My small but growing DBE wrench collection

[JMLangford]

Here are a few DBE wrenches I've picked up here and there....

Bottom to top:

9/16" x 5/8" LECTROLITE Starter & Manifold wrench
??Mystery Wrench??....anyone know?
18mm - 19mm DURO/INDESTRO short deep offset
13mm - 15mm -V- CRAFTSMAN
3/4" - 7/8" VLCHEK 2428 ("WBH" is stamped in front of the model #...????)
25/32" - 7/8" BILLINGS "VITALLOY"
3/4" - 25/32" NO NAME "MADE IN USA" deep offset






.

 

[JMLangford]

More....

Here's a set on =V= CRAFTSMAN that I bought new circa '69-'70



Next is a set of (New Never Used) NO NAME "MADE IN USA" I bought in mid '80's (there are two 1/2"-9/16" wrenches) I wanna say I think they are Danaher/Easco ????



Lastly a few singles....
12mm-14mm MAC BOLM1214
1/2"-9/16" Snap-On XS 1618
3/8"-7/16" Snap-On XS-1214-S
7/16"-1/2" Williams 9725 SUPERWRENCH




.

 

[JMLangford]

Do Dogbones count?

Various New Britain, OTC, Snap-On, S-K.......




.

 

[BlueBomber]

Nice set, Jim, and yes, ratcheting DBEs count too! I especially dig the "been in my tool box for almost 50 years" Craftsman set. It was a pair of the same era C-man DBEs (still in my Dad's toolbox) that inspired my collection.

 

[BlueBomber]

GJer ryan20021982 very generously offered me some surplus DBEs for the cost of shipping--four for under $2 each!

Bonney ratcheting refrigeration wrench
Armstrong Reece-T-48 deep offset stubby, 1/2" 12-pt on one end and 7/16" 8-pt on the other--anyone know something on this guy?
Forged Select Steel deep offset stubby, 3/4" x 25/32"--fills a hole on my rack!
Indestro angled stubby, 3/4" x 25/32"--fills another hole on my rack!




Thanks, Ryan!

 

[four.cycle]

very interesting.

re:
"Forged Select Steel deep offset stubby, 3/4" x 25/32"--fills a hole on my rack!
Indestro angled stubby, 3/4" x 25/32"--fills another hole on my rack!"

I just picked up a few of those after poring through old catalog pages, and noticed that they went through several changes over the course of years. The older ones are marked "Indestro Chicago" (bottom one in your photo above), and then that was replaced with "Made in USA" (second from bottom), and then later they added the part number (921, 922, 923, etc.), after which they were discontinued. Makes at least three different versions of that 15° offset short double-end box.

 

[MShaw]

I posted what I had of my Snap on short offset box wrenches (XS) that I had purchased between 1954 and 1963.

Thru a few purchases on Ebay I now have every XS series wrench, 6 & 12 point, offered in the 1963 catalog.

I hit the wrong button and posted without the picture. Now I cannot make another post and add the picture. I'll try again later.

 

[MShaw]

I should have the picture this time.

 

[Username already in use]

Some DBEs I picked up last weekend and forgot to post.
Indestro Super
Bluegrass
P&C
Plomb WF
Barcalo
SUPER-QUALITY (X) [duro/indestro]

 

[BlueBomber]

MShaw: excellent collection of Snappy! I have a 50-state license plate collection, all from my birth year. I have so far resisted the temptation to do the same with Snap-on (not that I haven't thought about it).

Username: nice grabs--I'm particularly partial to Indestro Supers.

 

[Username already in use]

Username: nice grabs--I'm particularly partial to Indestro Supers.

Thanks. If you don't have the #714B, lemme know, I'm sure we can work something out.

 

[BlueBomber]

I had a brace of Blue Points waiting for me when I got back from camping with the Boy Scouts this weekend. A nice set, with no duplicates to my collection, delivered to my door for less than $4 a wrench!

Deep offset X-1618, 1/2" x 9/16"
Deep offset X-2022, 5/8" x 11/16"
Deep offset X-2428, 3/4" x 7/8"
Deep offset X-3436, 1-1/16"" x 1-1/8"
Deep offset X-4042, 1-1/4" x 1-5/16"




Only three have date codes, and only one is obvious.

The X-2022 looks like a six or a nine, but doesn't match any of the date codes for either set of numbers.



The X-2428 looks closest to the 1963 date, but maybe was not fully struck.



The big boy, the X-4042, is clearly a 1947, and has the main label stamped differently than the others.

 

[d42jeep]

Very slim pickings this weekend due to the pouring rain. I found one DBE wrench to add to the Thorsen collection. It's a #2226 7/8' X 13/16".
-Don

 

[BlueBomber]

Thanks. If you don't have the #714B, lemme know, I'm sure we can work something out.

Thanks, Username! I forgot to check the wrench rack when I was out in the garage tonight, but will try to do so tomorrow.

 

[Username already in use]

Lemme know. I'll keep it warm for you.
Nice BluePoint wrenches! I'm not sure about the others, but this one could be a poorly stamped 'E' date (1944)

The X-2428 looks closest to the 1963 date, but maybe was not fully struck.

 

[BlueBomber]

D'oh! Of course, that's it, Username. Thanks.

 

[BlueBomber]

Lemme know. I'll keep it warm for you.
Nice BluePoint wrenches! I'm not sure about the others, but this one could be a poorly stamped 'E' date (1944)

Here's the Indestro Super portion of my wrench rack, and you notice it lacking in any raised panel non-stubby examples.



Send me a PM with you wants and needs (DBE-related, that is , and I'll see what I have in my extras pile. Are you still looking for Forged Select Steel deep offset stubbies?

 

[BlueBomber]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272459336367

Oh, the carnage! Let us remove our hats for these maimed DBEs.

 

[twertsy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272459336367

Oh, the carnage! Let us remove our hats for these maimed DBEs.

Some of those are made that way. For IH, CAT, etc.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[chopper1]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272459336367

Oh, the carnage! Let us remove our hats for these maimed DBEs.

Some of those are made that way. For IH, CAT, etc.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

Yeah, but those weren't

 

[Outlawmws]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272459336367

Oh, the carnage! Let us remove our hats for these maimed DBEs.

Some of those are made that way. For IH, CAT, etc.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

A couple of years ago I started picking up the "maimed", especially in Proto, as while its cool having pristine examples of the tools,particularly for use, lets face it; they were often modified for a specific purpose. Its the tool it took for the job, so why not include a few of those, as that was what was actually used.

Is it factory spec perfect? No.

Is it what was really used? Absolutely yes...

Some of these may predate the special tools the companies later made. Think about it. I'd bet that the first "distributor wrench" was a hacked up welded up piece made by a guy that needed it.

Maybe we need a special tread for the maimed and we can speculate why it was needed.

Happy Thanksgiving Guys!

 

[twertsy]

A couple of years ago I started picking up the "maimed", especially in Proto, as while its cool having pristine examples of the tools,particularly for use, lets face it; they were often modified for a specific purpose. Its the tool it took for the job, so why not include a few of those, as that was what was actually used.

Is it factory spec perfect? No.

Is it what was really used? Absolutely yes...

Some of these may predate the special tools the companies later made. Think about it. I'd bet that the first "distributor wrench" was a hacked up welded up piece made by a guy that needed it.

Maybe we need a special tread for the maimed and we can speculate why it was needed.

Happy Thanksgiving Guys!

Good idea, I've also picked up a few maimed tools.....

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[leg17]

Maybe we need a special tread for the maimed and we can speculate why it was needed.
Happy Thanksgiving Guys!

In so many cases, "you had to be there" to determine the original use for the modified tool. But, it could be entertaining anyway.

LOVING THIS THREAD!

 

[Farmer J.]

Enjoying this thread. I have a few old 'ring spanners' as we call them here. Here's a few pics of one of my favourites. It says BARCALO BUFFALO U. S. A. on one side and 11/16 WHITWORTH-VANADIUM 3/4 on the other side. The end which is 11/16" Whitworth is close enough to 30mm across the flats that I can use it to remove the top ball joint on a Land Rover Salisbury rear axle, and the offset shape enables doing the job without removing or mangling the brake pipe. This cherished old piece of history earns it's keep!
Does anyone know what age it is? To one end of the raised panel it has what looks like a number 5 in the casting, it's the opposite way up to the writing on the panel.

 

[d42jeep]

Okay, I admit to cutting up a few wrenches. I just can't remember why. On one it looks like I needed a 1" flare nut wrench. At least I cut up cheap wrenches!
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

While the others are out organizing the tar-and-feathering committee for Don, I though I would finally share some of the Big *** Wrenches I found in the military surplus lot I have been alluding to in other threads...

See the right hand side laid out on a ping-pong table for scale

P&C N87 DBE wrench, 45* offset pattern, 1-5/16” x 1-1/4” openings

WILLIAMS long 15* angle pattern DBE wrenches. The wrenches on the bottom are the typical wartime Superrenches we are used to seeing, just in huge sizes. The wrenches on the top have a very slim profile through the shank, which flares and flattens out even more near the heads, and the heads are also very shallow. I've never seen them before. Ocean grey paint finish. EDIT: '43 catalog says they were for brake shoe anchor bolts.

WILLIAMS No. 1987 DBE wrenches, 1-5/8 x 1-1/2 openings, marked script WILLIAMS FORGED <W> USA, THE “SUPERENCH”, ALLOY, V, and 1987 with opening sizes.

WILLIAMS No. 7039 DBE wrenches, 1-5/16 x 1-1/4 openings, marked block WILLIAMS FORGED <W> USA, SUPERENCH, ALLOY STEEL, No. 7039, and SPECIAL, with opening sizes. (These are marked "special" because the 7039 wrench should have 1-7/16 x 1-1/4 openings.)

Couple more big *** DBE wrenches in this lot, too.

P&C N89 DBE wrench, 45* offset pattern, 1-1/2” x 1-7/16” openings, 18 inches long.

WILLIAMS No. 7039 DBE wrench, long 15* angle pattern, 1-7/16 x 1-1/4 openings, 21 inches long, marked block WILLIAMS FORGED <W> USA, SUPERENCH, ALLOY STEEL, No. 7039, with opening sizes.

 

[Toothaker]

I have a question about a set of DBE wrenches I bought today. The clip holding them together says SK Tools, but the wrenches don't. Are these in fact SK or is it just the clip?

 

[four.cycle]

possibly S-K Lectrolite ???

 

[Toothaker]

Ok, that is what they look like all right. They are set #5400. Thanks!

 

[Username already in use]

possibly S-K Lectrolite ???

Four.cycle, is that your SK-Lectrolite catalog? If so, I posted a 1/2" drive set HERE, and I'd like to know for sure what all came in that set if possible.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I got these last week from eBay. Bonney CV, New Britain, Craftsman, and a Chrome moly



Check out the unfinished end on the New Britain, it appears it was never broached.

 

[BlueBomber]

I got these last week from eBay. Bonney CV, New Britain, Craftsman, and a Chrome moly


Check out the unfinished end on the New Britain, it appears it was never broached.

Sam, that New Britain is amazing! I would say that like in coin collecting, the "error" wrenches should be worth a lot more!

While the others are out organizing the tar-and-feathering committee for Don, I though I would finally share some of the Big *** Wrenches I found in the military surplus lot I have been alluding to in other threads...

Yet more rare DBEs for the thread--I'm over the moon! Let me know if any of those dupes are trading fodder.

Enjoying this thread. I have a few old 'ring spanners' as we call them here. Here's a few pics of one of my favourites. It says BARCALO BUFFALO U. S. A. on one side and 11/16 WHITWORTH-VANADIUM 3/4 on the other side. The end which is 11/16" Whitworth is close enough to 30mm across the flats that I can use it to remove the top ball joint on a Land Rover Salisbury rear axle, and the offset shape enables doing the job without removing or mangling the brake pipe. This cherished old piece of history earns it's keep!
Does anyone know what age it is? To one end of the raised panel it has what looks like a number 5 in the casting, it's the opposite way up to the writing on the panel.

Thanks for posting your Whitworth Barcalo! I'm guessing the manufacture date is in the mid-late '30s to pre-WWII range. I've not yet seen the "pennant" end on a raised panel before.

BTW, thanks for seasoning your post with the British vernacular--I especially like having a new name for double box end wrenches--ring spanners!

 

[four.cycle]

Four.cycle, is that your SK-Lectrolite catalog?

No, not mine. Was posted on Ebay some time back and I lifted the photo images.
I posted all that I got on that one in one of the "S-K" threads HERE: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6131285#post6131285

There are at least a couple S-K catalogs available for download at ToolArchives.com too.

 

[Farmer J.]

Blue Bomber- Glad you liked seeing my Whitworth Barcalo, and thanks very much for the age estimate. There can't be much use for a Whitworth wrench in the USA! I may have to start an amusing thread about various meanings of the the word 'spanner' in England and America.

Private Lugnutz- Good haul of wrenches you purchased there! I have seen those huge Williams wrenches with the very thin shanks, flared at the ends, and grey paint finish.. somewhere local to here.. might have been at a local farm museum.. will keep an eye open and let you know. Maybe they got left behind here on 'D Day'.

 

[MShaw]

It was definitely a skipped operation. The box ends are closed with a full web that is drilled out as a first operation at the broaching machine. It must have been an "end of shift" wrench that got tossed in the finished bin by mistake.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I used to see stuff like that occasionally opening up brand-new boxes of Indestro wrenches and sockets: combination and double-end box wrenches having just a round hole at one end, or sockets with round holes that hadn't been broached.
Production line stuff - it happens to all of them.
Used to get a lot of Dorman wheel studs that weren't threaded too. Maybe those were for "push nuts"?

 

[Sunset_Z28]

These are three sets that once belonged to my grandfather. Proto, SK, and Mac. His name and/or initials are engraved in them but that's fine with me.

 

[BlueBomber]

These are three sets that once belonged to my grandfather. Proto, SK, and Mac. His name and/or initials are engraved in them but that's fine with me.

Sunset: really cool to have your grand dad's wrenches! It would give me a warm feeling every time I looked a wrench with my grandpa's initial on it (if I had one). Thanks for sharing!

 

[BlueBomber]

Oh, look at that--one thousand posts! I glad to see this thread continues to draw new posters on addition to our more frequent contributors. As just the last 20 posts have shown, we're still seeing new DBE examples that folks are finding in the wild.

Keep posting your DBE singles, sets and oddballs. We like 'em all!

 

[Rileysan]

Uncommon Craftsman round shank DBE. The first I have seen




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