechanics had finally adopted SAE well.
Number wrenches appear to be the most common of the early standards at least as far as my collection goes.
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Are these early numbered wrenches have any collector value ? I was at a flea market today and saw quite a few in VG condition.
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Common names and brands don't seem to bring much clout. Well known but little found brands like Winchester or the defunct luxury car makers of the teens to early 30's have some collector demand. Mostly to those who have a restored car of that brand.
Most are like myself, I specialize in Armstrong, Billings and Buffalo-Barcalo with a side interest in Williams. DOE most of all, others if deemed 'cool' .
Yet there are few examples out there that would make me want to pay big numbers for any of them. They are just too common really.
The only big money market seems to be military vehicle tool kit wrenches. A lot of research would be required as nearly all tool makers were involved during the 40's. The most common looking BB wrench could be a much desired and rare wrench in the military vehicle market.
I tried but quickly got overwhelmed with conflicting data, using Ebay as a guide was a joke, they are all rare and valuable jeep tool kit tools. At least according to the sellers.
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Years ago I started to compiled a chart of the Industry Standard Wrench Numbers. I never finished it but have quite a few of the Willaims, Herbrand and Armstrong wrenches listed plus some Billings & Spencer (they didn't use the Standard numbering system but had their own).
The incomplete chart is at:
http://www.wrenchingnews.com/industry-standard-wrenches/chart.html (http://www.wrenchingnews.com/industry-standard-wrenches/chart.html)
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When I see these wrenches there's only a number, no makers name.
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>When I see these wrenches there's only a number, no makers name.
A very large percentage of those are vlchek, who apparently made noname auto toolkit wrenches by the megaton.....
(You can identify them by the shape after a while)
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The USS standard/number wrench was made obsolete in 1929 when the US government adopted SAE to replace the hodge-podge of standards used before. The wrenching public did not embrace SAE well and after 1929 dual marked with any other with SAE appears on many maker's wrenches. Many of the older cars and machines using the older standards still existed and were in use yet.
In 1946 the gov mandated that only SAE wrenches be produced after the WWII war efforts more or less standardized the fasteners used in a lot of industry. By the mid 50's it appears that most all mechanics had finally adopted SAE well.
Number wrenches appear to be the most common of the early standards at least as far as my collection goes.
Thanks for the info.
Years ago I started to compiled a chart of the Industry Standard Wrench Numbers. I never finished it but have quite a few of the Willaims, Herbrand and Armstrong wrenches listed plus some Billings & Spencer (they didn't use the Standard numbering system but had their own).
The incomplete chart is at:
http://www.wrenchingnews.com/industry-standard-wrenches/chart.html (http://www.wrenchingnews.com/industry-standard-wrenches/chart.html)
Thanks for the link. Bus looks like you've put a lot of time and effort compliling all that information. I,ll have to study it more as I get time.