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Keystone Mfg. Co., Buffalo, N.Y.

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Private Lugnutz

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Joined
Mar 30, 2012
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30,608
Location
The Authentic Jersey Shore
I don't know what to make of the knurled top handle with four holes and that pointed pin on top.
The knurled handle is for leverage. The cross-drilled holes are for a bar, if needed. (And they were often needed to help free the drill when stuck, a frequent occurrence.) The pointed pin is called a center. It was inserted into a tapered opening in a sort of gallows shaped bracket that would hang over the work to help keep the ratchet-drill steady and square when turning. Similar to an early drill stand with the advent of drill stands for portable electric drills. The bracket, at first home-made and later made and sold commercially, came to be known as an "old man." Because only old men using ratchet-drills needed them, ostensibly. Seriously.

"The Old Man and the Ratchet Drill" by Earnest Drillingway.
The ratchet direction knob is kind of cool on this one.
Agreed. Mine are simply knurled. See posts #57 and #61. And by the way, see post #57 for the patent diagram.

Nice find.
 

Mintgrun

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 7, 2015
Messages
2,134
Location
Kingston, Wa.
I dug up that patent drawing as soon as I got home, using the link in your sticky. It shows a screw inside the knurled "handle" which led me to believe there was more to it than just being a handle. Now that I have seen the drilling post in RTM's catalog link, it makes sense. The pin goes in the arm above and the screw inside the knurled handle is the driver, to push the drill through. Pretty cool. The pin holes must be for turning that while drilling. As it turns out, I bought a PLVMB turning tool yesterday as well! I knew it wasn't totally crazy buying this busted screwdriver. (I've left it at the store for at least my last four visits).

IMG_1592.JPG

The DREW No.19 wrench fits nicely.

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It didn't take much to free up the knurled grip. It gives two inches of travel.

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Thank you for the insight and the catalog link.

Tom
 

RTM

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Joined
May 13, 2019
Messages
13,194
Location
SF Bay Area
Way to put the pieces together!. I always thought it was self driving, and would never have guessed that the screwdriver handle would fit. I suspect a bar may be safer, but nearly as cool looking as using the broken screwdriver.
 

Private Lugnutz

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Joined
Mar 30, 2012
Messages
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Location
The Authentic Jersey Shore
Very cool. My Keystone No. 1 and No. 400 don't have that feature. Just the nut, pointed center pin, and cross-drilled holes on top of the ratcheting mechanism.

But here's more illustrated context for my reply about the use of the pointed center pin.
 

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tlcmom

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
4
Hello -
First time posting in this forum. I found this wrench last week while relic hunting, buried about a foot down. I finally have it cleaned up enough to see Keystone imprinted on it. Still a lot of rust to remove, but what markings will help identify it? Thank you so much!
Kim
 

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tlcmom

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
4
Here are numbers 76-84, there is no #83. Missing the 74 and there's another ******* numbered supposedly.

48638686162_ffcc25fe4a_k.jpgDSCF2461 by wvwheaties, on Flickr
I found this wrench last week while relic hunting, buried about a foot down. I finally have it cleaned up enough to see Keystone imprinted on it. Still a lot of rust to remove, but what markings will help identify it? Thank you so much!
Kim
 

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tlcmom

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
4
My 3 keystone adjustable, a 74, 76 and 78

20220201_201949.jpg
Very cool! I have finally it gotten clean enough to read “10 inch Keystone Drop Forged Steel”. Looks to be kinda rare.
 

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tlcmom

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
4
I found this wrench last week while relic hunting, buried about a foot down. I finally have it cleaned up enough to see Keystone imprinted on it. Still a lot of rust to remove, but what markings will help identify it? Thank you so much!
Kim
Very cool! I have finally it gotten clean enough to read “10 inch Keystone Drop Forged Steel”. Looks to be kinda rare.
My 3 keystone adjustable, a 74, 76 and 78

20220201_201949.jpg
These are great! I’m having a hard time finding anything on a 10” straight wrench made by Keystone
 

Fred Knox

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
334
Location
Nor Cal
While I don't think anyone wants to post after HeelSpur's killer collection posts (!), I thought I would take a group photo of my slowly growing Keystone collection. The older 6" design and the 10" pipe wrench are ones I don't see as frequently.

From left to right:
older 6", 10" No. 80, 10" pipe, 12" No. 82, older 8", 8" No. 78, Keystone M1555 square and hex ratchet wrenches (with a little help from a GJ friend).
 

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wrench136

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Mar 8, 2023
Messages
104
Some pics of the Keystone 12". The fit and finish is very good. Better than most Westcott types.
 

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Private Lugnutz

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The Authentic Jersey Shore
Never heard of a Keystone 73. Any pics...?
Don just posted a pic. That's what I was replying to. He was very casual about it, cracking a joke about it not being a Barcalo (he is a Barcalo fan), and perhaps just being coy, but he may not realize how rare they are. He did not identify it as a No. 73, but unless I'm mistaken, it appears to be a No. 73. I was not aware of them either until @3baygarage posted pics of one earlier in the thread. See posts #52, 53, and 54 on page 2. That one (not his) is reportedly solid gold! Don's looks steel, but it might be worth its weight in gold! :)
 

Fred Knox

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Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
334
Location
Nor Cal
I recently picked up this 6" curved adjustable wrench with a forged "T" inside a circle logo. I have not seen this mark before and even The Wrenching News does not have any idea on origin for this mark. Does anyone have any thoughts? It is stamped "PAT APPLIED FOR" on the logo side. In any case, it was too cool to pass up.
 

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HeelSpur

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May 12, 2012
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1,539
Location
WV
I recently picked up this 6" curved adjustable wrench with a forged "T" inside a circle logo. I have not seen this mark before and even The Wrenching News does not have any idea on origin for this mark. Does anyone have any thoughts? It is stamped "PAT APPLIED FOR" on the logo side. In any case, it was too cool to pass up.
Oswego Tool Co.
 

scoob511

Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2021
Messages
13
I found a Keystone number 81 in a box of old garage sale buys. I can’t figure out how to remove the jaw to give it a proper cleaning. There is no screw, but there is a metal peg of some sort. I’m not sure how the peg is held in place, but it didn’t budge with a few gentle taps with an old punch/rubber mallet. Any ideas? Thanks!
 

RTM

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May 13, 2019
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13,194
Location
SF Bay Area
I found a Keystone number 81 in a box of old garage sale buys. I can’t figure out how to remove the jaw to give it a proper cleaning. There is no screw, but there is a metal peg of some sort. I’m not sure how the peg is held in place, but it didn’t budge with a few gentle taps with an old punch/rubber mallet. Any ideas? Thanks!
If talking of an adjustable wrench, somewhere on GJ there was a suggestion to whack the wrench, away from where the pin would come out, on the edge of a board. Sudden stop at the end is more effective than whacking w a hammer. On mine the pin slid part way out, pulled it out w pliers. Make sure you can see where the pin might go if you whack it too hard.
 

Ayrhead

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Feb 23, 2020
Messages
567
Location
Ontario
Missing the drill head, obviously. Also missing the direction switch, less obviously. The hollow handle kinda sorta reminded me of a Wells Brothers and a Lowell I have, which have pawls actuated on a shaft from the **** end. The patent date (May 21, 1895) refers to Emig 539,423. And sure enough, the patent shows and describes switching the pawl by turning a knob on the end of a shaft inside the hollow handle.
Hi Everyone: I came across this today. It looks to be complete. To make it ratchet the opposite way you need to pull the knob at the back and then turn it.
 

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Ayrhead

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Feb 23, 2020
Messages
567
Location
Ontario
Hi Everyone: I came across this today. It looks to be complete. To make it ratchet the opposite way you need to pull the knob at the back and then turn it.
I also have the brother/sister to the one I just got yesterday. The ratcheting knob is on side. It’s a small lever instead of out the end of the shaft like the newer one. Here are some pictures. The patent date is in the handle which makes me think this one is slightly older. Take Care, Ayrhead
 

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four.cycle

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Oct 19, 2015
Messages
28,953
Location
Tacoma, Washington
Keystone 555 10 pc 1.2 hex dr SAE socket set 083024 K2 01.jpg
Keystone "Soc-Kit" 555 1/2" hex drive SAE socket wrench set with holder

* This set should contain 11 pieces, but the "ell" handle is missing from this set.
* Note that the sockets in this set are all 12-points.
* Note that the sockets are stamped with the sizes.
* Note that the bottom of the holder is stamped "MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"
* See the 1928 advertisement (last photo in string.)
* This 12-point set is the LATER version, as shown in the 1930s Keystone catalog No. 31.
 

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four.cycle

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28,953
Location
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Keystone 555 11 pc 1.2 hex dr SAE socket set 083024 K1 01.jpg
Keystone "Soc-Kit" 555 1/2" hex drive SAE socket wrench set with holder

* This complete set contains all 11 pieces (including the "ell" handle.)
* Note that the sockets in this set are all 6-points.
* Note that the sockets are not stamped with the sizes.
* Note that the bottom of the holder is not stamped "MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"
* See the 1928 advertisement (last photo in string) in the post just above. This 6-point set is the EARLIER version, as shown in the 1928 Hardware Retailer advertisement.
 

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Eric Brown

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jun 14, 2024
Messages
678
Ran across this Westcott S wrench in one of my piles. Decided to get it working again. Jaw was very gunked up. Started to do a general cleanup and saw it had led a rough life. Lots of dings and scratches. Looked online and saw a lot of similar ones for sale in the $20- to $30 range. So it's not rare or very valuable. Decided to do a smoothing to all the surfaces. (Artistic license?) Will probably nickel plate this summer. Will probably then paint the inset areas black. Before and after pictures.
 

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