Large Bronze Pipe Wrench

[Wrenchmensch]

The picture shows an AMPCO W214 24" beryllium copper (BeCu) bronze pipe wrench that was used at the Picatinny Arsenal.  The Arsenal is located in the NJ mountains at the northern end of the Delaware Valley.  I bought from a fellow who selling stuff out of a northern NJ farmhouse.

BECu's non-sparking properties confer the status of  "safety tool" on this wrench and all other tools made of this material. 

[jimwrench]

 I too have trouble passing up the Ampco & Berylco non-sparking tools. Have not seen that large a pipe wrench by Ampco. Nice find. Here is pic of Ampco D22 punch I bought Thurs.

[rusty]

The later stuff, like the punch , is made from Alumnium Bronze, an interesting substance in its own right. (And somewhat safer to handle ; )

I have found a few bronze tools, the fellow at the flea who runs a scrap yard saves them for me, people scrap $200 wrenches to get the $10 for the brass....*duh*
(Sadly, they sometimes put nasty file marks in them, apparently people don't believe they are solid brass/bronze...)

[Wrenchmensch]

Abrading beryllium copper tools is dangerous. The dust is carcinogenic.