Braunsdorf-Mueller tools

[Username already in use]

Oh, yeah. These posts have dates on them, don’t they.
Reading is fundamental... too many football day beers I suppose!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hey no worries. This thread moves slower than Giovani Bernard.

 

[RTM]

Here's my contribution to the Braunsdorf Mueller thread. Saw the wrench, recognized the name as the source of a Lugz thread, figured it was worth grabbing. Not real exciting in the overall tool world as your basic adjustable wrench, but a unique manufacturer to me. It was kinda ugly, but not awful by local standards when found. It was given an Evaporust bath and then scrub, pulled the screw and relubed it

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Not real exciting in the overall tool world as your basic adjustable wrench, but a unique manufacturer to me.

A unique manufacturer to many! A crescent-type adjustable isn't the most thrillingly representative of tools, but let's face it, any early manufacturer who made one other than Crescent (except maybe BAHCO..., which is whole 'nother story) was copying Crescent, even J.P. Danielson and Diamond, and any tool with the Braunsdorf-Mueller name on it is a cool tool. Also, not too common. I've never seen one in the wild.

If Mossberg, Walden, and Blackhawk can be likened to the GM, Ford, and Chrysler of the early hand tool industry, Braunsdorf-Mueller was like a Studebaker or a Packard. Or something like that.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Quick Addendum
It's interesting and also telling that BMCo made crescent type knockoffs. Mr. Mueller's attempt at an adjustable screw wrench didn't go so well. I've been trying to entice 3bay out of his example (see post #17) for two years! So far he hasn't taken any of my trade bait. Those and the model that has a hinged (offset) head are fairly rare.

 

[RTM]

A unique manufacturer to many! A crescent-type adjustable isn't the most thrillingly representative of tools, but let's face it, any early manufacturer ......, even J.P. Danielson a.... is a cool tool.

I left behind a JP Danielson a weekend back. Just a bit of rusty, but who really needs 6 or 8 8" adjustable wrenches. I'm not bending that much sheet metal anymore.

 

[LesserSon]

8” adjustable. The jaw stuck at two points from being beaten on/by something. Much improved since disassembling, smoothing & lubing.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice find.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Just found these this morning at the flea. Funny how the onesy-twosy goes sometimes. I found my first in 2017 (post #1!). I found two more later that same year and a fourth in 2018. I haven't seen any since then. Now I one-fell-swoop pert near the entire set. Only one wrench missing. Not sure which yet. I'll know more after their evapo-spa. No sign of the cross bars or pouch.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I'm guessing they will look much better after some TLC. Great find there.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'll know more in a couple days, but my optimism is waning. I've had them out of their tub to scrub hard with a wire brush twice, an intermediate abrading which enhances the Evaporust action on stubborn areas, in my experience, but I am predicting many unsightly impenetrable splotches, unfortunately. I may have to take more drastic action on these.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Not as good as I would like, but not as bad as I suspected.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Most of the "(B)M(Co))" stamps (see Pic 1) are strong. Showing the sizes in that pic, too, which reveals that I was not quite as fortunate as I thought. #'s 12, 11, 10, 9, 9, 7, and 6. I already had a 10, two other 9's, and a 7 (see Pic 2). Pic 3 is showing the combined but incomplete (7 of 8) set: 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 7, and 6.

Hoping @leg17 can save me some time and brains cells and spare me trying to figure this out from the ads and measuring the openings.

Am I missing a 13 or an 8?

 

[four.cycle]

^ Unless you avail yourself to the wire wheel, the black spots are permanent, correct?
I probably went a bit overboard on that little screwdriver I picked up yesterday, but it wasn't a huge investment and it clearly was not an H.D. Smith so I grabbed a little swatch of "Scotchbrite".
Curious as to exactly what you used there - just oil and rag? Or something a bit more agressive?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Curious as to exactly what you used there - just oil and rag?

I soaked them in Evaporust, like I normally do, but removed them a few times to scrub them hard by hand with a wire brush and a coarse foam sanding pad, then let them soak more. That's what I do with the worst rust cases. It exposes the hard splotches to the solution.

Unless you avail yourself to the wire wheel, the black spots are permanent, correct?

Unfortunately. You see how a few of my earlier orphans have a black finish? I may do a faux baked black enamel on them. In which case I wouldn't mind wire wheeling those spots down first.

 

[leg17]

.....
Am I missing a 13 or an 8?

Yes.

I have a #13 and TWO #8's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hmm. The ad I posted in post #1 only shows eight wrenches, and I have seven, so I was expecting it to be either/or. Now I'm thinking there must have been a few different sets with different contents. Something to research.

 

[3baygarage]

Nice find on the set.

I slipped up earlier today in the GS thread by saying I found a BMCo wrench, which was actually a BHM (Bridgeport Hardware).

Seeing this post prompted me to seek out the little offset screwdriver I picked up a couple months back. It was hiding under Grandpa’s fishing reel since. The fishing reel has given me the idea that I ought to hire a school of piranhas to guard the adjustable wrench.

Here’s the offset:

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Seeing this post prompted me to seek out the little offset screwdriver I picked up a couple months back.

Very cool!

 

[RTM]

Unique styling there. I started a right angle screwdriver thread, that one would stand out there.

Show Your Offset Screwdrivers, Right Angle, Plain and Ratcheting

I’ve been poking about trying to see if there was a thread for Offset or Right Angle screwdrivers, and nothing came up, so thought I’d start one. I’m skipping the modern Lisle and Anex and other things I have, just cuz this is the vintage forum. I have 10 or more of them, and only use one 1-2x...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[LesserSon]

I looked through the posts, didn’t see. Just curious, since I have none of the hollow ell wrenches:
Has anyone found an authentic crossbar? Are they stamped w/ logo or not?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's a good question. Nobody has posted a full set yet. @leg17 's pouched set on page 1 is actually Vlchek. (I very stupidly forgot to bid on one in excellent condition with label intact a few months ago that I was tipped off to by our local tipster! It went for A LOT less than I would've paid. Still kicking myself.)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Unique styling there.

To say the least! And not just the square bar stock. If not for the ends, it looks more like a cotter pin puller, or small pry, and almost seems like it has a little twist in it, too.

 

[LesserSon]

I found these rad, tubular wrenches a couple weeks ago, and thought of this thread. But when cleaned up, they are still too pitted to see any marks.
Last weekend, 100 miles to the south, I found this 11/16” deep tee socket, which isn’t too pitted to read. Thanks to Lugz for identifying the logo for me on the GS thread, because though I have read this thread, the BMCo didn’t register.

 

[crguy]

Braunsdorf Mueller knurling set with scarce rope & pattern knurls that I have used several times.

 

[leg17]

Braunsdorf Mueller knurling set with scarce rope & pattern knurls that I have used several times.

Very cool knurls, very cool you USED them, and very cool distributor.
Just cool all the way around.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Interesting, LS. I was under the impression Vlchek and BMCo were the only two mfgrs, but your wrenches may challenge that. Vlchek and BMCo can be very hard to distinguish from each other from afar without seeing the markings. The flutes on the straight ends tend to be a little shorter on Vlcheks, but even that is not foolproof. The necks on yours look too long to be either Vlchek or BMCo to me. They are extraordinarily elongated. Spool through the thread and see what you think. I'd be curious for leg17's opinion on that, too.

Speaking of legs, thanks for bumping the thread. He sent me a #8 weeks ago and I've only now gotten around to thanking him properly with a group shot. His has the full name logo, which doesn't trouble me. Beggars can't be choosers, just saying, they made this for long enough to have used a few different logos.

 

[LesserSon]

Do I have this right, leg? You noted the differences in orientation and wall thickness, but didn’t state which was which. A more intense scrutiny of leg’s images also leads me to conclude that Vlchek’s necks are longer than BMC’s, and Vlchek stamped them on the left side, rather than the face side.
I will check mine more carefully for traces.

 

[LesserSon]

Ha-ha, great! My manufacturer wasn’t as careful orienting the heads the same way: half & half! But I am leaning toward Vlchek
No more luck with stamp traces.
Sizes are 7/8, 3/4, 5/8, 1/2 - near as I can figure. Also, there are two sets of crossbar holes on the larger two (oriented 90° from each other), and only one set on the smaller two, and the 1/2 takes a smaller-diameter crossbar than the other three.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The necks are a little longer on the Vlchek (right) than the BMCo (left), but nothing close to being as elongated as yours.

 

[four.cycle]

^ classy.

pretty distracted here with the house cleaning project so I'm probably missing a lot of stuff.
leaving today be back next week.
just in case I get killed I'll post an updated LIST in a couple minutes.

those "pipe wrenches" almost make me want to own more tools.

 

[LesserSon]

The necks are a little longer on the Vlchek (right) than the BMCo (left), but nothing close to being as elongated as yours.

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[Private Lugnutz]

Snerk.

 

[LesserSon]

Two BMC tubular wrenches, recently acquired. The others, longer-necked and shorter-socketed, are too pitted to tell if there ever was a brand. I’ve posted those previously.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Little socket set

 

[Fred Knox]

This is my only Braunsdorf Mueller - a 10” Duplex adjustable wrench with a swiveling head that adjusts to a full right angle. It still works perfectly.

 

[usernameless]

Here's a seemingly non existent BRAUNSDORF MUELLER offset ratcheting screwdriver. Any ideas for info on this little 8" beauty?

 

[leg17]

Here's a seemingly non existent BRAUNSDORF MUELLER offset screwdriver. Any ideas for info on this little 8" beauty?

Very cool.
And, thanks for reading the 'stickies' and posting in a good place.

 

[RTM]

Here's a seemingly non existent BRAUNSDORF MUELLER offset screwdriver. Any ideas for info on this little 8" beauty?

Here is a very tenuous clue to age, a 1911 index. BM is listed as making screwdrivers, but not offset screwdrivers. Is it because they didn't make them, their marketing guy didn't tell the mag they made them, or they were too cheap to pay for listing in the second category?

Engineering Directory ...

www.google.com

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very cool.
And, thanks for reading the 'stickies' and posting in a good place.