Spreading the Bonney affliction!

[bonneyman]

Nice set of Streamline Bonney's! Congrats!

 

[LesserSon]

Rick,
GOOD NEWS! there’s no A-set. The A suffix is used three times in that series, for the 9/32, 11/32, and 13/16. The regular length combos are best represented in the celebrated 1960 catalog, section 2, page 10. The full range runs from 1158(1/4”) to 1180(1-5/8”). Only the two smallest - 1158(1/4) and 1158(9/32) - are single-hex on the box end - I think because of the difficulty of manufacturing or using 12pt at such small sizes. Sizes above one inch do not have the Streamlined style - I imagine they look like Bonaloy, whether they retain that branding or not, IDK.
The long combo version follows on page 11, ranging in 12pt from 1112(3/8) to 1124(3/4). There are no As, but they are all available in single-hex versions with an H-suffix.
12pt metric combos (MEB-series, 7-19) are in section 15, page 1, and 12pt Whitworth combos (WEB-series 4-16) are in section 15, page 5.

 

[twertsy]

Strangely, the seller doesn't appear to be either advertising or pricing it based on the name on the brass data plate (which he misread as "Dooney Vise & Tool Works", anyway). I know they maintained an office on Girard after the move to A-town, but would they put both addresses on a brass tag on an in-house shop box? And does that tag look vintage to you? Not to doubt the authenticity, but it doesn't look like it matches the age of the box. It looks modern to me. Much more modern than the box anyway. I could be wrong, but I would've expected embossed or engraved. If legit, that would be a nice place to store ones early Bonney! A bit too steep for me right now, too, though. What do you want to wager it will be in Todd's shop by the end of the week?

Ha. As for the badge, it looks the same as the badges on my DOE boards. I believe it to be authentic.

I'll let you know when it arrives..............

 

[LesserSon]

I'll let you know when it arrives.

Congrats on that!

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Rick,
GOOD NEWS! there’s no A-set. The A suffix is used three times in that series, for the 9/32, 11/32, and 13/16. The regular length combos are best represented in the celebrated 1960 catalog, section 2, page 10. The full range runs from 1158(1/4”) to 1180(1-5/8”). Only the two smallest - 1158(1/4) and 1158(9/32) - are single-hex on the box end - I think because of the difficulty of manufacturing or using 12pt at such small sizes. Sizes above one inch do not have the Streamlined style - I imagine they look like Bonaloy, whether they retain that branding or not, IDK.
The long combo version follows on page 11, ranging in 12pt from 1112(3/8) to 1124(3/4). There are no As, but they are all available in single-hex versions with an H-suffix.
12pt metric combos (MEB-series, 7-19) are in section 15, page 1, and 12pt Whitworth combos (WEB-series 4-16) are in section 15, page 5.

I wonder why they didn't do the streamline past 1". I've had and seen similar Williams from the same era with the same design from 1/4" up to nearly 2".

I know I have a couple long pattern and H ones, gotta put them together next and see what I'm missing. Same with the knurled sockets too. Don't have much 1/4", but probably 1/2 of the 3/8's set and probably close to finished the 1/2" drive set.

 

[leg17]

.....
I also have this 1158A and 1159A, I believe there’s a whole other A set, but the 1158A is 6 point while the other is 12, what’s the rest of the A set? And why is the 1159A a different size from the regular 1159?.....

Bonney, like practically every other wrench maker, adopted the Williams numbering system. I think it is safe to surmise that Williams laid out a number system, and then later had to insert some sizes in between.

 

[snapmom]

2402 speeder

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's an old one

 

[LNKMK8]

Forgive me for the poor photos; I was so excited to share this find with the true Bonney collectors that I couldn't wait to clean it up and take better photos, but I will and report back.

I saw what looked to be a large and old socket set pictured on an estate sale. I went there to buy a tool box (didn't get it) and thought I'd check these out while I was there. Turns out to be a complete Bonney No. H set in original case! From a little research I did, it appears these were made somewhere between 1930-1935, when they were using the Hercules name, before Zenel. I found an example in the 1934 catalog that appears to match these.

Would love to hear more about these - I'm not too familiar with Bonney tools.

 

[twertsy]

Forgive me for the poor photos; I was so excited to share this find with the true Bonney collectors that I couldn't wait to clean it up and take better photos, but I will and report back.



I saw what looked to be a large and old socket set pictured on an estate sale. I went there to buy a tool box (didn't get it) and thought I'd check these out while I was there. Turns out to be a complete Bonney No. H set in original case! From a little research I did, it appears these were made somewhere between 1930-1935, when they were using the Hercules name, before Zenel. I found an example in the 1934 catalog that appears to match these.



Would love to hear more about these - I'm not too familiar with Bonney tools.

That set is awesome!!!!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Beautiful to see! Congrats!

Just as an FYI, Bonney introduced Zenel steel in 1933. The Hercules name on your 3/4-inch drive set has nothing to do with steel composition. It's not a predecessor name to Zenel. There are Zenel wrenches in the same catalog. It's a branding allusion to the heavy dutiness.

 

[LesserSon]

Bonney No. H set in original case! From a little research I did, it appears these were made somewhere between 1930-1935, when they were using the Hercules name, before Zenel.

Beautiful set!
Yes, “Hercules” doesn’t reflect the alloy, which is Chrome-Vanadium, same as other CV tools they produced. “Hercules” is the mnemonic name for Heavy Duty 3/4dr ratchet/sockets. These nicknames for each of the three or four drive sizes were used by various manufacturers in the time before arbitrary strings of alphanumeric characters caught on. Snap-on, for instance, had Midget (9/32dr, then 1/4dr), Ferret (3/8dr), Master (1/2dr, but they seem to use the word Super - or is it Standard? - a lot, too), Heavy Duty (5/8dr, then 3/4dr), Giant (7/8dr), etc. I’m not sure what Bonney’s other nicknames might have been, if any, but the letter prefixes were M (1/4dr), T (3/8dr), A (1/2dr). I think the psychological theory is make the arbitrary number system more relatable, like the old phone numbers that included letters for the exchange centers, which were then further enhanced with location names.

Edit - Lugz beat me to the essential point, while I fiddled around with a more detailed explanation.

 

[LNKMK8]

Very good information, thanks

 

[3baygarage]

Sweet set. I came close to winning one once.

 

[Mikeske]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonney-Too...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Neat little stickers. I ordered some and will be here in a few days. I want them to b=put own my Harbor Freight US General toolbox. I have a old metal one from my old Bonney toolbox (circa 1983 Waterloo Box) but my upper box had a sticker that faded out from the sun on it after 30 years. New sticker and I be back in business again.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Wow awesome set. I think you might get a you **** on that one.

 

[LNKMK8]

Wow awesome set. I think you might get a you **** on that one.

That is always the goal! Not sure if I will keep it or not; its super cool, but not sure I have the same appreciation for it as some of my other sets. We shall see....

Thomas

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Lmk if you want to trade or sell it! I collect alot of 3/4 stuff.

 

[LesserSon]

Woo-hoo! Bonney Blowout!
As usual, I only wish I had more cash.
I’ll be back with more details.

 

[Username already in use]

That is some great stuff! I sent you a pm.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice haul, LS. Two midget spinners, a close-quarter screwdriver, and is that a 3-pc set of 45* offset stubby DBE's?!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up this wrench at the flea market this morning. Single end offset box end with an 11/16" service opening for Hornet spark plugs on Wright Aeronautics J5 and R975 motors. 1929 ("HU") date code. No idea what was ground off on the shank.

 

[LesserSon]

Okay, I’m back. Tree pollen allergies have me pinned down pretty bad, but despite walking around DC in severe bone-soaking thunderstorms yesterday, I braved the high winds of Quakertown today, and I AM GLAD I DID.
Additional Bonney came out today, from the same vendor I have bought from the past few weeks. I filled the 13/16” hole in my Zenel Z34 set with a Z2826, then spotted a CV 2840 Chevy 4 main bearing wrench with intact decal, a CV 2832 - what a whopper! - a Zenel 2807 with partial decal (but why can’t I find a 2808?), and Zenel combos 3116 & 3114 (which means I can now display both sides of all four sizes). The CY date code on those continues to confirm that the Zenel combo was indeed a short-lived creature - I have yet to see any other date code on these.

 

[LesserSon]

is that a 3-pc set of 45* offset stubby DBE's?!

Sort of. There was a mix of eras there. I was picking with a list of only model numbers for the mini-DBE E-4X series, and may have bought dupes while leaving some I needed in the bin. Have to check that more thoroughly. I bought a Bonaloy 2804 with forged-in letters/numbers simply because I knew I didn’t have it in that period.
Some tiny Streamlined/Outline wrenches (the bottom one I already had, so the one above is an accidental dupe). I’ve been hunting the C6 chisel and C28 pinpunch for a long while, so not too sad about the abused state of the latter. The 6” wood-handled Stillson was simply too cute to leave behind, despite a chip out of the jaw and a crack in the wood (don’t think it shows on that side).
And the screwdrivers...a big bin of these mixed with the next-era ones with the alternating fluted/flat facets. I just grabbed all the fluted/fluted ones. Might go back for the rest, if nobody else snags them.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's a good haul

 

[LesserSon]

That is some great stuff!

I know, right?
A 12” screwdriver! Can’t even get the tip into the shot
Three 6” ones, which are IDENTICAL to a Stanley 1000 6”.
And then the TWO V22 1/4dr spinners. Whoa! Now, comparing them, the one with the bolder “BONNEY” stamped in the handle, slightly richer color and flatter ****, I believe is older. Unfortunately, it’s been used hard enough to strip the positive-stop pinched ears so sockets ride up the square shaft, and seem to have left some scars there. On the other hand, the “newer” one has a chip out of the handle near the square shaft. So sad.
One pic shows them with relative youngsters.

 

[LesserSon]

There was a mix of eras there. I...may have bought dupes while leaving some I needed in the bin. Have to check that more thoroughly.

Yep, that’s what I did...rats! Now I have TWO identical E46 and NO pre-Triangle E42. I should have just grabbed them all (which I did with the E44) and figured it out at home.
Taking a closer look at the 6” Stillson, a little brass brushing reveals the main body was forged in March 1921 (CM), and the dynamic jaw was forged in August 1921(IM), same as the E-series DBEs I got today. Superglue for the handle, but sadly, nothing can be done for what looks like a crack in the dynamic. Maybe someone over-applied it, cracked it, and beat it back into position?

 

[LesserSon]

Bit of a mystery about those E-series DOEs: the E44 and E46 look to be of identical style and condition, but the date codes look like IM and IW, which seems suspicious. I have another E46 like these and the date code on that is DU (1943). 1935 seems early, but 1949 seems way too late for forged-in letters and numbers, when I’ve got another E44 with EY forged-in date code and stamped USA, logo and sizes, which I take to be 1947.
Could it be they are both 1945, and one of the Ws just got flipped upside-down?

 

[Mikeske]

Got the stickers today that I ordered. Really nice but a bit on the small size but they will be perfect for my tool box.

 

[Mikeske]

I guess that now I am a Bonney Poser as I took the US General placard off my toolbox and stuck on the Bonney stickers I got.

 

[bonneyman]

I guess that now I am a Bonney Poser as I took the US General placard off my toolbox and stuck on the Bonney stickers I got.

That's OK. We'll still talk to you.....you poser you!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks better than us general emblems

 

[Mikeske]

Those tool box upper, roller and side box are loaded with all my Bonney triangle era tools and the side box to the right of those main boxes have my older Bonney "Classic" tools. My original boxes were Waterloo manufactured 26" roller and upper and I had flat worn them out in constant usage from 1983 to 2017 when I retired.

I Sold the old Toolbox after I bought the US General toolbox and ended up buying a 2nd 44" upper, roller, side box and side closet for all the tools I had at home, of course my nephew being a smart aleck pulled the US General labels off those boxes and putting on new Snap-on logos on that set.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

We have all done it at some point!

 

[LesserSon]

Not a Bonney person but need to do some spring cleaning. Just keep picking them up when they are cheap and now I have too many. Does anyone need to fill some holes in there sets or want to start a collection? Have a quite a bit of CV stuff. Always looking to trade for Plombs. Send me a PM if you are interested in any of it...Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

Two pieces jumped out at me, and we were able to make a swap. Now the Zenel 2844 (CW / March 1945) and CV LD30 are safely repatriated to Allentown. Thanks, Roy!

 

[r_olson_06]

Two pieces jumped out at me, and we were able to make a swap. Now the Zenel 2844 (CW / March 1945) and CV LD30 are safely repatriated to Allentown. Thanks, Roy!

I am really glad you enjoyed their arrival. Yours arrived as well just didn't get around to opening it.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[Mikeske]

Oh well not Bonney but Triangle era Herbrands. Found for $2.00 at a 2nd hand store.

 

[LesserSon]

Bonney-of-the-day...16mm Streamlined combo, T28 rat w/ T29 plug.

 

[Username already in use]

Bonney-of-the-day...16mm Streamlined combo, T28 rat w/ T29 plug.

Bonney metric combo AND a ratchet WITH the drive plug... that's a banner day in my opinion.

Sharing a pic here of my wartime midget Bonney set. Thanks to LesserSon and Twertsy this set is near the finish line. I'm only missing a wartime V7 socket, the stand in is chrome and post war.

Image from the '43 catalog

 

[bonneyman]

Great finds, all!