K.R. Wilson Wrench WHATSIT?

[3baygarage]

This wrench has two different sized 8 point spline box ends.

Marked "K.R. Wilson B+E PISTON WRENCH 18080 E+F".

No markings on the back side.

Sometimes I come across oddball K.R. Wilson Ford tools. I have no idea what this is. Never head of a piston wrench except for the disc brake caliper piston tools for modern cars. Engine Piston? Hydraulic piston?

What the heck do I have here?

 

[Bdgjr215]

Maybe an early farm wrench that you could put on the pto to turn the engine or line
A farm implement up to the splines? This is a total guess though.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Hmmm. I'm guessing non-Ford here. Early Ford tools had short numbers with letters referring to the applicable car, stuff like AB 125....
Later, they used the basic Ford part number with a prefix identifying car line.
If this number were Ford, it would be a shock absorber tool from the root number, but early Ford shocks had vanes rather than pistons...later ones in the last days of KRW were like modern ones, disposable tube shocks with no service except replacement.
I think some other KRW serviced company, like Packard, or maybe even a tool for KRW hydraulics...they were big manufacturers of hydraulic presses.
Whatever it is, the piston referred to is likely hydraulic in nature, not part of an engine.

 

[3baygarage]

BDGJR- thanks, Fordson had not crossed my mind.

Bruce- thanks for sharing your knowledge. I was hoping you would drop in because I saw you had posted in other KRW topics.

I too wonder if it's related to one of their presses. I will try to contact the KRW site. The gentleman there clued me in once before on a tool.

 

[ken w.]

I'm pretty sure I have a box of Wilson hand tool around here as well. I think they were based out of Arcade,NY.

 

[CNGsaves]

With the cogged opening . . . I'd guess tool for rotating an engine using crankshaft. Looks too old for rotating a camshaft, but it could be. I'm guessing crank as most likely, and camshaft next.

No knowledge of what . . . it's just wild guess.

 

[3baygarage]

I'm pretty sure I have a box of Wilson hand tool around here as well. I think they were based out of Arcade,NY.

The press manufacturing ended in Arcade for sure. The company had several address on Main St. Buffalo according to the KRW site. The also had an address at 10 Lock street in Buffalo.

I never heard of Lock St.. It turns out Lock St. later became Hamilton St. which now runs between Niagara and Tonawanda streets. That street name Lock probably came from the Black Rock Lock and Canal right over there where people like to fish. Interesting, this is turning out to be a history lesson yet.

http://wnyroots.tripod.com/index-street-changes.html

With the cogged opening . . . I'd guess tool for rotating an engine using crankshaft. Looks too old for rotating a camshaft, but it could be. I'm guessing crank as most likely, and camshaft next.

No knowledge of what . . . it's just wild guess.

If there's an 8 spline shaft out there that could be.

 

[ken w.]

I'm not trying to hijack your thread but here are a few pics of some Wilson tools.
I found that some of the info online doesn't match each other. I found this 1/2 " tool set in a box at an estate sale in Arcade , NY of a granddaughter of a retired employee. The sockets are unmarked. The one says Husky is one I threw in there.

 

[3baygarage]

Are you kidding me? Most welcome hijack ever Ken! That set's a beauty!

Made by New Britain obviously. That belongs in the New Britain thread my friend.

 

[3baygarage]

Man, that set rocks. I saw a 1/4 breaker bar before, looked NB made also.

I found this 15/16" combo wrench last summer. Barcalo made by the look of it.

 

[HeelSpur]

Here's one I have.

 

[cgrutt]

Send these guys a note they might have info. http://krwilsontools.com/index.html

 

[ken w.]

I looked into this when I found this set and once before when I was looking at a Wilson press and found nothing about hand tools. No pics either. I've been hoarding this set for 10 + years now.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

KRW's main product lines were specialized tools, mostly pullers and presses and drivers, for Ford (Model T days to circa 1950) and a few other makes and big hydraulic stuff.
My last KRW catalog, from the Mid-1950s after they lost the Ford tool business to Manzel, still shows lots of Ford specialist stuff but is also a catalog for general hand tools and garage supplies of all sorts. I think little to none of that was their own product, they were just hoping to stay in business by selling a wider range of material to the people still buying their Ford tools.

 

[leg17]

Man, that set rocks. I saw a 1/4 breaker bar before, looked NB made also.

I found this 15/16" combo wrench last summer. Barcalo made by the look of it.

Is this wrench for sale??