Spreading the Bonney affliction!

[Private Lugnutz]

I managed come across a few catalogs with it

Hey, thanks, Steve!

It's likely because on the archive website if you looked there. It's all jumbled up when you try to search things.

No. I am familiar with IA and ITCL. Not sure what you mean by "all jumbled up", but you know that you can sort by date, right?



I didn't find it because...

I looked in every cat between 1926 and 1943.

Catalog C-1 was published in 1947. Battery wrench No. 6481 is also included in C-2 (1950) and M-2 (1951). They apparently dropped it at some point. It does not appear in 57-S (1957) or any catalog after that.

If you were following the entire conversation about the WHITAKER battery wrench, it is very early production. It's pre-Zenel, with a 1930 date code, and no Bonney branding, only their B-Shield forge code. LS posted similar examples. All the other examples I could find here on GJ (Todd, BlueBomber) are the same. Sometimes not even a B-Shield or with it ground off. On top of that, they were listed as No. 2875 in every catalog between 1934 and 1943.

Putting two and two together to make five, I deduced that the very early pre-Zenel No. 6481 battery wrenches must have been made by Bonney Forge for external customers, not included in catalogs, then added to in-house production and their catalogs with a new, discrete P/N (2875) when they started making them in the Zenel style with Zenel steel.

Thanks to you looking much later than I did, with us now knowing that they appeared in late 1940's and early 1950's catalogs as P/N 6481, it means they clearly switched back to a P/N they had been using much earlier! Which is very odd.

 

[Steven 33]

Hey, thanks, Steve!

No. I am familiar with IA and ITCL. Not sure what you mean by "all jumbled up", but you know that you can sort by date, right?



I didn't find it because...

Catalog C-1 was published in 1947. Battery wrench No. 6481 is also included in C-2 (1950) and M-2 (1951). They apparently dropped it at some point. It does not appear in 57-S (1957) or any catalog after that.

If you were following the entire conversation about the WHITAKER battery wrench, it is very early production. It's pre-Zenel, with a 1930 date code, and no Bonney branding, only their B-Shield forge code. LS posted similar examples. All the other examples I could find here on GJ (Todd, BlueBomber) are the same. Sometimes not even a B-Shield or with it ground off. On top of that, they were listed as No. 2875 in every catalog between 1934 and 1943.

Putting two and two together to make five, I deduced that the very early pre-Zenel No. 6481 battery wrenches must have been made by Bonney Forge for external customers, not included in catalogs, then added to in-house production and their catalogs with a new, discrete P/N (2875) when they started making them in the Zenel style with Zenel steel.

Thanks to you looking much later than I did, with us now knowing that they appeared in late 1940's and early 1950's catalogs as P/N 6481, it means they clearly switched back to a P/N they had been using much earlier! Which is very odd.

Yeah maybe I jumped the gun on that one. Sorry. Middle of the night compulsive searching I guess. But here's what I mean about jumbled up. This isn't the worst, but I've noticed it's difficult to search things on some catalogs because they're in a weird format. Maybe you know how to work around that?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yeah maybe I jumped the gun on that one. Sorry. Middle of the night compulsive searching I guess.

No reason to apologize. Pointing out why I couldn't find them was relevant to their weird production timeline.

But here's what I mean about jumbled up. This isn't the worst, but I've noticed it's difficult to search things on some catalogs because they're in a weird format. Maybe you know how to work around that?

I have never seen Search results that look like that. I'm assuming it's not just a problem of being too vague in your search terms.

 

[Steven 33]

No reason to apologize. Pointing out why I couldn't find them was relevant to their weird production timeline.

I have never seen Search results that look like that. I'm assuming it's not just a problem of being too vague in your search terms.

I'm not sure exactly which ones are like that, but I've ran into that problem a few times. Some of the snap-on catalogs you can't search anything basically. It's all just random strings of numbers and letters

 

[d42jeep]

Found this battery wrench at the flea this morning. It's marked (forged-in) with what is apparently a factory model number ("6481") next to the B-shield logo on the shank.




As well as what appears to be the customer's branding ("WHITAKER SPECIAL") and what is probably a Whitaker part number ("S-1043") on the flip side.



"Whitaker" is doubtlessly a reference to the Whitaker Battery Supply Company, a major early all things batteries supplier with offices in Philly and KC, MO. Here's a full-page ad from 1930.



The date code appears to be GV (1930).



These wrenches have turned up here before.

BB found one back in 2016 (without mentioning the date code or any other markings)...

Which Todd ID'ed for him.

Adding the following comment.

LS found one back in 2019, posted here...

Note that neither BB or LS noted any Bonney branding or any other markings (customer, etc).

Here is mine which I may have posted previously. I seem to recall that Username dated it at 1945 but it was a while back. I don’t check this thread often as Bonney isn’t on my radar.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here is mine which I may have posted previously.

Thanks. It didn't come up in my canvassing of the thread, probably because you didn't use the terms "battery wrench," "S-1043," "6481" or "Whitaker" in your original post, Don. Your re-post will now come up in searches because you replied to my post, which uses all those terms, so we're good for yours being included for research purposes now.

I seem to recall that Username dated it at 1945 but it was a while back.

If so, he was making a whole 12-year ("L" - "Z") cycle mistake. It's a 1931 "W", not a 1945 "W".

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm not sure exactly which ones are like that, but I've ran into that problem a few times. Some of the snap-on catalogs you can't search anything basically. It's all just random strings of numbers and letters

This sounds like an issue with the type and method of scanning the original documents, not the IA Search function tool. But I never use IA/ITCL for Snap-on research. I use the catalog library on collectingsnapon.com. It's not as handy as it used to be, without the amazing P/N correlator, but it's still the most comprehensive one-stop site for Snap-on catalogs.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks. It didn't come up in my canvassing of the thread, probably because you didn't use the terms "battery wrench," "S-1043," "6481" or "Whitaker" in your original post, Don. Your re-post will now come up in searches because you replied to my post, which uses all those terms, so we're good for yours being included for research purposes now.

If so, he was making a whole 12-year ("L" - "Z") cycle mistake. It's a 1931 "W", not a 1945 "W".

I found it by doing a Whitaker search and it showed up in the “Old logo” thread as well as in a response to your Whitaker marked DOE wrench in the DOE thread.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ Aha. That makes sense. I only searched the Bonney thread. Well, it will come up in the Bonney thread now, too, by virtue your reply.

 

[LesserSon]

PDFs can be saved with searchable text or image only. Many times both are available, because the higher file size of the searchable files can be a bandwidth and storage issue for some.
(regarding Steven’s & Lugz’s convo about ITCL)

 

[LesserSon]

Another possible issue is the quality of the scanned text. OCR has trouble when the resolution is low or the original was not square and flat on the platen.

 

[RTM]

This isn't the worst, but I've noticed it's difficult to search things on some catalogs because they're in a weird format. Maybe you know how to work around that?

ETA This is bizarre, thought I posted this before 730 am, but maybe I didn't see all the prior posts on poor OCR.

This is usually a result of a bad OCR conversion. If you are searching Google and it takes you to an ITCL listing, it usually dumps you in the text version, which will often look like that. Then you can select PDF to get the pix of the tool.

OCR Optical Character Recognition, is looking at a scanned document, pictures and all, and trying to guess the words via an algorithm. Older texts from bad documents are hard, newer stuff generally easier. Some sites you can sign up to edit bad OCR conversions and fix them. The CDNC at UC Riverside is one such site.

California Digital Newspaper Collection

California Digital Newspaper Collection

cdnc.ucr.edu

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up this 1942 ("Phone home!" date code) Bonaloy 1146 (5/8") combo wrench at the flea this morning. Believe it or not, at well over 100+ Bonney tools, of all types, including all types of wrenches (DOE, DBE, tappet, ignition, obstruction, etc), it's my first one. While the Bonaloy names dates to prewar, it was only used on DBEs and Combos until after WWII, and I don't generally collect combination wrenches to begin with. The Willys MB jeep onboard toolkit (my entree into vintage hand tool collecting, two decades ago now!) wasn't issued any combo wrenches, neither was the GMTK, my first expansion from the jeep kits, and while my interests and aesthetics have further expanded, they've only gotten older, not newer. Maybe I've just overlooked or neglected them for those reasons, but they seem more uncommon to me, in my haunts, anyway. (EDIT: I know that UNAIU and LS have a bunch of them.)

 

[d42jeep]

I don’t usually pick up Bonney tools at estate sales but this spinner caught my eye and I bought it home. Someone may need it for a set so I would be happy to trade it for maybe a spinner of a brand I collect, possibly an amber S-K spinner or even Plomb.
-Don

 

[bonneyman]

Here is mine which I may have posted previously. I seem to recall that Username dated it at 1945 but it was a while back. I don’t check this thread often as Bonney isn’t on my radar.
-Don

Nice! I like this particularly like this older design of battery wrench. I think that this might actually work well in a vintage bicycle tool kit.

 

[LesserSon]

Picked up a Bonney May 1943 (EU) PWA1061 DOE and a RF73 packing gland nut socket yesterday, for half their original prices.

 

[3baygarage]

Nice pick up on the PWA, LS.

Do you recognize this one by chance? Haven’t gone digging yet.

Long 1-1/8” single ender, flat like a tappet. Maybe a special purpose wrench.

Looks like 1996,1995, possible 1998. Digits are so tiny!

Edit: No. 1936. Thank you LS!

 

[3baygarage]

Also grabbed on old CV socket and this rough little pouch. One is Zenel, and one Blackhawk stowaway in there. Of course, they need cleaning up. Was tempted by some vintage brake wrenches a different seller had, but couldn’t reach a deal.



The little H10 sure is cute.

 

[LesserSon]

Nice pick up on the PWA, LS.

Do you recognize this one by chance? Haven’t gone digging yet.

Long 1-1/8” single ender, flat like a tappet. Maybe a special purpose wrench.

Looks like 1996,1995, possible 1998. Digits are so tiny!

No1936 single end service wrench, for “assembling and service work on pinion shaft bearing adjusting nuts,” according to 1926 catalog.

 

[3baygarage]

1936!!! Thank you! They really went to some small stamps on this one.

 

[Fred Knox]

Just picked up this early Bonney 555 A standard nut 3/4" x 7/8" DoE wrench with Shield logo. Photo also includes a couple CV Chrome-Vanadium (1725A & E10) Bonney wrenches.

The third photo is of three deep CV Chrome Vanadium sockets - LD32T 1” (thin-wall), LD 36 1 1/8”, LD28T (thin-wall), and a standard T128 7/8”.

 

[mccachar]

Picked up this Bonney MB82 (right?) for $100 (full of tools) in Trappe, PA. Someone pointed out that given where it was bought and the "SMOKEY" stenciled on it it might be associated with Smokey Yunick. Anyone know the first year that the MB82 was available?

 

[LesserSon]

the first year that the MB82 was available?

The 1947 C-1 catalog does not show it; March 1 1948 price list does not include it. The 1950 C-2 and M-2 catalogs show it, but don’t promote it as “new.”
If there’s a 1949 catalog, it hasn’t shown up on ITCL yet.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up this Bonney MB82

Nice find!

Someone pointed out that given where it was bought and the "SMOKEY" stenciled on it it might be associated with Smokey Yunick.

Far be it from me as the purveyor of good toolbox and tool potential 'Origins' yarns to ruin one, but it's a stretch. While it's true that Trappe and Neshaminy Falls are both in southeastern PA, these and other locales throughout the entire eastern half of PA with an extremely high density of machine shops, garages, and other small industry were loaded with toolboxes and tools from Bonney, which was located in Allentown, "Smokey" is a fairly common nickname, and Smokey Yunick didn't live there after WWII. He settled down in Daytona Beach in 1946 and opened up Smokey's Best Damn Garage in Town in 1947.

(As famous as he was in NASCAR and race circles, when his name comes up in MVPA and other wartime collecting hobbies, it's usually associated with the unfortunate habit of liberally inflating his service exploits, including medals.)

 

[mccachar]

Nice find!

Far be it from me as the purveyor of good toolbox and tool potential 'Origins' yarns to ruin one, but it's a stretch. While it's true that Trappe and Neshaminy Falls are both in southeastern PA, these and other locales throughout the entire eastern half of PA with an extremely high density of machine shops, garages, and other small industry were loaded with toolboxes and tools from Bonney, which was located in Allentown, "Smokey" is a fairly common nickname, and Smokey Yunick didn't live there after WWII. He settled down in Daytona Beach in 1946 and opened up Smokey's Best Damn Garage in Town in 1947.

(As famous as he was in NASCAR and race circles, when his name comes up in MVPA and other wartime collecting hobbies, it's usually associated with the unfortunate habit of liberally inflating his service exploits, including medals.)

"Smokey Yunick didn't live there after WWII. He settled down in Daytona Beach in 1946 and opened up Smokey's Best Damn Garage in Town in 1947."
Yeah, hence my interest in when that box would have been available. Didn't seem like a stretch that he would have gotten out of the service and immediately bought a toolbox to make some money while working on his move to Daytona and the stenciling of the name is very military, but it doesn't look like that was possible.

"when his name comes up in MVPA and other wartime collecting hobbies, it's usually associated with the unfortunate habit of liberally inflating his service exploits, including medals."
Read about that, too. Most sources are very . . . kind with their phrasing on the subject.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Most sources are very . . . kind with their phrasing on the subject.

Well put. With good reason - as I hope I tried to be. While my pop and my uncles were the more typical opposite - extremely tight-lipped, restrained, and understated about their WWII experiences, he was a veteran and it's not my place to judge any of them, not even the embellishers. By all accounts he seems to have lived it down, which is as much as I can hope for myself and my own transgressions.

 

[Gebirgekind]

I cross posted this in the vintage toolbox and Utica threads, but thought it would help to land here too - a nice Utica/Bonney roller in decent shape. Anyone know who actually made these and about this era?

 

[Mintgrun]

I plucked this tiny Bonney E40 DBE out of a wrench bin on Saturday. The store's two bins are too deep to thoroughly dig through without a third bin to move tools into. It's tempting to do that next time to see if there are any more tiny wrenches at the bottom.





I found it in the 1941 catalog and it appears to be the smallest size they offered of the four EXTRA-SMALL BOX WRENCHES; 3/16" x 13/64". The date code is EY. The set in the catalog is chrome plated, but this one appears to be cadmium.

Here's link to the catalog page on the IA site.

Bonney Tools : Catalog No. 41 : Bonney Forge & Tool Works : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

104 p., illus., 27.0 cm trade catalog

archive.org

They also came in a set of four with a cool little leatherette pouch.

Bonney Tools : Catalog No. 41 : Bonney Forge & Tool Works : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

104 p., illus., 27.0 cm trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Beerhippie]

3/16" x 13/64"

Damn! And just the other day, I was wishing I had a 13/64"... oh, wait, no I wasn't.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I plucked this tiny Bonney E40 DBE out of a wrench bin on Saturday...[ ]...It appears to be the smallest size they offered of the four EXTRA-SMALL BOX WRENCHES; 3/16" x 13/64"

Nice find. I'll check my orphans when I get back home.

They also came in a set of four with a cool little leatherette pouch.

They also put them in their large ES boxed kits. My prewar version here...

Spreading the Bonney affliction!

The "7 hours remaining on that Exorbitantly Expensive Extra Small ES5 set on evilBay and trying to talk myself out of bidding..." photo. :lol: So...2 bidders...anyone have a gloat to share?

www.garagejournal.com

just the other day, I was wishing I had a 13/64"... oh, wait, no I wasn't.

That and 15/64" (as well as the 32nds) were very common openings for ignition/electrical system wrenches in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Bonney paired them very oddly on these sets, though, and they are less common on DBEs than DOEs.

 

[LesserSon]

I plucked this tiny Bonney E40 DBE out of a wrench bin on Saturday. The store's two bins are too deep to thoroughly dig through without a third bin to move tools into. It's tempting to do that next time to see if there are any more tiny wrenches at the bottom.





I found it in the 1941 catalog and it appears to be the smallest size they offered of the four EXTRA-SMALL BOX WRENCHES; 3/16" x 13/64". The date code is EY. The set in the catalog is chrome plated, but this one appears to be cadmium.

Here's link to the catalog page on the IA site.

Bonney Tools : Catalog No. 41 : Bonney Forge & Tool Works : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

104 p., illus., 27.0 cm trade catalog

archive.org

They also came in a set of four with a cool little leatherette pouch.

Bonney Tools : Catalog No. 41 : Bonney Forge & Tool Works : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

104 p., illus., 27.0 cm trade catalog

archive.org

Wow! Great find. I agree, the smallest wrenches are often the hardest to find. I’m not sure whether I just overlook them, or whether they are actually scarce.
I’ve been slowly building two sets of the early E4x DBEs to display both sides.

My two sets have no E40s (just a single later-era placeholder) and only one E44 (w another later-era placeholder). Similar issue with Zenel E18 and E20 DOEs.

 

[Mintgrun]

That and 15/64" (as well as the 32nds) were very common openings for ignition/electrical system wrenches in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Bonney paired them very oddly on these sets, though, and they are less common on DBEs than DOEs.

Here it is with my tiniest DOE, an H-9 Armstrong 15/64" x 13/64".

They also put them in their large ES boxed kits. My prewar version here...

That set is amazing. The scale is deceiving, because the little DBEs look bigger than this tiny little guy; but I'm sure you know what you've got there!

My two sets have no E40s (just a single later-era placeholder) and only one E44 (w another later-era placeholder).

Based on the raised lettering on your examples, I'm guessing mine is also later-era, am I right? Do you suppose the EY date code refers to May, 1947?

I like digging to the bottom of the wrench bins, because it's fun to find little surprises and prices are usually based on size. In this case, he said "you can have that one." As if I was silly for wanting it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That set is amazing.

Thanks. I don't splurge too often, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis Bonney.

The scale is deceiving, because the little DBEs look bigger than this tiny little guy; but I'm sure you know what you've got there!

If you use the same link and keep scrolling I unpack the box and post more photos of all the tools, including the E40 thru E46 (1935 "M" codes), and cat cuts.

Do you suppose the EY date code refers to May, 1947?

Yes. As you intuited, Tom, the way to distinguish which 14-year M-Y cycle a tool is from is the construction and marking features, including branding (logos, which come into play on DOE wrenches, sockets, etc), forged-in vs. stamped, and also MADE IN U.S.A. vs just U.S.A..

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was elated to find a Bonney 29F ("F" for Ford) wrench at the flea market this morning. Vying for favorite find of the day among a few other interesting finds, it's my third (of five) wrenches in the Ford Owners' Wrench Set No. 9, shown below with the others. (I found the 33F in 2023, linked here, and the 25F in 2024, linked here. I must have taken a year off in 2025. ) Two more to go. (I have a couple extras of the 100F hanging on my Bonney board).

 

[ararat]

I was elated to find a Bonney 29F ("F" for Ford) wrench at the flea market this morning. Vying for favorite find of the day among a few other interesting finds, it's my third (of five) wrenches in the Ford Owners' Wrench Set No. 9, shown below with the others. (I found the 33F in 2023, linked here, and the 25F in 2024, linked here. I must have taken a year off in 2025. ) Two more to go. (I have a couple extras of the 100F hanging on my Bonney board).

There's a 27F on ebay. Not mine, I have a saved search for Bonney and it popped up. Not a great price. https://ebay.us/m/WTdizN

 

[Private Lugnutz]

There's a 27F on ebay.

As much as I'd like to complete the set one day, I get more fun and a greater sense of satisfaction from the looking and the finding in the wild than the actual having. I have splurged at times on eBay, but usually when I'm desperate, or tips me off to something truly rare and magnificent. I appreciate the tip, though.

 

[3baygarage]

Lugz I like that set you’re building. I just pulled these out of hiding. Had found them as a pair and hoped there were more, but no. The logos really make them.

550AS, 553AS

 

[LesserSon]

Nice! Those two are pre-1921; later production had forged-in date codes. That’s 1/3 of a No32 set!

They are very similar to textile machine wrenches.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugz I like that set you’re building.

Thanks. I didn't say it this time around, but I should note that LS has collected a set+ of the No. 9, and OTG has one-fell-swooped a complete No. 9 set, IIRC, with matching finish. Hard to miss the attractive reinforced jaws when they're in a jumble at the bottom of a box.

I just pulled these out of hiding. Had found them as a pair and hoped there were more, but no.

Nice! I see that LS already hooked you up on the set number. I may have an orphan or two - I'll check.

The odd 22-1/2* angle (as he noted, same as loom wrenches), compared to the typical 15* we see on engineers' wrenches, is part of the attraction, especially on wrenches with large milled openings.

The logos really make them.

Agreed. The so-called 'Princeton shield' logos typified a very stylish era in the entire industry and Bonney really leaned into it with flair. I have a lot of examples hanging on my Bonney board and inside my C.E. Jennings Bonney-badged wooden chest.

But I am bemused by the application on those two particular wrenches. It almost seems like they were switched at birth. If they were merely stamped with the same size die it wouldn't be so hard to understand, but they quite literally used a larger logo die on the smaller wrench, and a smaller logo die on the larger wrench! When what we normally see - and not just with Bonney, but across the industry - is the opposite.

Here is some crude "CAD" with 1 inch rule gridlines to demonstrate what I mean.



And here is me simply reversing them on a crude virtual production line.

 

[Shelbylex]

I looked at it, forgot about it and was not available when it sold. It sold for $152 (with shipping) I wonder if it went to somebody on GJ...

Decided to add it to the thread for the future records...