four.cycle
Well-known member
holy cats! that pouch is in exceptionally good condition! 
Spreading the Bonney affliction!
- Thread starter bonneyman
- Start date
Mikeske
Well-known member
holy cats! that pouch is in exceptionally good condition!
I have to agree with the prior statement.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Thanks. I agree. It's a little frayed of its leatherette material where the flap bends and where the largest of the wrenches sits in the bottom of its pocket. Otherwise, remarkably well-preserved.
four.cycle
Well-known member
you already know that I'm on the hunt for that kind of stuff all day long, and you got a goodie there.
could be a lot worse, like this one I've been vacillating about:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ne...et-with-Inset-for-Reverse-Detail/112816309845
(the wrenches are fabulous.... roll-up not so much. re-listed today after no bids on it yesterday.)
could be a lot worse, like this one I've been vacillating about:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ne...et-with-Inset-for-Reverse-Detail/112816309845
(the wrenches are fabulous.... roll-up not so much. re-listed today after no bids on it yesterday.)
dutchgray
Well-known member
Bought these NOS flair wrenches, the expensive ones that have been on ebay for a long time,
View media item 80875Didn't have one end of the big 2 covered by anything flair wrench in my box and only had a couple metric Bonney flairs until now.
View media item 80875Didn't have one end of the big 2 covered by anything flair wrench in my box and only had a couple metric Bonney flairs until now.
Got home and found Lugz' envelope. Opened it to lay eyes on five lovely H-series DOEs. They all look to have FY date code with extra V and dots. (June 1933? Didn't the change from "Made in USA" to "USA" occur February, before June 1947?)
In any case, they are lovely. The H12 had the Zenel decal I was hoping for; in fact, except for the H14 with no decal, and the H18 with a bug burr along one side of the 13/32 gullet, they're in the best condition of any I have.
Here's the whole family. Probably going to keep the two best sets and try selling off the orphans.
In any case, they are lovely. The H12 had the Zenel decal I was hoping for; in fact, except for the H14 with no decal, and the H18 with a bug burr along one side of the 13/32 gullet, they're in the best condition of any I have.
Here's the whole family. Probably going to keep the two best sets and try selling off the orphans.
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
That's the nicest set these eyes have ever seen.
Nice grouping!
Never had the normal 6 point Bonney flares - seems to me they were just like every other wrench out there. The Loc-Rite flares are the bomb! I have a few of the older, non Loc-Rite DFE's and they are nice. Trying to complete the set in Loc-Rite.
Here's the info on those like the top two of yours from my catalog:
5/8 x 15/16 RF-54B
3/4 x 1 RF-54
7/8 x 1 RF-55A
7/8 x 1 1/8 RF-55
13/16 x 1 1/16 RF-57
15/16 x 1 5/16 RF-58
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Mikeske
Well-known member
I actually have never stripped a fitting with the
Bonney 6 point flare wrenches, even some that rusted really bad and I had my doubts but the Bonney's handled it fine. The other brands (Craftsman, Matco, SK I have not been so lucky) I had to break out the vise grips and replace the line and fittings. The 12 point Loc-rites I recently got were put to use on my 1966 Ford Falcon on doing a disc brake conversion and I have to say they are probably the best of all the flare wrenches I have ever used.
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So, would you say Mike that the fitment of the Bonney 6-points is better than the others? Perhaps Bonney ran a tighter tolerance on the wrench to fastener interface than the industry standard?
For the record, I just acquired a Snap-On DFE wrench in 6 point because it had 13/16" on an end. next time I do a brass fitting I'll compare it to the Bonney 12-point.
Mikeske
Well-known member
I think that the 6 point flare wrenches just might have a tighter tolerance plus the fact that the wrenches seem to be slightly thicker width to them. I really do not know for sure but I had no issues using these in either the SAE or metric sizes. I do know that it may also be that I use penetrating oil (PB blaster or something similar) if I have doubt that the line may have a issue coming off and let it soak in a good hour before attempting to using the flares on them. Using the wrenches and being careful I almost always been successful breaking free the lines.
Reason I asked is I had some brake lines to swap out on the Toyota and didn't have a 10mm flare. Managed to get it done with OE's, but one fitting started to mush. I took an old 3/8" flare and ground out the insides until it would just slide over the 10mm fitting. No problems turning it. So I figured a closer fit made the difference.
I'm thinking most brands oversize their openings on wrenches not knowing what the final use will be, and - if fastener manufacturers undersize any - the gap is too large and wrenches will slip. I don't pretend to know what the industry standards are for finished tolerance.
HandsomeDan
Well-known member
I have some Bonney stuff here and there. My great grandfather and my grandfather had a shop somewhere in Nj, and I inherited some tools. My dad has a ratchet/socket set from the 70s or so that is still in great shape. I’m gonna liberate that from him soon, since he probably hasn’t touched it in 20 years.
Mikeske
Well-known member
My son liberated me of some of my Bonney metric wrenches years ago and to say I was NOT HAPPY with him for taking those wrenches. I did not discover it until I needed to work on a car and I did not have my Bonney's. The worst part is car got stolen and the wrenches were in his car. When the car was recovered by the police all the tools, stereo and for some strange reason the dash board had been taken out of the car.
The best thing to do is ask your father first and if he says OK then you have received permission to take them. Some guys like me made our living off our tools and we become extremely attached to those tools even if they have no value in todays society. It has taken me the better part of a year to find and acquire a complete set of metric wrenches from 10MM to 20 MM. I would have gladly "loaned" him my old 1960's USA made Craftsman set.
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LostBoy(IRL)
Well-known member
Another nos find, in theory I could use this one though.
MTLH23 a metric deep 3/8 socket.
And a shot of all the flares so far,
MTLH23 a metric deep 3/8 socket.
And a shot of all the flares so far,
Another nos find, in theory I could use this one though.
MTLH23 a metric deep 3/8 socket.
And a shot of all the flares so far,
Dang it! Now I'm gonna have to get the 4 largest flare/box combos and the rest of the Loc-Rite DFE's.
LostBoy(IRL)
Well-known member
Sorry about that ;-) 
LostBoy(IRL)
Well-known member
Shame I'm the other side of the world, as I have spares of some, have offered @dutchgray some of the spares.
Just waiting for some time to pass to see if any more show up, as sod's law dictates the day after I post them to him, a couple more pop up.
Just waiting for some time to pass to see if any more show up, as sod's law dictates the day after I post them to him, a couple more pop up.
Mikeske
Well-known member
dutchgray
Well-known member
Another nos find, in theory I could use this one though.
MTLH23 a metric deep 3/8 socket.
And a shot of all the flares so far,
Nice, I meant to get back to you, but didn't get round to it, I actually have a full set of those Flair box combos, nice wrenches though, the RF54B is the only one from that group I dont have.
dutchgray
Well-known member
Very nice, just like my set except in perfect condition and not missing the 8mm.
I have a chrome set of shorts on their way, also expensive, also missing the 8mm and the 13mm but I have one of those.
Mikeske
Well-known member
Yeah these were in Hawaii so I am assuming that they were sitting in a warehouse someplace at Hickam or the naval base as the wrenches looked brand new with oil still on them. I just left oil on the wrenches as I live in a humid area and it protects the wrenches as my toolbox is in a unheated garage.
I going to assume the 8MM, 10MM, 13MM and 15MM seems to be the wrenches used the most as those are the ones that always the hardest ones to find in the longer wrenches
Mike, are those the MEB? If so i’ll trade you my 401K for the MEB10!!!
In all seriousness, the industrial finish is not an oxide, at least not on mine. More like a bluing, and I more or less ruined my set (only in looks, still the best feeling wrenches ever) with whatever it was i grabbed to clean them up when i got them, probably Brakleen.
In all seriousness, the industrial finish is not an oxide, at least not on mine. More like a bluing, and I more or less ruined my set (only in looks, still the best feeling wrenches ever) with whatever it was i grabbed to clean them up when i got them, probably Brakleen.
3baygarage
Well-known member
We need a closeup of some of those black wrenches Mikeske.
Bluing is black oxide. Fe3O4. Magnetite.
There are different processes with different resulting qualities, but it is the same stuff. What people distinguish as bluing is a thin layer of black oxide on a previously polished surface.
Since black oxide is chemically similar to the red oxide (Fe2O3, hematite) we call rust, rust removers will remove it.
four.cycle
Well-known member
it would appear your seller in Hawaii has more than one set of those wrenches:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BONNEY-Met...-USA-6mm-through-19mm-PLUS-BONUS/112831570669
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BONNEY-Met...-USA-6mm-through-19mm-PLUS-BONUS/112831570669
Mikeske
Well-known member
Same guy. I try and get a better pictures tomorrow. I was a bit rushed when I took the picture
Today’s thrift store Bonneyfinds: Bon-e-con ZT24; Bonney TH24, TH22, TH12, 1165 Outline, three WO4s.
Edit - I cleaned up the screwdrivers; here's my current stock of the older types. All three of the WO4s had had their tips modified. I reshaped them closer to original.
The Bonney logo and size is only visible on the big Phillips WP4 and one of the WO4s. The letters are stamped lightly on the one wider bar along the handle; the red lacquer is not present in all the indentations. So two photos of the WO4 with the light reflecting different to show texture versus color. In the first, the BONNEY can be seen by the reflection, but in the second, only EY has any color in it.
Edit - I cleaned up the screwdrivers; here's my current stock of the older types. All three of the WO4s had had their tips modified. I reshaped them closer to original.
The Bonney logo and size is only visible on the big Phillips WP4 and one of the WO4s. The letters are stamped lightly on the one wider bar along the handle; the red lacquer is not present in all the indentations. So two photos of the WO4 with the light reflecting different to show texture versus color. In the first, the BONNEY can be seen by the reflection, but in the second, only EY has any color in it.
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Mikeske
Well-known member
Here are better pictures of the short industrial finish Bonney metric wrenches. There is no corrosion on the wrenches but a bit of dirt on them from the oil treatment that was used on the wrenches. After I took the pictures I wiped them off with a paper towel and then reapplied 3 in 1 oil on them.
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3baygarage
Well-known member
Nice looking set. Mikeske
Well-known member
Of course. I can rub it in.....Great score, and of course you had to photograph the 10 all by itself
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BONNEY-Met...570669?hash=item1a454922ed:g:rMQAAOSwJwpaj6ft
New auction on eBay of the same thing I got.
This had posted earlier so just a reminder
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Mikeske
Well-known member
I agree that the 8 MM has been modified but the 15 and 17 are the bonus wrenches that are in description noted that have been ground down.
Mikeske
Well-known member
Thats OK LessorSon. Today Went pawn shopping and found a couple wrenches and eBay delivery also happened today
First the pawn shop finds a
13/16ths P/N 23726
11/16ths P/N 23722
The eBay was a couple
001-6 common tip screwdrivers.
First the pawn shop finds a
13/16ths P/N 23726
11/16ths P/N 23722
The eBay was a couple
001-6 common tip screwdrivers.
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four.cycle
Well-known member
looks a bit steep to me, but I dunno nuffin' about Bonney.... just an FYI:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/warehouse839/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
https://www.ebay.com/sch/warehouse839/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
Good, solid users. Pre Loc-Rite, so, no big draw to me. But could be a nice addition to any tool box.