Found this cool VLCHEK spanner wrench. Bartenstein patent issued in 1916. Thought it was unusual.
I think it's a first for this thread. I know I have never seen one in the wild. That design looks to be superior to the Billings design, where the adjustable jaw is shorter and hanging underneath. I have several Billings adjustable hook spanners and they are all too loose.
LUG: I've always liked Vlchek tools and now i'm liking that wood handled nut driver set you found too. I didn't know they made wood handled tools and thought they only made wrenches. are those pretty rare and since it's you do you know what year they left the factory?!
I don't know what year the nut drivers were made, exactly, but they are an identical match for the nut drivers shown and described in the 1941 catalog, and they are not included in the 1936 catalog, so I am guessing they were introduced sometime in the late 1930's. Most of the tools I inherited from my dad were from the 30's or 40's. He was born in 1924. I've told this story before, but he was the 10th of 10, he was an uncle several times over as soon as he was born (having several nieces and nephews older than him), and two of my uncles (his older brothers) started Durable Plating Company in Cleveland, Ohio, only a few blocks from Vlchek. There's a good chance they did plating work for Vlchek.
Vlchek made just about everything, including very early flat head valve lifters. They were best known for wrenches, very high quality ball-pein hammers, pliers, and chisels, and complete car owner kits, supplying jeep tools during WWII and to Chevy in the 50's prior to the Plomb acquisition.
EDIT: If there is one area Vlchek is NOT known for it's socketry and drive tools. They didn't believe in it, got into that market extremely late, and never did make a dent. That's why Vlchek sockets and drive tools are so rare. In all my years, and the ton of tools I have collected, I have never seen a single socket, extension, or handle in the wild.
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