Lewis & Root Mfg. Co., New York, New York - "L & R Mfg. Co." wrench set 04/17/21

Lewis & Root Mfg. Co., 22 Park Place, New York, NY

L & R Mfg. Co., New York No. 1 wrench set

Interesting little set of interchangeable wrench "heads" that fit into a stamped-steel handle and are retained by a spring-loaded pin. Pushing the round button on the handle releases the wrench "head".

The sizes, as near as I can tell, are 7/16", 9/16", 5/8", and 3/4"

So far I have been able to find nothing about this company.

If any of you happen to have an extra 1/2" head for one of these laying about, please let me know.

Re: L & M Mfg. Co., New York wrench set 04/17/21

Very cool find, 4.c! I have never seen these before. I have always considered the Park Metalware multi-head wrenches to be unique in this category. The L. & R. set uses a different, though similar design; the Park Metalware (Zilliox) design is more robust, with the handles forged.

four.cycle said:

... BUT FOR SOME REASON I AM UNABLE TO
CORRECT IT...[ ]...I cannot edit the title to correct an error?

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I don't think we've ever been able to do that. The function implies you can, and it reads correctly once you're inside the thread for that post, but not in the list, and not in subsequent posts.

Re: Lewis & Root Mfg. Co., New York wrench set 04/17/21

I know I can fix a title on the hikers site, but it uses different software.

Yes, kinda-sorta like the thinking behind the "Park Metalware" interchangeable wrench heads (of which I do own a cherry set but have yet to post here.)

I saw them and said "I have to have those," but I have NO clue about the where/when/who.
I'm hoping someone here or one of the recipients of an email I just sent out might be able to offer some insight on these.

One observation:
Although I believe these have been "cleaned up" on a wire wheel (or something similar) these kind of remind me of my Bridgeport Hardware Mfg. open-ends in respect to fit, finish, and broaching:
The actual sizes (according to my cheapo dial calipers) are 29/64", 34/64", 41/64", and 49/64".
I guess "close enough" was "close enough" - which makes me think 1930s or 1940s on these.

Re: L & M Mfg. Co., New York wrench set 04/17/21

four.cycle said:

Yes, kinda-sorta like the thinking behind the "Park Metalware" interchangeable wrench heads (of which I do own a cherry set but have yet to post here.)

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Well, when you get ready, we do have a thread for them, and I would be eager to see it. See the Index in the Sticky. I have two sets: the small 1-handle 5-head set that went from 3/8" to 5/8", and the big 17-head set that went from 3/8" to 1-7/16", with four different handles, one straight and one offset for two different ranges of wrenches with different size necks. Otg has a few sets, too.

four.cycle said:

I saw them and said "I have to have those,"

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Of course! We've always had similar goals and aesthetics. That set would be an auto-friggin'-matic purchase if I saw it in the wild. It has everything I like: innovation, efficiency, and OOAKness. I am jealous. Terrific find.

Re: Lewis & Root Mfg. Co., New York wrench set 04/17/21

My "Park Metalware" set (as I recall) is the small set as you describe above, which is in a surprisingly thin metal box. The wrenches and handle are in good condition. The box is in almost pristine condition - something that I do not see in any of the Ebay listings I cruise through.

I got one response on the "L & R" set so far, from a well-credentialed collector:

Stan S. said:

I've had a set with four open ends on the ring, and another handle with smaller jaws inserted in both ends for several years. I don't know anything more about them or the identity of the manufacturer.

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Re: L & M Mfg. Co., New York wrench set 04/17/21

Better hide that set if lugz comes over!

Re: L & M Mfg. Co., New York wrench set 04/17/21

And with my oldest son moving into his neck of the woods, that could be sooner rather than later!

I'm thinking older bicycle tools (pre-metric). Newspapers.com found various companies of that name but nothing close to tool manufacturing.

Pretty heavy and bulky for "bicycle wrench" stuff.
I'm hoping that in perusing the trade journals that I've accumulated I'll come across mention of it somewhere.

From: ME
Sent: Saturday, July 3, 2021 3:18 PM
To: undisclosed recipients
Subject: so what the hell do you need all those tools for?

Hood on truck wouldn’t stay closed.
Drove around for a week with bungee cords holding the hood down – serious hillbilly stuff.
Could NOT find a hood latch from Ford.
Got one from a wrecking yard. Put it on.
Turns out it wasn’t the hood latch at all – it was the STRIKER PLATE, which is a separate piece of 1/4” thick hardened steel, which was spot-welded to the INSIDE of the hood assembly.
Short of replacing the entire hood, I was at a loss.
Drove back out to the wrecking yard, took some measurements and took a couple photos so I could make sure I knew how it was supposed to be lined up.
Came home, drilled a few holes, and re-attached the striker plate to the bottom panel of the hood.
Working blind, inside a hole about 1-3/4” x 1-3/4” – barely big enough for two fingers.
Crows foot? No way. No way to get the drive tool in there.
Remember that screwball “L&R Mfg. Co.” wrench set I scored a few months ago? The one with the interchangeable heads that fit a common handle?
Clamped onto a small pair of Vise-Grips, it allowed me to tighten the locknuts on the back side of the panel.
(The string is a “just in case” – if it fell in the hole, I’d have to remove the hood to shake it out.)
So NEXT TIME there’s some screwball tool on my kitchen table... DON’T ASK ME WHY.

Okay... off to road test it! YAY! BK



* addendum: holds fine at 65MPH on North 9th Street - that's as fast as I can go around here without getting on the freeway.

Great idea! I love it when old tools save the day!

Finally got this one figured out with some help from our friends at datamp.org:

Lewis & Root Mfg. Co., 22 Park Place, New York, New York


1923 Lewis & Root Mfg. Co., New York, New York


unfortunately all I got in the email was this little snip. I still haven't figured out how to access "Google Books". just too stupid, I guess.

four.cycle said:

unfortunately all I got in the email was this little snip. I still haven't figured out how to access "Google Books".

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Just google like regular, then select books instead of all.

lemme give it another shot. I tried it a couple years ago and for reasons I didn't understand couldn't find what I was looking for - couldn't get to it.