Auto Wrench Thread

[AntiqueBen]

Ok. I found something that makes no sense & contradicts what we know about B&S's 1915 re-organization & re-naming using the word "The" preceding their name. I found an ad in The Motor World of B&S offering their "new" 8" Auto Wrench. The stamping on the wrench reads "The Billings & Spencer Co Hartford Conn." And it's also in all caps! The conundrum here is the ad is from 1903!! A total of 12 years "before" we are told they stamped their tools this way. If this stands as correct, it kinda turns things upside down when trying to properly determine what is before or after 1915. Pics below. I also enlarged the stamping. I know this is just an ad, but I haven't seen a B&S ad yet that was just simply wrong. Can we simply write this off as an artist mistake on this ad?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My inclination is to slow our roll drawing any conclusions based on any ads, but also take what we think we know with a grain of salt. I'm not prepared to discard the conventional wisdom on the markings, but I'm not prepared to live or die by them, either.

 

[AntiqueBen]

My inclination is to slow our roll drawing any conclusions based on any ads, but also take what we think we know with a grain of salt. I'm not prepared to discard the conventional wisdom on the markings, but I'm not prepared to live or die by them, either.

I agree

 

[AntiqueBen]

I think I've made a little progress that makes some sense. C.E. Billings had a wrench patent granted in 1895 that, in my opinion, is where the Auto Wrench derived from (pic below). Patent can be seen HERE

Outside of its length, it looks identical to what we know as the B&S auto wrench we see in the 1900-04 ads. The patent title is simply called "wrench" & in the description it says the wrench was referred to in B&S listings as Model D. Below are pics of the wrench in an ad I found for it in the Geer's Hartford City Directory dated 1896. It's my opinion they made this wrench longer & called it their Model G Auto Wrench like we see for the first time in an ad in The Horseless Age dated April of 1900 (pics below). So far this 1900 ad is the earliest ad I've found using the term "Auto Wrench." It kinda looks like the Model D quickly became the Model G Auto Wrench.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Actually, at closer inspection, there is one difference I saw in the pic of the B&S 1895 Model D compared to the first Auto Wrench. The Model D has a longer piece of the body extending down under the thumb screw adjustment (pic below), where the auto wrench doesn't have this feature. So, it's possible that the wrench we see in the 1896 ad (without this feature) "could" be the first time we see an auto wrench in an ad (pic below).

Also Lugz, the fact you pointed out the first 10" auto wrench, according to B&S ads, actually measured 10-3/4", like you said, it's very possible our 10-7/8" wrench with the older stamping has enough going for it to argue it could be the first 10" B&S auto wrench offered. Like you also pointed out, the OAL measurements were all over the place. Our 10" examples are even stamped on the same spot of the handle just like the wrench in the 1896 ad as well.

 

[Stubby1743]

Nine inch King ****.

 

[Stubby1743]

11 1/2" Ahrem's Good Line from Germany. The end of the handle is flattened for use as a tyre lever. There are no markings on the handle.

I have known this tool since the 1960's and the fact that it says 'Germany' and not W. Germany leads me to think that was made pre WW2. I haven't been able to find out anything about the company. Ahrem was a village in Germany near Cologne but is now part of the town of Erftstadt.

 

[AntiqueBen]

There has been a new development on the B&S Auto Wrench research front. I need to make a change to the information I posted in post #84. My theory that the B&D Model D wrench, that was patented in 1895, later became the Auto Wrench in 1900 actually isn't true. I ran across an ad yesterday that gives us the release date & fills in the gap from the Model D in 1895 to the Auto Wrench ad in 1900.

I found an ad in Iron Age (pics below) dated January of 1898 advertising the Billings & Spencer "Adjustable" Wrench. It says, "Announcement" "Now Ready For Shipment." Only offered in a 10" & 18" lengths. The statement Now Ready For Shipment would imply that before this ad this wrench was "Not" ready for shipment. This wrench is clearly not the B&S Model D, but is identical to the advertised Auto Wrench we see in the ads from 1900 forward (same sizes as well).

Looks like they took the Model D design & made it longer & called it an "Adjustable" wrench in 1897-98.. It is most certainly this adjustable wrench that was renamed the auto wrench 2 yrs later in 1900. Maybe they didn't want to use the word "adjustable" since other tool manufacturers were using this terminology. Plus the automobile was popular at the time, so what better to call it but an auto wrench, which actually at this time in history was a brilliant idea on B&S's part. After many hours of research, it's my opinion this is the origin of the first offered B&S auto wrench.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Here is a good example of what these tool manufacturers were doing during the automobile boom in the early 1900's. I have 2 Bonney wrenches from the same era. One a regular 10" pipe wrench & the other a 10" Automobile Wrench. You can clearly see all they did was make the pipe wrench a little thinner & Bob's your uncle....you got a Bonney-fied Auto Wrench

 

[d42jeep]

Hopefully, there won’t be too many duplicates in these Diamond auto wrench pictures.




-Don

 

[d42jeep]

A few more.
-Don
Before
After
15”

 

[AntiqueBen]

A few more.
-Don
Before
After
15”

Nice Don. Diamond definitely made a quality auto wrench. You have some good ones

 

[AntiqueBen]

My inclination is to slow our roll drawing any conclusions based on any ads, but also take what we think we know with a grain of salt. I'm not prepared to discard the conventional wisdom on the markings, but I'm not prepared to live or die by them, either.

I don't think it's a coincidence that both of our 10" early B&S Auto's measure the same at 10-7/8". It would be interesting to see the OAL on a 10" that is stamped Model G for comparison. BTW, I still need to get a scale.

 

[AntiqueBen]

The 1898 ad (pic below) announcing the release of the Billings & Spencer Adjustable Wrench (auto wrench) was offered in 2 sizes, the 10" & 18". The following year in an 1899 ad (2nd pic below), B&S was now offering 3 sizes, 10", now a 14" & the 18". Finally in a 1904 ad (3d pic below), B&S added the 8" version to the lineup.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I'm very curious for you to get your early B&S weighed Ben.....

I finally picked up a digital scale. My early B&S Auto Wrench weighed in at 1lb 15.68oz. So, not that far off from yours.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Here's my 12" Trimo Auto Wrench. It's marked Pat Ap'd For. The earlier Trimo Auto Wrenches from 1904 only came in a 10" version. This 12" version must have came out before they got the patent for the nut guards.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My early B&S Auto Wrench weighed in at 1lb 15.68oz. So, not that far off from yours.

Indeed. < 2 ozs. would be well within any reasonable tolerance.

 

[four.cycle]

"Auto Monkey" Wrench - wantin' to make sure they had all the bases covered there?
That thing is a beast, Don!

 

[AntiqueBen]

Indeed. < 2 ozs. would be well within any reasonable tolerance.

I agree. Here is my 8" B&S. The ad you listed says it should be 8" long & 16-1/2oz. It's actually 7-7/8" long & 15.2oz. Still within 2oz range. Most of these are a little longer than the advertised length, as we see listed in the ads. This 8" is just a smidge shorter than it's advertised length.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I find the B&S 6" adjustable wrench interesting too (pics of mine below). It's never listed with the Auto Wrench line-up, but in one ad it's spoken about like the 8" auto wrench's little brother. In another ad about the adjustable auto wrenches, the 6" adjustable is referred to as a "Shop" wrench. I also found the 6" listed in a 1896 ad (last pic), so it's definitely an early model adjustable.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Here's my Billings & Spencer Auto Wrench line-up. Top to bottom is 14" 10" 8" & the 6". All have the old stamping. The 6" was never really officially considered an auto wrench, but it was mentioned many times in old ads along side the 8" auto wrench. I'm only missing the 18" auto now. I have an 11" auto wrench on the way with the old stamp. I've not been able to find a reference anywhere of an 11" (or a 9") B&S auto before 1915 with the old stamping.

 

[AntiqueBen]

My Billings & Spencer 11" auto wrench showed up today. It's the only 11" I've seen with the old stamp (pre-1915) that doesn't have the word "The" before it. I also can't find any references for an 11" marked the old way. Everything I've found so far for an 11" is a Model G &/or marked with the word "The" before the stamping.

 

[PSCo1867]

This one's an 18" long beast, and has been sandblasted. I can't find any ID on it, other than user markings. I think any useable ID had rusted away.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this 11” cad plated wrench over the weekend. It doesn’t have any brand markings but I assume that it was made by Vlchek due to the handle shape. It doesn’t seem to have seen much use.
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

Here's one for those who just love auto wrenches, I came across the advert by chance.
A genuine 1980's Ferrari service department sign, Only £5,000.00
Do they really service a Ferrari using an adjustable auto wrench?

1980-90 Ferrari Factory OEM Wrench Service Sign 308 328 Dino - Classic Ferrari Parts

An extremely rare Ferrari OEM factory service sign, used internally by Ferrari for their service departments. This would not have been offered for general public sale, but would have only been used by official Ferrari dealerships and service centres in period. If you are looking for that final...

www.classicferrariparts.co.uk

 

[four.cycle]

Do they really service a Ferrari using an adjustable auto wrench?

Only when they can't find a big enough hammer.

 

[fishwatcher]

I picked up this Diamond Tools and Horseshoe Co C-79 recently. It measures just over 9”. I don’t know how old it is. Any ideas?

It had a bit of rust on it, but that cleaned off easily with a wire wheel and 3M radial brush.

Thanks to @AreBeeBee for the pointer to this thread.

 

[Provincial]

Diamond sold those for a long time. I bought one new at a chain hardware store around 1980. That C-79 could be a date code.

 

[four.cycle]

@fishwatcher - somewhere it is posted - not sure where - the timeline from when Diamond went from its original "Diamond Calk & Horseshoe" to "Diamond Tool and Horseshoe" to just the later "Diamond"...

according to AA, they started using "Diamond Tool and Horseshoe" in 1958, so yours cannot be any older than that.

That one's in nice shape. I'd call it a keeper.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a larger 15” post 1958 example. I’ve never checked catalogs to try to date mine.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I posted this recent estate sale find on the Vlchek thread but it should be here as well.
Passing the Jeep hub wrench test
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

My old buddy brought me this otherwise unmarked 9” yesterday with what looks to be a C in a circle stamped on the jaw. Any guesses on the manufacturer? Until I saw the C my first thought was Vlchek.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I posted a similar one of these in #5 but I rarely see these so I bought this one at today’s estate sale. It’s a
-v- #4449. The handle shape has a Vlchek look about it rather than Moore Drop Forge.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ I got nothin' for "C in a circle"

from Lauver's list:

C-circle = Likely Crescent possibly Channellock, ca. 1935 - 1941 (note- based on one Craftsman-underline Vanadium linesman plier)

 

[Loga_3]

11 inches of seemingly unused King ****.

 

[d42jeep]

I posted a similar one of these in #5 but I rarely see these so I bought this one at today’s estate sale. It’s a
-v- #4449. The handle shape has a Vlchek look about it rather than Moore Drop Forge.
-Don

Once the rust was gone the wrench seems to be in good condition.
-Don

 

[Jay__Dub]

My old buddy brought me this otherwise unmarked 9” yesterday with what looks to be a C in a circle stamped on the jaw. Any guesses on the manufacturer? Until I saw the C my first thought was Vlchek
-Don

Just found a similar, going through a pile I got on the weekend. I've cleaned it up some. It appears to have no maker's mark, although my eyes are failing so I'll have to clean it more, and get my magnifiers for a good check. The difference is it has a, "67", on the flip side.

 

[Jay__Dub]

Didn't clean up too bad. The only other mark I can find on it is a C in a circle, as per posted d42jeep.



Also found a pair of these, "onehanders", made in Germany. Pretty far gone, but I have them loosened up, and will have to clean them some more as time allows.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I found a Wizard wrench today made by Wakefield Mfg Co. Not to be confused with "wizard" tools for Western Auto. It looks like a giant bicycle wrench because it's a lot thinner than a standard auto wrench. This one is patented in 1922 & is a Wizard no. 11. I see plenty of the 9" Wakefield wrench online for sale, but I haven't seen a no. 11. I haven't been able to find anything yet doing a Google books search either. Anyone know anything about these Wakefield wrenches? Especially the no. 11?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Anyone know anything about these Wakefield wrenches?
Especially the no. 11?

Did you check the Wakefield thread? I don't recall a No. 11, and the longest in my collection is 9" - both a No. 9 and a No. 19. Plenty of info on the company, its various tools, and some trade mag excerpts on the thread for general context.