J H Williams vintage hand tools

[3baygarage]

Nice. A couple Vulcan Dog lathe wrenches to go with them. You probably know more about them than me.

 

[HeelSpur]

Different types of spanner wrenches.

DSCF2031 by wvwheaties, on Flickr

 

[bonneyman]

Here's my collection of Williams obstruction wrenches. To be honest, bonneyman got me started on these. Earlier in the thread (reply #13) he posted a photo depicting his Williams obstruction wrench collection. I liked the wrenches and thought I'd make a set of my own, so I got started on it. Well, completing the set is going to be a lot harder than I initially thought it might be. They're not very common and I think there's at least thirty SAE variations, as well as several Whitworth and metric sizes. I’ve never seen a metric version. Anyway, after a few years of collecting, here's what I have so far. Included in the photo below are three Whitworth wrenches and one factory "Special" wrench with openings of 7/8" and 1 1/16".

Jim C.

Glad I could help "encourage" you!
Yeah, my search also petered out a while ago. It seems some sizes they made alot of, other sizes are quite rare.
And they are all still quite usable, even after all these years.

 

[bonneyman]

Per a PM I had I post my "metric" Williams obstruction wrenches. In my journeys early on I grabbed whatever I found, damaged, rusty, worn whatever. Then later I'd find better examples.
Well, since Williams didn't offer this style in metric - and I could use some - I made a small set. I took the worn ones I had dupes of and carefully ground/filed the ends open to the nearest larger MM size. Then painted them to easily distinguish them. Dang they come in handy, like on bicycles, foreign cars, etc.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found a few Williams oldies today. Excuse their appearance. This is the best I can do without taking a file or grinder to them, which I won't do.

Pic 1: BEFORE
Pic 2: AFTER, Williams only
Pic 3: Logos and model numbers on shanks
Pics 4 & 5: Nut size markings

I am guessing the "S" wrench with the square openings is a textile wrench. There are Draper and Crompton & Knowles loom wrenches in the 662 series with odd suffixes. I actually can't find a 662H in any of the older Williams cats I have access to (1917, 1937), and the size markings on that one (1/4", 5/16") are very odd. They're not the milled openings. The opening on the end marked 5/16" measures 1/2", so that end matches a 5/16" S.A.E. but or bolt. The opening on the end marked 1/4" however measures 3/8", which doesn't match S.A.E., U.S.S., or Am. Std. nuts or bolts, so I am flummoxed on that one. The wrench is just odd to begin with. Look at the way the 5/16" opening is splayed!

The other "S" wrench is a straight up 662F (9/16" x 1/2" milled openings) marked with its S.A.E, Hex Cap, and, on the smaller end, also its U.S.S. opening.

The long tool post wrench is only marked with the Williams W-Diamond logo and a forged in "B" near the head.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Also, we had a conversation on the 2017 Garage Sale thread about Williams' Vulcan tool line. I ran into a Vulcan roller and Vulcan drop front top box today. I forgot to take a photo of the roller and box, dammit, but look at this cool sticker that was on the lid of the top box! I LOVE IT!

 

[HeelSpur]

#683 & #685 Light Service Wrenches.

DSCF2028 by wvwheaties, on Flickr

 

[3baygarage]

Lugz, I’m glad you got a pic of that sticker, it’s great. Never seen that.


Recently I took a bunch of Williams and Vulcan pics. Mostly from the ratchet collection.


Vulcan ratchets

B-54 3/8 flex head
B-52 3/8
B-52 3/8, slightly different marks
M-52 1/4
M-56 1/4 (last two pics only)

 

[3baygarage]

Williams ratchets

Kind of just threw this lineup together to get an example of each model for the picture. Keep in mind I’m not a collector of prime examples or anything like that.

S-53 1/2 long
S-52 1/2
B-54 3/8 flex
B-52 3/8
M-52 1/4

 

[3baygarage]

Earlier Williams

S-52 1/2
B-52 3/8

 

[3baygarage]

Rotating grip extensions

1/2” drive

S-110
S-115

 

[3baygarage]

Williams black industrial

BS-56 1/2
BB-56 3/8
BM-56 1/4

 

[3baygarage]

Williams

ST-50 1/2
ST-50F 1/2
BT-50 3/8

ST-50 1/2 head
T-50 1/2 head

ST-50 parts

 

[3baygarage]

Williams

ST-50M 1/2

Vulcan

T-50 1/2

 

[3baygarage]

Williams

HS-52 1/2
HB-52 3/8

 

[3baygarage]

Adjustable Wrench Crow Foot

BC-6 3/8
SC-8 1/2

 

[3baygarage]

Miniature Chain Tong Wrenches and Pipe Vise. All found around Buffalo area.

 

[3baygarage]

Last for now but not least, brass Williams sign.

 

[Username already in use]

Well 3Bay, that's a helluva sampling of your Williams. Looks great.
Have you seen, or do you by chance collect these funky looking DOEs?
I've picked up a few recently from the flea. Not sure why. Maybe because the design is so unique, but I'm never going to complete a set of them. If you can use them, lemme know.

 

[3baygarage]

Thanks, happy to add some of what I’ve collected to the thread.

You know, I randomly pick up those wrenches here and there and may have the sizes. I’m not much of a serious set builder but if I’m not mistaken there were others putting that set together. Sadly, I passed on some really large sizes a while back. Thanks for asking.

 

[MOPARHOUND!]

Enjoy.......smells like new .........

 

[3baygarage]

That’s a beaut.

Every now and again a set comes up for sale.

 

[MOPARHOUND!]

1/4" drive Williams from some old photos of the collection........

 

[3baygarage]

Nice lineup. Like that blue handle. I still don’t even have a newer round head. Took this during those other pics.

 

[Land Rover 109]

Used, but still in pretty good condition, my first S52.

 

[3baygarage]

Congrats on your find. They’re nice ratchets that were built to last.

 

[bonneyman]

Adjustable Wrench Crow Foot

BC-6 3/8
SC-8 1/2

Geez, those are radical!

 

[d42jeep]

Found a couple of these wide groove 30's/40's era "diamond W" 1/2" drive 12 pt sockets today. ST-1226 13/16" and ST-1230 15/16".

If you are going to put a set of those together, I have these matching tools in my extras. I don’t find very many Williams of this vintage so I won’t be trying to do a set.
-Don

 

[Jim C.]

Here's my collection of Williams obstruction wrenches. To be honest, bonneyman got me started on these. Earlier in the thread (reply #13) he posted a photo depicting his Williams obstruction wrench collection. I liked the wrenches and thought I'd make a set of my own, so I got started on it. Well, completing the set is going to be a lot harder than I initially thought it might be. They're not very common and I think there's at least thirty SAE variations, as well as several Whitworth and metric sizes. I’ve never seen a metric version. Anyway, after a few years of collecting, here's what I have so far. Included in the photo below are three Whitworth wrenches and one factory "Special" wrench with openings of 7/8" and 1 1/16".

Jim C.

I found a couple more since I last posted a few months ago. These wrenches are tough to find!

Jim C.

 

[hippobeast]

I picked up this box at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago. $10 includes contents. Tray has snap on and sk. Everything in the bottom is Williams.

 

[wrenchguy]

Is this a vintage williams photo thread? Drop forged aluminium???

 

[Capt. Spaulding]

Looking good everyone!

 

[Provincial]

I found this Blue Banner linesman's plier at an estate sale last weekend. The W-in-a-diamond logo indicates Williams, but I can find no reference on the internet. Does anyone know more about these?

 

[3baygarage]

Interesting find. Probably is a contract tool, it wouldn’t be the first one I’ve seen with just a diamond. Is the name related to the brand of masonry tools is the question.


Nice pipe wrench. Sure, it is a Williams picture thread Wrenchguy, whether everyone hijacked it or Z1kzonly intended it to be.

 

[wrenchguy]

Thanks, @ my age.... i like pictures if u what i mean.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Is the name related to the brand of masonry tools is the question.

I am not familiar with the brand of masonry tools you're referring to, but I was curious enough by the name and the unmistakable Williams logo on Provincial's find to check through some catalogs (finding zilch) and to get some google-fu going, where I found a reference to Blue Banner Tool Mfg Co, 1213 East 83rd Street, Cleveland 14, Ohio, in Hardware Age, Vol 186, Issues 1-2, 1960.

Link here.

 

[Provincial]

Thanks for the information Lugz! I'll bet that these pliers were sold for tying rebar with wire, based on the focus of Blue Banner's business.

I doubt that this pair was ever used for tying rebar, since they show no wear. With the plastic-covered handles, I doubt that they were made any earlier than the 1960's.

 

[bonneyman]

I found a couple more since I last posted a few months ago. These wrenches are tough to find!

Jim C.

Awesome!

Looks like you're ahead of me now.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are my little Williams wrenches. They look cad plated to me.
-Don

 

[davethorik]

Not mine, but a couple interesting Williams examples I found at work.

No. 1563D combo- 7/8" open end, 5/8" 4 point box end
No. 8041 offset DBE in 1-5/8" and 1-7/16"