My small but growing DBE wrench collection

[ScottTheSculptor]

Found by itself in the bottom of a garage bin at the thrift store.
Kaylock 1/8 & 5/32. My only 1/8" wrench.

 

[piehammer]

No markings, and unfinished on one end. I'd be interested if anyone can identify the manufacturer.

 

[Stubby1743]

I have lots of DBE wrenches or double ended ring spanners as we call them. The first set of spanners that I bought for myself in the mid 1970's was a set of Gordon imperial off-set ring spanners.

Here are some German made DBEs that I've pulled out. Heyco, Matador, Gedore, Stahlwille, Elora and Matra.

In my view, the most interesting is the 6x7mm Matra made in Frankfurt at the bottom which I think dates from before or during WW2. I have never seen any other Matra spanners although they did make speciality tools for VWs.

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

I’ve been getting into these lately. I’ll post more of my collection soon but for now here is my favorite one I keep on my desk: Pilot 3/4” x 1/2” short dbe. Three dots on each side but no other markings. Style looks a little Proto-ish to me but I haven’t been able to find any company info. I just dig the mismatched wall thickness. The 3/4” side is nice and thin and the 1/2” side is super beefy, maybe the thickest I have. I wonder what it was meant to be used for.

 

[leg17]

...... I just dig the mismatched wall thickness. The 3/4” side is nice and thin and the 1/2” side is super beefy, maybe the thickest I have. I wonder what it was meant to be used for.

Don't know the application.
Appears to be a small lot run by an established maker for 'PILOT', whoever that is, that needed those sizes.
They saved the expense of new forging dies by using existing dies, for 3/4 x 11/16 for example, and then broached the smaller 1/2 end.
Interesting.
Wonder who PILOT is and wonder what the application.

 

[Stubby1743]

 

[d42jeep]

Boyd wrenches have showed up in this thread a few times, in posts 1117 (stage20) and 2013 (Dave already chimed in with his). No consensus on who the manufacturer was...

Below are a brace of Craftsman DBE, metric and standard, found at an estate sale Saturday. These are all dupes, but I'll put them in the new garage, which has a shortage of DBEs in these sizes...

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Here is another of the mysterious Boyd wrenches I found today.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

another Boyd is here
definitely looks Thorsen-ish but...
near as I can figure, 1214 is the Thorsen part number for a 14-piece 1/2" drive SAE socket set.

 

[Outlawmws]

Boyd Part numbers (Who ever they were/are)

 

[Provincial]

It looks like the Boyd wrenches were 6-point up to 9/16", and the larger one(s) went to 12-point openings.

 

[d42jeep]

It looks like the Boyd wrenches were 6-point up to 9/16", and the larger one(s) went to 12-point openings.

Here are both Boyd wrenches side by side along with my Boyd marked flex extension.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

Can someone please tell me what I have here? Who made these?

"MFD" metric double-end box wrench set 03/10/24

"MFD" metric double-end box wrench set 03/10/24

"MFD" metric double-end box wrench set 03/10/24

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't know squat about metric era tools, 4.c, but in my experience, the "MFD." marking was used almost exclusively by Plomb, then PTII, and the Proto division of IR. I say almost, because, oddly enough, Thorsen also used it.

 

[d42jeep]

They have kind of a Thorsen look to me. Maybe contract wrenches?
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

Nice looking set, regardless!

 

[four.cycle]

this is really bugging me.
they do not have the "feel" of any of my Thorsen (or Giller) DBEs. they feel "lighter" (as in .... the beams aren't as THICK.)
and
I've yet to see any Thorsen or Giller that left that flash around the box ends, which I find puzzling considering how "neat" everything else about them appears to be.

part numbers aren't ringing any bells anywhere?

 

[BlueBomber]

They've got a knock-off look to them, with the one misshapen box end and the extra flash. The smallest one is bent, too. All that, plus being a metric set, makes me suspicious of a foreign counterfeit...

 

[d42jeep]

I didn’t see a thread about vintage ratchet wrenches so I’ll post my metric Langline example here. I see fractional ratchet wrenches frequently but metric ones are fairly rare, in my experience. This one is 15 and 17mm.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

I still see far more SAE at yard /estate sales than Metric in tools generally -I don't think I have any in the DBE sandwiched sheet steel style like that. I have some of the more modern "combo" forged style, but most of those I bought new.

 

[bonneyman]

I think I have a 10mm x 11mm sandwich ratcheting box wrench. Can't recall the brand, but can't have too many 10mm wrenches!

 

[BlueBomber]

Hmm. I'll have to check my collection in the morning.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I added to my quirky Half-Moon wrench this morning, snagging this "Old Forge" jobbie at the flea. I like the way they turned the size markings, and I LOVE the location marking on the flip side.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That makes nineteen (19), no dupes. The thing I like most is not too many have the exact same shape, and very few are a perfect half circle.

1	Barcalo	"Manifold-Starter"	5/8 x 3/4
2	Bonney BONALOY	2883 (Manifold)	9/16 x 5/8
3	Bonney Chrome Vanadium Steel	2881 (Starter)	9/16 x 5/8
4	Cornwell	13 BW66	9/16 x 5/8
5	Cornwell	-F	9/16 x 5/8
6	Craftsman	V "Starter and Manifold"	5/8 x 3/4
7	Chrome Vanadium Steel (Indestro)	Handy-Hex	9/16 x 5/8
8	Duro-Chrome	G 2081	9/16 x 5/8
9	Fulton	"BT" 6216	9/16 x 5/8
10	Giller	2518	9/16 x 5/8
11	Herbrand	2146 (AISI "8642")	9/16 x 5/8
12	Indestro	"Super-Quality Chrome Vanadium Steel" 769	9/16 x 5/8
13	Lectrolite	7000 "Starter & Manifold"	9/16 x 5/8
14	Old Forge	CB16	9/16 x 5/8
15	MillerMfg	C-455 "Starting Motor"	9/16 x 5/8
16	Proto	8708637
17	Proto LA	1730	9/16 x 5/8
18	S-K	33020 (home-made from 15* pattern DBE)	5/8 x 11/16
19	Thorsen	10218	9/16 x 5/8

 

[disston]

I think I may have a Old Forge wrench but can't find it at the moment. One of my favorite brands. Not many around where I am. I used to have a Old Forge pitman arm puller. Somebody stole that from me.

 

[d42jeep]

I have some Old Forge marked DBE wrenches supplied by Barcalo. They used to belong to Mr. Jones.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some recent DBE wrench finds from local sales.
-Don
Wartime Duro-Chrome
Plomb WF-82

Proto LA 1130-L

GMTK correct Barcalo wrench 41-W-605.

 

[Ricky Joe]

That makes nineteen (19), no dupes. The thing I like most is not too many have the exact same shape, and very few are a perfect half circle.

1	Barcalo	"Manifold-Starter"	5/8 x 3/4
2	Bonney BONALOY	2883 (Manifold)	9/16 x 5/8
3	Bonney Chrome Vanadium Steel	2881 (Starter)	9/16 x 5/8
4	Cornwell	13 BW66	9/16 x 5/8
5	Cornwell	-F	9/16 x 5/8
6	Craftsman	V "Starter and Manifold"	5/8 x 3/4
7	Chrome Vanadium Steel (Indestro)	Handy-Hex	9/16 x 5/8
8	Duro-Chrome	G 2081	9/16 x 5/8
9	Fulton	"BT" 6216	9/16 x 5/8
10	Giller	2518	9/16 x 5/8
11	Herbrand	2146 (AISI "8642")	9/16 x 5/8
12	Indestro	"Super-Quality Chrome Vanadium Steel" 769	9/16 x 5/8
13	Lectrolite	7000 "Starter & Manifold"	9/16 x 5/8
14	Old Forge	CB16	9/16 x 5/8
15	MillerMfg	C-455 "Starting Motor"	9/16 x 5/8
16	Proto	8708637
17	Proto LA	1730	9/16 x 5/8
18	S-K	33020 (home-made from 15* pattern DBE)	5/8 x 11/16
19	Thorsen	10218	9/16 x 5/8

Brands you lack include Plomb, Williams, Fairmount, Snap-on, Kent-Moore, Blue Point: you’ve got a good start!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Well, I'm usually more of a glass half full kind of guy, RJ, but yes, there are clearly more to find, and even more than the brands you mentioned. Everybody made a half-moon wrench.

 

[four.cycle]

Everybody made a half-moon wrench.

don't forget "Riverside" and "Cross Country"!

 

[PSCo1867]

Well, I'm usually more of a glass half full kind of guy, RJ, but yes, there are clearly more to find, and even more than the brands you mentioned. Everybody made a half-moon wrench.

And here's a few more: Urrea (Mexican Plomb/Proto) 1731 5/8" X 3/4", and two Craftsman V-Starter & Manifold versions 9/16" X 5/8" and 5/8" X 3/4".

 

[Stubby1743]

Marked W Germany and so pre-dates German Reunification in 1989-91.

Other side says "Chrome-Vanadium".

 

[Stubby1743]

Assorted German DBEs all of the same style but with different names.

 

[d42jeep]

That makes nineteen (19), no dupes. The thing I like most is not too many have the exact same shape, and very few are a perfect half circle.

1	Barcalo	"Manifold-Starter"	5/8 x 3/4
2	Bonney BONALOY	2883 (Manifold)	9/16 x 5/8
3	Bonney Chrome Vanadium Steel	2881 (Starter)	9/16 x 5/8
4	Cornwell	13 BW66	9/16 x 5/8
5	Cornwell	-F	9/16 x 5/8
6	Craftsman	V "Starter and Manifold"	5/8 x 3/4
7	Chrome Vanadium Steel (Indestro)	Handy-Hex	9/16 x 5/8
8	Duro-Chrome	G 2081	9/16 x 5/8
9	Fulton	"BT" 6216	9/16 x 5/8
10	Giller	2518	9/16 x 5/8
11	Herbrand	2146 (AISI "8642")	9/16 x 5/8
12	Indestro	"Super-Quality Chrome Vanadium Steel" 769	9/16 x 5/8
13	Lectrolite	7000 "Starter & Manifold"	9/16 x 5/8
14	Old Forge	CB16	9/16 x 5/8
15	MillerMfg	C-455 "Starting Motor"	9/16 x 5/8
16	Proto	8708637
17	Proto LA	1730	9/16 x 5/8
18	S-K	33020 (home-made from 15* pattern DBE)	5/8 x 11/16
19	Thorsen	10218	9/16 x 5/8

Is this Herbrand Van-Chrome different from the one you have? If so, you are welcome to it.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That is the one I have, Don, but mine is wartime, with the "8642" AISI number. Slightly different, but not worth the shipping. With things like this I like finding them in the wild, too. Thanks for the offer though.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My script era Herbrand VAN-CHROME Multihex set now has four (4) wrenches in it! X-Linked here.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Wasn't sure where to post these. I think they might be valve wrenches of some type? Looks drop forged. I found them in a bucket of rusty tools. I've only ran the wire wheel over them so far. Any ideas what these are?

 

[leg17]

Wasn't sure where to post these. I think they might be valve wrenches of some type? Looks drop forged. I found them in a bucket of rusty tools. I've only ran the wire wheel over them so far. Any ideas what these are?

Could be castings.

 

[genog]

For years, I had an eclectic set of DBE's as my Users

Recently, I got a really good deal on a set of Snappys which moved into first place

 

[Stubby1743]

I paid 20p for this Britool 4111 DBE this morning. It's unusual in that it is 5/16" Whitworth both ends with one end off-set and the other flat. A very nicely made spanner.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Chrome Alloy marked 9/16” x 1/2” shorty DBE with Tiger Tools marked on the other side. Likely made by Vlchek.
-Don