Scored a nice Cam-Loc wrench!

[bonneyman]

Received a DFE ratcheting Cam-Loc wrench today. After cleaning, it looks virtually new.
And goes great with my existing pair of shorties. Now all I need to do is find the long 9/16" x 11/16" er, and I'll be set. Unless there are other sizes I don't know about.

 

[DanarchyCustoms]

Oh wow, I never knew such a thing existed. Just an older style of a ratcheting open end?

 

[bonneyman]

Oh wow, I never knew such a thing existed. Just an older style of a ratcheting open end?

Pretty much. Patented in 1951, originally designed for brake and hydraulic fittings. The pins pivot inside a stiff spring, locking against steel plates in one direction while letting the fastener "slip" past them in the other. providing a "ratcheting" type action. Really nice for repetitive work, or when you need speed on a soft fitting. I believe Bonney offered them up until the time they went under in 1994.

 

[PFSard]

Received a DFE ratcheting Cam-Loc wrench today. After cleaning, it looks virtually new.
And goes great with my existing pair of shorties. Now all I need to do is find the long 9/16" x 11/16" er, and I'll be set. Unless there are other sizes I don't know about.

- Nice. I've never seen one, never mind a set. Good luck with the search.

- Seeing as you are the Bonney Man, do you know of any good reading on the reason for the demise of Bonney tools?

TIA
Paul

 

[ArtDeco]

I passed on so many Cam-Locs before I saw your postings... you'd hate me

 

[pauls_workshop]

Hey Bonneyman, that is a nice one there! Never knew that style existed! I now have 2 Bonney wrenches by the way due to your evil influence! - Paul

 

[Professur]

Definitely a low pressure zone forming in this thread.

 

[bonneyman]

- Nice. I've never seen one, never mind a set. Good luck with the search.

- Seeing as you are the Bonney Man, do you know of any good reading on the reason for the demise of Bonney tools?

TIA
Paul

Cooper Tools bought them in 1991, but really only wanted the Utica division for their pliers. The Bonney end of it was just icing on the cake. The polishing was all done by hand, they were non-union, and they were profitable up until the very end, but the flood of Chinese tools proved too much for them. When they needed some capital investment to update their tooling, Cooper decided to just close them up. That was in 1994

 

[bonneyman]

I passed on so many Cam-Locs before I saw your postings... you'd hate me

No problem AD. I've started snagging the Cam-Locs only recently, and in very specific sizes. I have so many other Bonney flare tools that most of my work is covered.

 

[bonneyman]

Hey Bonneyman, that is a nice one there! Never knew that style existed! I now have 2 Bonney wrenches by the way due to your evil influence! - Paul

i can think of many worse addictions. U R welcome.

 

[Fcvapor05]

Very cool looking wrenches. How well do they function?

 

[bonneyman]

Very cool looking wrenches. How well do they function?

I've not used the doubles yet, but the 1/2" single is a staple in my work tools. Provides a nice, fast ratcheting action that grabs away from the corners.