PROTO; "Hecho en Mexico"; Made in Mexico stamped wrenches: The ProtoMex connection!

[billymade]

I have been reading about the URREA\PROTOMEX historical connection and how Proto tools were at one time made in Mexico; you can read about it here:

http://www.urreaprofessionaltools.com/public/pag5.aspx

I happened to be a two places in the last couple of days and ran into two wrenches that were marked "Hecho en Mexico" with the older style Proto logo on them; I thought I would post some pics! I thought these would be of interest to the Proto freaks around here:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/billymade/IMG_7288.jpg?t=1232946944
Front with traditional Proto logo

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/billymade/IMG_7290.jpg?t=1232947088
Front Proto logo detail

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/billymade/IMG_7286.jpg?t=1232947030
Back with unique "HECHO EN MEXICO" stamping

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/billymade/IMG_7291.jpg?t=1232947152
Back 'HECHO EN MEXICO" detail

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/billymade/IMG_7285.jpg?t=1232947207
Another unique feature: these are standard wrenches but they put the metric equivalent info on there too! I don't think I have ever seen this before!

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/billymade/IMG_7292-1.jpg?t=1232947290
The owners marks are of a Spanish name; how apropos is that? :)

[ImportTuner]

Why is the wrench 22.2 mm and 20.6 mm ..? :headscrat

[billymade]

These are "standard" wrenches but because they were made in mexico; a predominately metric based country (I am assuming), they put the metric equivalent on there too!

[nordstar]

Billymade, those are really cool. I haven't seen any like yet. I am sure you are right about the dual marked sizes, it makes sense. The USA made wrenches still stamped PROTO in that style font in to the late '60s or early '70s.

[billymade]

That would make sense; according to the URREA website: "In 1962, Mr. Raul Urrea, the president of the URREA group and Morris Pendleton, then original owner of the proto mark, met and began to talk about establishing a company to manufacture hand tools in Mexico. In June 1963 they established a joint venture to form a company in Mexico called Protomex to manufacture proto tools."

[Monte]

Haha cool ! Have to get those to confuse the people over here :)

[goodfellow]

That is very unique -- I like the idea. A very collectible item.

BTW How'd you manage to relieve Mr. Valenzuela of his tools:lol_hitti

[billymade]

He must have needed something else, other then his tools; the funny thing is... I purchased one at the local pawnshop and one at the flea market! They both were marked with the same last name! Go figure! :)

[Tool Pants]

There is a large Hispanic population where I live. I have kept my eyes open at the flea market for a Protomex tool, without any luck.

Today I found an Urrea 6" adjustable wrench from a seller that I have bought adjustable wrenches from before. He has Crescent, Craftsman, Proto, Diamond, Wright, and so on. It is usually $5 for the smaller ones, and $10 for the larger ones.

I held it up and asked him how much and he started to say $5. He is Mexican. I said, but, it is made in Mexico. He then came over to look at it. Then it was $3. He said Mexicans do not like Mexican tools the way Chinese do not like Chinese tools.

Funny if you were there....

[Autoguy]

May be made by UREA of mexico and rebadged.

I remeber in the 89s I used to see alot of those products in our tool market.

[HandyManny]

That would make sense; according to the URREA website: "In 1962, Mr. Raul Urrea, the president of the URREA group and Morris Pendleton, then original owner of the proto mark, met and began to talk about establishing a company to manufacture hand tools in Mexico. In June 1963 they established a joint venture to form a company in Mexico called Protomex to manufacture proto tools."

This is true. Read Proto's company history and it's clear as day that Proto had established a manufacuring facility in Mexico back way before both Ingersoll Rand and later Stanely's acquisition of the company. To find older Proto tool marked with Mexico...I can only guess there must be hundreds of thousands of these Mexican made Proto tools around

[v8garage]

I run across a lot of Mexican made Proto tools and also Urrea at Texas flea markets. Usually among the hispanic dealers. Seems there is a lot of tools crossing the border going both ways. A friend of mine that is a used tool dealer says that he sells a large quantity of his US made tools to a buyer from Mexico. He said the tools sell for more down there. I asked him if that is so why are the other Mexican buyers bringing tools the other way to sell here. He said he didn't understand it either.
V/8

[vssjim]

I have Proto USA Canada and Mexico made tools they all feel and work the same, it just shows that when Proto as a company opened a factory some where they really made sure that quality control was a top priority.

[Tool Pants]

Today at the flea market I saw an Urrea ratchet which looks like an old Proto. It did not look good cosmetically, so I did not ask the price.

[billymade]

A little evaporust; could have made that one perfect! :)

[vssjim]

Urrea is the new company that bought out Proto Mexico, they already owned half then bought the rest.

[nordstar]

vssjim, Urrea has been around before Proto came down to talk to them. The Urrea family took over in 1942. Urrea bought the Proto Mexico rights to keep producing the Proto line an there own. You can watch the company history video on there site: Here (http://www.urreaprofessionaltools.com/images/home_video.wmv)

[Autoguy]

I used to see them alot in the 80s but not as often today. I was told they are PROTO tools but never accepted them I felt they are just made by a cheap company in Mexico and paid PROTO some dollarsd for just using the name in the export markets. They are not cheap also

[Tool Pants]

Doubled the Urrea collection today with a $1 screwdriver from the flea market.

Been keeping my eyes open for a Proto Made in Mexico and no luck so far.

[Monte]

Doubled the Urrea collection today with a $1 screwdriver from the flea market.

Been keeping my eyes open for a Proto Made in Mexico and no luck so far.

just curious... I think i saw them here too .....Does the hexagon part of the handle say "PAT." ? Is the basic shape triangular ?

[Tool Pants]

It does have PAT on the hexagon part of the handle, and it is shaped like a triangle.

[Monte]

Thx for the pic !
Looks like this driver from "Toolcraft" which is sold here (also has the PAT. on the handle) and they seem to be made by Longinney click (http://www.longjinn.com/wish-life/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=P015&Category=100527)

http://media.conrad.de/xl/8000_8999/8200/8200/8207/820738_BB_00_FB.EPS.jpg

[Tool Pants]

The Longinney and Urrea handles sure look the same to me. Longinney even has a red/black handle like the Urrea.

Longinney is a Taiwan company, but their handle or their style handle is on a Mexican screwdriver.

The Urrea has Mexico on the handle and shaft. Maybe the screwdriver is made in Mexico from global components....

[Tool Pants]

Yesterday at the flea, I bought this ProMex 5449 1/2" drive ratchet.

Hecho En Mexico.

[Mickey O]

Muy agradables.

[Tool Pants]

Tripled my Urrea collection today at the flea with a 5/8' combo, with 15.8 mm on the reverse. Hard to take a decent pic because the plating is so shiny.

Same guy I bought the Urrea adjustable from last year. This time he would not discount it because it was made in Mexico, and even said maybe he should be proud of where it was made and keep it. Just a joke. Paid $2.