Perusing The Dirt Mall

[bill300d]

While perusing the dirt mall last weekend I happened upon these three wrenches. Of course they had to come home with me. I don't know much background about them yet so if you know anything please tell.

bill

[mvwcnews]

Do all three have the E.C. Simmons KEEN KUTTER logo?

[scottg]

Do all three have the E.C. Simmons KEEN KUTTER logo?

 do they ?????????????????

They look Williams made to me.

 Keen Kutter (EC Simmons hardware) marked stuff always goes for a little premium over other brands. Lots of people collect Keen Kutter.

 There is a lot of KK around, so its not a giant premium most times. But its more than usual for most things.
    yours Scott

[bill300d]

Mvwc all three have the same Keen Kutter mark and are numbered 27, 31, 33.

Scott I occasionaly see Keen Kutter items around but this a first for wrenches.
I also thought they looked a little Williams like

bill

[scottg]

Here are my similar Williams.
 
   Are the KK's marked for size by the bolt head size instead of the bolt shank size?
Namely marked 7/8 for what fits a 1/2" bolt? 
 (I am just guessing here, the wrenches are downstairs and I am too lazy/hung over to go find out. But you get the idea. Marked for the bolt head size)
    yours Scott
PS the pix are before and after. I baked the paint in the oven same way they use-ta do.

[bear_man]

Scott G., YIKES!  I'd'a never thought to put such in an oven, namely because I'm cautious about applying heat to a tool so's not to take out any temper.  I'm guessing you might mean Low heat for awhile, eh?  For removing paint I use Lacquer Thinner, rubbing it off outside if it's a big piece.

[rusty]

>cautious about applying heat to a tool so's not to take out any temper.

Unless your oven goes to 1000F you aren't going to take the temper out ;P

There are KeenKutter marked S-wrenches also, dunno who made them tho

[bill300d]

I went thru my Williams wrenches and found a no33 and compared it to the Keen Kutter. As you'll see in the photos they are identical except for the markings and the Williams wrench is 3/16 in shorter. The heads are exactly the same so the length difference is in the shaft. Keen Kutter is 1/2uss x 9/16uss williams just marked 1/2 and 9/16 but are also uss.

[scottg]

  You can put even fragile old school O-1 knife steel into an oven up to 350 degrees and never touch the temper.
  In fact when I make a new knife or plane blade I will bake it in my oven alongside a pie.
350 for an hour?  Ideal knife temper!

 Many antique mechanic tools _pliers wrenches etc) can go to almost 500 degrees (purple with brown spots temper color) before you do any damage at all. 
  If you accidentally take it all the way to full spring blue (~600 degrees) you will still get pretty good service.

 (Most modern hand tools can to go over 1250 degrees, namely red hot, and return to exactly the same way they were.
As long as you leave it alone and let it cool naturally (don't quench).
   .........Air hardening steel.)

 
    You start baking paint at 250.  for 1/2 hr.
  Then 275 then 300, letting it cool down inbetween. 
 Triple baked like this it gets pretty hard.
       yours Scott

[oldtools]

  You can put even fragile old school O-1 knife steel into an oven up to 350 degrees and never touch the temper.
  In fact when I make a new knife or plane blade I will bake it in my oven alongside a pie.
350 for an hour?  Ideal knife temper!

 Many antique mechanic tools _pliers wrenches etc) can go to almost 500 degrees (purple with brown spots temper color) before you do any damage at all. 
  If you accidentally take it all the way to full spring blue (~600 degrees) you will still get pretty good service.

 (Most modern hand tools can to go over 1250 degrees, namely red hot, and return to exactly the same way they were.
As long as you leave it alone and let it cool naturally (don't quench).
   .........Air hardening steel.)

 
    You start baking paint at 250.  for 1/2 hr.
  Then 275 then 300, letting it cool down inbetween. 
 Triple baked like this it gets pretty hard.
       yours Scott

Thank you Scott, good info!...