I have decided to stop lurking and this is my first post, but I thought I would get some opinions. I saw this today on Overpay bay, and while I normally try to avoid purchases on eBay this Williams caught my eye! Her asking price is really very steep at $150 so I thought I would inquire about a price drop, but I thought it was quite neat and I do have quite a bit of vintage Williams tools! Also I love the vintage box and have an adjustable that would be right at home inside of it! Anyone else have one of these type of modified wrenches and would care to post pics? Also maybe you can give me some pointers on how these are valued and maybe what I should offer. She is semi local to me so I can probably save a little additional money by picking it up, but I really have no idea about these so any help/ guidance would be appreciated!
Overpay Bay
- Thread starter Mobster
- Start date
rice rocket
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2011
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- 3,175
Is that for shanking people in case they try to bumrush you while you're under the car?
hahahha!!!
djb2
Well-known member
That's a very heavily rusted tool that was cleaned.
My guess is that someone took a broken wrench, and tried to make a knife from it by heating, hammering and grinding. They found that the steel made a mediocre knife, and left it someplace to rust. Someone bought it in a bucket of tools, cleaned them using electrolysis, and is trying to flip them.
My guess is that someone took a broken wrench, and tried to make a knife from it by heating, hammering and grinding. They found that the steel made a mediocre knife, and left it someplace to rust. Someone bought it in a bucket of tools, cleaned them using electrolysis, and is trying to flip them.
cosmik binturong
Well-known member
or a letter/box opener?
actually LOLd
metaldad
Well-known member
ahhhhhhhhh........... the tool is an open end wrench. the box shows an adjustable.
or am i missing something?
or am i missing something?
metaldad
Well-known member
and if that is the case, an olde open end can be bought for waaaaaaaaaaaay less than 150 simolians
Something like that... I do live in downtown L.A. after allsomething like what I thought, but I had not seen one before and I liked the concept!
That would be true, and I have no intentions of Paying the $150 they are asking but I have not the talent to make one for myself so I would be inclined to purchase this one if they are willing to come down on the price. Not sure why they posted the box for an adjustable but I could also use it so that doesn't bother me at all.
Also wondering if someone can tell me which series wrenched these were also? I have lots of Williams tools but no wrenches like this and am unfamiliar with this casting. If I do wind up picking it up I would probably want to track down the wrenches as well.
SASORacing
Well-known member
Stuff on eBay needs to be expensive because of the %13 seller fees.
rsanter
Well-known member
Wow....the fabled knife wrench does exist...
Bob
Bob
yeah but $150 is waaaay steep... I was thinking 60 maybe 75 bucks tops although I do understand the fee problem, but I guess thats why I try to stay away. Paying a sellers asking price plus 13% and shipping. Just wish she posted this on Craigslist first maybe an quick and easy deal could have been made.... Waiting to hear back about lowering her price though.
HAHAHA... Thats what I was thinking when I saw it... I have seen pictures of various brands that people have had made into knives like Craftsman and Vlchek but have never seen one available and had no idea how these were priced. Was hoping one of the people on here on GJ might have one, and could give me some information on them, and maybe share a picture or two.
Yep. I have piles of stuff like that that I buy for pennies. All that heavy pitting that you don't see before cleaning them up is a dead giveaway that it was left to rot for a loooooooooong time.
The guy wants $150 for something that would have a hard time fetching much of anything if it were in a pawn shop. I might pay five bucks and try to sharpen it just because the modification is funny.
OP, get a hold of this guy...apparently, he makes and sells them for a lot less than that: http://shop.pearceknives.com/produc...825AB.m1plqscsfapp02?productId=3&categoryId=1
ChevyEFI
Well-known member
so if you keep your pinkie in the open end, is that the equivalent of a bolster at the base of the blade?
As for the modification theory, is it reasonable to think they shrunk the recessed brand panel?
As for the modification theory, is it reasonable to think they shrunk the recessed brand panel?
Yes, I was curious about if it were even possible to shrink a brand panel, and it seems perfectly placed, but it would help to know what series of Williams this came from? I can't seem to find any like this among any of my Williams wrenches! So this is very curious indeed... Not sure what to think now
, although I am sure someone on here has the knowledge to nail it down!Thanks! I will definitely get a hold of the guy although I am wondering if he makes these with brand panels? A quick glance looks like they are new wrenches with no names on them, but maybe he can work on a wrench that I send to him?...
rsanter
Well-known member
I have the gut feeling that that thing is a letter opener and that is was a promo item for their distributors. Look at the profile and where the metal is verses the wrench knife that was made.
How long would that original wrench be for the name,to be where it is and how much metal,would that guy have to,stretch out to make the blade part.
I really think that is the real thing
Bob
How long would that original wrench be for the name,to be where it is and how much metal,would that guy have to,stretch out to make the blade part.
I really think that is the real thing
Bob
The brand panel leads me to believe it is a factory job, possibly letter opener as suggested There is no way I'd pay $150 for it though and that box is wide open, not even the correct box for the wrench/knife thingy. Now, if it were the correct box for the wrench and the wrench was less pitted, I could probably be persuaded to pay a pretty penny for it.
Maybe Williams was made by inmates at some point, some kind of work program to teach jail birds a trade?
Edit: I will be keeping an eye out for a "locking" adjustable wrench now though since I have not heard of that before.
There is no way I'd pay $150 for it though and that box is wide open, not even the correct box for the wrench/knife thingy. Now, if it were the correct box for the wrench and the wrench was less pitted, I could probably be persuaded to pay a pretty penny for it. Maybe Williams was made by inmates at some point, some kind of work program to teach jail birds a trade?
Edit: I will be keeping an eye out for a "locking" adjustable wrench now though since I have not heard of that before.
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
I'd pay $1 for that.
Not a penny more.
Not a penny more.
Thanks Bob! I think you may be right as I have been scouring google and can not find any wrench with this casting. I also cannot find another one of them pictured, and I would think there would be a perfect one pictured out there somewhere if it were a factory job. I am not a metalworker by trade so I have no idea how hard it would be to produce one that looks as professional as that one does in ones garage or small workshop. Seems like a lot of effort though, but I still feel its overpriced!
The brand panel leads me to believe it is a factory job, possibly letter opener as suggested
Maybe Williams was made by inmates at some point, some kind of work program to teach jail birds a trade?
Edit: I will be keeping an eye out for a "locking" adjustable wrench now though since I have not heard of that before.
Yeah, Those Locking adjustable's are sweet! Utica made a 12" one for the Aircraft industry with a locking bar on the bottom that I managed to pick up at the fleas, and I am additionally inclined to buy this Williams because I own the 6" locking adjustable wrench, but I don't have an original box and that would be nice if I did, but no way does it add a premium to the knife/ letter openers price!... As far as inmate program goes I would buy it from the shape of the thing... definitely looks like a scary prison shank wrench, and that is definitely worth something to me, but no way anything close to what shes asking.
Jarhead0408
Well-known member
I swear, at first glance I thought it said "Just a F*ck of the thumb or finger locks or unlocks the adjustment instantly at any opening you select.
Pardon the humor, forget the tool, but the description sounds mighty useful!
Bigplum
Well-known member
A good metalworker or blacksmith would be able to make the shank from that amount of metal, it's been well done though
I saw a programme about how garden digging forks were made , they started with a small child's fist sized lump and just kept drawing it thru stamps and rollers , really was amazing bit of work
I saw a programme about how garden digging forks were made , they started with a small child's fist sized lump and just kept drawing it thru stamps and rollers , really was amazing bit of work
I swear, at first glance I thought it said "Just a F*ck of the thumb or finger locks or unlocks the adjustment instantly at any opening you select.
Pardon the humor, forget the tool, but the description sounds mighty useful!
yeah it does... did not notice that till you mentioned it! 