Odd Napa Professional Wrench

[65k10]

I was looking to finish a couple KD/Allen full polish wrench sets I had and after reading the US Napa Professional Wrenches were the same I ordered a couple NOS 15/16 wrenches. They arrived in the mail today and while one is the same pattern as my KD/Allen full polish wrenches, the other is different. Both wrenches have the same markings and model number. However, this wrench has an open end with some sort of off-corner engagement cuts and the beam meets up with the box end in the middle vs. the top of the box end like the other wrench. It's still marked USA, so I assume it's still something made by Danaher. Did this wrench come from some other wrench line Danaher made?

Here's some pics of the wrench.

Top is what I thought is the usual Napa Professional. Bottom is the wrench in question.

Pics of the wrench's open end.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Bottom one looks like a flank drive.

 

[65k10]

Bottom one looks like a flank drive.

It's more like if someone tried to copy Proto's ASD, but made it to work in only one direction. I thought maybe it could be something from Gearwrench since they have something called surface drive plus, but I've been unable to find a good pic of that and seeing how it's stamped USA I'm guess that's not it. Unless it's something that exists in Armstrong or Matco's line, but I don't know if they have some sort of modified open end wrenches.

 

[Deej]

That looks like the open end on my Matco wrenches

 

[6PTsocket]

Armstrong went to Apex too. Check the Armstrong web site. Armstrong was always the top Danaher line. I do not know whether Apex moved Armstrong to Asia. Hopefully not. I ordered an Armstrong combo at work a few years ago.l. It was a work of art. When I was, kid it was an industrial brand and they didn't bother to make them pretty.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Fedwrench]

I think you got a MATCO optitorque combination wrench marked as NAPA Professional. This isn't far fetched as it sounds since both wrench lines were made in Armstrong factories.

 

[65k10]

Thanks for the info on what it might be guys. I was hoping it might be something like a mixed in Matco, but I've never found a good pic of an optitorque open end to confirm. If one set is going to have a wrench with a different pattern, at least it's a slightly better wrench.