Picked up some antique wrenches.

[TimDaToolMan]

25c each in a big box.

Plomb 3039 7/8-3/4 combo wrench. Dates from 1939-1945.



Plomb 5/8-9/16 Combo. Very rough. "Pebble background" Dates from 1945-1948



Williams BX0E-16 1/2 Boxed-Open. Not sure if old, would like some info on it.



International Harvester 1326-E. No sizes. Not sure how old (would like to know). Guessing 30s-40s.


Now HERE is the Pièce de résistance. It's a Winchester 3/8-7/16 combo wrench. Number 1716.

I would LOVE some history on this one. I cannot find much about Winchester hand tools.

Also, the sizes stamped on this tool are wrong! They are much bigger than they say, the 7/16 side is about 3/4".





This is a Wizard Hi-Torque 3/8 boxed/open. Not sure of it's age. It was made by Vlcheck tools and made for Western Auto. Guessing 50s.



Not old, but also got this Proto Professional 7/16-1/2 boxed combo with them. It's about $13 new.

These tools were quite rusty when I got them. I use a big wire wheel mounted on a bench grinder, and a small dremel to clean them. Once clean I spray on silicone spray and let them dry in the sun. The silicone does not stink or rubs off on your fingers, and offers a mild rust protection.



What's even better? I told the guy I collect old tools, and he said he had "some older tools from the 10s and 20s". He took down my number and will call me when he gets them.

 

[TimDaToolMan]

Here is a pic of a true 3/8 next to it.

 

[toolstools]

You know most of those you can't warranty right? No value in them so just letting ya know before you sell them.

 

[Outlawmws]

Tim, the "Oversize" wrenches are Whitworth sizes and the like, used pre standardization and for decades afterwards by the Brits. Basically the size is the size of the fastener, not the head size.

 

[jakemac]

Thats what I was thinking, but it's clearly marked as SAE. Could it be another standard ?

 

[plinker]

"USS" is the term I've heard before with older US made stuff that was marked bolt size instead of wrench size.

Great finds! They look in nice shape.

 

[toddacimer]

Those cleaned up nice

 

[jeffmoss26]

You know most of those you can't warranty right? No value in them so just letting ya know before you sell them.

Post of the day! Beer for you sir!

 

[toolstools]

Post of the day! Beer for you sir!

Just call em as I see em. Someone would bust my balls if I were like that too. Hell people have for other instances. Lol

 

[Gmonkee]

Cool stuff Tim.

A word of advice from one old tool collector to another. Find a focal point, a set or style that grabs you most and concentrate on those. While hard to build sets the examples will turn up over time, these things generally sell cheap too.

Hodge-podge grabbing of every crusty tool has left me with over 250 wrenches from the 20's to the 50's with little order or logic. And nearly all of those are DOE style, a few DBE but not many.
Future buys are USS/Whitworth, Brits, Billings, Armstrong or Barcalo Buffalo. I tend to leave more modern post WWII and other brands behind now.

Happy hunting Sir! Alloy Artifacts site is your friend in this hobby.

 

[woody 73]

Cool stuff Tim.

A word of advice from one old tool collector to another. Find a focal point, a set or style that grabs you most and concentrate on those. While hard to build sets the examples will turn up over time, these things generally sell cheap too.

Hodge-podge grabbing of every crusty tool has left me with over 250 wrenches from the 20's to the 50's with little order or logic. And nearly all of those are DOE style, a few DBE but not many.
Future buys are USS/Whitworth, Brits, Billings, Armstrong or Barcalo Buffalo. I tend to leave more modern post WWII and other brands behind now.

Happy hunting Sir! Alloy Artifacts site is your friend in this hobby.

Good advise Sets are just about impossible to put together from the early years, for me I enjoy s-shaped wrenches something about that cool shape that I enjoy. I used to buy everything in sight but now I concentrate on just a few companies.

 

[_vin_]

Be careful wire wheel'n old tools because of the cadmium plating.

 

[TimDaToolMan]

Thanks for the advice. I don't want to have sets just yet. Variety is the spice of life when I collect things, lol.

 

[sberry]

I rarely read these but clicked for the heck of it,,, the Winchester is actually a "real" collectable I think??

 

[Canadian Charlie]

Nice score

 

[TimDaToolMan]

Yes. The Winchester is worth around $20. Not sure of mine, because it looks like part of the jaw on the right side in the photo is missing.

Wonder when they made tools?

Went back to the yard sale today, guy didn't have anything out. Said it would be next week. Kind of disappointed, he had all day to do it, and they were not hard to get to. Oh well.

 

[Provincial]

Tim, the 3/8SAE end should measure 9/16" opening and the 7/16SAE end should measure 11/16", but perhaps 5/8". Standard SAE 3/8" fasteners are supposed to have 9/16 flats and the 7/16" bolts have 5/8" flats and the 7/16" nuts have 11/16" flats.

If the openings are different, they may be for an earlier version of the standard.

 

[jpickar]

I should get some of my F-I-L's stuff out from the 1920's and 30's. I haven't looked at them in years.

John

 

[bears]

That 1326-E is used for the Farmall F 40's 1934 era, some trucks in the 1921 era, used on some IHC gasoline engines 1937 era. Which Armstrong wrenches are you looking for ? Have a few extra have to look to see which ones, I'm looking for Armstrong wrenches that are used for Caterpiller Tractor Company. Bears