westcott type "S" wrenches

[rustcollector]

Who here is well versed in the multitude of variants of Westcott "S" type wrenches? I picked up one yesterday that is marked Cortland. It's the first I've seen, or at least noticed with that marking. I'd like to know more about it, I found a tidbit of stuff but only to know that it is most likely pre-1892.

[jimwrench]

                      Cortland Furging Co became Westcott Wrench Co in 1892 according to Cope. Have several Westcott's but no Cortland. Don't recall seeing one.

[Papaw]

Probably won't see many. They were only Cortland for a year or so.

[leg17]

Does Bemis and Call fit into this?

[rustcollector]

hmmm, in searching for it a bit more, I noticed that not only can a person buy the H.D. Smith building, they now can also buy the Keystone Tool building. I would think either would be outstanding places for wrench museums now. A built in history at either place.

[Papaw]

I put the pictures in the wrong post!

[rustcollector]

I put the pictures in the wrong post!

It's all good. At least they are here now.

[mvwcnews]

For those with an old run of MVWC Newsletters, an 1886 IRON AGE writeup about the CORTLAND "S" appears on pg. 5 of the March 1987 Newsletter.  The wrench shown  in that writeup is a different style than this one.  Some quick "advanced search / google books " reveals the following:

Geo. WESCOTT is listed as a wrench manufacturer living at Homer, NY in the 1888-89  CORTLAND, HOMER & McGRAW NY directory.  ( https://books.google.com/books?id=-EY-AQAAMAAJ )

The CORTLAND WRENCH CO. at Homer, NY is listed in the 1897 Railroad, Telegraph, Electric and Steamship Builders' Buyers' Guide ( https://books.google.com/books?id=IicwAQAAMAAJ ) under Wrench Mfrs.

But in 1891 IRON AGE, CORTLAND WRENCH CO. at Cortland, NY is adding machinery & capacity, and 1892 IRON AGE has WESCOTT WRENCH CO as successor to CORTLAND WRENCH CO.   

[rustcollector]

Thanks Stan. So from what I'm seeing, it could be anywhere from 1886 to 1891, but could be even before 1886. I'd say with the infrequency that I see a Cortland branded one, and living within 30 miles of there, that they didn't produce a lot of these style wrenches until 1892 and beyond, and at that point were putting Westcott on the handle. Has anybody ever found the earliest patent for the wrench?

I should mention that mine is a 8" nut version. You can't see the size in my poor pictures.

[rustcollector]

I'm getting a little confused too. I can't really tell if Cortland Forging and Cortland Wrench co were the same co or what. It seems they were but then I find stuff that makes me think maybe they weren't.

[Papaw]

Here is an example of the same wrench. A 6" version from The Erie Tool Works of Erie, Pa.

[Papaw]

And just for fun- Here is a 4" Westcott #74 -

[rustcollector]

I just sold my 4" Westcott. I liked it and it was fun to actually find one, but it's one of those things that somebody else will appreciate more than I did. This Cortland one has me twisted.... Being that it was made so close to home I'd like to keep it, but at the same time it's not really my type of wrench either. If it's a sort of low dollar wrench I'll end up keeping it for my NY collection I guess. Much rather find a rare NY farm implement wrench though.

A person could build one heck of a big display with all the different variants of "S" handle adjustables following this design. Seems I am always finding some marked just a bit different than others I had seen before.

[mvwcnews]

.... all the different variants of "S" handle adjustables following this design. Seems I am always finding some marked just a bit different than others I had seen before.

The adjustable "S" handles were around for a long time  -- if you include the crook handle British "Clyburn spanners" which go back to 1842 -- 0therwise the U.S. ones start roughly Civil War but did not really take off until the 1880s.  With marking variations, combinations of wrought iron, malleable iron, drop forged steel, cast steel, etc.  and then throw in the nut wrench styles, pipe wrench styles, and "convertible" where the wrench body could take an adjustable jaw for either pipe or nuts ...
As to patents -- beside the British "CLYBURN SPANNER" from 1842, U.S. manufacture mostly went ahead without patents.  According to Cope, the GREENE RIFLE WORKS was advertising "Patent Adjustable S Wrenches" in 1867 -- but the patent they refer to was probably related to the adjustment means & not the handle shape.
Scrolling through Schockley:
R.S. Stenton had "S" handle monkey wrench patents in 1866 / 1867 (# 56,628 & 60,801).
G.C. Taft April 27, 1869 patent 89,517 is an adjustable "S" as is 108,738 of Oct. 25, 1870.

[oldtools]

What is the benefit of the "S" handle design, other than forcing you to pull in the right direction...