Spreading the Bonney affliction!

[Mikeske]

What really surprised me was after I discovered this site in the last few days was the fact that anyone would even know about Bonney tools outside the aviation fields and to have over 700 posting about the tools.

 

[bonneyman]

What really surprised me was after I discovered this site in the last few days was the fact that anyone would even know about Bonney tools outside the aviation fields and to have over 700 posting about the tools.

That's probably one of the reasons why they went under - nobody knew about them in the real world. Heck, most dealers still don't. I regularly inquire at tool places with people behind the counter who have done tools "all their life", and have never heard of Bonney. One guy even asked me to spell the name - I knew he didn't have any in his warehouse.
I only know about them because in 1981 when I was starting out as a car mechanic the truck guy came by and said he had a tool that was as good as Snap-On but not as expensive. Bought my two sets of combo wrenches and paid them off a little each paycheck. Never really thought about it until the early 2000's when I lost a wrench and went to replace it (I don't like incomplete sets). That's when I found out Bonney was out of business, and my quest began.
I have too many stories to tell of how coworkers would round off a fastener using whatever brand they had and were about to Vise-Grip it or torch it off, only to have me come behind them and get it off lickety split with a Bonney. Made alot of Bonney fans that way.

 

[Mikeske]

I have used Bonney for a long time and never thought much about them as they went under and so if I lost a Bonney tool I simply replaced it with whatever I could find that would work. Once my employer started to provide the tools we needed I simply took what remained of my sets back home. I now know I would of been more diligent in keeping them but in the production environment that I worked time spent searching mean't lost productivity.

Boeing is still using SAE in the production of aircraft I am still searching for the rest of my metric sets that I put somewhere, but having 2 large garages and multitude of places the metric sets could be hiding anywhere.

After the toolbox came home I continued to use the tools as a homeowner and repair lawn and garden, tractors a John Deere 2305, Kubota GR2120 and a old Kubota gray market L1801 DT I have since sold(my second bad affection) and our vehicles including my 1966 ford Falcon. Almost everything used SAE and if it had metric I had a Craftsman set I used.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: i've been throwing my Bonney in a drawer and not really paid too much attention to them until i just picked up a few wrenches and sockets. they are pretty decent quality to say the least.

they look a lot like my Williams so before i read 700+ posts anybody want to tell me if both Williams and Bonney were made by same factory and who was that?

i've heard on the garage sale thread my shield B wrenches are 50's to 60's versions. Yes??

also the sockets in the drawer on the left just below the screwdrivers are also Bonney.

thanks in advance

 

[LesserSon]

Drives, your wrenches are Bonney's "Bon-E-Con" line, which I would equate with Snap-on's "Par-X" line: high quality tools made to compete at a lower price point than their regular lines.
Bonneyman, I can't believe you said that! As you well know, Bonney did NOT go under. It continues in the forging business on a multinational level. It is more accurate to say it ceased producing tools. We should recall that tools were not its original product line. Business at the end of the 20th century was about buying companies, splitting them up and selling off the divisions. Actually, that's ALWAYS been business.

 

[Mikeske]

Well today I located a few more of my missing Bonney collection. Digging through a old box I found my 1/2" breaker bar, my 3/8 speed handle, and my 13/16ths deep well 1/2" soclket. I forgot to get pictures but they are now in the old Bonney toolbox. I have been separating all the old Bonney collection and the hunt continues. I did find something interesting later on and I attached a picture of the item. Anyone guess what brass triangle things are.....

 

[bonneyman]

I've got a 1/4" and 3/8" breaker - I need to get a 1/2" for my big set.

 

[Mikeske]

I've got a 1/4" and 3/8" breaker - I need to get a 1/2" for my big set.

I am missing the 3/8ths breaker bar. It has been missing for over 20 years so eBay is a friend in this case. On the tubing wrenches I located a 1/2 tubing wrench on eBay and it will be in next week to complete that set. I am also on the look out for a 3/4" breaker bar. Mine was pilfered by a 5 finger mechanic at my former employer.

 

[Mikeske]

Weekend haul hitting a old tool place near my home found the 2 sockets. Also found a older Craftsman 1/2 drive with lever had to have that also. The 7/8ths socket is a 3/8ths drive

 

[Bill Ramsey]

Found these Streamline long pattern combination wrenches at a local estate sale yesterday, 3/8 through 3/4. Three have date code L:M and four have A:N. Credit to Twertsy's date code page, I read that to be Dec 1949 and Jan 1950, respectively. That makes me think they originally sold together in a set. I'm interested in what others would think of that conclusion.

 

[twertsy]

Found these Streamline long pattern combination wrenches at a local estate sale yesterday, 3/8 through 3/4. Three have date code L:M and four have A:N. Credit to Twertsy's date code page, I read that to be Dec 1949 and Jan 1950, respectively. That makes me think they originally sold together in a set. I'm interested in what others would think of that conclusion.

I agree wholeheartedly. Awesome score!

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[Private Lugnutz]

What really surprised me was after I discovered this site in the last few days was the fact that anyone would even know about Bonney tools outside the aviation fields and to have over 700 posting about the tools.

I think I've shared this before, but perhaps not this thread. Most collectors know that Bonney Tool and Forge sold tools to several of the major aviation outfits during WWII. They also sold tools to the US Army Ordnance Dept during the war. In terms of volume, they were not very large ($303K). What's interesting though, is that they were second only to Snap-On in the number and variety of instances one of their tools was used as a specification in lieu of a government specification in these Ordnance Dept's catalogs.

So even thought they didn't have many contracts (on record, anyway), they were clearly considered an industry leader by the US Army Ordnance Dept as well. And just for a little more sense of comparative scale, scope, grandeur and maybe some salt-wound-rubbing, Plomb was third.

 

[LesserSon]

Found these Streamline long pattern combination wrenches at a local estate sale yesterday, 3/8 through 3/4. Three have date code L:M and four have A:N. Credit to Twertsy's date code page, I read that to be Dec 1949 and Jan 1950, respectively. That makes me think they originally sold together in a set. I'm interested in what others would think of that conclusion.

They are beautiful, first-generation Steamlined. I think they were made here in Allentown, before the Miller purchase or the Alliance, Ohio, plant. If the date codes are as accurate as we'd like them to be, Fred S Durham had died just a few months earlier, following a heart attack. His elder brother, Joseph "Ned" Durham Jr, would be running the company for just a few more years until his death, making your wrenches kind of historically interesting in a last-days-of-Bonney-as-a-family-business way. (Actually, I don't know if JEDjr died before or after the sale to Miller, maybe someone else does.)
In addition to the date codes, the textured finish and sharp edges of the shanks show they were made with a uniformity of technique. Other examples can show smoother finishes and chamfered or rounded edges, possibly anticipating the "full polish" style that followed.
Congrats on a dandy, early set.

 

[LesserSon]

Bonney Tool and Forge...second only to Snap-On in the number and variety of instances one of their tools was used as a specification in lieu of a government specification in these Ordnance Dept's catalogs... they were clearly considered an industry leader by the US Army Ordnance Dept as well...Plomb was third.

To piggyback on this, Bonney was in the top 5% for quality of all WWII suppliers, and earned that distinction earlier than many.
In October 1942, workers at the Allentown plant were awarded the Army-Navy Production Award or "E" pin, which had just been created in July to supersede awards from the separate armed forces. Among the recipients, the president of Local 592 International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop Forgers, and Helpers: William Ramer.
There is a captioned photo of him receiving the pin from Lt Cdr John R Craig, USN, and Maj H R Battley, USAAF, with Fred S Durham looking on, in a local history I was skimming a couple weeks ago. Only 4283 of over 85000 contactors were recognized in this way.

 

[LesserSon]

Today's Bonney finds: 2812B (1-1/16x1-1/4) DBE, Bonaloy date code EU(May1943) 2809 (7/8x15/16) DBE, 1731 JP(Oct1924) DOE, 1028S GO(Sep1923) DOE, 3729 PWA1114 black oxide BV(Feb1944) DOE.
Passed up two 1034 and one pre-date-codes 26 DOEs today. One of the 1034 was marked "made in usa" but not Bonaloy. The date codes were unreadable, but I think it was WWII-era. The other was Bonaloy USA. I should have bought one of them as a space-holder for the Zenel 3034 I haven't found yet. Ah well, maybe get another chance at them next weekend. Who can say?

 

[bonneyman]

Dang, that "scooped" look on the DBE's is nice. Especially on the larger chromed wrench - looks real classy.

 

[Username already in use]

Not much for Bonney at the flea this weekend, but I did manage a couple of 3/8" drive deep CV sockets.

 

[LesserSon]

What series (part#s) are they?

 

[Username already in use]

Numbers are LT26 and LT28. Apparently, that's the only size I'm allowed to find... I have the same sizes in a later series...

 

[dutchgray]

One for the collectors
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bon...803675?hash=item2cbe73889b:g:iRUAAOSwCQZZBjeA
Gold plated flex ratchet and plug socket, $29.99 plus ship BIN
I would already have bought it if the international shipping was reasonable and I didn't already have one.

 

[LesserSon]

Numbers are LT26 and LT28. Apparently, that's the only size I'm allowed to find... I have the same sizes in a later series...

Well, find some more - they're beautiful! Found them in the 1946 catalog. Thought they would be earler, but I didn't see them in the 1941 or earler cats.

 

[LesserSon]

Dutchgray, I think it's interesting the special award tools don't seem to command any premium over regular versions on eBay. Does that seem to be the case, or am I imagining it?

 

[Mikeske]

Pick this set up last week from eBay. $34.50 not a bad price and it does duplicate some of the 3/8th socket I already have but now I have back ups

 

[Mikeske]

Dutchgray, I think it's interesting the special award tools don't seem to command any premium over regular versions on eBay. Does that seem to be the case, or am I imagining it?

The gold plated ratchets sets were award by Chysler to mechanics for being master mechanics. I was awarded a set years ago that were ripped off by a moving company employee when I moved from Las Vegas to the Seattle area in 1988.

 

[dutchgray]

Dutchgray, I think it's interesting the special award tools don't seem to command any premium over regular versions on eBay. Does that seem to be the case, or am I imagining it?

There doesn't seem to be much of a price difference, i just thought it was a pretty good ebay price on one of those flex heads, the other thing is the gold plated stuff is often not been used.

 

[Username already in use]

Well, find some more - they're beautiful! Found them in the 1946 catalog. Thought they would be earler, but I didn't see them in the 1941 or earler cats.

Thanks for chasing them down for me. I try to pick up all the Bonney I can find!
Today was a good day for sockets.
one 1/4in drive, some 3/8in drive and some 1/2in drive.

 

[dutchgray]

Like that Bonney ring crowfoot, pretty much like my set of Britool ones
View media item 52384Im only missing a couple now, Whitworth and inch sizes.
I will have to look out for those, not that its likely to find any.

 

[LesserSon]

Bonney of the day: 1/4dr V25 ratchet, CV doe from June 1927, and a pre-1921 doe with a ddouble-sstamped 25.
My impression of the ratchet - I don't know how they sold any of these. The direction switch is round and very low-profile, so it's only a guess if you're turning at all, much less in the right direction. I had it apart, but didn't go so far as the spring/ball bearing, which is pretty rough. Not sure how the direction switch comes out of the rocker/pawl - maybe it doesn't.
Edit - haha, joke's on me: I put the drive end in backwards. Doesn't change my opinion, though. The selector switch is still too ambiguous.

 

[twertsy]

Bonney of the day: 1/4dr V25 ratchet, CV doe from June 1927, and a pre-1921 doe with a ddouble sstamped 25.

Nice finds there. 1/4" rat is a rare one.

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[LesserSon]

Thanks, Twertsy.
As I was posting those garage-sale finds, the great USPS delivered an eBay 1" Streamlined combo. It is one of the later ones, with rounded edges and a polished finish, no date codes. The open end is a little shallow and sloppily ground compared to older examples, but the chrome is good.
Here it is posed with first-generation Bonaloy and LocRite relatives.

 

[LesserSon]

So here's the V25 as it should be. I spy it in the 1941 catalog. This one has a plain steel finish with maybe a trace of cad plating, so maybe WWII-era.
20 teeth. 4-1/2" long and quite gracile compared to Proto, SK, etc. Definitely intended for tight workspaces. Oil port.

 

[LesserSon]

Today at the Qtown flea mkt I spotted several Bonney items: a Zenel DBE with one box broken, a ginormous Bonaloy 1176 combo, a 1/2dr A37 socket, and some Bshield CV DOES. The 1176 was 2nd generation, so kind of boring, but I probably should have at least asked a price for the socket, and bought the Bshield 1731A.
Instead I pounced on today's acquisition: CP2 Phillips no2 screwdriver, obscured by grease and under that, blue paint.
This style made its debut on p67 of the 1938 catalog. Because the same illustrations persist in catalogs for years after the actual tools are altered, it's not clear when these handles were replaced with the ones where the ribs (reeds?) are only present on alternate flutes (facets?), but that style seems to be illustrated around 1951. As I have pointed out before, except for cosmetic branding differences, contemporary Stanley screwdrivers in wood and composition (Hurwood and Stanloid, respectively) handles are identical. The 1934 Stanley catalog provides a nice cutaway diagram of their construction.

2nd pic: all clean and laid next to a no003.

 

[Username already in use]

Couple of nice looking drivers!

As I have pointed out before, except for cosmetic branding differences, contemporary Stanley screwdrivers in wood and composition (Hurwood and Stanloid, respectively) handles are identical.

Apparently, Stanley was making drivers for other brands as well. I found this screwdriver at the flea some time ago. Picked it up thinking it was either going to be a Stanley or a Bonney, but much to my surprise... BARCALO
This driver has been highly modified, but you can tell it was the same make.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Picked up this 1/2" x 9/16" DBE today. I realized I have a little collection of them, all just a little different.

 

[Username already in use]

Nice collection of little offsets, Sam.

Not many vendors at the flea today, but I ended up digging through a few 5gal. buckets of sockets. Came away with a few Bonney.

 

[bonneyman]

So here's the V25 as it should be. I spy it in the 1941 catalog. This one has a plain steel finish with maybe a trace of cad plating, so maybe WWII-era.
20 teeth. 4-1/2" long and quite gracile compared to Proto, SK, etc. Definitely intended for tight workspaces. Oil port.

If that rat were mine lesser I'd find an aluminum plug or rivet that I could mash into the oil hole and then drill a tiny hole in it. That way I could add lube but the majority of dirt would be kept out. if it got too dirty it'd be easy to drill out the plug. I did it to an old Craftsman MDF pear head and it works like a charm.

 

[bonneyman]

Love that 1" extension, username. Seems like they did alot of machining work on that small piece.

 

[paulm12]

one small contribution to the Bonney forum today. An older (I think) C34 center punch. I forgot I had it, and found it today going through some drill bits.

.

 

[Mikeske]

There is something I noticed about Bonney full polished wrenches that I really like. They are thin for the most part but there reach is awesome that really give you a advantage when you loosen tight parts. I was using a shorter wrench the other day and could not break something loose. I grabbed the Bonney and one grunt and the nut was loosened. I do not remember what I was using before I grabbed the Bonney but it went from 4-5 grunts a couple swear words and I then grabbed the Bonney.

 

[twertsy]

I was fortunate enough to come across a 1919 Bonney catalog on the bay, now I have two, one is available to offers. This one however had 5 very cool catalog inserts. I've scanned and uploaded them and you can easily find them here under recent content. Login required to view them.