Spreading the Bonney affliction!

[twertsy]

I have been collecting Bonney for a while.
Started at the flea market, $1 sockets, $2-3 wrenches a long time ago.
The quality is unmatched, the shape and feel of the wrenches
Quality that is only from the USA.
Sad they're gone, but we collect and remember.

Dang! Local competition! I'm actually sitting in Reston right now

Nice score twertsy, Be cool if someone on here had a printing press to run them.

Yes it would! I may try one by hand if I can find the correct ink to try it with.

Any ideas on how to best display these? Since I have 19 I guess I can try out a bunch of options. I was thinking about a large shadow box with a plate, a print of the page itself, surrounded by the tools listed on the page?

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Twertsy that's cool as hell!

 

[GForceJunky]

What would you guys think this set of 8 wrenches (1", 1-1/16", 1-3/16", 1-7/16", 1-1/12", 1-15/16" , 2", 2-1/4") is worth. Supposedly made around 1925:

 

[twertsy]

What would you guys think this set of 8 wrenches (1", 1-1/16", 1-3/16", 1-7/16", 1-1/12", 1-15/16" , 2", 2-1/4") is worth. Supposedly made around 1925:

Nope, after 1933. Check down by the round end of the handle......should be a 2 letter date code.

 

[LesserSon]

Twertsy:
Congratulations on that fantastic purchase. If you have the space and inclination, you might try displaying some portion of the group more 3D than flat: a mirror mounted at 90degrees to the surface of the plates would let you read the plates by reversing the image. Mounting the plate above would reduce dust accumulation, the mirror would be a lot easier to wipe off.

 

[LesserSon]

GForceJunky:

Nope, after 1933.

Because there's neither an embedded shield in the logo, nor a B-shield elsewhere. There may be room for a little doubt, because the one image is out of focus and the closeup is cropped. Are they marked CV, are they fractional across flats?

The two letter code tells you month and year once you establish the era from other design elements like the logo style, material, "Made in USA" (pre1947) versus "USA" (post1947), etc.
The letter code is a 14-year cycle, and many Bonney tools had longer runs than 14 years.
Twertsy has a chart with detailed design descriptions here:
http://toolarchives.com/node/230
And Alloy Artifacts has another here:
http://alloy-artifacts.org/bonney-forge-tool.html
(Scroll down to Table 3. Bonney Year Codes for 1921 Baseline Year.)
As far as value, it's whatever you're willing to pay. If I wanted them, I would offer $6 and pay $10 for the set. If I REALLY wanted them, $15.

 

[GForceJunky]

Thanks for the info!

This is what I got back from the seller:

On the 8 wrench, the 3 largest cannot be read.
On the two smallest I can read---(E.? and underneith E.1) same on both.
the 3 other has
E.U
J.U
D.U

Looks like 1929 for at least some of them based on the website you link.

The seller wants $30 CAD (for the set of 8) and they're not local so add another $15 or so for shipping. I like them but I definitely don't need them so based on what you guys have said I don't think it's worth the $45 CAD. I could probably better put that towards some new tools...

 

[twertsy]

It appears they have a mix of dates. Looks lie some have the shield and some do not.

 

[twertsy]

Found these in my shop today. Specialty transmission tools, circa 1965 for automatic trannys.

 

[bonneyman]

Cool tools, Todd.

 

[LesserSon]

Today. All from a box at a multivendor indoor garage sale (it's snowing here today). Seemed a little odd to me that after picking through two coffin-sized wood boxes full of mixed tools including twenty or more 1/2sqdr sockets the only Bonney were three 7/8 double-squares. Two were plated and the third, knurled slightly different, was plain steel.
All the rest were New Britain era Craftsman with one ratchet missing parts. I've been avoiding buying Craftsman in that situation, because every seller recognizes the name and expects higher prices, while practically giving away top quality brands they don't recognize. In this case, however, the kid knew his merchandise, so I wound up paying about as much as I was willing.

 

[LesserSon]

Maybe this is helpful for spotting them in the field? A Husky and a Snap-on for comparison.

 

[LesserSon]

I had one of these in my hands today, complete with leatherette roll pouch. Vendor said it had been his dad's. Used and oxidized, pouch darkened with some cracking. The color of the plaid patch surprised me - I had assumed it would be kind of burnt orange, like the labels you sometimes see. It was gray/black as far as I could tell. The panels of the apparently unplated wrenches were not marked with "Zenel," so I guess some other steel. I didn't inspect the date codes, and I should have. This is the style of all Zenel DOE wrenches, but this image is from the 1946 catalog, where it is described Bonaloy. Same illustration used previously for Zenel. Priced $20; he wouldn't take less than $18. That's about twice what I was willing to pay. I have one H12 marked "Zenel," so I know they're out there. Probably never see a complete set in the pouch again, though.

 

[Username already in use]

Probably never see a complete set in the pouch again, though.

Those pouches are near impossible to find in any kind of decent shape. So much so that the pouch is probably worth as much, if not more, than the wrenches.

I found this old BONNEY DOE at the flea today. Sizes are 15/16" and 1-1/8". Started to clean off what I thought was a bunch of hardened grease, but that turned out to be cosmoline. This wrench is new/unused. Date code is L:O
Full size image HERE.

-0lllll0-

 

[bonneyman]

I have been collecting Bonney for a while.
Started at the flea market, $1 sockets, $2-3 wrenches a long time ago.
The quality is unmatched, the shape and feel of the wrenches
Quality that is only from the USA.
Sad they're gone, but we collect and remember.

 

[930dreamer]

I found these this week, one still has a label.

 

[LesserSon]

Those pouches are near impossible to find in any kind of decent shape. So much so that the pouch is probably worth as much, if not more, than the wrenches.

I found this old BONNEY DOE at the flea today. Sizes are 15/16" and 1-1/8". Started to clean off what I thought was a bunch of hardened grease, but that turned out to be cosmoline. This wrench is new/unused. Date code is L:O
Full size image HERE.

-0lllll0-

So, 1951, then? NOS in cosmoline. Nice. First Streamline I've seen without chrome.
As for the worth of the pouch I saw Saturday, every transaction is discrete. My buying philosophy is, what someone else (who apparently wasn't present, because I took a last look at it before leaving four hours later) would pay or did pay does not force me to pay the same or more. Yes, I wanted it, but I had a finite amount of cash for the day, and other things to spend it on. If it was immaculate condition, or had had Zenel wrenches instead of unspecified alloy ones, I would have paid the asking price. I can be pretty avaricious, but in this case, I choose to savour the experience of handling the pouch, and passed up the opportunity of owning it. From the seller's claim that it was his father's I didn't feel it needed immediate rescue from the oblivion of a landfill.

 

[bonneyman]

Made a on-line purchase over the weekend: a pair of 3/8" drive Bonney rats. And one is a flex head!

Very hard to get - my first one in the later Triangle Tools style. Pics when they arrive.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

eagerly awaiting pics

 

[humber2]

I had one of these in my hands today, complete with leatherette roll pouch. Vendor said it had been his dad's. Used and oxidized, pouch darkened with some cracking. The color of the plaid patch surprised me - I had assumed it would be kind of burnt orange, like the labels you sometimes see. It was gray/black as far as I could tell. The panels of the apparently unplated wrenches were not marked with "Zenel," so I guess some other steel. I didn't inspect the date codes, and I should have. This is the style of all Zenel DOE wrenches, but this image is from the 1946 catalog, where it is described Bonaloy. Same illustration used previously for Zenel. Priced $20; he wouldn't take less than $18. That's about twice what I was willing to pay. I have one H12 marked "Zenel," so I know they're out there. Probably never see a complete set in the pouch again, though.

The pouch and contents can predate Zenel .

While the Zenel trademark issue date is October 3 1933 the tools were announced in Jan 1932 in a color ad stating Zenel Trademark Registered U.S.Patent Office.
"Now available:
Bonney Zenel Engineers Wrenches with openings from 5/16" to 1 1/16"
Bonney Zenel Tappet Wrenches with openings from 7/16" to 1"
Buy them from your jobber."

I don't know wherein the ad appeared, I did a print of it when it was on obey some years ago.

Has anyone got Zenel tools with the 1931 date code W?

 

[twertsy]

The pouch and contents can predate Zenel .

While the Zenel trademark issue date is October 3 1933 the tools were announced in Jan 1932 in a color ad stating Zenel Trademark Registered U.S.Patent Office.
"Now available:
Bonney Zenel Engineers Wrenches with openings from 5/16" to 1 1/16"
Bonney Zenel Tappet Wrenches with openings from 7/16" to 1"
Buy them from your jobber."

I don't know wherein the ad appeared, I did a print of it when it was on obey some years ago.

Has anyone got Zenel tools with the 1931 date code W?

The trademark states a first use date of August 31, 1932. This "1931" ad is the earliest advertisement I can find (maybe) for Zenel wrenches. The problem is that you cannot always trust the Google date because they often combine multiple issues in a single listing that could cover a fairly long time period.

 

[MarineScott]

My "go to" side cutters I use every day, and had since 1979. I grab these before I use my Knipex.

 

[LesserSon]

The pouch and contents can predate Zenel .

The pouch may have been available before Zenel, but I think the distinctive depressed-panel on the wrenches was introduced with Zenel. It seems to me that the same panel design was retained for non-specified alloy and possibly some Bonaloy tools after Zenel was phased out. I REALLY shoukd have looked closely at the date codes!

Has anyone got Zenel tools with the 1931 date code W?

I seriously doubt it. I have three DOE Zenel wrenches with a W code (1LW & 2KWs) but all have the plain Bonney logo Made in USA. Those are 1945. What you're describing would require an embedded-shield logo, right? Come to think of it, how do we distinguish between 1932X and 1946X? Shouldn't 1932 also have the embedded-shield?

 

[LesserSon]

This (on a CV wrench)

 

[LesserSon]

Instead of this. ALL of my Zenel wrenches have this plain Bonney logo. 75% have Made in USA, while 25% have the later USA.
Does anyone have any Zenel with an embedded-shield logo?

 

[twertsy]

The pouch may have been available before Zenel, but I think the distinctive depressed-panel on the wrenches was introduced with Zenel. It seems to me that the same panel design was retained for non-specified alloy and possibly some Bonaloy tools after Zenel was phased out. I REALLY shoukd have looked closely at the date codes!

I seriously doubt it. I have three DOE Zenel wrenches with a W code (1LW & 2KWs) but all have the plain Bonney logo Made in USA. Those are 1945. What you're describing would require an embedded-shield logo, right? Come to think of it, how do we distinguish between 1932X and 1946X? Shouldn't 1932 also have the embedded-shield?

Here you go: http://toolarchives.com/node/230

 

[twertsy]

Original Bonney warranty return mailing pouch

 

[bonneyman]

eagerly awaiting pics

Here they are. The lot, and the two ratchets by themselves. Other than an owners mark, the flex ratchet is almost pristine!

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Very nice, I really like the look of those ratchets. How do they compare to a New Britain round head?

 

[bonneyman]

Very nice, I really like the look of those ratchets. How do they compare to a New Britain round head?

The NB ratchets are much smaller head and finer mechanism. The Bonney's use a dual pawl setup similar to the old Craftsman RHFT, though much beefier. The use of dual pawls allows the actual 36 tooth head to ratchet like a 72 tooth unit. But the springs are pretty stiff on the Bonney - 72 doesn't feel as smooth as it sounds.

I snagged this because it's a Bonney I didn't have. Probably won't use it - my SK's and Thorsen's are just too familiar to put aside.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up a rare Bonney tool at the “Early Bird” and I thought I would share it with the rest of the Bonney-afflicted on GJ…

Fourth tool down in this shot…

It’s a pair of Bonney 2680 brake spring pliers. These had Federal Stock Number 41-P-1579 during WWII and were used in several different Ordnance Dept tool-sets, at 2nd, 3rd, and 4th echelon maintenance depots.

Here’s more…

 

[twertsy]

Picked up a rare Bonney tool at the “Early Bird” and I thought I would share it with the rest of the Bonney-afflicted on GJ…

Fourth tool down in this shot…

It’s a pair of Bonney 2680 brake spring pliers. These had Federal Stock Number 41-P-1579 during WWII and were used in several different Ordnance Dept tool-sets, at 2nd, 3rd, and 4th echelon maintenance depots.

Here’s more…

Nice! I've been lucky enough to find 2 so far.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hmm, well, I obviously should've said, "rare (in my experience)"!

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Picked these up at the flea market, 3 Bonney nut drivers. I kinda wish they all had the sizes on them, but they are cool enough to get a pass on that.

 

[bonneyman]

Nice tools Lug and Sam.

Yeah, I have one of the 2680 brake tools as well. Now if I only knew how to use it.

 

[Lobo74]

Hi, can anyone tell me anything about this Bonney ratchet I picked up at a flea market this past weekend. Seems to be in pretty good condition and good working order. I plan on using it.

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[bonneyman]

Picked up a 3/8" flex Bonney rat last week, so decided to take a current family pi. Includes my 3/8" gear in 1/4" body.

 

[bonneyman]

Hi, can anyone tell me anything about this Bonney ratchet I picked up at a flea market this past weekend. Seems to be in pretty good condition and good working order. I plan on using it.

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Don't know much about that ratchet style. You can give Twertsy a PM - he's become the resident Bonney ratchet expert.

 

[Parabellum]

When was the Bonney B-21 lock ring pliers made?

 

[four.cycle]

I kinda wish they all had the sizes on them

I'm guessing that the CH14 is a 7/16", right?

if so: 14/32 = 7/16"