Old Adjustable Wrench Identification Help

[OldTool27]

Hello everyone! I’m a old tool guy that likes to pick up old tools that I can use and the ones that I’ve never seen before.

The wrench that I posted here was hidden under other tools in a lot I bought at auction; so it was a little surprise.

The pictures of the adjustable wrench is nothing like I’ve seen before. There are no markings, other than 8” and forged steel, that is very weak to read. It has a triangle, square and 3 hexagon holes in the handle.

I’m wondering if anyone knows who made this, what were the different holes used for and/or if it was part of a vehicle set. Been searching for days but can’t find anything; not even a similar picture of this wrench.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[ToolFinder]

Looks like an old Bahco wrench.

 

[OldTool27]

Have you ever seen a wrench with the different holes like this? I do have one old Bahco spanner with a flatten curved end. I usually have better luck identifying certain wrenches, but this one has been a challenge for some reason.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Various hex and square openings can be seen on drain plug wrenches of the 30's and 40's. I am not aware of any that were combined with an adjustable crescent-type wrench on the end. And I am not aware of any having a triangular opening. Hydrant, oxy-acetylene and other tank or utilities type wrenches often have a few hex and square openings in their shanks, and hydrant, tank, and bung wrenches have some strange shapes (again, regrding the triangle), but usually male, not female. And, again, I have never seen those with an adjustable crescent-type wrench on the end. Can you ascertain if the openings in the handle are factory or if a prior owner made them? Are they straight? Are the edges rough or finished? Whether factory or a prior owner, it looks to me like someone may have tried to combine a drain plug or similar type wrench and an adjustable wrench. My best guess based on the facts on hand.

 

[OldTool27]

I talked with a plumber friend during my searches and he also said that it looked like some of the valve stops heads.

On the holes. I thought that the previous owner just made the different openings in the handle as well, but the casting line shows up in the holes, which is in line with the cast line on the side of the wrench. Or it was punched out when it was manufactured. Each one is very precise and the hexagons are identical but just small, medium and large.

While looking a little harder, I believe there might be a small square stamped under the “forge steel” stamp. It’s very difficult to see though. Another clue possibly?

 

[OldTool27]

Tried to get a closer picture of the 5 holes. Thank you to all that has responded so far!

 

[ToolFinder]

Does it have anything besides BIN on it? It kinda looks like it maybe came with a car or tractor. Maybe the holes don't have a purpose. maybe they are to reduce weight?

 

[RTM]

Does it have anything besides BIN on it?

That might be 8 inch

 

[ToolFinder]

Well, I found a wrench online that has round holes in the handle to reduce weight.

 

[ToolFinder]

That might be 8 inch

Yeah, It probably is. I just read it wrong.

 

[OldTool27]

I’m going to try a clean it up more if possible and see if anything pops out.

 

[ToolFinder]

Cool! Next, we will try to Identify my old wrench. I have this old monkey wrench that has no markings.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a rusty treasure that I picked up on Saturday. Even cleaned up, I can’t make out the manufacturers markings.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

Lamson & Sessions / Lamson & Sessions, 2188 Scranton Rd., Cleveland, OH / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers-p2.html#lamson /


surprised we do NOT have a thread here on that maker.
I think the only L&S wrench I have is a tiny bicycle wrench.

did anyone ever ID OldTool27's adjustable wrench in the first post?

 

[d42jeep]

BK,
You ARE the man!
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

ha!
still working on that list.. the notepad text file containing the additions and changes is now 17kb ...
I should dig out those little bicycle wrenches and get them posted here. They are kind of cute in their own way.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lamson & Sessions / Lamson & Sessions, 2188 Scranton Rd., Cleveland, OH / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers-p2.html#lamson /
surprised we do NOT have a thread here on that maker.
I think the only L&S wrench I have is a tiny bicycle wrench.

I found one this morning at the flea. I couldn't identify it at the time, but it cleaned up enough to discern the marking. "L. & S. CO. BUCKEYE" Did they make their own tools? As far as I know, they were primarily if not exclusively known for hardware. Literally, nuts and bolts. As always, I could be wrong.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Nice unit there.
I cannot answer that question. That's one for Stan.
I do know there are a lot of orphan "Buckeye" wrenches out there in the hinterlands - I see them often on Ebay - usually single DBEs.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Really? Lamson & Sessions Company "BUCKEYE" branded DBE's? Or are you thinking of Buckeye Jack Mfg Co. DBE's? I have a few of those. Leg17 has a set in a marked canvas bag.

 

[four.cycle]

oops! guess I should have checked my own list first! completely different "Buckeye".

Buckeye / Buckeye Jack Mfg. Co., Alliance, OH / offset double-end box wrench /

Buckeye / Buckeye Iron & Brass Works, Dayton, OH / est. 1876 acquired by Emco Ltd. 1965 / (originally W.B. Pease Co. 1848-1876) /

Buckeye / (see Central Brass & Fixture Co.) /

Buckeye / (bicycle wrench see Lamson & Sessions) /

 

[RTM]

Buckeye Saw Vise company (somewhere in Ohio) also.

 

[four.cycle]

^ kind of like "Northwest" or "Rainier" in Washington State..... there isn't enough paper to write them all down....

 

[four.cycle]

okay... can somebody explain this one to me please?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

One interpretation with some strong evidence would be Pexto made it for E.C. Simmons Hardware. Pexto explicitly advertised the use of their asterisk TM on products with other brands as a sign of manufacturing trust. I posted this excerpt on the PEXTO thread...

"For better distribution service, certain Wholesale Distributors sell these tools under their own private brands. All carry this copyrighted symbol (*) in addition to the brand name. It is your protection - look for this symbol."

I'm not saying that definitively, but it sure seems like it could be a perfect example.

 

[four.cycle]

Ahhhh... that would certainly explain Jack's example there then. Thanks.
I was a bit puzzled by that one, because I recall your "the symbol formerly known as asterisk" comment in a thread somewhere.

edit - I just found that thread (using Google) and re-read all that - I'd read it when it was posted, but must have forgotten that part in the second post (where you make that quote above.)