J H Williams vintage hand tools

[Oldtuleguy]

It is a weird marking. First one I have seen.

 

[z1kzonly]

1st time back in a few years. Was thinking of loading up some ebay listings of old different J H Williams tools. I remember a few guys here, one was from western new york. That collected. Of course, I don't want to give away items. Hoping to sell for good $$. Or is this history? Nothing seems to be selling nowadays except nice restored motorcycles and cars!
Looking for a collector? I'm in western New York. I like ebay, it's safer, covers all the bases. paypal etc. Yes I know fees and taxes are added now plus shipping is going up all the time. Just looking for opinions. TIA.
Marty in Buffalo, I posted some pics several years ago.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this rusty spanner at a garage sale yesterday. It came out of the evaporust this morning and cleaned up pretty well.
-Don

 

[twertsy]

Lugz,

Is that catalog online?

Bill

Yes, I have all J. H. Williams Cats up on ToolArchives.

 

[outofbounds]

Part of a 1-1/2 hour drive yielded a trove of Williams tools that took 4 tool boxes to carry home. This is about 1/3 of it so far:

 

[d42jeep]

Part of a 1-1/2 hour drive yielded a trove of Williams tools that took 4 tool boxes to carry home. This is about 1/3 of it so far:

Dang! That looks like a huge Williams haul. I see another of my recent adjustable pin spanners and plenty of other goodies.
I cleaned and lubed this 10” adjustable today.
-Don

 

[ganymede]

Here's a S-51 variant I haven't seen before. Looks the same on the outside but when I got it apart I noticed the post on the selector lever is actually in two parts. One fits inside the other and both have holes through them for the pin that engages the pawl.
To reassemble you have to line up both sets of holes and the holes in the pawl .
Kind of a pain

View media item 100886View media item 100887

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Before retirement I made my living with Williams tools maintaining, overhauling engines and gas compressors from 1,000 - 2,000 HP. I wouldn't trade a Williams end wrench for a half dozen oil slick chromed Snap-on's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I wouldn't trade a Williams end wrench for a half dozen oil slick chromed Snap-on's.

I just wanted to see that again!

 

[outofbounds]

Before retirement I made my living with Williams tools maintaining, overhauling engines and gas compressors from 1,000 - 2,000 HP. I wouldn't trade a Williams end wrench for a half dozen oil slick chromed Snap-on's.

You sir, must have "guns" the size of Navarone's......Williams made some stout tools! I just bought 230 of them and could barely lift the boxes out of my car!

 

[leg17]

..... I wouldn't trade a Williams end wrench for a half dozen oil slick chromed Snap-on's.

Popular in machine shop/machinery circles as well.
My favorite.

 

[wrenchguy]

I wouldn't trade a Williams end wrench for a half dozen oil slick chromed Snap-on's.

 

[outofbounds]

Second Installment of my "what was I really thinking?" Williams Haul......And there is more coming after this too. Some W & B included herewith.

 

[outofbounds]

Some more

 

[INSP380]

A few more Williams....nice Lil’ 1116 1/4 <W> setting on the 1-11/16 - 1-1/2 42A

My 1159A - 1172 Superwrench set ( my 1159 & 1160 are in my truck )

Steve

 

[outofbounds]

A few more Williams....nice Lil’ 1116 1/4 <W> setting on the 1-11/16 - 1-1/2 42A

Steve

That is a Great Picture!

 

[INSP380]

That is a Great Picture!

Thank you Sir! Extremes are pretty cool...

Steve

 

[Outwest]

Which size combo superrench are you missing from the set?

 

[leg17]

Which size combo superrench are you missing from the set?

From 1158 (1/4") to 1173 (1~1/4") there are 19 total.

His range from 1159 (5/16) to 1172 (1~1/8). That would be 17 wrenches.

 

[INSP380]

Correct, I have them in my work box in my truck. These are in my shop as a secondary set. I have multiples of most.

I have the DBE in various sizes, along with the DOE. Again these are mostly back up sets laying around.

Steve

 

[Outwest]

I thought you may have been missing a size in there to complete the set. I’ve got a couple I was willing to offer. I don’t recall the sizes/wrench numbers. Wish I had a full set!

 

[INSP380]

Thanks man, I’ve had these for decades. They’ve always been tucked away in my basement shop, a few migrate to other boxes at times, but they are a nice old school quality set. My grandfather had them when he worked, I’m in the same shop now. He retired in 1982 & these hold a special place in my home shop.

Steve

 

[outofbounds]

I thought you may have been missing a size in there to complete the set. I’ve got a couple I was willing to offer. I don’t recall the sizes/wrench numbers. Wish I had a full set!

I have various Combination wrenches in that type. Maybe I can help get you closer. Let me know what sixes and I can check tomorrow night when I get back in town.

 

[outofbounds]

A nice little bargain 3/8 set found today. (Cleverly poised to hide the owners marks LOL)

 

[lardy1]

Too bad about the marks. That's a nice little set.

 

[Outwest]

I just checked, I’ve got an 1167a, 13/16” that I didn’t see in your set INSP380. It’s yours if you’d like it. I picked up a few smaller sizes that came with the “jumbo” 1~3/8-2” superrenches I have.

 

[Kracken]

Hello everyone. Stumbled across this when cleaning out a barn the other day. Was wondering if anyone had any information on what time period this may be. Not familiar with the markings. Appreciate any help.

 

[d42jeep]

The number is a Federal Stock Number used in WW2 and a little later. Fairly rare to find one of those.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

WWII. That "41-H-1502" marking is the Federal Stock Number for an 18" 1/2-inch drive hinge handle. I have one just like it. Well, sort of. Somebody torched the hinge drive end off of mine (it was probably broke) and was using it as a drift! I'll see if I can find a photo. If not, I'll take another one.

EDIT: Sorry for redundancy. I was typing as Don was posting. A habit we have. HAHA.

 

[Kracken]

Thank you both very much. Was racking my brain trying to find something that came close to those markings.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is an unusual little DOE that my wife found in the basement of our 100 yr old house yesterday.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Mrs. d42 has a good eye. I run into a lot of set/adjustment screw wrenches out here. Machinery guys love them.

 

[Glassdave]

my James Harvey Williams collection i have two half inch S52's and two three eights B52's and they are without question my favorites. No other ratchet on the planet feels this good in the hand or works as well, my thoughts anyways. My love of these ratchets goes way back for me, one of my S's was . . . or actually still is my fathers that i "borrowed" around 1982 when i got my first car . . . . i also love the sound of the fine tooth pawls . . . just tells me whatever im workin on is gonna be alright lol


hey quick question about the 1/2 inch S. Anyone else have a fine hairline crack (but its not a crack) where the handle meets the neck? Both of my S's have nearly identicle marks but i think its just where the wrench might have flexed and fractured the chrome maybe? just curious

Looking for a 1/4" M52 if anyone has one they'd like to sell

 

[ganymede]

....hey quick question about the 1/2 inch S. Anyone else have a fine hairline crack (but its not a crack) where the handle meets the neck? Both of my S's have nearly identicle marks but i think its just where the wrench might have flexed and fractured the chrome maybe? just curious

Looking for a 1/4" M52 if anyone has one they'd like to sell

A lot of them have that mark. They were plated in big batches dipped in chemical baths. The mark is from wire used to hang the ratchet when it was dipped.

 

[Glassdave]

A lot of them have that mark. They were plated in big batches dipped in chemical baths. The mark is from wire used to hang the ratchet when it was dipped.

ahh . . . that makes sense. i use these regularly and have had a pipe or two on it through the years plus my dads has had that mark since i can remember. It wasnt till i got my second S on ebay that also had the mark that i started to think about it. Thanks for the info . . . thats why i kept it this long didnt want to tell him i stressed the chrome

 

[misterbill]

I've been trying to put together an early WWII Williams Chrome-Alloy GMTK set of DOEs. I received a super nice care package from d42jeep today with the 1027C I've been seeking for quite some time.

Bill

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice set, Bill!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Congrats that is a beautiful set!

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some recent Williams finds. They all are quite used but still functional.
-Don

 

[misterbill]

I know Lugz has a much more complete set but I've been cobbling together some WWII-era Williams 3/8" bits, too. Aside from the harder to find speeder, adapters, sliding tee, deep sockets I'm just missing the B-140 universal joint and the 1/2" B-1216 and 11/16" (non-shiny) B-1222 sockets.

Bill