Big Old Adjustable Wrench

[crguy]

I recently bought the biggest wrench on the bottom. 44" long, 50 lbs, wedge lock. Shown with a 32" Coes Key Model wrench and 24" Crescent for scale.

Very rusty, looked like it had been in a river for decades, and frozen solid. Got it freed up and knocked off the loose rust. Anybody know who made it?

Anybody got any similar adjustable wrenches?

 

[Shiftless]

I think you won the “who’s got the biggest” ?

I used to think a 24 inch Crescent (that’s the biggest wrench I have) was big enough for any task. That’s obviously not correct.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Ironworkers and sandhogs used huge wrenches of all kinds, especially single open end, structural (often called spud) and non-reversible ratcheting, some of them two-man carries. Biggest adjustable I ever saw in person was in a museum just outside of Boston College. It was taller than me.

 

[Shiftless]

Lugz’s comment triggered an internet search where I found this pic on the Practical Machinist site. Not adjustable but certainly big.

 

[blazemaster83]

I have seen the big pin style adjustable wrenches like this

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I1POHU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

And also noticed channellock makes a 30"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EXX43Z8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

But I haven't seen anything larger except that river monster. It looks like an old pipe wrench that has smooth jaws

 

[Leviton]

50 lbs!!!

 

[cowades206]

Here Is a pic of mine actually bring used around 1993. I was twisting some 3/8 square rod for a decorative firewood holder. At the time I could buy 1/2" already twisted, but not 3/8". I wanted a tighter twist anyway.
As far as I can remember I've never used it on a nut or bolt, just to twist or bend stuff.
Saw this in an antique store for $70 and just HAD to have it.
Of course no one on this forum ever felt like that....
A "friend" advised: money is a renewable resource, there are only so many of those wrenches.

BTW, 37" long closed. Don't know what it weighs though.

 

[3baygarage]

50 lbs!!!

My first thought too. Hence the hoist ring.

Pretty cool.

Some nice looking Coes wrenches too.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Anybody know who made it?

Yes, thanks to cowades206, whose example has a patent date. Coes. According to DATAMP, it came in 28", 36", 48" and 72". The 72-incher must be the one I saw at that steam plant museum outside of Boston. Link to DATAMP page on the Coes "Key Model" adjustables here.

 

[crguy]

Saw this in an antique store for $70 and just HAD to have it.
Of course no one on this forum ever felt like that....
A "friend" advised: money is a renewable resource, there are only so many of those wrenches.

BTW, 37" long closed. Don't know what it weighs though.

Can you double check the 37" measurement? I was under the impression that the next bigger one after my 32" was something like 46" or so. I don't have any reference material in hand, will see what I can find.

Do you want to sell yours?

 

[crguy]

Yes, thanks to cowades206, whose example has a patent date. Coes. According to DATAMP, it came in 28", 36", 48" and 72". The 72-incher must be the one I saw at that steam plant museum outside of Boston. Link to DATAMP page on the Coes "Key Model" adjustables here.

I didn't see your post before my other post. I think mine is what they referred to as a 36' although it's only 32". It looks like they rounded up the sizes to the nearest foot.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No problem. My apprehension was abysmal to begin with. I was confused. Your middle wrench in post 1 is the Key Model Wrench. As is cowades'. Still no ID on your 44" whopper. I am tracking now.

 

[crguy]

No problem. My apprehension was abysmal to begin with. I was confused. Your middle wrench in post 1 is the Key Model Wrench. As is cowades'. Still no ID on your 44" whopper. I am tracking now.

Yes, my Coes in the middle wrench. I put that picture of the name in the OP as I figured someone would ask what it said on the wrench. Mine is also marked on the jaw:

 

[cowades206]

Here is a pic with a tape measure. Don't know if this help or just confuses things more. I don't think we can round this up to 48" though.

The jaws on yours look way better than mine.

I don't want to sell it, not yet anyway.

 

[cowades206]

I just found this, but you may know of it already; archive.org has some info.
If you search for:
Coes Genuine Screw Wrenches
there are some brochures.
Want to lift a 195lb wrench!
I really hope I never come across a 48" for sale.

 

[crguy]

Here is a pic with a tape measure. Don't know if this help or just confuses things more. I don't think we can round this up to 48" though.

The jaws on yours look way better than mine.

I don't want to sell it, not yet anyway.

OK, thanks. The sizes they are found in don't match what they said in the ads. Don't know why that is.

Mine is in excellent condition. A local guy had it up on the side of his barn with a bunch of other stuff for "art" and wouldn't sell it. After he died I was able to buy it and was happy to see it was still in good condition.

Let me know if you want to sell yours. It would fit right in between the 2 big wrenches I have.

 

[brainypencil]

50 lbs!!!

It is indeed heavy.

 

[Joe Huld]

Yes, thanks to cowades206, whose example has a patent date. Coes. According to DATAMP, it came in 28", 36", 48" and 72". The 72-incher must be the one I saw at that steam plant museum outside of Boston. Link to DATAMP page on the Coes "Key Model" adjustables here.

I seem to recall that the 72 incher was not made for sale to the public, only 1 or 2 examples made for exhibition purposes. There is a brief write up on it in one of the books by Kenneth Cope I think.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Joe. That doesn't jive with the period ads, but I would defer to Cope if he had some other source. I have made a note to myself to contact the museum. It was the Waterworks Museum in Chestnut Hill. I could be mistaken about it being an adjustable, there was a lot to see, and I only made a quick visit when my daughter was on a recruiting visit to Boston College.