RubiconJK said:
Has anyone ever seen in person a round handle 5467 1/2" drive hinge handle? It is listed in catalog 18A and I've been looking for a long time, but have never seen one for sale in person or online. Every 5467 I've ever seen has been the later pebble design.
I have a pre-war round handle, and I am searching for one other. And you are right, they are not common.
Yep, I have the other round handle hinge handles, but just have never seen the 5467 even though they are shown in the catalog.
When you find one, make sure that it comes with the pin handle!
There is a very good reason why a round-handled 5467 (especially with natural steel finish) is so rare, and it's the same reason why a round-handled 5466 (especially with natural steel finish) is so rare: Plomb, like all other mfgrs, was restricted by War Production Board (WPB) Limitation Order L-216, which went into effect on May 29, 1943, into making ONLY ONE LENGTH of 1/2-drive hinged handle from that day forward until WPB L-216 was revoked in late 1944. By that time, Plomb had already introduced the Pebble design.
The RH 5466 (9-1/2") and 5467 (15") were still listed in Plomb catalog #19, which was published before May 29, 1943 (no WPB L-216 restrictions in it).
They were also listed in Plomb catalog #19-A, which was published after #19, and after WPB L-216 went into effect, but Plomb chose to re-use the same pages as #19 and deal with the WPB L-216 restrictions in the Price List in the back instead, omitting items restricted by WPB L-216, and explaining that in a footnote on the first page of the PL.
In Plomb catalog #19-R, published NET 2/1944 through NLT 10/1946, during the WPB L-216 restrictions period, Plomb switched their methodologies, scratching things out with redlines and 'DISCONTINUED' notices in the text of the catalog itself. Note that on page 32, two of the three optional torque wrenches are still discontinued, but the 5466 and 5467 hinged handles - which are now Pebbled - are no longer discontinued. Note that on page 33, the optional (to 5480) speed handles 5469 and 5482 are discontinued, and only the 5480 (18") speeder is available. This implies that WPB L-216 was still in effect, but amended, allowing for optional hinged handles, which is consistent with other amendments we have found, where the WPB relaxed the restrictions little by little as the end of the war approached and victory was projected.
So, in summary, if you're looking for a round-handled 5466 or 5467, they are more than likely going to be chromed and pre-war. If you find one without chrome, it had to be made in 1942 or very early 1943 only.
Pic 1 is an excerpt from the pertinent section of L-216. Producers could only make one hinged handle, 15" or 18". Their choice. Plomb chose 18" (5468).
Pic 2 is an excerpt from the PL in catalog #19-A dated January 1944. Even though the 5466 and 5467 were listed in the catalog, they were
not listed in the PL, and they were not available for purchase, because they were not being made.
Pic 3 is page 32, catalog #19-R, showing two of the torque wrenches still discontinued due to WPB L-216, but all hinged handles (now Pebbled) available.
Pic 4, just for more context, is page 33, catalog #19-R, showing two of the three speed wrench options still discontinued due to WPB L-216, only the 5480 18" speeder available.
