Multiply Wrench?

[lardy1]

I ran across this in my pile of rusty things. The photo doesn't show the identifying marks well. Sorry. They are partly rusted away but I can read "Multiply ****** Wrench USA.

Here it is paired up with an early S-52 Superratchet and a deep well socket. With all the angles and connections involved, I have to believe this concept is probably associated with broken teeth and bloodied knuckles.

 

[3baygarage]

That’s cool. I’m curious what it says and who made it.

Can you get a clearer shot of the words?

 

[lardy1]

The pitting has really deteriorated the markings. Combine that with my old, shaking hands and nothing besides a cell phone for a camera and you see my best attempt. Sorry.

Between the words "Multiply" and "Wrench" it appears perhaps there was a series of numbers and it looks like USA after that. I haven't detected any other markings on it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Try chalking it (rub blue chalk - or white if that's all you have - on the marking back and forth, and then gently remove the excess chalk dust, leaving chalk dust in the marking...) and also taking the pic from not so close up.

It actually looks Plomb-y to me and has a Hole-Tite like detent hole.

 

[lardy1]

This is about the best I can do. Even through a magnifying glass I can't make it out. Blowing this picture up gives about the same result.

At first I thought someone purposely bent an extension. But after derusting I saw clues that told me it was intended to be what we are seeing. Again, I think it has the potential to hurt fools like me.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's a strange term on a wrench, and in wrenching, typically associated with torque and adapters. I really wish you'd try chalking it. It helps the letters stand out from the background.

 

[lardy1]

I wish I could do better. I thought maybe someone had one or had seen one and might be able to shed further light. I love that part of this site.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yeah, that didn't work. Thanks for trying. It's just as vexing for me that we can't figure it out. Everyone hates an unsolved mystery! I highly doubt it's a company/OEM name. I think it's the name of the wrench, functionally. Unfortunately, it's a difficult set of terms ("Multiply" and "Wrench") to search on to derive the term in the middle.

 

[Provincial]

I found the handle for this wrench in some old stuff I was going through the other day. Notice the knob makes it kind of a "spinner."

 

[4xdog]

Try really low angle lighting -- like a setting sun on the wrench. That will often bring out imprints that are otherwise difficult or impossible to read.

Use a flashlight with a fairly wide beam. A wider beam works better than a pencil beam.

 

[lardy1]

The knob drive tool is interesting.