Barcalo Buffalo Tools

[LesserSon]

I found these Barcalo combination wrenches at a garage sale Friday. They seem identical to the script "Barcaloy" series, except the name is forged in raised letters on one raised panel and the opposite panel has no markings at all. The size is forged into the open end cheek (what Alloy Artifacts calls a "Size Field") just like post-war wrenches before the "scooped" design. The finish appears to be phosphate or bluing instead of plating.

I haven't found any references to these on the Web yet.

Those must be pretty uncommon. Any Barcalo wrenches with raised letters are fairly rare. I have a couple of raised letter DBE and DOE wrenches in the collection but my similar combos are all stamped in except for one. The top wrench in the last picture looks like yours.
-Don

On Labor Day, I spotted this 13/16 combo at Jake’s flea. I was focused on some Bonney DOEs the seller had, and didn’t buy it. When I got home, I searched this thread, and read these two posts. Since then, I’ve kept an eye out, but that particular seller moves among several fleas. Yesterday, I encoutered him at Quakertown, and bought the combo.

 

[Provincial]

LS, I'm beginning to think that the raised letter combination wrenches were either late WWII or early post-war production. Either way, a very short production run.

 

[KYBOSH]

Adding one more ...

 

[JjKk40]

Now I have to try and piece a set like this together! I picked this up rescrntly! I like the forged in font and the wrench just feels good in my hand!

 

[d42jeep]

Here is another one.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Using evaporust, I removed the patina from this formerly valuable pair of Barcalo pliers I found at an estate sale on Friday. I guess that I’m just not a serious Barcalo collector.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I removed the patina from this formerly valuable pair of Barcalo pliers

Nice latticework grips on those.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Pawn shop finds from Saturday. Barcalo pliers and a Barcalo-Buffalo wrench. Not sure on a time period but I was definitely happy to find them as I hadn’t found any in awhile these were both buried in the bottom of a basket of screwdrivers.

 

[d42jeep]

The pliers with part number were made after 1963 and the DOE probably dates from the 20s or 30s.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are my Barcalo finds at a Saturday estate sale in Berkeley.
-Don

 

[outofbounds]

Turned up this pretty nice example of "edge-to-edge" raised panel DBE. I only know that this is too new to fit on Don's Blue board. The exact age, I'd welcome the information from our unpaid Barcalo consultant.

 

[d42jeep]

Those were introduced in 1958 and featured the “scoop” offsets patented in 1956. AA has slightly different dating but I have the advantage of having seen a few pictures of the 1958 catalog. Unfortunately, I never was able to see the entire catalog. After the acquisition of Barcalo by Crescent Niagara in 1963 the tools were marked with part numbers and phased out shortly thereafter. The last picture is a wrench they made for Wards.
-Don

 

[outofbounds]

Those were introduced in 1958 and featured the “scoop” offsets patented in 1956. AA has slightly different dating but I have the advantage of having seen a few pictures of the 1958 catalog. Unfortunately, I never was able to see the entire catalog. After the acquisition of Barcalo by Crescent Niagara in 1963 the tools were marked with part numbers and phased out shortly thereafter. The last picture is a wrench they made for Wards.

I have a few of the Wardmastr wrenches too, Don, and the same affliction of the very lightly engraved identifiers.

 

[Provincial]

The poor etching is spread over all etched tools from the Crescent Niagara group during this era.

 

[outofbounds]

This little miniature set (I hesitate to call them ignition wrenches) turned up a little while back, and interestingly, the tools aren't marked Barcalo, which left more room for "Hoppy" to do his handiwork...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

which left more room for "Hoppy" to do his handiwork...

Snerk. Whether his last named was Cassidy, one leg was shorter than the other, or what, I guess he got stumped half way through his little metric "equivalents" exercise.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

These wards lakeside wrenches look like barcalo stuff

 

[d42jeep]

Wards seemed to like buying wrenches from Barcalo and Thorsen. Of course it seems like a lot of manufacturers sourced from Barcalo at some point in time.
-Don

 

[RTM]

Ok, this is a few days old, but a Jeopardy clue that's kinda relevant here. The "B" in the clue means it starts with.....

First answer was LaZBoy.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Barcalounger

 

[d42jeep]

You must phrase your answer in the form of a question.
”What is BarcaLounger“

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You must phrase your answer in the form of a question.
”What is BarcaLounger“

Snerk.

 

[JjKk40]

Picked these script Baecoloy's up rescently. I think they're cad plated? Maybe nickel?

 

[d42jeep]

Those are some nice large ones made prior to 1958. It’s hard to tell the finish in pictures but those don’t seem to need to be cleaned anyway. I took some pictures of combos recently and I’ll attempt to post them from newer to older.
Scoop, rectangular pad

Scoop, polished padScoop, unpolished padNo scoop, chrome platedNo scoop, not plated

Barcaloy, sizes not recessed


Pre Barcaloy, probably wartimePrewar, Chrome Vanadium
-Don

 

[JjKk40]

Those are some nice large ones made prior to 1958. It’s hard to tell the finish in pictures but those don’t seem to need to be cleaned anyway. I took some pictures of combos recently and I’ll attempt to post them from newer to older.
Scoop, rectangular pad

Scoop, polished padScoop, unpolished padNo scoop, chrome platedNo scoop, not plated

Barcaloy, sizes not recessed


Pre Barcaloy, probably wartimePrewar, Chrome Vanadium
-Don

Wow D42 you have quite a collection there!!! I have a bunch of other Barcalo stuff coming in shortly !!!! Alloy Artifacts says the Barcoloy was used 1945- 50's with the script style being earlier to '45. I think these are cadmium and yes your right, they are very clean, no need to clean them or anything.

 

[d42jeep]

I wouldn’t rely on Alloy Artifacts being totally accurate in terms of dating when it comes to Barcalo. It is correct that the wrenches started being marked with the script Barcaloy right after WW2, those combos didn’t have the sizes marked in the recesses like your wrenches do so without being able to date them exactly, I would say late ‘40s to early ‘50s.
-Don
Earliest Barcaloy combo with the size marked on the raised panel.

Slightly newer Barcaloy combo with the size marked in the recess.

 

[JjKk40]

I see the difference. Very subtle but I see why Barcalo started putting the size in the recess in the head. It stands out more for sure!

 

[JjKk40]

I wouldn’t rely on Alloy Artifacts being totally accurate in terms of dating when it comes to Barcalo. It is correct that the wrenches started being marked with the script Barcaloy right after WW2, those combos didn’t have the sizes marked in the recesses like your wrenches do so without being able to date them exactly, I would say late ‘40s to early ‘50s.
-Don
Earliest Barcaloy combo with the size marked on the raised panel.

Slightly newer Barcaloy combo with the size marked in the recess.

I bought this set from Twertsy a few weeks ago. These are Barcalo made correct?

 

[d42jeep]

Very likely early Barcalo combos. If they aren’t marked Barcalo on the opposite side of the wrenches they were probably made as contract wrenches for another vendor. They did a lot of contract work.
-Don

 

[JjKk40]

These are gonna get a dip into the evaporust soon!

 

[Mintgrun]

Are you sure those don't have a black oxide finish? I'd leave those dark. I think they're pretty. Nice set!

 

[JjKk40]

Are you sure those don't have a black oxide finish? I'd leave those dark. I think they're pretty. Nice set!

From what I can tell its just a coating of heavy rust. Were these known to be available with other coatings? If it indeed is I would for sure leave it as I love the black oxides finishes. Ill take a closer look.

 

[d42jeep]

They came in several different finishes. The part numbers and sizes change from year to year making putting together a complete set difficult.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

From what I can tell its just a coating of heavy rust. Were these known to be available with other coatings? If it indeed is I would for sure leave it as I love the black oxides finishes. Ill take a closer look.

I love them too, as well as some brown-oxide finishes.

Your set is so evenly weathered I'd want to leave them just like that, with just an oily wipe down before putting them away. I found a small tube of white petrolatum grease in a machinist's box I bought. Sometimes I rub that stuff on tools to protect them and it makes my fingers soft at the same time.

I found that same clip sold separately, but had not figured out which tool company used it until now. Here are my mixed-finish DOEs in this style. I don't have the 3/4" x 5/8" wrench to fill out the clip yet. It is currently holding Indestro wrenches. I think the two holes on the base of your clip were drilled by a previous owner. Mine only has the one hole for the knurled screw.



edit, I do have the largest wrench. I am missing the smallest size. fwiw.

 

[d42jeep]

I found these at an estate sale today. Unfortunately the original owner was fond of marking his tools with a center punch

 

[Macduf]

Start of another set, didn't know they went to 9/16

 

[DAustin]

I snagged these two BArtDecolo wrenches at the flea market this morning. I am up to seven (7) discrete wrenches of this stylish (but PITA to clean...) type now. Like Don (see post #257 on page 13) and BFOB (see post #62 on page 4), it is a mongrel set, some branded, some not branded (ostensibly contract production for third party retail). I know I am missing a few between the 5/8" x 3/4" and the 15/16" x 1". I'd like to know what they are. The 1943 catalog would not have these and doesn't, but I'm not sure the Double Grips (oldtimers' street name here in NJ is "Roofline") or plain engineers wrenches are a good guide. Barcalo had some weird combinations in there. Who's got the skinny on that? Don? BFOB? I will be looking for anything in between in the wild, but it would be good to know for future reference.

I just picked up some of these types today. Can someone give me an idea of when these were made.
Thanks

 

[d42jeep]

Those wrenches are a total mystery. They don’t appear in any of the known catalogs including Alloy Artifacts references that they don’t make public. Judging by their appearance they are likely postwar and quite a few were unmarked, likely for contract sales to retailers. Here is my unmarked NOS set. It goes up to 1” but there were larger wrenches available in this style.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

nice!!

 

[d42jeep]

If I recall correctly, you pointed them out to me on eBay.
-Don