J H Williams vintage hand tools

[d42jeep]

My early 1/4” drive set is still missing a few pieces but it’s coming along.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks good!

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, OTG.
The one truly vintage tool I found last Friday was this early 5/8” x 11/16” offset DBE wrench. It was really rusty but it came out of the evaporust looking like new.
-Don

 

[r_olson_06]

Thanks, OTG.
The one truly vintage tool I found last Friday was this early 5/8” x 11/16” offset DBE wrench. It was really rusty but it came out of the evaporust looking like new.
-Don

Evaporust is simply amazing. I have a new larger chamber for mine.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As reported on a couple other threads, I picked up twenty (20) NOS WWII electrical sets today.

Half of them were Williams No. 1285-P. The decals on the cardboard boxes run from Very Good to Poor. The decals on the metal boxes run from Excellent to Fair. The tools are all wartime, with most of the electrical wrenches marked with the ALLOY V, and a few CHROME-ALLOY, hinting at early war, mixed in. They are caked in cosmolene.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's a picture you don't see everyday!

 

[bmwrd0]

It's like a little army of Williams.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

A-ten-hut!

 

[RubiconJK]

Here's a picture you don't see everyday!

Williams jackpot! Congrats!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice score! Congrats

 

[3baygarage]

Wow, exciting find for sure. They look well preserved. Just for the right guy.

 

[davethorik]

Wow amazing find! If you decide to sell or trade any let us know!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I am only keeping one set, Dave.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Wow, exciting find for sure. They look well preserved.

All the tools are in mint like-new condition due to the preservative grease, the metal case, and the cardboard boxes. Some of them were stored on end or upside down, and jostled around, unfortunately, and when the tools shifted, they stuck on the inside decals, peeling some decal when they were jostled again. Over half of the decals are excellent, some are very good, and a few are only good to fair.

EDIT: Except the set in the lower right corner. That one was opened 20 years ago, the cardboard box was discarded, it is now missing two sockets, the paint on the metal box is not as nice, and the tools are no longer mint. It's amazing how much cosmo/grease makes a difference.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Speaking of little Armies..., check out this photo of a solider, a mechanic or possibly a supply guy, in the ETO in WWII sorting wrenches, which a colleague in the UK reminded me of. Look at the boxes off his right elbow, and also the stack behind him. Maybe, just maybe.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Amazing find. It would be nice to know what's in those boxes in the picture!

 

[d42jeep]

The set that Lugz sent me arrived this evening and it was just as nice as I hoped it would be. Thanks for sharing your new treasures. I think I’ll leave it just as it is.
-Don

 

[r_olson_06]

The set that Lugz sent me arrived this evening and it was just as nice as I hoped it would be. Thanks for sharing your new treasures. I think I’ll leave it just as it is.
-Don

Nice set. I am still looking for one if them goofy spinner handles. I am not sure what they do or how they work.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[d42jeep]

They are extensions that double as spinners. If you pull on the shaft the handle releases and just spins and if the opposite is done the handle locks onto the shaft. My Walden and my recently acquired Williams one both work exactly the same. When you can see the ball the handle freewheels and when the ball can’t be seen it’s a spinner.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I think I’ll leave it just as it is.

I am leaning that way myself. One major factor in my decision is knowing that one buyer who shall remain nameless is sure to clean off the preservative and sure to post professional classy photos looking like a centerfold spread in a glossy magazine dedicated to factory finish midget sets. All I have to do is wait for his photos!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Who could that be

 

[C1070RS]

I've organized the Williams tools I've found on the farm so far. The Vulcan #2 chain pipe vise is pretty neat. The superjustable, superratchet and superrenches are all in great condition. The 1" drive NX1248 socket is nice too. The 1324 and 1328 combo open/flare nut wrenches are very useful tools.

I've come across some posts that talk about some sort of solution to use on the rusty tools to clean them up but I havent been able to go back and find them. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks

 

[C1070RS]

A few more...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Someone was buying Williams for several decades on that farm, since the chain vise and some of the DOE wrenches date to at least the 30's, the DBE's and adjustable to the 40's, and the combo OE/line wrenches and ratchet to the 50's.

 

[C1070RS]

Someone was buying Williams for several decades on that farm, since the chain vise and some of the DOE wrenches date to at least the 30's, the DBE's and adjustable to the 40's, and the combo OE/line wrenches and ratchet to the 50's.

Nutz, my father in law lived on the farm since the mid 70's and was a mega hoarder the whole time he lived there. Constantly doing garage sales etc and never sold anything, just kept buying more storage buildings to store all of his "treasures". I have many "what is this" posts due to not knowing what some of his stuff is. His wife decided not to do an auction due to the high costs, so I have been going thru all of it and selling it as I go.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Cool.

There are several de-rusting options. There are dozens of threads on here arguing about it, promoting one over the other, doing tests, etc. Let me save you the trouble. There is no one right answer or one wrong answer. It all depends on your prerogatives. There are tradeoffs to all of them with respect to cost, time (or strength/power), cleanup, and hazard.

If you're referring to Evaporust or Metal Rescue, as I suspect you are, they are quick, easy, non-toxic, and there is literally no cleanup other than a rag, but costly.

Household muriatic acid (toilet bowl cleaner) is faster and cheaper, but it contains 10% HCL acid, will burn your skin, makes fumes, cleanup is messy, and you have to rinse, dry, and get oil on them immediately or they will fuzz up with surface rust as soon as they hit the air.

Industrial muriatic acid (pool cleaner) is even faster, also cheap, but it contains more HCL, has to be diluted, and the cleanup and instant oxidation is even worse.

E-tanks are the cheapest solution in the long run, but they have an upfront cost, don't work quite as fast as Evaporust, and they do represent a hazard around children and pets.

Vinegar is safe and relatively cheap, but slow, and it smells; molasses is even slower and, needless to say, messy.

 

[davethorik]

One of the surprises of the 1285P set i received is the no. 1519 ignition pliers, I simply love the contoured handles on these. One wrench says chrome alloy instead of alloy like the other 3, and lacks the forged in V code.

 

[C1070RS]

Cool.

There are several de-rusting options. There are dozens of threads on here arguing about it, promoting one over the other, doing tests, etc. Let me save you the trouble. There is no one right answer or one wrong answer. It all depends on your prerogatives. There are tradeoffs to all of them with respect to cost, time (or strength/power), cleanup, and hazard.

If you're referring to Evaporust or Metal Rescue, as I suspect you are, they are quick, easy, non-toxic, and there is literally no cleanup other than a rag, but costly.

Household muriatic acid (toilet bowl cleaner) is faster and cheaper, but it contains 10% HCL acid, will burn your skin, makes fumes, cleanup is messy, and you have to rinse, dry, and get oil on them immediately or they will fuzz up with surface rust as soon as they hit the air.

Industrial muriatic acid (pool cleaner) is even faster, also cheap, but it contains more HCL, has to be diluted, and the cleanup and instant oxidation is even worse.

E-tanks are the cheapest solution in the long run, but they have an upfront cost, don't work quite as fast as Evaporust, and they do represent a hazard around children and pets.

Vinegar is safe and relatively cheap, but slow, and it smells; molasses is even slower and, needless to say, messy.

Thank you sir!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

One wrench says chrome alloy instead of alloy like the other 3, and lacks the forged in V code.

That is good to know. I would say that is an indication of VEP, late 1941, early 1942, as the alloy restrictions were going into effect. Very cool.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Dave - is it one of the smallest wrenches?! Believe it or not, I did not look at mine until you posted. I have two sets. One of them has all ALLOY V wrenches. The other one has two CHROME-ALLOY wrenches - the two smallest (1106 & 1107).

 

[davethorik]

Yes, it is the 1107

 

[drivesitfar]

There are several de-rusting options. There are dozens of threads on here arguing about it, promoting one over the other, doing tests, etc. Let me save you the trouble. There is no one right answer or one wrong answer. It all depends on your prerogatives. There are trade offs to all of them with respect to cost, time (or strength/power), cleanup, and hazard.

If you're referring to Evaporust or Metal Rescue, as I suspect you are, they are quick, easy, non-toxic, and there is literally no cleanup other than a rag, but costly.

Household muriatic acid (toilet bowl cleaner) is faster and cheaper, but it contains 10% HCL acid, will burn your skin, makes fumes, cleanup is messy, and you have to rinse, dry, and get oil on them immediately or they will fuzz up with surface rust as soon as they hit the air.

Industrial muriatic acid (pool cleaner) is even faster, also cheap, but it contains more HCL, has to be diluted, and the cleanup and instant oxidation is even worse.

E-tanks are the cheapest solution in the long run, but they have an upfront cost, don't work quite as fast as Evaporust, and they do represent a hazard around children and pets.

Vinegar is safe and relatively cheap, but slow, and it smells; molasses is even slower and, needless to say, messy


LUG: thanks for the 411!!

also just to add to the vinegar it will keep eating your cast iron and steel if not rinsed off and wiped dry.

just curious do you put any preservative like Fluid Film, BLO or any other product to keep your old tools shiny after you clean them up?

ALL: i'm getting close to having a spot to finally hang up my Williams 3/4 inch socket set board which i think I have most of the set to hang on it. Wall space at my place is a premium so this is my first tool board i'm able to hang.

stay tuned!!

 

[d42jeep]

Lugz turned me on to Fluid Film and it seems like a great product. Plus it’s from the Bay Area so it must be good.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

just curious do you put any preservative like Fluid Film, BLO or any other product to keep your old tools shiny after you clean them up?

Lugz turned me on to Fluid Film and it seems like a great product. Plus it’s from the Bay Area so it must be good.

Yup. It's intended for automotive parts, undercarriages, etc, where it's left on wet, but, like BLO, it is highly penetrative and will stay on tools when wiped dry, and they look like new. Unlike BLO, it's non-flammable! I only use it on tools I am not going to be touching frequently. Completed sets. The under glass type keepers.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: does fluid film need a little while to firm up or do you just spray on and put tool in the drawer? does it only come in a spray can or can you buy it to put on with a rag or brush?

Lug: will a wrench or vise or anything steel or cast iron really burn with BLO on it? or are you just mentioning that the rags can self combust into flames and start a fire?

 

[d42jeep]

I just spray it on and immediately wipe off the excess. Here is a link to their site.
-Don
https://www.fluid-film.com

 

[Private Lugnutz]

drives: What Don said. As for the non-flammability, I was referring to the storage of the can and the rags. No worries whatsoever, as opposed to where to keep the can of BLO and used rags. Real no-**** issues with BLO, which, as you know, is highly combustible.

 

[RubiconJK]

Not sure why I keep picking up Williams ratchets other than older versions of this was one of the tools of choice that my Dad used for years. Flea find from this morning, 1/2" S-52 Superratchet.

 

[tym]

As reported on a couple other threads, I picked up twenty (20) NOS WWII electrical sets today.

Half of them were Williams No. 1285-P. The decals on the cardboard boxes run from Very Good to Poor. The decals on the metal boxes run from Excellent to Fair. The tools are all wartime, with most of the electrical wrenches marked with the ALLOY V, and a few CHROME-ALLOY, hinting at early war, mixed in. They are caked in cosmolene.

Be still, my beating heart!

 

[d42jeep]

Mine is now residing in my box of cosmoline preserved treasures.
-Don