What is this Williams wrench for?

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Does anyone know what this Williams 1-1/32 wrench, model number bw-4 special is for. I don’t know what its for, it’s such a weird size. And if you are wondering where I got it came from an estate sale, it was so rusty I didn’t even know that it was a Williams. So if anyone knows anything about it please share, any info is valued. Thanks in advance.
-Tommy

 

[rsanter]

Low torque wrench, odds are for either adjusting something or for a fitting

 

[four.cycle]

1930 Union Hardware & Metal Co. catalog Williams ad pp 294

This is as close as I could get. I did not find any other single open-end engineer wrenches with an opening of 1-1/32"

International Tool Catalog Library might have something

 

[RTM]

When I see large wrenches with short handles, I think of dairy pipe fittings. Modern ones are usually aluminum now a days, but yours is kinda tiny for that class.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Thanks guys for the info, never seen or heard of any thing being 1-1/32, but they used to have a lot of odd sizes, 19/32, 21/32, 25/32, 31/32, ect.
-Tommy

 

[Rusted Nut]

Adjusting neck bearings on old motorcycles.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

1930 Union Hardware & Metal Co. catalog Williams ad pp 294

This is as close as I could get. I did not find any other single open-end engineer wrenches with an opening of 1-1/32"

International Tool Catalog Library might have something

Didn't have any luck in the tool catalog.
-Tommy

 

[leg17]

Short handle looks user modified.

 

[Ricky Joe]

I don’t think it is user modified. Also, the Williams logo pattern is too modern to be 1930s. I think maybe 1950s or newer. As a Special, it may have had very limited application.

 

[four.cycle]

^ you too, huh? I thought the same thing in respect to DATE - his specimen is later than 1930s for sure with that logo on it.

 

[Zeus36]

Steam fittings, hydraulic fittings, farm equipment, dairy plumbing...

 

[slowtwitch73]

Looks factory to me.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

It’s definitely not modified.
-Tommy

 

[four.cycle]

whatever it was, it was expensive and they didn't want anybody screwing with it, so they put an oddball size lock nut on it and had a special wrench made for it.

Williams didn't cut a new die to make a screwball size wrench they'd never sell to anybody else for cheap.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Over my career in Industrial Maintenance, we've generally referred to these as "Service Wrenches". Sometimes they would come in a small tool box with new equipment.

Personally, I've only used these wrenches on hydraulic systems, e.g. pump, manifold & hose fittings. At times, I've needed a modified pipe or dead-blow hammer to get the job done. The short wrench is very necessary at times when things are really cramped.

Very nice wrench! I love all of my Williams wrenches, from my vintage engineers to my recent Supercombo wrenches.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

I might have a couple more of there odd ball short wrenches around here that need cleaned up. I’ll see if i can find them and clean them up.
-Tommy

 

[Nutria]

I've seen them on lathes.

 

[Provincial]

Almost perfect for a 26MM fastener, about 0.009" larger. It could be marked in inches for the American market.

 

[wrenchguy]

IMHO, modified with hard 90* corner on end without slight edge curve toward centered parting seam. This curve is known as draft which makes it easier to release from closed production dies.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The 'SPECIAL' refers to the non-standard milled opening, as I think others have alluded to. I've never seen any stubby-handled Williams SOE engineers wrenches, I don't recall seeing any on the Williams thread (we do have one, OP, see A-Z Index in Sticky at the top of the page), and I don't recall seeing a stubby SOE engineer's wrench, Superrench (alloy) or Superior (carbon steel), in any Williams catalog from 1912 to 1960. The SOE wrenches with a 1" milled opening are 9-1/4" OAL. The OAL's graduate more or less with milled opening size as you would expect. Notes accompanying those tables say Williams will put an offset of 45* or 90* in any order for an extra cost. I don't recall seeing a similar note offering shorter handles at extra cost. I could be mistaken. It's easy enough for someone to double-check me on IA/ITCL - they have a lot of Williams catalogs.

But I don't own any Williams SOE engineers' wrenches that are postwar (and RJ is definitely correct, that is postwar), and I have never seen any with model numbering scheme (BW-x) before. That could be key.

Not arguing that it's not factory, just saying there is no documentation I know of for Williams offering SOEs with short handles, standard or optional up through 1960, anyway.

 

[3baygarage]

The B is for black finish. Neat find. I enjoy seeing all the special made stuff.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The B is for black finish.

But when did they start using it? In 1960, the model numbering scheme is still the one they had been using prior. No letters. Just an ISN for the Superiors (carbon steel with industrial black finish)(e.g., 706) and the ISN with a "1" prefix (e.g., 1706), for the alloy Superrenches. When did this BW-x start? As I alluded to, that could give a better timeframe to look for the possibility of a line that was made with stubby handles. I have zero familiarity much after WWII and only looked at the 1960 cat because I was curious.

 

[leg17]

Handle modified after forging.
Would not release from the die as is.
Factory single end is "sloped" all around, not just the sides with a sharp edge across the end.
Example shown.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

hmm, will take better pictures of the end when I get home from school.
-Tommy

 

[leg17]

.....
But I don't own any Williams SOE engineers' wrenches that are postwar (and RJ is definitely correct, that is postwar), and I have never seen any with model numbering scheme (BW-x) before. That could be key.
.....

I have been told, (for what that's worth as I can't remember by whom!), that the BW### scheme had something to do with the TRW purchase in the 1980's. I can't verify that but based on what I have seen, seems plausible. The old numbers were still in use during the '70's.

 

[ecotec]

Whatever it was designed for was probably low torque, as been stated by a couple other people in this thread. Probably something that has to be repeatedly loosened and retightened.

Almost every service wrench that I have ever seen has been beefier on the business end. This is what leads me to my opinion.

 

[3baygarage]

At a quick glance, BW open end wrenches are in the 1979 TRW ERA catalog. Hopefully that gives an idea.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Is my wrench in the catalog,if so please post a pic or a link.
-Tommy

 

[30-30remchester]

Spent my career working on heavy machinery. Many repairs were undertaken with 48 and 60 Ridgid pipe wrenches and cheaters. I collect oddball tools and pick up quite a few of these type of wrenches and have never used one or to be honest dont know what they were designed to do and what they could do that a stubby combo wrench couldnt do. The only thing I can figure out is because of the heavy girth and construction that maybe they were "knocker" wrenches as we called them. Wrenches made to be snugged up or lossed with the assistance of a hammer. But then again I just found a minature 5/16" Williams engineer wrench and cant imagine such a small nut or bolt needing to be impacted. So I am still perplexed as to what their designed purpose is.

 

[3baygarage]

Is my wrench in the catalog,if so please post a pic or a link.
-Tommy

Take a look.

https://archive.org/details/williams-catalog-ws-79

These are double open ends in the cat.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Here you go, you guys are probably right, it looks like it was modified. But, I will say they did a good.
-Tommy

 

[Private Lugnutz]

maybe they were "knocker" wrenches as we called them

Slugging wrenches usually had a square shank for striking with a hammer.

 

[four.cycle]

1971 J.H. Williams catalog No. 307 pp 58

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

It says bw-4 is 25/32?
-Tommy

 

[four.cycle]

hey, that's the 1971 catalog I just got the other day... note no mention of "special" there ... you've got a real oddball there.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It says bw-4 is 25/32?

Williams always used the "SPECIAL" marking for a nonstandard milled opening. One would think they'd use a -7 die for 1-1/32", though, so if they used a -4 die, your handle was shorter to begin with from the factory, in addition to it being chopped.

 

[RTM]

It says bw-4 is 25/32?

I was wondering if that is the reference for 704 (v2) the way they lay that table out. Seems odd to have them out of order, but two 704s doesn't make much sense either.