IDEAL Brooklyn, New York U.S.A

[Targa68]

Hi
I have this set of DBE's.
They are marked IDEAL BROOKLYN, NEW YORK U.S.A In fair condition apart from the two smallest have been grinded a bit to fit tight places, and the screw is missing.
Can someone please share som light on history, maker and vintage?




Thank you!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Off the top of my head... Their shape, construction, and markings are identical to Indestro production, Indestro made a lot of wrenches for re-branders, and that "Ideal" name and address smacks of a classic 1930's re-branding (all front office/marketing, no manufacturing capacity) outfit. Having said all that, one caveat is that these are pressed -steel wrenches, easily made, and it is possible (not very probably, but possible) that Ideal was a fly-by-night knockoff.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you're interested in making a comparison, I posted a complete set with screw and wingnut in the Duro-Indestro thread here.

 

[Targa68]

Thank you very much! The sets certainly looks related. I can see I am missing two sizes.

 

[four.cycle]

This is all I've got for "Ideal":

Ideal / (see Braunsdorf-Mueller) /

Ideal / (see Kroeschell Bros. Co.) /

Ideal / Ideal Industries Inc., 1375 Park Ave., Sycamore, IL 60178 / (Pratt-Read, S-K Tool, Western Forge)

Ideal / Ideal Wrench Co., Tacoma, WA / (see also Wright Wrench Co., Canton, OH see also Wright Wrench and Forging Co., Canton, OH) / patent 754633 / http://toolarchives.com/index.php/node/178 /

Ideal / Ideal Wrench Co., New York, NY / patent 572035 Nov 24 1896 W.C. Stokes / https://toolarchives.com/node/177 / (see also http://datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?pn=572035&id=48209)(see also Ideal Wrench Co. vs. Garvin Machine Co.) /

(full list here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=478206)

Here's the Indestro equivalent to your "Ideal" set:



Curiously, it appears your Ideal 15/16" x 1" wrench is punched with a square hole (presumably to be used as a tap wrench) instead of the round hole in the others.
This exact same set was also marketed by Sherman-Klove and New Britain Machine Co. (and others), and I am in agreement with Private Lugnutz: it's more than possible they were all stamped out on North Kildare in Chicago by Duro Metal Products Co.

 

[four.cycle]

Coincidentally, one of the New Britain sets was listed on Ebay three hours ago: https://www.ebay.com/itm/274844664868
Not an unreasonable price, but he's missing the original tapered, stepped screw and wing nut.
However, I don't think it's just coincidence that the New Britain units appear remarkably similar to the Indestro units above:


That still leaves open the question about the square hole on the Ideal 15/16" x 1" unit.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's definitely to be used as a tapper, 4.c. Explicitly listed in catalogs that way with a different part number. I'll try to find it later.

EDIT: Disregard. I was thinking of the openings in the Nut and Tap and Rethreader style wrench sets.

 

[Provincial]

Square hole for a carriage bolt. Keeps the bolt from turning when you twist the wing nut.