BAHCO FIND

[johnek]

Hi all,

Happy to report I've bought my first Clyburn model Bahco

This is a nice 15" adjustable dating between 1914-1924, the first of the Series 3 models. Clyburn was a well-established name in England in wrenches and so the Clyburn name was used for marketing purposes. Not many of these around, although I saw an 18" in Australia some months back but it slipped through my fingers.

Good to hear from any other Bahco enthusiasts...

[oldtools]

Nice!!  Interesting history on Clyburn model Bahco wrenches, can we see a full photo of yours?
"An adjustable spanner may also be called a shifting spanner, shifting adjustable, shifter, fit-all, "Swedish" or "French" key depending on type"

[johnek]

The back has the patent marking that was used until 1924

[OilyRascal]

It looks like something to write home about to me.

[johnek]

Well I dont know about writing home about it but certainly write to a specialist forum on wrenches. My family - well they just don't get it somehow....

[volvadi]

WoW!  The Clyburn has been my Holy Grail for a while now.   Didn't know they were still attainable.

" My family - well they just don't get it somehow...."

I've been giving BAHCO 11's as coming of age and welcome to the family gifts for many years.  The recipients are always

appreciative and never give me any crap about my affliction.  Bribe them while there young!

[johnek]

That's a good idea! I'm new to the game, so they are still looking at me with sideways glances....

[johnek]

Well,
The Holy Grail of BAHCO for the general population of BAHCO collectors seems to be the Generation 2. These were made from 1911 to 1914 and there just so few of them around. A serious collector I talked to recently said he had over 200 BAHCO wrenches and just 2 were Generation 2. He looks every day. We live in hope... if it were easy it would not be worthwhile

joHn

[Papaw]

Please educate us about these different generation BAHCO wrenches.

[lbgradwell]

Please educate us about these different generation BAHCO wrenches.

Bruce Melby (who I was quite sure was a member here - perhaps the old site) has a site devoted to Bahco which has a nice write-up on the different generations of Bahco wrenches:

http://www.melbys.net/bahco/Generations.htm

[johnek]

Melbys site (http://www.melbys.net) was my first source of information for BAHCO and still very useful. Another great source is http://skiftnyckeln.blogspot.com.au/ which is owned by an enthusiast named Leif Backman in Finland. View it in Google Chrome and it will translate it for you on the fly. Another is www.oldwrenches.com

Both these Scandinavian gents have been very helpful and forthcoming with information.

[johnek]

A short summary:
(See http://skiftnyckeln.blogspot.com.au)

Generation One 1982 - 1915
A. 1982-1902 Shaft widens
B. 1902-1910 Shaft narrows
C. 1910-1915 Parallel Shaft

Generation Two 1911-1914
A. 1911-1913 Right handed thread
B. 1913-1914 Left Handed thread

Generation Three 1914-1969
Parallel shafts
A. 1914-1924 Clyburn models, 45 deg head models plus many others - sharks, tyre levers, doubles
B. 1924-1953 Thicker edges, markings AB HJORTH&CO
C. 1954-1969 Thinner edges, markings AB BAHCO

Generation Four 1954- 1983
Shaft widens
A. 1954-1968 Models without the "0"
B. 1969-1984 Models with a "0"

Generation Five 1984 - 1992
Ergo series, models "80", ridged jaws

Generation Six 1992-
Ergo Models with rubber handle

[volvadi]

We don't seem to have many large BAHCO wrenches in the U.S.  Always suspected that they all went to Australia and you seem to be more evidence of that.  Love your collection and it seems that you have acquired a lot of knowledge in your quest.

Hope you don't mind if I share some pictures and ask a lot of questions about BAHCO mysteries that have bugged me for a long time.

To start with.....

My only large BAHCO is very similar to your Clyburn and I wonder if it is from the pre '24 period.  It's a No. 84 and I read that the early 84 didn't say Clyburn like the 70 series did.   What do you think of this?

[johnek]

What do I think? I like it! Nice photos as well. I'll have to get my good camera out to compete with these.

We know that the first of the Generation 3's in the 70 series were labelled Bahco-Clyburn, (1914-1924) and then there were several changes to labelling over the period that Generation 3s were made. The patent No: 40417 was granted in 1914. We assume it was granted for 17 years. Currently Swedish patents are granted for 20 years, but it used to be 17 years (I am told). So from about 1931 the Patent labelling was dropped as it ran out. Then you can see wrenches with as in the No.72 (10") in my picture (The "o" in No. has two lines underneath it).  They tend to have "Drop Forged Steel" on the back. After that (think it was the late 40s) it was the labelling as in my 12" BAHCO 83 MADE IN SWEDEN which had the A-B BA HJORTH&Co on the back, which lasted until 1953. Yes apparently none of the 80 series ever had Clyburn on them. That means that your nice BAHCO 15 would be made anywhere between 1914 and 1931.

[johnek]

How would you like to find this in an old box at the back of your dad's shed?