found a pretty cool wrench, need help

[navyeoseabee]

hello, I was walking around at the swapmeet this past weekend and seen a very cool,but odd wrench. I had to have it just as a paper weight. But i believe it was handmade from a old rasp, or file.

I have seen knifes made from old horse shoeing rasps

http://www.arizonacustomknives.com/Rasp-File-Knife-by-Charles-R-Hawkins-Jr-16336.aspx

My question is what would it be worth? the only markings on it is "WHIT" which from my understanding whitman was file/rasp manufacture from way back.

 

[Dieselbutterfly]

kinda neat

 

[3xpendable]

Wow that is cool. Someone put some work into that. How do you think they got it to bend with out snapping ?

 

[navyeoseabee]

I couldn't deam of using it, as it is so simple "now-adays" to walk on a snap-on truck to buy a S- shaped wrench.

i wish i knew how old it really was.


p.s.

(dieselbutterfly)
nice user name. i am a huge diesel fan my self...broken ones pay my bills-lol

 

[navyeoseabee]

Wow that is cool. Someone put some work into that. How do you think they got it to bend with out snapping ?

My friend is a farrier and he makes some custom horse shoes that can make the way the horse lifts or puts it's hoof down. he uses a kiln and heats square blanks to red hot then pounds them in shape of a horse shoe. i would imagin the man that made the wrench was either a blacksmith, or a farrier. At least knew metal working.

 

[Swingit]

Very cool!!
I like it!!

 

[Carla]

Alternatively, that wrench could be a common forged wrench as made by several of the older tool companies, which an owner has 'chequered' for a non-slip grip, when working in a greasy environment. I've seen a number of old tools at flea markets which had been roughened by strikes with a cold chisel or centre punch, then filed a bit so that they'd be less likely to slip in the user's greasy hands, but not 'sharp' to cut their skin.

'Whitman & Barnes' was one such wrench maker, but they usually used a 'W&B' logo. That 'WHIT' is probably an owner's mark.

That said, yes, its obviously possible for a blacksmith to hand-make such a wrench, and some smiths would make large varieties of tools, anything that a client might ask for......if that one is indeed hand-made, its a nice-looking piece of smithing work.

cheers

Carla

 

[Gone]

Lobster claw!!!

Had to say it.

 

[NiteWolf]

I like how it looks like snake scales, looks like it going to slither across the work bench.

 

[2oolhound]

Whit could also stand for whitworth, the english thread format which you could confirm by measuring the width of the jaw openings and comparing to a whitworth chart (just google it)

 

[Harwinton]

I've got a ton of those old S-shaped open ends in my toolbox. Think they were made in the 1910's and 1920's, since my uncle's grandfather had them originally.

 

[Murphy4570]

Wow that is cool. Someone put some work into that. How do you think they got it to bend with out snapping ?

Heat it red hot, then pound it with a hammer. Heat to red hot again and dip in petroleum oil to case harden it.

If hand made, the maker was most likely a toolmaker or general blacksmith.