Barcalo Buffalo Tools

[d42jeep]

I found quite a few wartime Barcalo GMTK correct DBE wrenches at a yard sale yesterday.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I am now the proud owner of a rare piece of Barcalo history, thanks to a trade with a generous GJ contributor. It’s a unique 14” pipe wrench with an unusual pivoting adjustment that allows the jaw to clamp down on the pipe. The patent date is 1911, which is three years before the Hall acquisition, indicating that the wrench was likely a Hall design and patent.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Don, would these Barcalo DBE's (13/16 x 7/8) be GMTK appropriate? Un-plated, and seem military to me.

 

[d42jeep]

Your question caused me to revisit what little documentation we have about styles of Barcalo DBE wrenches between the 1943 price list and a 1954 flyer. The letter that accompanies the 1943 price sheet leads me to believe that Barcalo didn’t change their earlier wartime offerings until the conclusion of the war. The first time the flat panel wrenches are officially seen is the 1950s. I definitely believe that those wrenches were likely to have been used in the Korean conflict.

Late war DBE RA PD image that looks very Barcalo like.


Flyers showing flat panel wrenches
There are a lot of the flat panel BDE wrenches to be found.
I think this is the style of Barcalo GMTK wrenches used through WW2
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Thanks!

 

[genog]

Barcalo and Herbrand rarely turn up around here....
So, here's a minor contribution to this thread

 

[esben57]

Found this at a car boot sale recently, 13/16 - 7/8. 1731B



And these, any ideas? Have thoughts the 1/4W combination may be aircraft toolkit. related. GMC 1/2"-9/16"

 

[3baygarage]

The combo wrench is a Snap-On. Nice find. The box wrench, not sure.

 

[d42jeep]

The AT-8007 is a wrench from a Packard Rolls Royce Merlin toolset. Here is an image from Snapmom’s thread on the subject.

I don’t know much about the little DBE wrench. The number looks like a GM part number to me.
The Barcalo wrench is WW2 vintage but wasn’t included in either a GMTK or a Jeep toolset. It was probably included in some other wartime set. Here is my lightly marked 1731B
It appears in the 1943 price sheet.
-Don

 

[esben57]

The combo wrench is a Snap-On. Nice find. The box wrench, not sure.

Cheers 3bay, the OEX and the style had me thinking so. Glad to hear from someone in the know.

It cost me 50......
....British pence, or half of £1.

 

[esben57]

The AT-8007 is a wrench from a Packard Rolls Royce Merlin toolset. Here is an image from Snapmom’s thread on the subject.

I don’t know much about the little DBE wrench. The number looks like a GM part number to me.
The Barcalo wrench is WW2 vintage but wasn’t included in either a GMTK or a Jeep toolset. It was probably included in some other wartime set. Here is my lightly marked 1731B
It appears in the 1943 price sheet.
-Don

Thanks Don. Also have this, stamped E1725.

 

[S-K Tool Fanatic!]

Got this pair of slip joints from a flea market a while back.
M

 

[genog]

Found a Barcalo adjustable today....

 

[esben57]

The combo wrench is a Snap-On. Nice find. The box wrench, not sure.

If only the Snap on could talk. Really would love to know it's life story.
May be going to a Warbird air display at Church Fenton in a couple of weeks, good number of Spits
Hurricanes and Cadillac of the skies P51s.
This is England, it will rain.

 

[d42jeep]

I picked up this DOE wrench from an eBay seller. It is very similar to the one in my Jeep’s onboard toolset.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

Very nice, Don. Looks like chocolate!

 

[d42jeep]

I was alerted to these by my counterpart in Wales. He told me that unmarked wartime looking Barcalo tools are fairly common in the UK and he thought that they may have come over during the lend-lease period. The 3/8 x 7/16” is a common GMTK size but the 11/16” x 3/4” isn’t.
-Don

 

[esben57]

Cheers 3bay, the OEX and the style had me thinking so. Glad to hear from someone in the know.

It cost me 50......
....British pence, or half of £1.

Hanging this to the Barcalo thread. Related in a way as I'd found the Snap on Merlin spanner. Anyways. Flying Legends yesterday over here,
and some flying between thunderstorms and heavy rain.
It's England, it's summer.
These two getting ready

https://imgur.com/gcG6U2i

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some Barcalo combos made for that Merlin toolset.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I picked up this smooth DOE on Saturday. It looks much better after an overnight in the evaporust.
-Don

 

[rustyedge1]

Trying to date these old Barcalo wrenches that's been my box for years, any ideas. Also what about the V on the one ??

 

[d42jeep]

They appear in catalogs from 1937 to 1943. I doubt that the V is significant. I have managed to collect one of each size that appears in any catalog. Barcalo refers to them as “Double Grip”.

 

[Stubby1743]

Here are the only three Barcalo spanners/wrenches that I have. I don't see many being offered for sale here.

 

[mritchie77]

They appear in catalogs from 1937 to 1943. I doubt that the V is significant. I have managed to collect one of each size that appears in any catalog. Barcalo refers to them as “Double Grip”.

Don, in GJ you need to have a complete set in each finish: cadmium, nickel, grey and polished.

 

[d42jeep]

It was hard enough finding every size. I had to pay shipping from Israel for one of the hard to find sizes. Plenty expensive.
-Don

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

It was hard enough finding every size. I had to pay shipping from Israel for one of the hard to find sizes. Plenty expensive.
-Don

I would think Jesus has something to do with that .lol.

 

[rustyedge1]

What are the hard to find sizes in the double grip Barcalo wrenches ?

 

[d42jeep]

The 3/4” x 15/16“ was the one I had the most trouble finding. I don’t remember which other ones I had difficulty with. Most of them are rather common. I sold off quite a few duplicates back when I was selling on eBay.
-Don

 

[rustyedge1]

I have always had the two and liked the style. I used to sell as a hobby on eBay until it went outrageous.

 

[alinc100]

Picked these up last week and figured they belong in this thread. 7/8" x 25/32" largest to 13/32" x 5/16" smallest

 

[genog]

I found these pliers this past weekend
Thought it kinda looked like a dinosaur
After looking at it for a bit........ maybe it looks like a bird

 

[Private Lugnutz]

maybe it looks like a bird

Your intuition is good. They're called parrot-head pliers in catalogs, trade mags, etc.

 

[d42jeep]

Here they are at the top of the page in the 1937 Barcalo price sheet. I like that rather than call them Parrot nose they called them Polly pliers.
-Don

Even Barcalo thought that they looked like a parrot.
-Don

 

[wrench136]

Here's the polly nose version. Pocket size 6 1/2" #4827 w/ unpolished finish.

 

[d42jeep]

Here they are in 1954.
-Don
Here are mine.

 

[d42jeep]

A couple of recent finds. I found the first DBE wrench at a local yard sale.
This Chrome Molybdenum marked 27C is slightly prewar and I found it on eBay.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Another Chrome Molybdenum DOE arrived today. This one is a #25 which is a 1/2” x 19/32” wrench. I think that some time in the evaporust will improve its’s appearance.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

I found a few Barcalo and Powr-Kraft wrenches today. I have the 11/16 x 3/4 that is missing from this Powr-Kraft set, and have a Barcalo for a fill-in of the 1/2 x 9/16.

 

[d42jeep]

Apparently misterbill felt sorry for me since it’s been some time since I’ve posted any Barcalo finds on this thread. I received several combination wrenches as part of a care package. Some needed a little work to be presentable but they have now been added to the Barcalo Shrine. Thanks, Bill!
-Don
Before pictures
After some evaporust and cleanup
Looking better

 

[d42jeep]

I actually did pick up a 6“ adjustable wrench recently. The adjuster was kind of sloppy so I added a small spring similar to what Crescent wrenches have. Barcalo adjustables normally just have a small flat washer on one end of the adjustment wheel. Before and after pictures.
-Don