Spreading the Bonney affliction!

[Private Lugnutz]

...are you not familiar with the efforts for reconversion and against it during the last two years of the war?

Of course I am. Anyone who has read anything even superficial about WWII and war production is familiar with conversion and reconversion, including the most famous stories (e.g., Singer Sewing Machine).

Why do you ask? It has no bearing on hand tool production. Hand tool manufacturers were not subject to conversion or reconversion. They continued and expanded production of the tools they were making before the war during the war, they were beholden to government priority orders, and they had to abide by WPB Limitation Orders, as I explained above, but they were absolutely making and selling hand tools for commercial sales.

My reply made no statements about conversion or reconversion in any other industries, which is certainly interesting, but irrelevant. My reply was in response to your statements inappropriately applying your understanding of conversion and reconversion to tool makers in a discussion about routine hand tool production phases and pace.

I hope you're not simply repeating your original contention that the public could not buy a hand tool during WWII, which is simply not true. To put it more bluntly, this...

...the ability to sell to the public consumer again, which had been denied by wartime restrictions.

...and this...

Quite an interesting side note regarding tool production.

...are erroneous.

 

[LesserSon]

Also snagged this Standard No. 00 (1" jaws) vise. No Bonney logo, but the "MADE IN U.S.A." marking matches my other Bonney vises, the appearance is unmistakable, and the "00" marking nails it. Missing the cup for the bench clamp, unfortunately. @LesserSon found and posted one back in March.

Yes, I have a 00, but the model number is stamped on the anvil rather than cast into the body. I can’t say whether that suggests yours is very early or very late in the production years. Mine has a fender washer for a base clamp pad, courtesy some PO. I’ll probably remove it when I get around to cleaning it up.
Neither of my two no01s have a pad, and the profile of the point of the screw does not dovetail to hold one. In catalog illustrations and advertising cuts 1886-1919 it seems to be absent on what I take to be smaller-sized vises. I think it is intentionally absent, not missing.
I think you have the whole piece there.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

In catalog illustrations and advertising cuts 1886-1919 it seems to be absent on what I take to be smaller-sized vises.

Hmm. I guess I didn't go back far enough. The 1923 and 1925 catalogs clearly show a bench clamp pad. As you alluded to, the 1914 and 1919 catalogs don't show one. But they don't show any "point" whatsoever, either. It's flat.

Odder still, in the 1914 and 1919 catalogs, on pages 47 and 50, respectively, on the page introducing all other vises, i.e., not Champion models, they do show a vise with no bench clamp pad, and it does have a visible point.

I'd be happy with "not missing," but I'm not sure what to think, especially because my No. 2 does have a bench clamp pad.

I'm about ready to go watch the Phillies vs. Yankees game. I'll have to scrutinize them both further tomorrow.

 

[four.cycle]

@LesserSon and @Private Lugnutz -
I'm not sure I am clearly understanding what "bench clamp pad" is.
I may well have already sent this stuff to ITCL, but just in case...

Bonney Forge & Tool Works
Bonney Vise & Tool Works Allentown Pennsylvania 00 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ½ 20 25 35 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 123 125 126 127 128 129 130 300 400 B1 B2 B3 B4 B7 B12

 

[four.cycle]

Bonney Forge & Tool Works
Bonney Vise & Tool Works Allentown Pennsylvania 00 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ½ 20 25 35 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 123 125 126 127 128 129 130 300 400 B1 B2 B3 B4 B7 B12

 

[four.cycle]

Bonney Forge & Tool Works
Bonney Vise & Tool Works Allentown Pennsylvania 00 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ½ 20 25 35 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 123 125 126 127 128 129 130 300 400 B1 B2 B3 B4 B7 B12

 

[four.cycle]

Bonney Forge & Tool Works
Bonney Vise & Tool Works Allentown Pennsylvania 00 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ½ 20 25 35 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 123 125 126 127 128 129 130 300 400 B1 B2 B3 B4 B7 B12

 

[LesserSon]

@four.cycle
The steel disk that pads the underside of the table surface from being bored through by the screw that clamps the table vise to the table.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I assumed that is what you were referring to, but wanted to confirm. It would appear that they are standard equipment on some of those pages, and they are missing on other pages, which I found rather curious.

Updated list just uploaded.

Aside from "Bonney" - I mistakenly tagged some catalog pages showing "Champion" vises as "Bonney". When I started checking, it looks like I was in error, but now I'm not sure.
Did Bonney manufacture a "Champion" vise? Or?

After digging through just those Bonney pages, it looks like I've got three makers of "Champion" vise. Yes? No? Did I get them all?

Champion / Champion vise see Champion Blower & Forge, Lancaster, OH /
Champion / Champion vise see Champion Hardware Co., Geneva, OH /
Champion / Champion vise see Western Tool & Mfg. Co., Springfield, OH

 

[LesserSon]

Did Bonney manufacture a "Champion" vise? Or?

After digging through just those Bonney pages, it looks like I've got three makers of "Champion" vise. Yes? No? Did I get them all?

Champion / Champion vise see Champion Blower & Forge, Lancaster, OH /
Champion / Champion vise see Champion Hardware Co., Geneva, OH /
Champion / Champion vise see Western Tool & Mfg. Co., Springfield, OH

Bonney DID make a “Champion” vise. It has a distinctive A-frame slide, instead of the more common flat-top slide.
I would point out that Champion Hardware of Geneva OH made a carpenters vise and a light bench vise that I have seen. They made cabinet hardware, and I have seen door catches that had the “Champion” logo and “Stanley,” so I believe they were bought up by Stanley, which continued some lines.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Yes! Thank you. Yes, "Champion Hardware" of Geneva OH made a bench vise (patent 1211024 Jan 2 1917 Frank McGlinchy and Albert L. Wilson) - currently there are about a dozen of them for sale on ebay.

So there are at least FOUR "Champion" vises. So... the list I uploaded a couple hours ago is already out of date.

 

[Provincial]

I found some Bonney at the Great Oregon Steam-Up Sunday.

Bonney A707 1/2 dr. ratchet. Marked $1.00 and the lady pointed out that it freewheeled instead of engaging. I am a sucker for "rescue" tools if they are inexpensive, and this one fit the bill. It often engaged one direction, and almost never in the other. I doused it with WD-40 when I got home, and within a day it was working perfectly both directions!
Bonney Z2818 Zenel single offset DBE 9/16. It was bent after finishing, but I see no signs of heating. The bend left a deep crease in the date code area.
Bonney 402 tappet DOE. "CHROME VANADIUM" and circle-CV The big end has been enlarged.

 

[LesserSon]

I see no signs of heating.

Do you mean the absence of tempering color at the bend? Doesn’t that buff off easily? (The absence of rust there shows that something affected the surface.)
If there are other signs to look for, please share. Other than incautious grinding of chisels and screwdrivers, I haven’t done much heating of steel.

 

[Raineman]

I found some Bonney at the Great Oregon Steam-Up Sunday.

Bonney A707 1/2 dr. ratchet. Marked $1.00 and the lady pointed out that it freewheeled instead of engaging. I am a sucker for "rescue" tools if they are inexpensive, and this one fit the bill. It often engaged one direction, and almost never in the other. I doused it with WD-40 when I got home, and within a day it was working perfectly both directions!
Bonney Z2818 Zenel single offset DBE 9/16. It was bent after finishing, but I see no signs of heating. The bend left a deep crease in the date code area.
Bonney 402 tappet DOE. "CHROME VANADIUM" and circle-CV The big end has been enlarged.

I love steam shows. Usually stock up on some tools at those. I'm also a sucker for rescuing "broken" ratchets.

 

[Ricky Joe]

Look for marks from a vise. Often heating is unnecessary when a pipe and vise will work. Quicker, too.

 

[Provincial]

I found some Bonney DOE wrenches Friday. They are in the middle of the stack in the photo.

I didn't get to the sale until late morning. Perhaps someone got the small ones before I got there.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Here is one for you guys. Hercules set. I have included pics of the logos and such. The cool thing about this set is that the ratchet and each socket have an original chrome vanadium water slide logo.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Here is one for you guys. Hercules set. I have included pics of the logos and such. The cool thing about this set is that the ratchet and each socket have an original chrome vanadium water slide logo.

More pics

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

More pics

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Zoinks! Very nice. I believe that's only the second Hercules (H for heavy as in duty) set we've seen on the thread. @LNKMK8 posted one a few years back. I found an orphan ratchet in a used tools swap shop type store a couple years ago, traded to LS.

 

[Beerhippie]

A near-complete set of metric 3/8" dr sockets, 6-17mm:



Missing, of course, the 10mm.

They appear to have been gold-plated when new.

 

[Mikeske]

A near-complete set of metric 3/8" dr sockets, 6-17mm:



Missing, of course, the 10mm.

They appear to have been gold-plated when new.

I have the full set of metrics regular length from 6-20 MM that I originally bought in 1983 and I have deep well from 9-20 MM. That also is without any skips and I have the elusive 10 MM

 

[Beerhippie]

I have the full set of metrics regular length from 6-20 MM that I originally bought in 1983 and I have deep well from 9-20 MM. That also is without any skips and I have the elusive 10 MM

Were yours gold colored? I'm wondering if that was a distinguisher for metric sockets.

 

[Mikeske]

Were yours gold colored? I'm wondering if that was a distinguisher for metric sockets.

No mine were chrome colored and the reason yours are gold tone is a finish that was applied to the sockets and then given to Chrysler to be given in their classes that they had going from the late 1970's until sometime in the early 1990's. I have a set of metric universal sockets that have the gold finish and were never used. I get pictures for you to see what I am talking about. I also have a gold tone 3/8ths ratchet that I got for attend a Chrysler class in 1986

 

[Beerhippie]

Thanks for the beta, @Mikeske!

Most all of the gold is worn off the set I have, but still enough there to recognize.

 

[Mikeske]

Thanks for the beta, @Mikeske!

Most all of the gold is worn off the set I have, but still enough there to recognize.

You are so welcome. The thing is I knew about about the classes at Chrysler and that at the end we would all get the set of the year if you call it that as they were basically boring mind numbing experiences and the only way they could get us to stay was the free tools at the end. I worked as a heavy line mechanic from the time at a Chrysler dealership in Las Vegas when I got out of the Air Force from 1984 until early in 1988 when I took a job offer from Boeing as I was also Air Force Reservist and worked aircraft in the Reserves.

The gold tone was some sort of finish that wore off kind of easily and would only stick to some areas like the groove that all metric Bonney sockets would have. The gold tone on the ratchets would stick pretty good to the handles as it was not as smooth as the rest of the ratchet.

 

[bonneyman]

Beerhippie, I might have a spare 10mm 12 point somewhere, though it wouldn't be golden.

I'll see if I can find it if U R interested.

 

[NoahG]

Picked up this 3/4”dr ratchet for $25 today!

 

[LesserSon]

Pardon me if I’ve posted about this before; I’m sorting through 401-series tappet wrenches.
These 408s are all three coded “AP” (Jan1924), BUT the two with the double dots above the code have the forged-in B-shield and “Made in USA” ground off before plating. The one that retains the forged-in shield has only a single dot above the code.
Plausibly, this is evidence of two things:
1. the dots do indicate later sequential production (perhaps later batches within a month),
2. overproduction was stored until sold (and in this case, maybe stored unplated).
The forged-in B-shield wasn’t dropped until May 1925, so perhaps this indicates that these two were stored then modified until that date. To refute this theory, good evidence would include an example of a 408 with codes BP to DQ.

 

[PSCo1867]

This Bonney No. 003, 6" flat screwdriver is in pretty good shape:

 

[Mark Stansbury]

Just scanned this elusive Bonney catalog with price list.
Bonney Tools for Refrigeration Service : Catalog No. 39R

 

[LesserSon]

A few years ago, before I got serious about collecting Bonney tools, I sold some WWII-era screwdrivers and two V22 drivers to @Username already in use

Recently, I realized if I found any unmarked square-shanked 1/4dr spinner, I could put it into a correct-style unmarked grip I had found in the time since. This idea was inspired by a handle transfer I think @d42jeep showed on the 1/4dr set thread.
Last weekend, I found a donor.

Tonight, I used a 1/4” drill and a square file to rough out the hole. Contrary to Don’s advice, I used a propane torch to heat up the **** of the shank and pushed it in.
Oops, too much heat! The plastic started to boil, so I quick backed it out and let it cool. Good, it didn’t catch fire like celluloid would. Back in, no problem.
I wouldn’t use heat at all if I had a do-over - the plastic seems tough enough to absorb the potential irregularity of my square hole.
So now, my little brown box has a spinner!

AND I have a second handle waiting for if I find a 9/32 square shank.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Just scanned this elusive Bonney catalog with price list.
Bonney Tools for Refrigeration Service : Catalog No. 39R

Thanks so much

 

[Raineman]

LS--Years ago, I sold off a bunch of Bonney that I had bought at an estate sale before I knew what I had. Luckily I realized at some point what I had (very much due to this website), and kept what was left to begin my Bonney collection. But man...wish I had some of the stuff I cut loose.

Nice job on the repurpose.

 

[Mikeske]

I saw this Bonney 14" pipe wrench today and I actually had a hard time with it as I had the internal debate with myself on whether to get it or not and I went with the well I never use it and took a pass on it. The thing was a note on the paper tag said busted but it had a full range of the jaws, all the springs were intact but I also was not able to test it so it still sits in the antique store.

 

[LesserSon]

@Mikeske
That’s puzzling. The nut is strange, maybe worn on the top edge of the knurl. I don’t think I’ve seen one with such wide bevels - maybe a loose-fitting replacement, so it slips?
From the photo, it seems any other damage must be hidden on the other side. A corner of the dynamic jaw (or the static jaw) missing is a common point of damage, and a crack running through a corner of the box that bears the nut is another. Only other thing I can think of is the rivet slides out.

 

[LesserSon]

Then again (about the nut) NONE of my Stillsons are exactly of the same pattern as the one you spotted, though one 10” has the same trapezoid size stamp on the box (but not jaw).

 

[Mikeske]

Then again (about the nut) NONE of my Stillsons are exactly of the same pattern as the one you spotted, though one 10” has the same trapezoid size stamp on the box (but not jaw).

The nut was sloppy in the handle and for some reason appears to have been replaced by someone in the past or I suspect it was. I just had some feeling there something wrong with it. Judging by your pictures the nut should be almost completely filling the opening. Something else I did not notice until you pointed it out is the rivet has die marks and the rivets in your picture do not have the die marks. Die marks are cause when an incorrect die is used and the die leaves marks on the rivet this is generally either caused by not being squared on the rivet or undersized die.

 

[LNKMK8]

I came across this unique looking Bonney hammer at a sale last month and thought I should bring it home. It looks like a hubcap hammer, yet it doesn't have the prying portion for removal but rather a flat peen style. The model number on the handle PH34 comes up in a catalog as an auto body bumping hammer. Perhaps this has been rehandled and/or modified at some point?

 

[LesserSon]

The handle has to be from the 10oz offset dinging hammer. The head looks to be from a flooring hammer, which I don’t think was ever offered by Bonney.