My small but growing collection of Wizard tools (all Western Auto welcome)

[four.cycle]

^ Completely different "Wizard".
THIS thread is for the Western Auto branded "Wizard" tools.
Your J.E. Wakefield "Wizard" wrenches should be in the J.E. Wakefield "Wizard" thread here

and before I forget to mention it, your having the original roll up pouch for that kit is most especially awesome.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

^ Completely different "Wizard".
THIS thread is for the Western Auto branded "Wizard" tools.
Your J.E. Wakefield "Wizard" wrenches should be in the J.E. Wakefield "Wizard" thread here

and before I forget to mention it, your having the original roll up pouch for that kit is most especially awesome.

I sent you a pm a few days ago

 

[four.cycle]

^ Tom - I just got back home a few hours ago.
Still kind of in a daze.
Spent the entire day Friday in the ER at Olympic Medical Center - Mom had some difficulties.
I'm doing my best to remain "connected" here but it is challenging at the present time.
BK

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

^ Tom - I just got back home a few hours ago.
Still kind of in a daze.
Spent the entire day Friday in the ER at Olympic Medical Center - Mom had some difficulties.
I'm doing my best to remain "connected" here but it is challenging at the present time.
BK

No worries brother, no rush. Hope all gets better for the family.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

^ Completely different "Wizard".
THIS thread is for the Western Auto branded "Wizard" tools.
Your J.E. Wakefield "Wizard" wrenches should be in the J.E. Wakefield "Wizard" thread here

and before I forget to mention it, your having the original roll up pouch for that kit is most especially awesome.

Thanks for squaring me up four.cycle. I guess I missed that we had more than one Wizard thread. Growing up in Sheridan Oregon we had four hardware stores on the main drag, all within eyesight of each other though one was mostly a Miller paint store. Ace hardware, Coast to Coast, and Western Auto, all in old brick front buildings. Even as a kid I bought a few things at the Western Auto but generally preferred the Ace across the street for their much larger tool and general hardware inventory.

To prevent anyone from having to go back a page to see my post showing the Wakefield Wizards here is a pic of the "wrong" Wizard tappet wrench set along with a few of the "right" Wizard wrenches which are in one of my user boxes.

 

[Leviton]

Here's my 6" Wizard adjustable wrench. It's the same as Post #78, except that it has a C mark on the handle at the top. It's pretty smooth and tight, but the forging does look a little rough as can be seen in the close-up picture.

I found a Wizard 8" adjustable (H2402) that was in pretty good shape for its age. Has an "H" forge mark and an odd "|" mark preceding the size marking. I'm guessing this was made by Diamond?

Found one similar to this in the 1957 Western Auto catalog.

 

[LNKMK8]

Found this nice Westline H2254 Clip Wrench set in my friend's estate. Surprised at how clean they were.

 

[2001ZR2]

This a Westcraft 1/2" ratchet that was locked up with grime and rust. Wire brushing the worst of the rust off before time in the ultrasonic cleaner in ATF restored smooth function.

 

[LNKMK8]

Picked up this nice (maybe complete?) Westcraft 3/8" drive set last year and just now got around to cleaning it up.

 

[nz44tool]

I just picked this up at a local Restore. I'm impressed by its quality, love the handles.
Does anyone here know who made these for Western Auto? I can't find a mention of a "W" stamp anywhere.
The recessed pivot screw might be a clue.
(I started a new thread on this without checking the list to see if there was one already - Pvt Lugnutz kindly suggested I come over here.)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Everything about those from the name to the part number (probably a missing a letter "R", i.e., HR1125) to the single letter code smacks of 1950's Western Auto (Wizard, Westcraft, Westline, etc). Their supplier codes were pretty simple. "D" for Duro, "V" for Vlchek, etc. I don't think of Walden or Williams as pliers houses, but they did make tools for Western Auto. Someone who collects it might know more. We have a thread. See the Index.

Several snippet only view hits on a Google Books search confirms the P/N and era (1952) I had guessed above, no help on supplier, though.

 

[nz44tool]

Several snippet only view hits on a Google Books search confirms the P/N and era (1952) I had guessed above, no help on supplier, though.

They do look '50-ish all right. Methinks the recessed pivot screw and the 2-sizes jaws are a clue of some sort.

 

[Lesserstore]

I just picked this up at a local Restore. I'm impressed by its quality, love the handles.
Does anyone here know who made these for Western Auto? I can't find a mention of a "W" stamp anywhere.
The recessed pivot screw might be a clue.
(I started a new thread on this without checking the list to see if there was one already - Pvt Lugnutz kindly suggested I come over here.)

Wilde. The round sections are distinctive of them (although other makes would come later), also "Lobster Claw" is used by Wilde to this day in their description for them.

1961 Wilde catalog and current website description:

 

[nz44tool]

Thanks, Lesserstore, you nailed it!
Alloy Artifacts also has an image of a pair of Wilde pliers that look a lot like the ones I have.
Wilde rarely crosses my mind because I've seen very few of their tools in my travels.
...gotta love the depth of knowledge on GJ!

 

[Leviton]

I didn't see any battery pliers in this thread. I found these last week.

Markings are “Chrome X Quality" "Made Chromium Vanadium In U.S.A.”. No marking on the back. Handles are plain. 8-inch overall length.

Western Auto’s 1960 catalog had quite a variety of different pliers, but none were battery pliers. Their 1937 catalog had battery pliers but they were of a different design. Alloy Artifacts has a set just like mine and says they are circa late 1930s. They also mention they are nearly identical to Herbrand 179 Battery Pliers.

 

[Mintgrun]

They also mention they are nearly identical to Herbrand 179 Battery Pliers.

Yes, indeed!

 

[d42jeep]

I received this Chrome Alloy socket from bmwrd0 recently. I initially didn’t notice the Western Giant marking on the opposite side. It will be going into the Western Giant box rather than a Brazil box.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Yesterday’s estate sale finds. 3/8” drive
-Don

 

[2001ZR2]

A Ratcheting wrench from a Facebook Marketplace buy. The locking pliers are an estate sale pick up. But it appears the ratcheting wrench is an Industro/Durochtome as shown below by its companion

 

[d42jeep]

Who do we think made this Westcraft ratchet? I’m thinking New Britain or possibly Indestro.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ that's an Indestro. 3/8 drive = 2775A (60-tooth) - they also made a 1/4 (2875A) and a 1/2 drive, but I've never seen the 1/2" drive model in real life.

 

[2001ZR2]

Picked up at an estate sale in a box of 19 wrenches for $12.