"Chromium Vanadium" - Who Made it? 10/21/21

[four.cycle]

This thread is about tools marked CHROMIUM VANADIUM only.

See HERE for tools marked "CHROM VANADIUM"

Up until Private Lugnutz's comment yesterday (https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...y-use-and-examples.488161/page-3#post-9278968), in which he made reference to a conversation he had with Todd Werts (twertsy), I was of the understanding that the term "Chromium Vanadium" was used exclusively on product manufactured by Duro/Indestro.

Private Lugnutz mentioned that Todd had told him Herbrand was also a supplier of "Chromium Vanadium" marked wrenches to Western Auto.

Some time ago, I found some wrenches listed on Ebay which were stamped "Chromium Vanadium". I forwarded the photos to Todd. Unfortunately I do not recall exactly what his response was, but my (somewhat vague) memory of the email exchange was that we both believed they were Duro/Indestro product.

Although we both assumed at that time that they were made by Duro/Indestro, there was something about them that puzzled me. There were two "S" shaped wrenches in the mix, the design and shape of which puzzled me. Additionally, there was an odd-shaped "half-moon" wrench - the shape of which didn't match anything I'd ever seen made by Duro/Indestro. (See 1935 Indestro catalog pp 4 snip at bottom)


In the last photo image, one can see the "Riverside" brand name stamped on the shank of the "S" wrench.

from my own list:
Riverside / (Montgomery Ward private label, probably Indestro / Duro Chrome manufactured) / http://alloy-artifacts.org/duro-indestro-p6.html /

Searching for "Riverside" at Alloy-Artifacts.org, one finds the following statement: "It's not known which other companies may have sourced tools as well."
All of the "Riverside" photo images at Alloy-Artifacts.org appear to be Duro/Indestro product.

With no definitive evidence to the contrary thus far, it's been a reasonable assumption that Duro/Indestro was the sole supplier to Montgomery Ward for their "Riverside" line of tools.

That is, until one does some more poking around on the Alloy-Artifacts.org site and finds these photo images, which one can compare to the "Riverside" examples above:
Herbrand comparison for "Chromium Vanadium" "Riverside" half-moon and "S" wrenches

Herbrand, The Vanguard of Van-Chrome [Page 4]

Page 3 of an article on the Herbrand Company and their tools.

alloy-artifacts.org

Herbrand, The Vanguard of Van-Chrome [Page 2]

An article on the Herbrand Company and their tools.

alloy-artifacts.org

I could be mistaken, but it would appear that Herbrand was also a supplier to Montgomery Ward for at least part of their "Riverside" line, and they were also contemporaneously stamping their product "Chromium Vanadium".

We have previously discussed "artists rendition" catalog illustrations here ad nauseam, and I may well be imagining things that aren't there, but compare the shape of the shanks on these Indestro "S" wrenches, and the shape of the 769 manifold wrench to those in the "Riverside" images above.

 

[four.cycle]

Here's another "Riverside" unit, this one a "stubby" 1/2" x 9/16" double-end box wrench, stamped both "Riverside" and "Chromium Vanadium"

Compare this image with the Herbrand equivalent shown here:
Herbrand comparison for "Chromium Vanadium" "Riverside" 1/2" x 9/16" box wrench

Herbrand, The Vanguard of Van-Chrome [Page 2]

An article on the Herbrand Company and their tools.

alloy-artifacts.org

(* note the width at the top of the "slash" between the 1 and the 2 where the "1/2" is stamped. Alloy-Artifacts.org makes note of this anomaly on a 15/16" wrench (elsewhere on the site) and names Herbrand as being the manufacturer.)

Here's a 5/8" combination wrench stamped "Chromium Vanadium" and "Made in U.S.A.", but other than the size stampings lacking any other markings:

Compare this image with the Herbrand equivalent at Alloy-Artifacts.org:
Herbrand comparison for "Chromium Vanadium" 5/8" combination wrench

Herbrand, The Vanguard of Van-Chrome [Page 2]

An article on the Herbrand Company and their tools.

alloy-artifacts.org

Again, lacking evidence to the contrary, I believe it's a reasonable assumption to say Herbrand was a supplier to Montgomery Ward for at least part of their "Riverside" product line as well as product stamped "Chromium Vanadium".

 

[four.cycle]

Here's an Armstrong 3/16" x 1/4" open-end wrench, stamped "Chromium Vanadium":


Alloy-Artifacts.org does make mention of Armstrong having manufactured product stamped "Chromium Vanadium" as well.

Alloy-Artifacts.org description of Armstrong "Chromium Vanadium" sockets

Armstrong Bros. Tool Company [Page 3]

Page 3 of an article on the Armstrong Bros. Tool Company and their tools.

alloy-artifacts.org

Alloy-Artifcacts.org description of Armstrong "Chromium Vanadium" wrenches

Armstrong Bros. Tool Company[Page 2]

Page 2 of an article on the Armstrong Bros. Tool Company and their tools.

alloy-artifacts.org

==

Here's a "Perfection" P63 3/8" x 7/16" "stubby" double-end box wrench, manufactured for Western Auto by....?

I'd love to have a definitive answer to that question, but it's possible we may never know.

Western Auto Supply Company

An article on the Western Auto Supply Company.

alloy-artifacts.org

The wrenches closely resemble the Herbrand Multihex wrenches and are also very similar to the Indestro "Polygon" examples. These observations suggest that the Perfection wrenches were made by Duro as intentional copies of the Herbrand models, probably in an attempt to win more business from Western Auto.



Here's an Indestro "Polygon" "Chromium Vanadium" 3/8" x 7/16" 45° offset double-end box wrench, obviously made by Indestro.
Note the shape of the shank compared to the "Perfection" unit just above.

 

[four.cycle]

Here's a "Chrome-X-Quality" "Chromium Vanadium" 1/2" x 9/16" double-end box wrench:


Now that I'm deep into this rabbit hole, I'm hesitant to make any claims as to who might have manufactured this unit.
Maybe d42jeep has an early oval-shanked Duro DBE we can do a visual comparison with?

 

[four.cycle]

I have no clue on this one. Maker's mark is barely legible in the photo images, but it was originally listed on Ebay as a "Brighton Hi-Test".
Brighton is a city on the southern English coast - that's all I know.


In conclusion, we now know with a degree of certainty that "Chromium Vanadium" was stamped on wrenches and sockets by at least three different manufacturers: Duro/Indestro, Herbrand, and Armstrong, and marketed under many different brand names.

I look forward to seeing further evidence, and more to learning whether there were any other makers stamping their product with the "Chromium Vanadium" moniker.

BK

 

[leg17]

4-C Looks like you are on to something. Note the similarity in font between your unknowns and the AA Herbrand. Also the profile of the shank and the shape of the wrenches.

 

[RTM]

from my own list:
Riverside / (Montgomery Ward private label, probably Indestro / Duro Chrome manufactured) / http://alloy-artifacts.org/duro-indestro-p6.html /

Searching for "Riverside" at Alloy-Artifacts.org, one finds the following statement: "It's not known which other companies may have sourced tools as well."
All of the "Riverside" photo images at Alloy-Artifacts.org appear to be Duro/Indestro product.

With no definitive evidence to the contrary thus far, it's been a reasonable assumption that Duro/Indestro was the sole supplier to Montgomery Ward for their "Riverside" line of tools.

……

I could be mistaken, but it would appear that Herbrand was also a supplier to Montgomery Ward for at least part of their "Riverside" line, and they were also contemporaneously stamping their product "Chromium Vanadium".

just a little perspective on this. Riverside labeled tools from MW also included lots of woodworking tools, my area of interest. So your comment about Sole Supplier is probably incorrect, but your own note about Herbrand sort of implies you are realizing it.

I suspect you will find them more like Craftsman, where different suppliers made the “same” tool in different years. I have WW planes in the same size by Stanley and Sargent. They are not identical, but reflect the original mfgr.

So it would not surprise me to see that both D/I and Herbrand, and maybe others, all made wrenches labeled Riverside.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Wardmastr speedmaster powerkraft had multiple suppliers, including new britain, wright, duro indestro and thorsen.

 

[RTM]

Argh, duplicate post

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Duro indestro, herbrand and who knows could have been riverside or lakeside suppliers. Wards just did not care!

 

[Fred Knox]

Here are a couple of my Riverside Chromium Vanadium wrenches:

 

[d42jeep]

Wardmastr speedmaster powerkraft had multiple suppliers, including new britain, wright, duro indestro and thorsen.

Don’t forget Barcalo.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Sorry don! Barcalo was a big wards supplier

 

[four.cycle]

Don’t forget Barcalo.

?

Do you have Barcalo-made product stamped "Chromium Vanadium" ??

 

[d42jeep]

No l don’t. I was just responding to their omission as a supplier to Wards. I have some tools marked Chromium Vanadium though. They all look to be Indestro made to me. Here are some pictures.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ yes. definitely Duro/Indestro. I have at least one or two sets marked "chromium vanadium" like that.

do you have a "chromium vanadium" Duro/Indestro offset DBE? (see post #4 above)
that's one I do not have an image of.

BK

 

[d42jeep]

I think that I pictured all of my Chromium Vanadium marked tools. I checked my small Herbrand selection and didn’t find any there.
-Don

 

[theoldwizard1]

Chrome vanadium is just an alloy of steel. Never a trademark/product name.

Chrome reduces the chances of corrosion and vanadium add hardness. Impact tools replace the vanadium with molybdenum which is "tuffer" (withstands impact better).

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The labeling is the concern here. Only duro indestro labeled tools chromium vanadium...... or did they?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Chrome vanadium is just an alloy of steel. Never a trademark/product name.

Not true. When rich two-alloy tools became popular in the 1920's into the 1930's, mfgrs seized on the compositions and exploited them in their dies like branding, distinguishing their products. Bridgeport was known exclusively for their Nickel-Molybdenum markings, for example. Western Auto used Chromium (full spelling, not Chrome) Vanadium as the name for a line of tools. And Bonney went so far as to trademark the term "CV" and a "CV-Chromium-Vanadium" decal and later CV inside a circle.

The labeling is the concern here. Only duro indestro labeled tools chromium vanadium...... or did they?

As 4.c was saying in several introductory posts, for many years that's what I thought. But Todd showed me some Herbrand wrenches that were marked Chromium Vanadium, as I recall, for Western Auto. I immediately formed the hypothesis that the term actually came from Western Auto, not their suppliers (DI or Herbrand), and DI just appropriated it for their own use on their own in-house tools. But I cannot remember or find the discussion or the photos of the tools. And I may have misremembered. Perhaps it was Herbrand for MW, instead. In either case, I stopped saying that the term "Chromium-Vanadium" was exclusively a DI tell years ago. Certainly, they were predominantly known for the term in a way that cannot be said of Herbrand. But it was not exclusive.

EDIT: I just did a search to see if I could find the former iterations of this conversation, but the only one I am finding is OOB posting an example of a script Brighton Chromium-Vanadium wrench and myself and Leg17 both remarking on how reminiscent of the Herbrand scroll the scroll under the Brighton name is, a wrench and topic 4.c already covered above.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't say this too often, but it looks like I agree with AA, and it with me. My reasons were the Todd wrenches*. I wish we knew theirs. That would help.

Western Auto Supply Company

An article on the Western Auto Supply Company.

alloy-artifacts.org

"C-V Production by Herbrand​

In the early 1930s Herbrand tools were sold through Western Auto catalogs under the Herbrand name, and the catalog descriptions specifically mention the brands Van-Chrome, Multihex, and Obstructo. During this period Western Auto frequently used the term "Chromium Vanadium" as a brand name for their alloy-steel tools, and at least some of the Herbrand production for Western Auto was marked with this brand.

It's worth noting here that the "Chromium Vanadium" marking was also used extensively by Duro Metal Products, perhaps initially for their Western Auto contract production, but later for their own tools as well."

* I texted him. His answer was vague. If they exist, I think we're going to have to find (re-find) them ourselves.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Good info lugz!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Big difference between Herbrand tools made for Western Auto (and whoever sold Brighton, etc) and Herbrand in-house tools, of course. They had their own 'VAN-CHROME' brand and didn't need 'Chromium Vanadium'. I think the only nuance here, for me, and it might be a small one, is that 'Chromium Vanadium' was not exclusive to DI, and, again, may not have even started with them.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

So perhaps any tools made for western auto may have carried the chromium vanadium moniker

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I think that's clearly the case. It didn't end up on Western Auto tools because DI was their supplier; it ended up on DI tools because of their experience as a Western Auto supplier. AA has several wrenches marked Chromium Vanadium they identify as Herbrand in the Western Auto section. I just went through it. I think the little dwarfie DBEs were the wrenches that Todd had.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

In addition to Western Auto 'Chromium Vanadium' wrenches made by Herbrand, they were also made by Bog. Rileysan posted an example of one he has here. DI may have run with the term the hardest later, but it's not an automatic DI tell without further inspection.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's a 5/8" combination wrench stamped "Chromium Vanadium" and "Made in U.S.A.", but other than the size stampings lacking any other markings:

Wow. That is clearly Herbrand made! I have that full Herbrand set.

 

[four.cycle]

^ that's what I made of it when I saw it - definitely Herbrand design, right?

 

[d42jeep]

Here is another Chrome X Quality wrench that has been IDed as being made by Herbrand.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

Thank you.
Count me among those who previously thought that "Chromium Vanadium" was strictly a Duro/Indestro thing.

 

[four.cycle]

who made this one? and whose private-label brand was "Brighton" ?


Brighton 5/8" x 11/16" Chromium Vanadium offset double-end box wrench

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Never heard of Brighton
Here is a cross country

 

[Username already in use]

who made this one? and whose private-label brand was "Brighton" ?

That's looks to be a Barcalo made wrench. I've never heard of Brighton.

 

[four.cycle]

^ that's my suspicion too, but I don't know anything about Barcalo.
where's Don?

(It looks somewhat similar to the "Western Auto" branded Barcalo I sent to him a few weeks ago.)

 

[d42jeep]

who made this one? and whose private-label brand was "Brighton" ?


Brighton 5/8" x 11/16" Chromium Vanadium offset double-end box wrench

Looks Barcalo to me. Some contract wrenches marked “Old Forge“.
and some marked Mastercraft.




I imagine if you were buying wrenches from Barcalo on a contract, they would mark them any way you wanted.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

thank you. that confirmed my suspicion. still no idea whose label "Brighton" was, though.

 

[RTM]

C.E. Jennings was one company I found that used Brighton as a mark, but it doesn’t really fit, as it was a saw.

Brighton was in Mass, and there was a New Brighton PA, maybe digging through their directories. But that’s a lot of pain.

 

[RTM]

Here’s a potential. Brighton Screw and Mfg of Cincinnati Ohio, was listed as a manufacturer of wrenches in 1940s. I suspect set screw wrenches, but maybe they expanded?

Hardware Age

books.google.com

They had Federal Supplier numbers of 71096 and 71099 in 1951, wonder if someone can work that back to a list Of supplies.

Now a portion of Brighton Best International.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I'm more inclined to think it's a Barcalo-made private label brand for some retail chain similar to Gambles or any number of others.
There's another "Brighton" wrench up above (post #5) that doesn't look anything at all like the one I just posted above (post #31) for what ever that might indicate.

 

[RTM]

Well, here is a Brighton Hardware in Boston in 1958.

Massachusetts Corporations and Foreign Corporations Subject to an Excise

books.google.com

There was also a Brighton Hardware in Cincy in 1873 & 1913, possibly a predecessor to the screw company noted above. But then in 1929, they show up as a chain.

there was a 1957 or 67 reference to a NJ hardware store, some reference to Freehold as well.


and interestingly, Brighton hardware show up in several fictional works as well, just to slow my searches down.