I give! What is this??

[BuffettFan]

So I "inherited" this Proto tool when I started teaching shop. It has been in the top of the toolbox mocking me for 3 years. I can't find any info on it. It doesn't appear to be home made as it is chromed over the weld joint and subsequent machine operation, but it doesn't appear to be Proto quality either.
Google doesn't return any info on OKM tools.
I'm stumped.
The large socket is 1" and the smaller one is 7/16"

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Anyone else have one laying around?

 

[Michael_in_DE]

Valve stem removal tool? Hard to tell without seeing into the shafts.

 

[BuffettFan]

Valve stem removal tool? Hard to tell without seeing into the shafts.

I don't think so. Guess I should have added a couple more pics.
It's two 12 point sockets welded together at the drive end, as mentioned, 1" and 7/16".
I keep thinking maybe for setting valves on something large, but that's just a guess.

 

[kjbenner]

I'd bet that's shop-made for some specific long gone application like adjusting a particular machine. They might have chromed over the weld, or maybe it's actually silver solder and not a weld?

 

[nbpt100]

Every guess seems plausible. My first reaction was a faucet valve stem tool but when you said it was a Proto that makes it seem unlikely. Some custom made tool. Maybe a welding shop project?

 

[BuffettFan]

It's definitely welded, and we don't have the ability to chrome here.
I've sent a pic to my predecessor to see if he remembers.
Time to get to the bottom of this!

 

[IndyGarage]

Looks to me like something made up for a particular machine - is there a Bridgeport type machine nearby?

 

[BuffettFan]

There is, your thoughts?

 

[engineer2]

I've seen plumber's tools to service faucets that look similar.

 

[IndyGarage]

There is, your thoughts?

One end for the Drawbolt and the other for the head adjuster bolts.

My drawbolt is 3/4 I think, so that may not be correct.

 

[BuffettFan]

Yup, 3/4" on the drawbar and all of the head adjustment bolts.
Struck out with my predecessor also. He doesn't remember it.

Could be for plumbing, but most of the custom sockets I've seen for that are thin walled to fit down into the fixture.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Are there part numbers on them? Looks factory...

 

[Lassen Forge]

No, I'm almost positive it's for tightening down some sort of clamp or chuck. Something in my fogged and semi-ancient brain reminds me of this... watching something getting chucked up and the key was a wrench like this. Maybe high school or one of those old old shop classes...

No guarantees, but yeah. Like a fixture for holding brake drums or discs in a brake lathe... GAK!

I hate getting old!

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I'm going with valve wrench. I think this is a plumbing or HVAC tool.

1" is not a commonly used size on fasteners. It is however more common to see on fittings, flare nuts and in this case I'm guessing a packing nut.

My official guess is the 7/16 is used to remove the knob or handle , the 1" fits the packing nut.

 

[Aaron_W]

Struck out with my predecessor also. He doesn't remember it.

You've been trolled. Of course he "doesn't remember it" he probably made it and left it behind to drive his replacement crazy.

 

[mrborohachi]

Picture of the business end please?

 

[BuffettFan]

As requested by mrborohachi, the business ends.

To Aaron_W- LOL!

To Lassen Forge, it definitely is shaped like a key of some sort, but you wouldn't be able to get much leverage on it without a cheater.

The Proto part numbers are the individual sockets. It has another number that I haven't been able to find any info on. It is OKM 124919

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[Mohawk Dave]

I think it's just an old style sillcock key. For plumbing. Not sure yet...

 

[kctyphoon]

K.. I have what might be a stupid question.. is it just sockets welded onto something? As in - if you look down the broach, is there a 3/8 square drive end on the bottom? I'd imagine if not - then it's pretty definitive that it's a "designed" tool, and not thrown together to just meet some random need.

It honestly looks like a skate key, for like a ****** skateboard or roller skates. But I'm betting that's not what it actually is..

 

[BuffettFan]

I think it's just an old style sillcock key. For plumbing. Not sure yet...

You might be on to something here.
I work at a university, and believe they have some of that style of sillcocks here.
I'll have to wait till I get back to work tomorrow, but I'm tempted to go back tonight to check! But I'll wait.
Update tomorrow morning!

 

[BuffettFan]

I checked the sillcocks closest to my shop, no dice. They take a square key, maybe 1/4", the 7/16" socket doesn't open them and there are no 1" fittings on them.
I'll keep a lookout for others around campus.

 

[cdeer001]

I'm going with valve wrench. I think this is a plumbing or HVAC tool.

1" is not a commonly used size on fasteners. It is however more common to see on fittings, flare nuts and in this case I'm guessing a packing nut.

My official guess is the 7/16 is used to remove the knob or handle , the 1" fits the packing nut.

This sounds plausible..... There is a OKM valve company http://www.okmvalve.com/OKM/

 

[BuffettFan]

Checked faucets all over campus, no dice. They all use square wrenches.
I checked with a couple facilities guys who were in the shop, thinking maybe something for the HVAC system, they had no idea.
Checked out the OKM website, Japanese company, looks like mostly larger industrial type stuff and I doubt they would use Proto tools, they would most likely use Japanese or produce their own.
Wish I'd never seen this thing!

 

[Old Man Roger]

K.. I have what might be a stupid question.. is it just sockets welded onto something? As in - if you look down the broach, is there a 3/8 square drive end on the bottom? I'd imagine if not - then it's pretty definitive that it's a "designed" tool, and not thrown together to just meet some random need.

Buffetfan, you never replied to kctyphoon?

 

[BuffettFan]

Buffetfan, you never replied to kctyphoon?

My apologies, kctyphoon!
Somehow I missed the question. Certainly wasn't intentional.

There is a 1/2" square drive in the 1" socket that the cross bar goes through but the 7/16" socket doesn't look to have a drive, it is open all the way through.

 

[Old Man Roger]

My apologies, kctyphoon!
Somehow I missed the question. Certainly wasn't intentional.

There is a 1/2" square drive in the 1" socket that the cross bar goes through but the 7/16" socket doesn't look to have a drive, it is open all the way through.

Makes me lean towards homemade.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I don't think it's homemade. The Cutting marks from what appear to be from a lathe (where the 7/16 was welded to the 1" socket) look exactly like other lathe marks on Proto Tools I have.

OP, the whole exterior is Chrome correct?

 

[-->]

Can you contact stanley and see what they say ?

 

[BuffettFan]

Dave, correct, the entire exterior is chromed.

Roger, if so, it probably wasn't made here as we don't have the ability to do plating. Hard to believe someone would go to the trouble to have a home made tool plated unless they had the capabilities in house. BTW, that is one spooky looking avatar!

-->, I may have to do that. It is made from Proto sockets, does Stanley own Proto now? I know they were owned by Ingersoll Rand many moons ago

 

[Old Man Roger]

Dave, correct, the entire exterior is chromed.

Roger, if so, it probably wasn't made here as we don't have the ability to do plating. Hard to believe someone would go to the trouble to have a home made tool plated unless they had the capabilities in house. BTW, that is one spooky looking avatar!

-->, I may have to do that. It is made from Proto sockets, does Stanley own Proto now? I know they were owned by Ingersoll Rand many moons ago

What do you mean spooky? Popeye is a beloved cartoon character

Are you positive it's chrome plated? I've seen certain tig rod make a weld look chromed. Look at some stainless welds, imagine they were welded, then machined.

 

[BuffettFan]

Pretty sure it's chromed. I'll try to get some better pictures of the joint area tomorrow.
you can see where it was ground, then plated over.

If all of the cartoons I grew up with looked like that, I bet I would have slept later on Saturday Mornings!


And thank you for pointing out that I had missed kctyphoon's question!
I don't like to ignore any reply, even unintentionally.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Pretty sure it's chromed. I'll try to get some better pictures of the joint area tomorrow.
you can see where it was ground, then plated over.

If all of the cartoons I grew up with looked like that, I bet I would have slept later on Saturday Mornings!


And thank you for pointing out that I had missed kctyphoon's question!
I don't like to ignore any reply, even unintentionally.

I thought the answer to his question was going to settle it, I was wrong...lol

 

[vssjim]

Dave, correct, the entire exterior is chromed.

Roger, if so, it probably wasn't made here as we don't have the ability to do plating. Hard to believe someone would go to the trouble to have a home made tool plated unless they had the capabilities in house. BTW, that is one spooky looking avatar!

-->, I may have to do that. It is made from Proto sockets, does Stanley own Proto now? I know they were owned by Ingersoll Rand many moons ago

only since 1983 lol

 

[BuffettFan]

I guess I don't keep up on those facts very well!

The only way I knew they had been owned by IR is that my sister used to work for IR and once a year, she could buy X amount of tools for $X per pound. Since she was a single mom of two with a deadbeat ex-husband, I always knew I was getting Proto and IR tools for Christmas and my Birthday. Win!

It's been a busy week, so no chance to contact Stanley, but I think that is the best possibility of solving this mystery.
I honestly thought someone on here would have an answer the first day!

Maybe it's the key to the treasure on Oak Island!

 

[Old Man Roger]

The Proto part numbers are the individual sockets.

I missed this part of your post earlier, I think that kind of settle it. I mean a specific tool would have it's own part # right?

 

[BuffettFan]

There is also an OKM part number stamped on it visible in the 2nd pic in the original post.
One reply mentioned an OKM valve company. It appears to be an industrial valve company in Japan, which I would assume would either manufacture their own specialty tools, or at least use a Japanese brand tool.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I know it's not for this, but reminded me of this thread. Check out the wrench at 4:57

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[whateg01]

In the first pics, I didn't think it looked like it was chrome plated over the welded/turned area. That just looked polished-ish to me. Depending on the 7/16" socked depth, they might have cut off the drive end, which is how it looks to me. Or it could have been bored out. It didn't look like the OKM stuff upset the plating, so maybe they made some special wrenches for their valves or something. Good luck! Looks like it's a conversation piece!

 

[Lee Celtic]

Anyone there ride an Old British motorcycle..?

Bsa had 7/16 adjusters to tighten the chain and align the rear wheel along with a 1" nut to tighten the spindle.. the two sizes you have in your whats-it. can't see it having the torque to tighten the spindle properly though.

 

[dr_clyde]

I want to say I have one of those. I'll have to take a look in Granddad's toolbox, but I'm pretty sure I inherited something very similar to that.

I'll look when I get out to the barn next.