Automatic Wrench - Armco Pawood - I've never seen Before

[Boogerman]

Not often I run into something I've never seen before, and search for it on Garage Journal and it's not been discussed!

Found this in some estate sale junk:

 

[Farmer J.]

Never seen one of those before! It has a similar look about and mechanism it to those 'Speednut and others' wrenches,
Here's a link to the thread on those, maybe re post it in that thread as well?

c.1926 "SPEEDNUT" wrench

"SPEEDNUT" wrenches I found this SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORPORATION “SPEEDNUT” wrench at the flea market on Thursday morning. I just took it out of the de-rusting bath and lubed it up and snapped some pictures. If you’ve never seen one before, there is no thumbscrew or lever or any other...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[RTM]

Here is a little help, snippet view, so zooming in required.

Thomas Register of American Manufacturers and Thomas Register Catalog File

This basic source for identification of U.S. manufacturers is arranged by product in a large multi-volume set.

books.google.com

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found this in some estate sale junk:

Nice find! Relative to Farmer J.'s cogent observation...

It has a similar look about and mechanism it to those 'Speednut and others' wrenches,

...does it self-adjust? When you hold it by the handle and turn it to and fro, does the dynamic jaw open and close?

If you search Google or better yet, Google Books, on American Rolling Mills Company or ARMCO, which made steel, from pig iron to finished products, and later changed their name to ARMCO Steel Corporation, you will find all kinds of references. The "NEW YORK" must refer to a branch office, perhaps a mill, because the first and main mill, the HQ, and the research office was in Middletown, Ohio.

I don't know if ARMCO Products was an offshoot or a different entity. My guess is offshoot.

 

[Mark Stansbury]

General Hardware was selling the Pawood circle cutter bit as early as 1924. Hardware Age on Archive.org

Maybe the wrench was renamed after learning of a pre-existing use.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

General Hardware was selling the Pawood circle cutter bit as early as 1924.

Interesting, Mark. It's a unique term that doesn't have much meaning otherwise and shows up in quotes like a TM would in many references. I can't find any instances of ARMCO and PAWOOD together. Both terms appear on pg 275 of RTM's linked doc...

Here is a little help, snippet view, so zooming in required.

But the "ARMCO" reference is under the PAVED INVERT PIPE entry, which puts it, alphabetically, on the same page as the "PAWOOD TOOLS", by General Hardware, New York, entry.

ARMCO Products did make ball bearings.

 

[RTM]

But the "ARMCO" reference is under the PAVED INVERT PIPE entry, which puts it, alphabetically, on the same page as the "PAWOOD TOOLS", by General Hardware, New York, entry.

ARMCO Products did make ball bearings.

There weren't many references to Pawood by itself in vintage literature either, which is where I went next.

Since Armco was a steel mfg, wondered if there was synergy in the collaboration.

Was going to use that date to start poking at patents,

 

[RTM]

Here is another tool with their name, a General circle cutter.

Vintage General No. 4 Pawood Circle Cutter - 7/8" to 4" - Made In USA | eBay

<p>This vintage General No. 4 Pawood Circle Cutter is a must-have for any collector or hobbyist. Made in the USA, it has a cutting range of 7/8" to 4" and is perfect for cutting circles in various materials like wood, plastic, and metal. The cutter's solid construction and durable blades ensure...

www.ebay.com

Oops never mind, this was supposed to get posted earlier, but can’t delete it.

 

[hobie18]

Part og a group thay made a self-adjusting automatic wrench. Patents etc. Due to circumstances. Nothing we could do. Hopefully one day, you will see it. Been around 40 years...

 

[RTM]

Here’s another Pawood item. Hmm, no theme yet.

The Billboard

books.google.com

 

[Mark Stansbury]

I tried Newspapers.com for various key words but no hits, and the same for a Google site search of DATAMP. I peered into the automatic wrench rabbit hole, which looked interesting. I found this ad by Automatic Wrench Corp. of America.