PLOMB War Time models, 2-questions

[corgibell]

Happy New Year!
I'm collector of Combination Wrenches in Japan, especially have collected PLOMB because of the first one.
Please check my following weblog about it.
https://ameblo.jp/corgibell/entry-12645445993.html

I have two questions regarding above photo.

1. Between USA & Size (1/2"), there are two kind of dots, "･･”（2-dots) & "･･･" (3-dots).
Which kind of different there is between them？

2. I believe these are the war time models.
And, there are not the product codes such as 2 alphabets (ex. AC) or single
number & single alphabet (ex. 3C).
Which production year have these kind of models without above product codes?
I believe these were produced between 1942 & 1945.
I would like to know the exact year of its.

 

[humber2]

Given that U.S.A. uses 3 dots then there is left a 1 dot and a 2 dot version?

 

[Mintgrun]

Here is the photo, taken from his link above.

 

[d42jeep]

After the US became involved in WW2, the government placed restrictions on certain metals. Here is a reference that applies to WW2 Jeeps that discusses those restrictions.

“ Or read Lloyd White's The Evolution of the Willys-Overland MB Jeep", Volume 5, Chapter 40, page 212 for a succinct discussion of the varying metal alloy specifications and limitations for DOE wrenches during WW II.

Briefly, here's a quick run down for jeeps. In Sept. 1941, chrome alloy was specified in the MB General Specifications. By early April 1942, the QMC dropped the wrench spec for chrome plating while chrome alloy remained OK. By January 1943, the chrome alloy spec had been dropped for a presently unknown replacement. By April 1943, the material specs for DOE wrenches had been changed to alloy steel, which remained for the balance of WW II.”

When it comes to questions about the exact dates that wartime Plomb combination wrenches were made, you will hear many theories. Speaking for myself only, I look at the finishes on the wrenches and classify my own as anything with chrome plating as being prewar or very early war.
I can’t speak to the dots on the wrenches. Plomb was cranking them out of multiple facilities during the war and I imagine that there were many variations between facilities. Here are some pictures of wrenches with chrome plating and wrenches without. I doubt that exact year by year identification will ever be possible.
-Don

 

[corgibell]

After the US became involved in WW2, the government placed restrictions on certain metals. Here is a reference that applies to WW2 Jeeps that discusses those restrictions.

“ Or read Lloyd White's The Evolution of the Willys-Overland MB Jeep", Volume 5, Chapter 40, page 212 for a succinct discussion of the varying metal alloy specifications and limitations for DOE wrenches during WW II.

Briefly, here's a quick run down for jeeps. In Sept. 1941, chrome alloy was specified in the MB General Specifications. By early April 1942, the QMC dropped the wrench spec for chrome plating while chrome alloy remained OK. By January 1943, the chrome alloy spec had been dropped for a presently unknown replacement. By April 1943, the material specs for DOE wrenches had been changed to alloy steel, which remained for the balance of WW II.”

When it comes to questions about the exact dates that wartime Plomb combination wrenches were made, you will hear many theories. Speaking for myself only, I look at the finishes on the wrenches and classify my own as anything with chrome plating as being prewar or very early war.
I can’t speak to the dots on the wrenches. Plomb was cranking them out of multiple facilities during the war and I imagine that there were many variations between facilities. Here are some pictures of wrenches with chrome plating and wrenches without. I doubt that exact year by year identification will ever be possible.
-Don

Thank you for your detail answer!
Especially the plating history is interesting.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I concur with you on the dots, Don. Meaningless, and, if meaningful originally, for internal purposes, now utterly undecipherable. But if you're going to quote me, could you at least give me pseudonymous credit?

 

[tin medic]

could you at least give me pseudonymous credit?

So, this private lugnutz person may or may not have have been involved with writing a certain chapter in a certain book.

Happy now?

[emoji1787]

 

[d42jeep]

I concur with you on the dots, Don. Meaningless, and, if meaningful originally, for internal purposes, now utterly undecipherable. But if you're going to quote me, could you at least give me pseudonymous credit?

I actually quoted your co-author. You guys did write the definitive work on wartime restrictions as they applied to wartime Willys Jeep toolsets and I encourage anyone lucky enough to find a copy to check it out.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

So, this private lugnutz person may or may not have have been involved with writing a certain chapter in a certain book.
Happy now?

Suddenly I feel like a beggar!

I actually quoted your co-author. You guys did write the definitive work on wartime restrictions as they applied to wartime Willys Jeep toolsets and I encourage anyone lucky enough to find a copy to check it out.

Thanks. You know I was just busting cops. But, actually, Fred Coldwell was the co-author. And restrictions were really just a small part. If you have a WWII jeep, and you want to stow the correct toolkit in the engine compartment (oiler), rear quarter panel compartments, and glovebox, that volume and chapter is indispensable, and I will take co-credit for that. That whole series of books has an interesting context. Lloyd White "wrote" (mainly describing his massive collection of Jeep-related paper paraphernalia) a few of the chapters in Vol 1, and a few scattered chapters throughout, but most of the chapters were written by various people in the hobby considered expert (or foolhardy!) enough to contribute, but Lloyd gets credit as the author on the cover. The series got too big and unwieldy for its own good, which unfortunately required an equally big and unwieldy price tag.