Interesting Plomb Wrench and More

[Provincial]

The other day I checked out an ad in Craigslist for some tools. I saw some 8-point sockets in the photo and thought it was interesting. After taking a quick look I made an offer and he took it, so I came away with a 1930's box with 28 sockets (one 3/8" drive, the rest 1/2" drive) of which seven were 8-point and the rest 12-point. There are three SK knurled-base chrome sockets, one P&C 21/32 socket, and the 3/8" drive is an underlined Craftsman BE 5/8" 12-point. The rest are divided into knurled base (they look just like the hex drive early SK socket on Alloy Artifacts) and what I call "ribbed base" which has straight knurls in the same place the SK ones have diamond knurls. Alloy Artifacts photos for the early 1/2" drive SK sockets are Missing in Action, so someone here might be able to help identify the sockets.

The really interesting piece is a 3/4" six-point wrench marked PLOMB with a stylized plumb bob behind it. It has no other markings except the 3/4 size. I found two old stamped sockets in the stuff that have 3/4" hex drive, so they may or may not have been intended to use with this wrench. The drive on the sockets is just the right length to fit the wrench, which makes things interesting.

Here are photos of the sockets and the PLOMB wrench.

 

[Provincial]

There was more stuff in the haul. I got seven larger wrenches: a Thorsen 15/16 combo #2030, a Challenger #6428 7/8-15/16 double box, a SK-Wayne 11/16-3/4 double box, and Indestro Super #1037 1-1/16 x 1-1/4 double open, a "Forged Select Steel 15/16 x 1" double box deep offset that is "Forged in USA", a Pittsburg (HF) 7/8" combo, and a very nice Craftsman 5/8 x 3/4 double box with raised panels and the double bar logo (but no "V", so I'm not sure who made it or when).

There is a Cornwell 3/4" deep 1/2" drive 12-point socket that appears to have cadmium plating, a pair of Oxwell needle nose pliers "Germany", and and interesting combination of Monkey Wrench and an alligator wrench marked "Patented", "Forged Tool Steel", "Made in USA", and "Marshalltown, Iowa". Edit: it appears from an entry in Alloy Artifacts that the Marshalltown Iowa connection means that the alligator monkey wrench was made by the Hawkeye Wrench Company of that city. I can't find a photo of this wrench elsewhere, so it may have been a limited production item.

I also got a Dewalt saw box full of Harbor Freight scrap, including a new set of 3 gear pullers and a small coil air hose.

There was a All-Power cylinder ridge reamer in the box with instructions that also includes an interesting catalog of engine repair tools, many of which apply to Flathead Fords.

All in all, it was entertaining.

 

[sumner52000]

Post some pics of the combination alligator here. If any body has seen one these guys have.

http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php