Spreading the Bonney affliction!
- Thread starter bonneyman
- Start date
This was a left-behind this morning at the Quakertown Flea. I think it must be very early, with the raised “BONNEY” on the dynamic and nonremoveable main screw. The handle
looks right for early, but I’ve usually seen the squared-off rail only on their farmer/garage vises, not clamp-on table vises.
Though the vendor suggested he could come down in price, I didn’t think we would really come to a satisfactory number. Plus, I probably have dupes of this size.
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In other news, I uploaded the No15 catalog of drop forged wrenches to IA this morning, and asked Mark to duplicate it on ITCL.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Love the jellybean logo on there!
You're a good man, Charlie Brown.
But let's talk more about this...
Could "pirated" really be the case? Even if we use the more polite "appropriated," I have some other thoughts.
Despite your warning, I was literally gobsmacked paging through the catalog. By my count, every single wrench has at least the < W & B > logo visible (even if it's obscured, Bonney did not have a diamond-shaped logo), and the structural wrenches have the entire Whitman and Barnes name spelled out on the shank for all the world to see, except for the Car Wrenches on page 22, the Bonney Thin Wrenches on page 23, and the sets of those with the Bonney name on the pouch on page 24. Brazen would be an understatement if they thought nobody would notice. Which made me start to consider the circumstances and other explanations.
See if this makes any sense to you.
In 1909, when they "moved" (keeping an office bldg in Philly) to Allentown, they were still known primarily as a manufacturer of vises. Yeah, they made the combination nut and pipe wrench ("the Masterpiece") and assorted other things (spoke trimmers, gate hinges, etc.), but primarily vises.
...was spot on, I would say. No. 15 and its Supplement had to have been from the juncture after the move (1910) - when, again, they still really weren't known for end wrenches, and 1913, the year before No. 18 was published (1914). By 1923, Bonney was cranking out annual catalogs with a matching number (No. 23), and that would stay that way for decades, at least through 1960 (No. 60). But in the early years, it wasn't annual. There was a stagger. No. 18 was published in 1914. The No. 18 Supplement was published in 1916. No. 21 was published in 1919. Going backwards, No. 17 cannot be any later than 1913, and No. 16 couldn't be any later than 1912.
In 1914, when No. 18 was published, it had a fairly full line of wrenches, many of which were shown in very similar layouts as the No. 15 and Supplement with W&B branding, now all bearing Bonney names and/or logos.
By 1918, Bonney was one of the so-called "Big 9" forges, co-signing the WWI "Conservation" notice with the other eight 600lb gorillas in the industry, including Williams, B&S, Herbrand, etc, and...lo and behold,.... Whitman & Barnes.
Now let's go back to that 1910-1913 period.
I think it's possible they not only had permission from W&B to re-use their catalog images, but maybe they had some kind of relationship. (We know they both made "Always Ready" branded mini double alligator wrenches!) Maybe they were overtly making their wrenches or even selling them out of their catalog, until they mastered the practice, not unlike how their 1880's and 90's catalogs featured tools and things from other mfgrs, and that's how they got into the end wrenches game - kind of like how they got into the drive tools game making ratchets for Bethlehem Spark Plug Company.
Which is amazing to discover.
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
A great source of hand tools production information, in lieu of an actual catalog, has always been Hendricks' Commerical Register. It is organized by tool type, in alphabetical order, with lists of mfgrs and their brands, if applicable, underneath. I have basically derived a list of Braunsdorf-Mueller tools in the absence of actually having the catalogs by using Hendricks. I never thought of doing this with Bonney for those early years, since the No. 18 in 1914 is pretty dang early, but I just went through the 1910 Hendricks, linked here, if anyone wants to review it themselves.
In 1910, Bonney was making...
Augers (Hollow)
Castings (Electrical)
Couplers (Car)
Cutters (Washer, Gasket)
Dogs (Lathe)
Forgings (Drop)
Gauges (Bit)
Hammers (Upholsterers)
Saw-Sets
Scrapers (Wall)
Spoke-Trimmers
Stops (Bench)
Vises (Anvil)
Vises (Bench)
Vises (Coachmakers)
Vises (Drill)
Vises (Hand)
Vises (Machinists)
Vises (Saw)
Wrenches (Combination)(cites "Vixen")(Note: these are double alligators with a series of die threaders in the handle)
Wrenches (Engineers, Machinists)(cites "Thin Wrenches" like a brand name, explicitly)
Wrenches (Pipe, Cutter)(cites "Masterpiece")
In 1910, Bonney was NOT making....
Wrenches (Adjustable)
Wrenches (Box)
Wrenches (Nut)
Wrenches ("S")
Wrenches (Tool Post)
In 1910, Bonney was making...
Augers (Hollow)
Castings (Electrical)
Couplers (Car)
Cutters (Washer, Gasket)
Dogs (Lathe)
Forgings (Drop)
Gauges (Bit)
Hammers (Upholsterers)
Saw-Sets
Scrapers (Wall)
Spoke-Trimmers
Stops (Bench)
Vises (Anvil)
Vises (Bench)
Vises (Coachmakers)
Vises (Drill)
Vises (Hand)
Vises (Machinists)
Vises (Saw)
Wrenches (Combination)(cites "Vixen")(Note: these are double alligators with a series of die threaders in the handle)
Wrenches (Engineers, Machinists)(cites "Thin Wrenches" like a brand name, explicitly)
Wrenches (Pipe, Cutter)(cites "Masterpiece")
In 1910, Bonney was NOT making....
Wrenches (Adjustable)
Wrenches (Box)
Wrenches (Nut)
Wrenches ("S")
Wrenches (Tool Post)
Except, no. It IS 1910. Mark has added it to ITCL and found reference to its publication in the August 1910 American Machinist. So maybe Hendricks was published before notice of new products caught up.
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Makes sense. Good on Mark.
Here’s a W&B orginal No23 to match the illustrations in the Bonney No15 catalog. I actually LOL-ed when I spotted it today 
I also picked up an “E” wrench, a driver, and a CV.
And a T702K ratchet.
And passed on two sprayed-over vises.
Neither had a single mark of identification, but the one on the left had the patented removeable main screw (and a nail for a handle).
I also picked up an “E” wrench, a driver, and a CV.
And a T702K ratchet.
And passed on two sprayed-over vises.
Neither had a single mark of identification, but the one on the left had the patented removeable main screw (and a nail for a handle).
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d42jeep
Well-known member
I’m generally not a Bonney collector but I couldn’t resist these pliers found at an estate sale on Thursday. 
-Don
-Don
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Happy to find this early embedded Princeton shield BON{/}NEY logo 1723-A DOE wrench at the flea this morning, which is perfect for my board. There's one on it now, but the more the merrier where merchandising boards are concerned.
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Raineman
Well-known member
Lugz, I think I have a bunch for your board. They're looking for a good home.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Hey, thanks. Maybe when you're not busy fixing up that new dream property of yours we can work out a future trade.
Raineman
Well-known member
Sounds good. I'll round them up and shoot you a pic or two. Can have them on there way lickety split.Hey, thanks. Maybe when you're not busy fixing up that new dream property of yours we can work out a future trade.
And yes, I wish I'd found this property when I was in my 20's.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
No rush. It's been sitting here for a few years filling up onesy twosy.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Plucked another early ("FR"=1926) BON[/]NEY logo (CV) wrench out of an old box this morning at the flea. P/N "8877" with 3/8" x 1/2" service openings. I have never seen this one before and I don't have any with the same numbering scheme, which is pretty much the only reason I brought it home. As I was saying on the GS thread, it's not an engineers' wrench, but not a tappet wrench, either, despite its wide, thin, unusually lengthy shank. Seems brake-y, but again, I don't recognize the number. I will have to hunt around in some catalogs, unless @LesserSon or someone else knows.
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I cannot find that "8877" wrench in any catalog. There are similar so-called "Long Engineers' Wrenches" in their late 20's to 30's brake service sections, but none with these service openings or "8xxx" P/N scheme. It also resembles some of their aircraft service wrenches from the same era and they did have high numeric P/N schemes, but mainly "7xxx." I'm stumped.
I looked in the 1926 and 1932 catalogs and, same as you Lugz, I have not seen that part number. Too bad we don’t have a 1927 or 1928 catalog.
I agree with your observations, maybe a special brake or aircraft wrench. If so, the part number may have been made up just for a special order.
What’s the overall length? Despite being (apparently) unique, it probably has a die family. The Long Engineers are supposed to be 15” or 16”. To me it has a 420 Series look, so should be 8”-9-1/2”.
I agree with your observations, maybe a special brake or aircraft wrench. If so, the part number may have been made up just for a special order.
What’s the overall length? Despite being (apparently) unique, it probably has a die family. The Long Engineers are supposed to be 15” or 16”. To me it has a 420 Series look, so should be 8”-9-1/2”.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Good thought. Here's a photo with a few 420 series tappet wrenches. Similar in OAL, as you surmised, but the shank of the 8877 has more girth. For an appreciation of just how different it is from its ISN equivalent engineers wrench, that DOE above it is a 723A with the same milled openings!
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Mark Stansbury
Well-known member
In Jan. 2025 I scanned and posted a 1944 Bonney price list on the International Tool Catalog Library. I was able to find the catalog it applied to and have just uploaded it to the same URL, Bonney Tools Catalog No. 43. Some tools were stamped as unavailable or only while stocks last due to the war.
@Mark Stansbury
That’s a nice scan on that catalog, which helps to fill the 1941-1946 gap. Thanks!
That’s a nice scan on that catalog, which helps to fill the 1941-1946 gap. Thanks!
Provincial
Well-known member
Bonney isn't common around here. I found these two items at a local second hand store.
1124 combo with Loc-Rite broaching in box end. Zt612 3/8 dr. extension 12" long.
1124 combo with Loc-Rite broaching in box end. Zt612 3/8 dr. extension 12" long.
Provincial
Well-known member
If you saw my Garage Sale post, it was a 3/4 day at the second hand store! Bonney, P&C, Plomb, and Vlchek!
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Cool find.
genog
Well-known member
These Klein wrenches belong here
.....I'd love to find more of these
.....I'd love to find more of these
Provincial
Well-known member
Those appear to have been sourced from Bonney/Utica/Triangle. The tubing wrenches are very much like the Kelsey-Hayes/Utica version.
Loc-Rite is an "off-point engagement" type of broaching.
Loc-Rite is an "off-point engagement" type of broaching.
Nice! I never knew that broaching came on Klien marked tools.
Have to add them to the list:
Bonney, Utica, Loc-Rite, Kelsey-Hayes, Matco, John Deere, and now Klien
Big 10-4. Here's the patent - two years before Snap-On's Flank Drive.
US3125910A - Kavalar - Google Patents
patents.google.com
z28lsc
Well-known member
I just received this 3/8 ratchet. This is one of my favorite handle style.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
genog
Well-known member
I have one that's very similar.....
Although a Craftsman
Although a Craftsman
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I'm betting both made by Hillman Devices Corp.I have one that's very similar.....
Although a Craftsman
The knurling pattern and magnet are very similar to the more recent Hillman DC pick sets.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Hillman, Ullman? Old eyes and CRS.I think they are made by Ullman, and rebranded by everyone. I don’t have on myself, but here is a picture of one
But right you are. I have two of their pick sets--handles with magnets (which I hate) and four different screw-in tips and a couple of screw starters, one unbranded with nylon handle that seemed to get stuck in my father's tool box during the Korean conflict, then somehow get stuck in mine.