Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
4.c is citing the text on the box. In British terms, I think that means of or pertaining to Europe. As opposed to Asia and elsewhere.
Kit Wrenches, Auto Kit and others
- Thread starter disston
- Start date
I definitely will!
I'll get good pics of everything when I get back from work!
Oldtuleguy
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Thanks lugz I suppose that makes as much sense as can be made of that statement!
Private Lugnutz
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If nobody from Great Britain chimes in here before then, we can definitely get their take on that phrase when JjKk posts the box and wrenches on the Superslim thread, where Farmer J, Dave455, and other blokes regularly contribute.
I would guess it means metric, as the British would be using Whitworth or SAE.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
"S.A.E." (Society of Automotive Engineers) is an American imperial (per inch, or per fractions of an inch) thread form. Other American imperial thread forms, besides S.A.E., included U.S. Standard (U.S.S.)(or Franklin, or American Standard), Hex Cap, and Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers (A.L.A.M.), all of which preceded S.A.E., and then, across the pond, British Standard Whitworth, British Standard Fine and British Association. I'm not sure how old JjKk's wrenches are. I doubt they're BA, which were small.
It's possible, I suppose. I tend to think if T. Williams had wanted to indicate that the wrenches were milled to metric standards, perhaps the box would've simply indicated "Metric." But who knows? I could be wrong.
Someone from England should be able to tell us if "continental" was a common synonym for metric.
It's possible, I suppose. I tend to think if T. Williams had wanted to indicate that the wrenches were milled to metric standards, perhaps the box would've simply indicated "Metric." But who knows? I could be wrong.
Someone from England should be able to tell us if "continental" was a common synonym for metric.
It wouldn't be very British to just say Metric. I wonder if they had Colonial sized wrenches in AF sizes.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Metric!
but got here too late for this to have full effect:
but got here too late for this to have full effect:
Metric- it's just Continental fad it will never catch on.Metric!
but got here too late for this to have full effect:
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Just to clarify, guys, I never suggested the wrenches would be imperial. Or that they would not be metric. Put it this way. What would the box say if the wrenches were BSF or Whitworth intended for cars made in England with BSF or Whitworth fasteners? They certainly made them. Note that the other sides of the box clearly indicate metric.
I'm going to ask our British friends to help on this on the T Williams thread.
I'm going to ask our British friends to help on this on the T Williams thread.
I didn't think that at all.
Today I went through a couple of old British car magazines from the 60s. I wish I had thought about them yesterday.
One (May 1963) had an ad for Bedford Tools. It was listing for a Bedford Handykyt- (That's how it was spelled)Continental cars, motor cycles, and scooters (metric). Price 32/-
And for British vehicles (Whit. or A/F). Price 31/-
All wallets contain 4 o/e spanners, 1 ring spanner, 1 -14mm. plug spanner, 1 contact file, and 1 screwdriver.
d42jeep
Well-known member
It looks like those wrenches were available in a variety of finishes. I frequently put cad plated wrenches in evaporust overnight and it often improves their appearance. I never do anything more to them after the water wash other than spraying them off with brake cleaner. I have a healthy respect for the dangers of cadmium.Here's a cad Dunlap set i picked up. I believe made by MDF? What are some methods of turning the green tarnish back to silver?
-Don
four.cycle
Well-known member
My Dunlap set was originally all Japanned.d42jeep said:
We're kind of off the "kit wrench" thing here though....
I think the term "Continental" was kinda-sorta synonymous with "metric" in the British lexicon. Dave455 would certainly know - he seems to know no end of very British terms.
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It looks like those wrenches were available in a variety of finishes. I frequently put cad plated wrenches in evaporust overnight and it often improves their appearance. I never do anything more to them after the water wash other than spraying them off with brake cleaner. I have a healthy respect for the dangers of cadmium.
-Don
Also they were available with the V forge mark, X gorge mark, and I believe 1 more whi h I cannot remember. I want to grab another set with the black Japanese finish with the x mark.
Does Evaporust disintegrate the cadmium plate?
d42jeep
Well-known member
It does not. Lugz did a study on that subject.
-Don
-Don
Stillgottimefor1
Well-known member
. Some references to the meaning of ContinentalPrivate Lugnutz
Well-known member
Interesting! Farmer J also kinda sorta backed you up on the T Williams thread.
That's Farmer J's take. Where it refers to Europe other than British Isles. (The BREXITers would certainly agree with that take; there are numerous examples of "continental" including GB, though.) I haven't seen Dave455 weigh in yet.
@JjKk40 - Executive summary is I submerged a cadmium plated Walden socket in a baby food jar filled with Evaporust and sealed with the cap for 10 days with zero dissolution of plating or discoloration. It had NO effect on the cad. YMMV. If you go to my Lugzsonian Tour thread and search on "cadmium experiment" you can see before, after, and daily photos. EDIT: Oh, heck, the experiment kick-off is linked here, and you can scroll down from there to see daily updates.
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Very interesting Lugz, thank you! I now remember reading that while I was checking out your awesome thread! I'm gonna head over there again and give myself a refresh!
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
A Belated Christmas package from Don arrived today, including the 7/16" x Alligator/Bottle Opener Ronson wrench from his neighbor's shed.
It has an extremely shiny, wet appearance compared to the finish on my others (I found the 1/4" x 1/2" with the square hole top wrench in the 4-wrench set and the 5/16" x 19/32" wrench last year at fleas), almost as if I should handle it with tongs while I let the last drop of excess nickel drip into the electro-plating vat, but beggars (and onesy-twosy vintage hand tool collectors!) can't be choosers!
Now all I need to find to complete the set is the 3/8" x 11/16" wrench and something self-fangled to proximate the screw and wingnut.
It has an extremely shiny, wet appearance compared to the finish on my others (I found the 1/4" x 1/2" with the square hole top wrench in the 4-wrench set and the 5/16" x 19/32" wrench last year at fleas), almost as if I should handle it with tongs while I let the last drop of excess nickel drip into the electro-plating vat, but beggars (and onesy-twosy vintage hand tool collectors!) can't be choosers!
Now all I need to find to complete the set is the 3/8" x 11/16" wrench and something self-fangled to proximate the screw and wingnut.
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ you got a shiny one! 
they don't all look alike. the last set I got is brightly plated, but I haven't had good enough light here to get decent photos of it. I took fairly decent shots of the other two and posted them here somewhere - the finish on them isn't nearly as bright.
not sure if it's an "early-late" thing, or just a different production run, or....
edit: looks like I have four:
they don't all look alike. the last set I got is brightly plated, but I haven't had good enough light here to get decent photos of it. I took fairly decent shots of the other two and posted them here somewhere - the finish on them isn't nearly as bright.
not sure if it's an "early-late" thing, or just a different production run, or....
edit: looks like I have four:
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d42jeep
Well-known member
Or maybe the previous owner of Lugz’ new wrench was guilty of over-restoration and a good thick layer of Fluid Film. It’s definitely possible.^ you got a shiny one!
they don't all look alike. the last set I got is brightly plated, but I haven't had good enough light here to get decent photos of it. I took fairly decent shots of the other two and posted them here somewhere - the finish on them isn't nearly as bright.
not sure if it's an "early-late" thing, or just a different production run, or....
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Haha. There could be a scoche of that involved, but unless it was molten FF, I think this one was plated and the others natural steel.
RubiconJK
Well-known member
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I'm not saying it's the wrong spot, or thread marming you, but your post reminds me that there is a thread for wrenches marked with automobile mfgrs names, and I put it in the Index. It just never took off, and hasn't been very active in a long time. I have probably been guilty of posting a few in the DOE thread instead of that thread, just forgetting it's there.
1958 I always thought this style of wrench were from the 30s and 40s. I would not have guessed they made them that long. Do you know how long this style wrench was made?This should answer the question. Merry Christmas.
-Don
Oldtuleguy
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RubiconJK
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Oldtuleguy
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I knew I was saving them for something!
Private Lugnutz
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Not exactly auto-kit type wrenches, but I have posted similar sets here before, which I find irresistible. These are French and I like the way they hinge. Given their diminutive size and the gapper and adjusting tool, undoubtedly ignition. I have not miked them yet, so I don't know what the openings correlate to.
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Heyco still makes something like that
Heyco 3705340 Keychain Open End SAE Wrench Set, 11 Pieces
Heyco Tools 3705340 Keychain Open End SAE Wrench Set, 11 Piece - high quality German engineering at the lowest price.
www.kctool.com
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
It may not be that old for all I know. Marked for export, obviously.
Notice the 5x8x 11/16, and the 13/32.
That's what it looks like when a die is re-stamped.
It first is welded then the surface restored to original profile and then it is marked.
The welding leaves a 'witness' at the original surface. (Modern TIG welders can often carefully avoid these 'sinks', but probably not widely available in the '30s)
In this case, I bet the stamping was on the wrong ends and they sure were not going to scrap the entire die.
The localized heat from the welding is stressful to the die. I don't expect this to be done over and over.
Seems unlikely to me that dies were constantly re-marked to indicate date of manufacture.
Of course, JMHO.
That's what it looks like when a die is re-stamped.
It first is welded then the surface restored to original profile and then it is marked.
The welding leaves a 'witness' at the original surface. (Modern TIG welders can often carefully avoid these 'sinks', but probably not widely available in the '30s)
In this case, I bet the stamping was on the wrong ends and they sure were not going to scrap the entire die.
The localized heat from the welding is stressful to the die. I don't expect this to be done over and over.
Seems unlikely to me that dies were constantly re-marked to indicate date of manufacture.
Of course, JMHO.
d42jeep
Well-known member
I figured since I only ever found one Ronson wrench, when four.cycle posted this set on the eBay hot deal thread I should throw a bid at it. I guess nobody else had the same thought since there didn’t seem to be much competition for it. It arrived today and it’s pretty nice. It included the odd original screw.
-Don
-Don
Outlawmws
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Nice grab Don!
SilverDeck
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I have this set of clip DOE’s marked Penens Corp. (Plomb Tool). They are held in the clip by compression from a thumbscrew.
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I was out today, and spotted this Ronson No94 in an antiques store. I did not want to pay $7.50 for something I don’t collect. Is there something wrong with the one end? It looks like a can opener, but maybe damaged?