Old Walden Worcester

[JjKk40]

I'll try to get better photos. I'll have to try in different lighting. The reflection kept blurring out the stenciling. I'll check to see where I bought it from, I don't remember off the top right now!

Edit.... I bought the box from a guy on ebay from Lebanon PA but I can't open the sold listing to read the description for some reason. Looks like he buys and sells stuff so who knows where he got it from.

 

[Arne73]

I'll try to get better photos. I'll have to try in different lighting. The reflection kept blurring out the stenciling. I'll check to see where I bought it from, I don't remember off the top right now!

Edit.... I bought the box from a guy on ebay from Lebanon PA but I can't open the sold listing to read the description for some reason. Looks like he buys and sells stuff so who knows where he got it from.

As to different lighting-
If you have an IR source, try that too. I had good success deciphering faded lettering on a wooden box using a CCTV camera in a darkened room.

 

[JjKk40]

Took some more pics of the box and the cad stuff inside. I hit it in natural sunlight and I think its more readable.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's a nice set! But the name is driving me bonkers. I'm pretty sure it's P E _ _ T E R. But the rest is elusive. No common names are popping out for me. PEIFTER? PELFTER? PELETER?

 

[MR.X]

That's a nice set! But the name is driving me bonkers. I'm pretty sure it's P E _ _ T E R. But the rest is elusive. No common names are popping out for me. PEIFTER? PELFTER? PELETER?

I'm gonna take a shot at this......Robert W. Peiffer

 

[JjKk40]

I'm gonna take a shot at this......Robert W. Peiffer

Wow I think you nailed it!!!!

 

[RTM]

So, do these sound about the right era? Military service a ways down the page, but enlisted: February 16, 1942

Robert W Peiffer

Robert W Peiffer of United States was born circa 1920. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Robert W Peiffer.

www.ancientfaces.com

Here's a different link with a bit more info on possible PA link

PEDEGO, JUDYSHARON thru PEDELISKI, PETER

A free genealogy index resource with over 200,000,000 entries, sorted by name.

sortedbyname.com

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice work, X.

RTM - NARA has an extensive database for WWII veterans.

Robert W. Peiffer enlisted February 16, 1942. He was a mechanic. Served in the US Army Air Corps. Full record linked here.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It looks like the website you landed on pulled their data from NARA.

 

[d42jeep]

Except for the sliding tee it could be a set #3100A or it could be a set #3100 missing the ratchet, plug and extension. It’s an early cad plated set in 5 hinge element box.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Robert W. Peiffer enlisted February 16, 1942. He was a mechanic. Served in the US Army Air Corps. Full record linked here.

@JjKk40
To elaborate on his service record in possible connection with the set, the WPB book shows one US Army Air Corps contract with Walden for "SOCKET WRENCHES", awarded May 1945. They may have had earlier contracts not worth $50,000 and not recorded. Though I am skeptical, as I said above. If you're wondering why there's no 41-W-2615 marking, not all sets had them, and not all specified midget sets were 41-W-2615 configuration. There were several other midget sets not associated with the GMTK. Walden made 9/32-drive tools, too, which we know the Air Corps favored. If it is indeed his service set, the military specs may not be at all analogous to commercial catalogs, and I would not rush to judgement on what it might be missing or have in it. Either way, cool set.

EDIT: I'd be interested in seeing a list of the socket model numbers.

 

[Username already in use]

@JjKk40 wow, that set is really sharp. Nice grab.

 

[GalaxyRat]

Finally got around to servicing and cleaning up my two new black ox 3/8" drive 4050 ratchets. I wish I knew when/where each one was made since they both have subtle differences between them.

Anyone know how to get the grimy rust colored stuff out of the name stamp? I used heavy duty simple green and scrubbed them both with a nylon scrub brush, then rinsed with water and dried with compressed air. I didn't want to do anything that would strip the finish.

 

[JjKk40]

[/QUOTE]

Finally got around to servicing and cleaning up my two new black ox 3/8" drive 4050 ratchets. I wish I knew when/where each one was made since they both have subtle differences between them.

Anyone know how to get the grimy rust colored stuff out of the name stamp? I used heavy duty simple green and scrubbed them both with a nylon scrub brush, then rinsed with water and dried with compressed air. I didn't want to do anything that would strip the finish.

I have found that Por15 degreaser works so much better than simple green. Its also not hazardous. I have no issues scrubbing clean the tools like that even with just a nylon brush with the por15 degreaser in my slop sink. Give it a try if you can. They sell 1qt spray bottles all the way up to gallon jugs. I buy on ebay mostly but I've seen it in auto part stores too.

 

[JjKk40]

@JjKk40
To elaborate on his service record in possible connection with the set, the WPB book shows one US Army Air Corps contract with Walden for "SOCKET WRENCHES", awarded May 1945. They may have had earlier contracts not worth $50,000 and not recorded. Though I am skeptical, as I said above. If you're wondering why there's no 41-W-2615 marking, not all sets had them, and not all specified midget sets were 41-W-2615 configuration. There were several other midget sets not associated with the GMTK. Walden made 9/32-drive tools, too, which we know the Air Corps favored. If it is indeed his service set, the military specs may not be at all analogous to commercial catalogs, and I would not rush to judgement on what it might be missing or have in it. Either way, cool set.

EDIT: I'd be interested in seeing a list of the socket model numbers.

For some reason I can't open the sold listing on ebay to see what originally was in it when I bought it. I don't remember if I added any cad stuff to it. Ill keep trying to open it and ill take some more pics of the sockets and stuff. This turned out to be so awesome!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The hinge probably has 5 knuckles compared to the 6 on the box in the background.

It’s an early cad plated set in 5 hinge element box.

Is there documentation for this chronological sequence that I don't know about, guys?

That there are boxes with 5- and 6-knuckle hinges with Walden sets in them is no question. I'm asking if there are catalogs or some other dated documents that show that 5-knuckle boxes were produced earlier than 6-knuckle.

I am very familiar with the concept of dating found sets based on their early or late war midget set specs (specs I de-constructed from RAPD figures and catalogs), finish, and hinge elements, none of which I subscribe to as definitively as I used to without proper provenance. You guys may not know this - because it was before your time on G503.com, it was me who actually first posted a 6-element hinge box with an FSN on the lid and late war and postwar pieces in it (see "General Mechanics Tool Set" thread, page 5, post #7, Saturday, January 21, 2012, 6:25 PM), busting the logic that GMTK pioneers Luca and Roger (Utah, not UK) had been using prior. Instantly, everyone rushed to make the '5-hinge early / 6-hinge late' sequence, and by the time the second wave (Phil, etc, and you guys) arrived, it was codified. But that sequence is regularly busted by sets with all kinds of mixes (finishes, styles) and configurations (types of handles, number of points) with no provenance. It may be no sequence at all, just different box suppliers or different hinge suppliers to the box suppliers. Or it may be a sequence, but just not as 'early' as we all 'want' it to be.

(EDIT: Not trying to dissuade you... but just so we're square, my current position is that Walden may not have provided any 1/4-drive 41-W-2615 spec midget sets to the Ordnance Dept before mid 1944, coincidentally, when they had a proper ratchet. Any sets they produced that year would've been the midwar spec (for brevity, more handles, fewer sockets, incl some 12-pointers). And by the end of the year, the Army had adopted the late war spec. Also, note that in 1941, the catalog shows that they weren't even using side-hinged boxes yet. I strongly suspect the 9/32-drive sets they were making for the Navy (contract awarded 4/1941) came in OD green colored versions of the back-hinged sets they were still using commercially in 1941. (See examples attached - and note, no ratchet.) Their next twelve (12) contracts with the Ordnance Dept were for cartridge holders, fixtures, shot, and machine tool equipment. Their first contract with the Ordnance Dept for anything else was "TOOLS" in April 1943. All the contracts for "SOCKET WRENCHES" came late 1944 and 1945, details above I won't belabor again. Is it possible the "TOOLS" contracts contained midget socket wrench sets? If you want to read it as the ORD suddenly being more specific later, I suppose.)

But, barring the old G503.com thinking, thinking I was part of from the beginning, has there been some new documentation revelation on the boxes that I am badly behind on?

Sorry so long. Coffee buzz.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

ill take some more pics of the sockets and stuff.

If that's easier, and you want to. Not trying to make extra work for you.

 

[d42jeep]

I have a decent sample size of Walden and generally the 5 hinge element boxes were more likely to have come with cad plated sockets and the 6 hinge element painted boxes more often come with black oxide painted tools. When I see that pattern repeated dozens of times it leads me to believe that the 5 element boxes with cad plated tools are earlier than the 6 element painted boxes with black oxide tools. What “tools” do you think they were supplying in April, 1943? I’m pretty sure that we are going to continue to “agree to disagree” on this subject.
-Don

These pictures were taken in 2018 and my ”sample size” has grown since then.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Why we disagree has been pretty well laid out, Don. I'm just trying to confirm that I haven't missed something definitive that wouldn't be as suspect (for me, anyway) as empirical without provenance. Tin's 44 cat last good doc update I know of, correct?

 

[d42jeep]

I suspect that you and I are both aware of the two catalogs available, one prewar and one wartime. I can’t ignore the wartime trend of earlier tools being cad plated and later tools being black oxide. Based on my observations of the varied styles of the sockets, it wouldn’t be that difficult to lay examples out in the order they were manufactured, starting with the cad plated knurled, moving to the black oxide knurled with detent holes and so on right up to the black oxide grooved sockets. I’m pretty much satisfied with my opinions on which are earlier and later and am unlikely to spend much more time trying to convince anyone else.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

These pictures were taken in 2018 and my ”sample size” has grown since then.

I didn't see your edit before my first reply. Yes, I am familiar with how many you have, Don. I have had and I have seen plenty of sets myself since 2009. And again, that general sequence is one I came to a long time ago for the same reasons, before you even arrived at G503, and I always subscribed to it pretty religiously. The provenance of most found sets from then to now is unknown, though, more of the same doesn't impact the lack of provenance, and I have seen enough mixed sets (boxes, configurations, and finishes) where the other data points - which I won't repeat, just upthread, because it really would get ad nauseum, have caused me to now wonder. That's all. I could be wrong.

I’m pretty much satisfied with my opinions on which are earlier and later and am unlikely to spend much more time trying to convince anyone else.

Understood. Just to clarify though, I am not trying to convince you otherwise. It doesn't matter if we disagree on this. That doesn't mean there's no room for further discussion on this topic on this thread from my perspective, though. Again, I was just trying to ascertain if I had missed something that would squelch my skepticism, or if you and UNAIU were basing it on what we had always based it on. Thanks.

 

[Ricky Joe]

Is there documentation for this chronological sequence that I don't know about, guys?

That there are boxes with 5- and 6-knuckle hinges with Walden sets in them is no question. I'm asking if there are catalogs or some other dated documents that show that 5-knuckle boxes were produced earlier than 6-knuckle.

I am very familiar with the concept of dating found sets based on their early or late war midget set specs (specs I de-constructed from RAPD figures and catalogs), finish, and hinge elements, none of which I subscribe to as definitively as I used to without proper provenance. You guys may not know this - because it was before your time on G503.com, it was me who actually first posted a 6-element hinge box with an FSN on the lid and late war and postwar pieces in it (see "General Mechanics Tool Set" thread, page 5, post #7, Saturday, January 21, 2012, 6:25 PM), busting the logic that GMTK pioneers Luca and Roger (Utah, not UK) had been using prior. Instantly, everyone rushed to make the '5-hinge early / 6-hinge late' sequence, and by the time the second wave (Phil, etc, and you guys) arrived, it was codified. But that sequence is regularly busted by sets with all kinds of mixes (finishes, styles) and configurations (types of handles, number of points) with no provenance. It may be no sequence at all, just different box suppliers or different hinge suppliers to the box suppliers. Or it may be a sequence, but just not as 'early' as we all 'want' it to be.

(EDIT: Not trying to dissuade you... but just so we're square, my current position is that Walden may not have provided any 1/4-drive 41-W-2615 spec midget sets to the Ordnance Dept before mid 1944, coincidentally, when they had a proper ratchet. Any sets they produced that year would've been the midwar spec (for brevity, more handles, fewer sockets, incl some 12-pointers). And by the end of the year, the Army had adopted the late war spec. Also, note that in 1941, the catalog shows that they weren't even using side-hinged boxes yet. I strongly suspect the 9/32-drive sets they were making for the Navy (contract awarded 4/1941) came in OD green colored versions of the back-hinged sets they were still using commercially in 1941. (See examples attached - and note, no ratchet.) Their next twelve (12) contracts with the Ordnance Dept were for cartridge holders, fixtures, shot, and machine tool equipment. Their first contract with the Ordnance Dept for anything else was "TOOLS" in April 1943. All the contracts for "SOCKET WRENCHES" came late 1944 and 1945, details above I won't belabor again. Is it possible the "TOOLS" contracts contained midget socket wrench sets? If you want to read it as the ORD suddenly being more specific later, I suppose.)

But, barring the old G503.com thinking, thinking I was part of from the beginning, has there been some new documentation revelation on the boxes that I am badly behind on?

Sorry so long. Coffee buzz.

You referenced April, 1941 as a contract date. Did those military contracts specify a quantity ordered? We’re they primarily meant to be for Lend-Lease at that time? I guess what would interest me would be the requirements and specifications of the contract, not for the physical tools, but quantity of items, etc. How were vendors selected; bidding process? lobbying? Who decided what was needed and how many? I know the machinations of Churchill to involve the United States in the war were quite intense. So I am interested in what occurred there. Hope that isn’t too much a tangent.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Quick, short answer.

The WPB contracts books provide mfgr, address, contracting agency, description, contract number, award amount ($50,000 or more only), award date, and termination date. The two-volume set covers mid 1940, when the OEM (WPB's predecessor) first started awarding contracts they explicitly associated with WWII, to late 1945.

EDIT I'm on road. I'll provide exact dates later.

I'm surprised this is the first time you've seen me reference them. If you search GJ on "WPB contract" you will find dozens of references and/or actual excerpts, and a more elaborate explanation.

The most definition we can derive for the products of the contract is from the description, which is often too vague, or complementary documents that match the award and contract agency. I have done alot of the latter analysis.

The 1941 Navy contract was not Lend-Lease, it was Navy Bureau of Accounts and Supplies. The Treasury Dept was the contracting agency for most if not all Lend-Lease contracts, which are included, as I recall.

These books are not going to scratch your prewar itch.

 

[GalaxyRat]

I have found that Por15 degreaser works so much better than simple green. Its also not hazardous. I have no issues scrubbing clean the tools like that even with just a nylon brush with the por15 degreaser in my slop sink. Give it a try if you can. They sell 1qt spray bottles all the way up to gallon jugs. I buy on ebay mostly but I've seen it in auto part stores too.
[/QUOTE]

Great, I'll pick some up and give it a try. Thanks!

 

[Username already in use]

I don't have a dog in the hunt here. Do I believe the dull green boxes to be earlier than the gloss green/red boxes with the FSN stenciled on them... yes.
I received one of the dull green boxes with the older black/yellow handled nut spinner shown in the earlier catalog. That box had 5 knuckles on the hinge element.
There is a series/order to the production of the Walden sockets for these midget sets. What the order is, again, not my cuppa. But you have the big WW with the knurl and no detent hole, the big WW with the knurl and detent hole, then the double line sockets. From a wartime production perspective, I can only speculate. I think the detent hole in the socket was done away with at some point during the war to speed production. That's just a speculation.
As for getting specific on dates, beats me.

Now, how bout some pics?

Heres a 1/4" drive chrome ratchet with USN in electric pencil



Here's the box that I have in my keeper GMTK. Dull green, no FSN stencil, 5 knuckle hinge, and looking fairly new on the inside.





Here's a box that I picked up at the flea market. The old man (retired veteran) was doing small engine repair and while he was talking to someone, I took the liberty of going through his toolbox on the back of his truck. I found the dull green FSN stamped box with 5 knuckle hinge in his toolbox with some big WW sockets and an SK ratchet along with a number of odds and ends. He didn't want to sell, but eventually I made an offer that was worth it to him.

 

[d42jeep]

Nice looking complete dark set!
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This turned out to be so awesome!

Indeed. And maybe a little more than you realize!

Pic 1 is the box I mentioned upthread. Of the untold numbers of Walden sets we have seen in our community over the years with no way of knowing what was original and what was not, it is considered to be the one with the best provenance. The current owner bought it on eBay directly from the family of the WWII vet whose name you see scrawled on it at the top (Raymond Wozniak). That's the Navy PT-190 torpedo man I mentioned upthread. Dark dull green box, like yours. The tools that were original to the box when he got it were a spinner, a hinge handle, and 6- and 8-point sockets, all black ox. As I mentioned upthread, he thought it was missing pieces - a ratchet, an extension, and a sliding tee, which he promptly found in black ox, but what he got from the Wozniak family in that dull green FSN marked box was a perfectly acceptable and almost certainly original 1945 spec set.

Your box may have passed through some other hands between R.W. Peiffer's family and you, so I am hesitant to trust the provenance of the tools as much, but it is the second coolest box I have ever seen, and I definitely put it in the same category as the Wozniak box, if maybe only with a little less significance.

Pic 2 is a little chart I made a loooong time ago. I am posting it to give you some background on why I am interested in the specs on the sockets that came with your set. You see that fourth column? That is the specs for a late war set, from a late war GMTK manual, when the components were individually specified for the first time. I posted it earlier in reply to OTG's NOS set. The third column is from a midwar GMTK manual, which was only listed at the set level. I had to derive the specs for that set from the later set, a figure in the manual, in which you couldn't see the broachings to clear, and from other manuals, backing our way into it, if you will. You can see the Walden model numbers to the right. I'm interested in seeing how your sockets map to that column.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

There is a series/order to the production of the Walden sockets for these midget sets. What the order is, again, not my cuppa.

Agreed. In terms of markings, I think the knurled lines with Long W (going over the top of Walden) Worcester are the earliest, then very similar sockets with more of an inset, no Long W, Worcester, then just WALDEN, with grooves, no knurling, and I posted examples in that order on page 8, post #297, in a reply to Beemer. I don't think the order is of great consequence, except for the last type, which clearly extended into postwar production.

The finish is a different subject. I have seen steel, cad, and black oxide, I don't think there was any definitive, exclusive move from one finish to the other, nor do I think it's possible to exclusively associate one type of finish with one box type (dull green, or true green). Again, not to argue, but just to distinguish my position.

Very handsome set!

It's hard to not like the black ox look.

SK may have favored it as a finish even more - and for the curious, they had three successive contracts with the Ordnance Dept running from September 1942 and ending in April 1944.

 

[four.cycle]

"I think the knurled lines with Long W (going over the top of Walden) Worcester are the earliest, then very similar sockets with more of an inset, no Long W, Worcester, then just WALDEN, with grooves, no knurling..."

^ THIS certainly seems to make the most sense, and from the appearance of various samples I have here (and a couple I sent down to Don) seems to be the most accurate "dating" on the various styles.

I think what you're saying there in the following paragraph regarding "finish" is accurate as well, based on sets I own and (literally) hundreds of Walden 1/4" sets I've looked at online. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to red box, green box, blue box, black box, or later chrome/black/cad finishes in respect to what color box they were shoved into. (This is in respect only to later post-war stuff.)

 

[JjKk40]

Indeed. And maybe a little more than you realize!

Pic 1 is the box I mentioned upthread. Of the untold numbers of Walden sets we have seen in our community over the years with no way of knowing what was original and what was not, it is considered to be the one with the best provenance. The current owner bought it on eBay directly from the family of the WWII vet whose name you see scrawled on it at the top (Raymond Wozniak). That's the Navy PT-190 torpedo man I mentioned upthread. Dark dull green box, like yours. The tools that were original to the box when he got it were a spinner, a hinge handle, and 6- and 8-point sockets, all black ox. As I mentioned upthread, he thought it was missing pieces - a ratchet, an extension, and a sliding tee, which he promptly found in black ox, but what he got from the Wozniak family in that dull green FSN marked box was a perfectly acceptable and almost certainly original 1945 spec set.

Your box may have passed through some other hands between R.W. Peiffer's family and you, so I am hesitant to trust the provenance of the tools as much, but it is the second coolest box I have ever seen, and I definitely put it in the same category as the Wozniak box, if maybe only with a little less significance.

Pic 2 is a little chart I made a loooong time ago. I am posting it to give you some background on why I am interested in the specs on the sockets that came with your set. You see that fourth column? That is the specs for a late war set, from a late war GMTK manual, when the components were individually specified for the first time. I posted it earlier in reply to OTG's NOS set. The third column is from a midwar GMTK manual, which was only listed at the set level. I had to derive the specs for that set from the later set, a figure in the manual, in which you couldn't see the broachings to clear, and from other manuals, backing our way into it, if you will. You can see the Walden model numbers to the right. I'm interested in seeing how your sockets map to that column.

Lugz your gonna kill me! Lol! After finally being able to open the sale page on it it shows what came in the box. All black ox! Ouch! My appoligies! Now I remember what I did. I used the bl ox stuff to complete another set and put a complete cad set in this box! Maybe we can make out which sockets were in there, 6pt or 12pt or a mix by the 1 pic. The style sockets are the original long WW with the 2 knurled lines, thats for sure.
I have about 8 sets that I've put together by buying to complete sets and I ended up with a bunch!

Edit... im gonna email the seller and see if he still has the pics of the set...

 

[four.cycle]

^ if you have the item NUMBER you can just search it on ebay and it will come up, but that data is dumped off their site in fairly short order. (I think like 60 or 90 days maybe??? )

 

[JjKk40]

^ if you have the item NUMBER you can just search it on ebay and it will come up, but that data is dumped off their site in fairly short order. (I think like 60 or 90 days maybe??? )

Yeah I contacted the seller and he responded to me actually just now. He said he has no access after 90 days and he had no other pics of it unfortunately.

 

[four.cycle]

^ one of many reasons I have harvested thousands of photo images from ebay listings.

 

[JjKk40]

From the seller...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugz your gonna kill me! Lol! After finally being able to open the sale page on it it shows what came in the box. All black ox! Ouch! My appoligies!

On the contrary! I am absolutely elated that you followed through, and the facts at hand make the box and set potentially even MORE significant. It could very well be another near-perfect example of a late war (1945) spec 41-W-2615 set - again, hinge handle, spinner, (NO ratchet, Tee, or ext. was issued!), and only 6- and 8-point sockets - just like the Wozniak set, in a 5-knuckle dull green box, just like the Wozniak set, but in this case without an FSN, marked with the name of a WWII veteran mechanic, just like the Wozniak set, but in this case not Navy, but Air Corp, and not scratched, but stenciled!

Unless the original pieces were swapped out by the seller or a PO for black ox pieces that just happen to adhere to a late war spec set, it is reasonable to conclude, with caution, that they were plausibly original. The name and service history make all the difference.

It's too bad the NARA data doesn't include location. If R.W. Peiffer is from central PA, I would ratchet up the provenance even more.

Now I remember what I did. I used the bl ox stuff to complete another set and put a complete cad set in this box!

HAHA! You and a hundred other guys! Which is exactly why I, personally, in my opinion, don't trust the finish on the contents to tell us anything definitive about the boxes or vice versa with respect to sequencing.

 

[GalaxyRat]

Here's the two clamshells I have, one red and one glossy green. The green one came with all but one of the sockets I have pictured, a wooden handle Spintite and the hinge handle. It also came with Snap-On 1/4 to 3/8 adapter, an extension and u-joint. All 1/4" drive.

There is a no-name 11/32 socket in the green case that just says "U.S.A.". Any ideas?

The red one came with the GM Co. sockets, extension, cadmium Walden hinge handle, a Walden 5/16 socket and a no-name "U.S.A." 7/32 socket. It also came with my 12th black oxide socket to go in the green case.

 

[GalaxyRat]

Here's the two clamshells I have, one red and one glossy green. The green one came with all but one of the sockets I have pictured, a wooden handle Spintite and the hinge handle. It also came with Snap-On 1/4 to 3/8 adapter, an extension and u-joint. All 1/4" drive.

There is a no-name 11/32 socket in the green case that just says "U.S.A.". Any ideas?

The red one came with the GM Co. sockets, extension, cadmium Walden hinge handle, a Walden 5/16 socket and a no-name "U.S.A." 7/32 socket. It also came with my 12th black oxide socket to go in the green case.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

An old hex bit set

 

[JjKk40]

Sweet set!

 

[Provincial]

I found a couple of Walden Worcester speeders at an estate sale Saturday. The longer one has no markings, but with the 9/16" hex opening and a shaft length of 20", it has to be a 6218. The shorter one is marked 6064, and also has a 9/16" hex opening. Both wrenches show up in a 1923 catalog excerpt listed at archive.org. They are listed as usable on Model T Fords.

Note the difference in the knob at the rear end of the handle. I have noticed that WW used many different knob shapes. The knob on the 6064 is different from the 1923 catalog illustration, but seems very much like the 1923 square drive brace socket wrenches. The knurled knob on the 6218 is machined from solid steel, and seems later. I have also seen many WW "brace" tools with the hollow ball knob made from two stampings welded together, and wood knobs. The hollow ball design shows up in the Stevens-Walden Number 263 Handbook of 1928. WW seemingly couldn't decide on a knob design.