$5 1" PLVMB Combo wrench 1232

[GirlnAgarage]

I'm feeling a little proud and a little ashamed of myself so I need to confess. Went out to do some Christmas shopping but instead came home with a wrench and ChickFilA, both for myself

So the wrench is a 1232 PLVMB Combo wrench but it looks like it might be the older model, made during the war time years Can anyone shed some light on it? I did check out the artifacts/comcast link. Anyway, it does fit my wrench set well as I wanted a 1" just so I have the increment (whether or not I'll use it is another story but that's beside the point). I grabbed the wrench out of a miscellaneous box at the antique mall, marked for $5. Figured I couldn't buy a new 1" for that price anyway.

 

[hickmlg09]

Very nice gift. Sure the wife is going to be mad.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

No she wont check the screen name

 

[ganymede]

I think it may be from before the war. Isn't the war time stuff stamped 'wf' ?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The 3/8 combo i have has the words WAR FINISH spelled out on the side of the open end. Some may have been made like this after the war and before the pebble finish.

 

[Don 18]

1943-1945 Nice find!

 

[neonnblack]

Very nice gift. Sure the wife is going to be mad.

Yep, sure will be pissed off....

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Well, been reading here: http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/plomb-gallery.html

I think it may be from before the war. Isn't the war time stuff stamped 'wf' ?

From what I understand Plvmb ran two production lines during the war time period. The WF looks like it stands for 'Wright Field'. Then the war time finish came at the same time but the entire word 'War Finish' is stamped.

The USA Period, 1939-1945

In 1939 Plomb dropped the "Los Angeles" marking in favor of "Made in U.S.A." on its tools, so we'll call this the USA Period. Plomb continued to use the inverted triangle "PLVMB" logo for the company name.

Plomb discontinued its date code markings after 1942, so the codes for this period will include one of the digits {9,0,1,2} representing 1939-1942.

<snip>

The USA Period also included the production of a separate line of Plomb tools, the WF series (for "Wright Field") produced for a large government contract. These tools are easy to identify by the "WF" prefix in their part numbers; the tools will have a "PLVMB" logo but not always a "Made in U.S.A." marking. The WF tools were produced from 1942 through 1945.

Another marking peculiar to the USA Period was the notation "War Finish" (not to be confused with "WF") to indicate that some aspect of the tool's material or workmanship had been compromised.

<snip>

If this notation indicated a shortage of materials (or labor), it might be thought to have been more prevalent during the last years of the war, and so suggests a manufacture date of 1944-1945.

The next is the Pebble Period and this wrench looks nothing like them

The Pebble Period, 1945-1948

After the end of the war Plomb changed many of its tools to include a "pebbled" background on the flat forged areas. Tools continued to be marked with "Made in U.S.A." or the variant "MFD. U.S.A.", sometimes interchangeably on the same model. Fig. 8 shows a couple of typical examples of pebbled tools.

Here's the combo wrench section
http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/plomb-gallery-p2.html#combo


I'm thinking the oldest it could be is 1940 at the earliest and as young as '45.

Edit: thanks yall for the thoughts. Posted as I was typing so I didn't catch it. The thing I can't find reference to is the 'CD' stamped after USA.

 

[davesnothere]

I like it.

 

[ganymede]

Interesting. And that is a nice wrench. Those flat bar plombs n the later protos look like they won't feel good in your hand yet they do.

 

[Josey Wales]

Interesting. And that is a nice wrench. Those flat bar plombs n the later protos look like they won't feel good in your hand yet they do.

This ^^^^

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I too like the way those wrenches feel when you handle them. I have a 1-1/16 and a 1-1/4" in the Proto Los Angeles markings, same style of flat bar type, and use them all the time at work, really like them.

Charles

 

[Jarhead0408]

That bar is freaking thick man. Awesome score for $5 man. I'd snap it up in a heartbeat if I ever run across one.

 

[camarotoolman]

Its not a score, thats average price or a little high for that. 1" is a dead size, 15/16 is much better, used on farm machinery. If you need it for your collection its good.

 

[Dieselbutterfly]

i have to say i think it is a score,very nice

 

[Provincial]

1" isn't a dead size, it just isn't a standard nut/bolt head size. 15/16" is standard for 5/8" fasteners, with 1-1/8" the next step up for 3/4" fasteners. 1" is pretty common on hydraulic fittings, for instance.

I recently bought a pebble Plomb 1-5/16" combination wrench, and used it less than 30 days later on a conveyer take-up that had a 7/8" nut on it. Having a large selection of wrench sizes available can make your job easier.

 

[Jarhead0408]

Its not a score, thats average price or a little high for that. 1" is a dead size, 15/16 is much better, used on farm machinery. If you need it for your collection its good.

Hey man, To each there own I guess.

But... If YOU come across any old Plomb 1-incher's for $5 I'll buy 'em off of ya!

 

[Outlawmws]

That's a great find Girl! Price may not be to die for, but I think its a good price for a wrench Like that. I'd have bought it.

And I agree, it's not a dead size, I use 1" plenty...

 

[tkonetzke]

I also use 1" frequently. I dont think there are any "dead sizes" some definetly not as frequent though. For 5 bucks thats a good score.

 

[cbacres]

They are nice heavy wrenches. I like the way they feel. Had a few and sold them. Won't let that happen again.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

The camel's nose is under the tent...this is going to be one costly purchase!
Your next thought is going to be "Hey...this is cool! Maybe I can complete the set..."
Before you know it you will be an old, bitter lunatic in a basement full of Plomb junk, duking it out on Ebay with other lunatics for rare bits and getting into endless discussions of a misprint in the 1942 catalog...

 

[nathan_454]

funny, i have that ones big brother (1-1/6) and have been trying to decide what I'm going to do with it.

 

[Everythingisforsale]

Trying to find out some more info on these few Plvmb items.
1232 Plvmb 1"combination wrench (war finish) on backside.


CAnt figure out why I can't upload more than 1 image on this post reply

 

[Everythingisforsale]

More pics