Spreading the Bonney affliction!
- Thread starter bonneyman
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Provincial
Well-known member
I found some Bonney at an unadvertised sale I stumbled onto Friday.
Bonney 1124 combo 3/4
M. Klein 68047 combo 11/16 (Bonney/Triangle sourced)
M. Klein 68043 combo 7/16 (Bonney/Triangle sourced)
I've accumulated a number of Loc-Rite combos in different brands. Bonney (satin and polished chrome), Utica, John Deere, and now Klein.
Bonney 1124 combo 3/4
M. Klein 68047 combo 11/16 (Bonney/Triangle sourced)
M. Klein 68043 combo 7/16 (Bonney/Triangle sourced)
I've accumulated a number of Loc-Rite combos in different brands. Bonney (satin and polished chrome), Utica, John Deere, and now Klein.
Nice group of wrenches, Provincial!
Is the 17mm end of the shorty box have the outer edge ground down? It looks real thin in the photo - too thin. Like someone ground it down for a specialty use. Or is it just the like/camera angle?
Is the 17mm end of the shorty box have the outer edge ground down? It looks real thin in the photo - too thin. Like someone ground it down for a specialty use. Or is it just the like/camera angle?
Provincial
Well-known member
I just checked, and no evidence of grinding. Only factory high polish chrome plating. I think they could get away with thinner webs because the shorty has less leverage, hence less torque.
I was on the way to Newport PA on other business today, and doubled back to a roadside family trailer sale. These two items cost me a dollar. The 1/4dr spinner is right for a set I’m working on, and the hydraulic wrench is a size I didn’t have previously, marked GU, so 93 years old. Happy birthday!Mintgrun
Well-known member
I picked up this crusty ZT720 Hex B hinge handle today (along with the off-topic already shiny ratchet).
I'm mostly posting to show how well it cleaned up after a twenty minute swim in the electrolysis bucket; followed by a bit of scrubbing with a wire brush.
I was pleasantly surprised.
Tom
I'm mostly posting to show how well it cleaned up after a twenty minute swim in the electrolysis bucket; followed by a bit of scrubbing with a wire brush.
I was pleasantly surprised.
Tom
Mikeske
Well-known member
Nice job on the 3/8" Bon-E-Con breaker bar.I picked up this crusty ZT720 Hex B hinge handle today (along with the off-topic already shiny ratchet).
I'm mostly posting to show how well it cleaned up after a twenty minute swim in the electrolysis bucket; followed by a bit of scrubbing with a wire brush.
I was pleasantly surprised.
Tom
Off topic I really like those Blackhawk ratchets. Properly internally greased up they had a smooth action and the spinner top extremely worked well. Believe it or not Blackhawk tools were commonly available when I was in the Air Force in the mid 1970s to mid 1980s, when I was active duty along with Bonney, I think it something to do with low bid. One toolbox I was issued had a real mix everything from Blackhawk to Bonney a few Snap-on and some Globemaster.
Mintgrun
Well-known member
Thank you. It's funny how fluffy some rust can be, as it picks up dust over the years.
The off-topic ratchet feels a little dry inside, so I will open it up and lube it today. I'm thinking it might be a 'double pawl' action, since it makes two different clicking sounds as it rotates. I will post it in the Blackhawk thread, rather than typing too much about it here.
It snuck into these photos too, though. Mostly for a size comparison. I like the grip wheel on the top and the selector can be switched without having to hold the socket/wheel; which is nice. They both use the same style flat retaining ring. Has the A-702K been assembled backwards? Which side was the name originally on?
It may be silly to compare a 3/8" with 1/2", but the A-702K Bonney wrench head seems huge, compared to other round-head half-inchers I have. The 20" 4091A is my longest extension.
(I think I've posted the extension before, but wanted to thicken the Bonney content to help off-set my off-topic wrench).
Tom
The off-topic ratchet feels a little dry inside, so I will open it up and lube it today. I'm thinking it might be a 'double pawl' action, since it makes two different clicking sounds as it rotates. I will post it in the Blackhawk thread, rather than typing too much about it here.
It snuck into these photos too, though. Mostly for a size comparison. I like the grip wheel on the top and the selector can be switched without having to hold the socket/wheel; which is nice. They both use the same style flat retaining ring. Has the A-702K been assembled backwards? Which side was the name originally on?
It may be silly to compare a 3/8" with 1/2", but the A-702K Bonney wrench head seems huge, compared to other round-head half-inchers I have. The 20" 4091A is my longest extension.
(I think I've posted the extension before, but wanted to thicken the Bonney content to help off-set my off-topic wrench).
Tom
Yeah, roundhead Bonney -702k ratchets are not known for their thinness and light weight. It's fine with the 1/4", and doable with the 3/8", but the 1/2"er is a real "forearm burner" with extended use.
I find the open gear ratchets from Thorsen or Wright to be the lightest on the working end in 1/2".
I find the open gear ratchets from Thorsen or Wright to be the lightest on the working end in 1/2".
Mintgrun
Well-known member
I bought this big screwdriver today, thinking it might be a Stanley, since the handle design is so close to these little ones I have, but after a bit of cleaning and close inspection using the magnifying lamp, I saw a faint Bonney stamp. Yay.
New to the Bonney affliction but wanted to share this set I picked up on an online ad for what I thought was too good to pass up ($65!). Still trying to put together my polished combination set but I guess I’ve got another set to complete now! 
Chrome Vanadium Cody
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Wowawewa
That’s what I said on my way home with them, had to play it cool in front of the seller!
Here I thought this set only went up to 1”! Both excited and terrified at how long that’ll take me to complete.. the sizes I’ve got now will serve me in the meantime. Unfortunately where I’m located doesn’t have too many finds out in the wild and fighting off resellers at estate sales isn’t really my thing but good luck on finding your missing sizesSuper nice!!!! My set ends at 3/4". The 13/16" is very rare in the wild. Been looking for some time.
Now all you have to do is get the rest up to 2".
Jealous!
Yeah man you did a great job on that flex head! Great example of before and after! I love the 1/2" drive circle CV extention too!
454ragtop
Well-known member
Found this hammer at the flea market yesterday. Think it's a Bonney, can make out the "EY" on the side of the head. Didn't really need another ball pein hammer, but I like the longer than usual handle, which has sort of a flattened octagonal shape at the handle end. Feels "right" in your hand. Has 395 stamped on the bottom of the handle. Is this the original handle, or a replacement?
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Mintgrun
Well-known member
I'd bet a nickel you've got a CHENEY hammer there. They put black handles on a lot of their hammers. Here is a link that will probably settle the bet.
Tom
Tom
Give that man a nickel!
I thought of suggesting Cheney. They actually made hammers. I have picked up a few, seeing “…NEY” but the head geometry is unlike Bonney, which are rebranded Atha, Standard, Stanley (“…EY”), and do not have an octagonal handle.
Cheney Model 395 oil-finish 16oz. Very nice hammer, but not Bonney. Cheney (I think same company) also made vises. I have one somewhere.
I thought of suggesting Cheney. They actually made hammers. I have picked up a few, seeing “…NEY” but the head geometry is unlike Bonney, which are rebranded Atha, Standard, Stanley (“…EY”), and do not have an octagonal handle.
Cheney Model 395 oil-finish 16oz. Very nice hammer, but not Bonney. Cheney (I think same company) also made vises. I have one somewhere.
I don’t think I had really looked at Herbrand full polish combos before this weekend. There’s a strong family resemblance to Bonney, but note the “Made in USA” on the Herbrand…
Surely, Herbrand was not producing full polish wrenches in the 1940s! It must date from the Kelsey-Hayes, but why not just “USA”?
Surely, Herbrand was not producing full polish wrenches in the 1940s! It must date from the Kelsey-Hayes, but why not just “USA”?
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I have to admit, I've never been sure what the KH- and Triangle-era collectors mean when they refer to "full polish," but most mfgrs returned to shiny, chrome-plated tools after the war. I know that the italicized script logo made a comeback after the war (when it went plain and blocky) and lasted pretty long again, but not being as sure about the use of "VAN-CHROME" I did some looking around and it was being used as late as 1966, which surprised me. As long as I was looking around, I checked the 1948 catalog. Lots of "polished faces" and even some "mirror polished" wrenches. But that wide beam and the whole style of the wrench - especially the hex throat, sure looks later to me.
Mikeske
Well-known member
Actually I am thinking that it is a later Herbrand after the Bonney/Herbrand merger. The broaching appears to be loc-rite the same as with the Bonney wrenches so that appears so I am going to assume it is just prior to the Triangle era
Oldtuleguy
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Herbrand always was stylish
Provincial
Well-known member
Don't forget that Utica brand combos from the Triangle era are look-alikes. I posted one here, post # 4,670.
Woo-hoo! The -Zenel- 3035 strikes the next-to-last wrench from my “must-have” collection, leaving just a 3034 drifting alone out in the Unknown. $6.75 for all, found at two roadside shops today en route to my parents’ home for the weekend.
Username already in use
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Bonney was putting out wrenches in full polish chrome as well as a satin finish. Same wrenches. The polished chrome are some of the nicest chrome wrenches out there.
Here’s an example of the two in 9/16”
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
So, not only chrome-plated, but polished to a glassy, mirror finish meant to blind you as you reach to get your fingerprints all over the wrong one that just slipped out of your oily, grimey hands into the engine compartment? 
Provincial
Well-known member
Around here the saying was:
"Auto mechanics use Snap-On tools. Millwrights use Proto." You could substitute "Williams" or "Wright" for Proto.
The meaning was that millwrights worked on large, heavy-duty machinery in rough conditions and needed a tool that would hold up well, have a good grip in oily/greasy conditions, and didn't have to look fancy. Auto mechanics worked inside, in relatively clean conditions, and liked their tools to be showy.
The less discreet look at this was "rugged vs. prissy."
"Auto mechanics use Snap-On tools. Millwrights use Proto." You could substitute "Williams" or "Wright" for Proto.
The meaning was that millwrights worked on large, heavy-duty machinery in rough conditions and needed a tool that would hold up well, have a good grip in oily/greasy conditions, and didn't have to look fancy. Auto mechanics worked inside, in relatively clean conditions, and liked their tools to be showy.
The less discreet look at this was "rugged vs. prissy."
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
That's a valid distinction. And, feeling a little guilty for being too cheeky and not thanking Unaiu properly, I was just going to say in defense of Bonney that I am secretly blaming the "full polish" concept on Kelsey-Hayes, Triangle, or some industry-wide trend that can probably be traced to a suit in the front office at...wait for it...Snap-on! HAHA. But I'm pretty sure it's mainly an era distinction. Auto mechanics, millwrights, and anybody else that was using a Bonney wrench before the war were using the same wrenches, which were either natural steel, plated, blued, or japanned, maybe with polished faces only, and pretty much the same after the war. I'm pretty sure the concept of "full polish" wasn't a thing until later.
Mikeske
Well-known member
The entire thing of full polish vs satin is really a of the person who actually uses the wrenches. I have been working in aviation and before that in vehicles preferred the full polish not because they slip out of my hands during work but for the fact of easy cleanup after the job is done.
In aviation the mechanic is expected and almost always keep there tools spotless because it was preventing foreign object damage and also preventing cross contamination. If I was working on a pure oxygen system any cross contamination will cause the pure oxygen to flash over into a white hot fire. In vehicles it is not such a big deal.
That is why I have Bonney full polish tools it was because of the fields I worked in.
In aviation the mechanic is expected and almost always keep there tools spotless because it was preventing foreign object damage and also preventing cross contamination. If I was working on a pure oxygen system any cross contamination will cause the pure oxygen to flash over into a white hot fire. In vehicles it is not such a big deal.
That is why I have Bonney full polish tools it was because of the fields I worked in.
Provincial
Well-known member
More like a surgeon, Mike! You had good reason, and admittedly, an elite occupation.
I, too was an active A&P mechanic, but all my work was on smaller aircraft, with DC-3's the largest. Only one had Oxygen, and that was a portable bottle with hoses for two masks. Much of the work was in Alaska, away from hangars and clean areas. I used mostly Craftsman tools and my accumulated Plomb, P&C, and Crescent items. They got the job done in difficult conditions, and a good wipe-down was effective enough. I was always on the move, and my tools were divided into several hand-carry boxes because there was no way to use a real tool stack!
I, too was an active A&P mechanic, but all my work was on smaller aircraft, with DC-3's the largest. Only one had Oxygen, and that was a portable bottle with hoses for two masks. Much of the work was in Alaska, away from hangars and clean areas. I used mostly Craftsman tools and my accumulated Plomb, P&C, and Crescent items. They got the job done in difficult conditions, and a good wipe-down was effective enough. I was always on the move, and my tools were divided into several hand-carry boxes because there was no way to use a real tool stack!
Mikeske
Well-known member
Yes and I retired from being a working A&P mechanic 5 years ago from Boeing. I think that a lot of the reasons Bonney went to the full polish design was not because of alluding to copying Snap-on as much as the aviation industry that Bonney was a large part. When I started working at Boeing in the late 1980's and the tool rooms were filled with Bonney full polish hand tools. I think that it was large part of the industry requesting (or demanding) that the tools be full polish.
It is true that any brand of tools will do 95-99% of the job but once you get on a aircraft that has oxygen systems like the 737, 747, 767, 787, 777 etc. they used nothing but spotlessly cleaned and tested with black lights to ensure that the tool did not have any dust or dirt on them then sealed in a plastic bag. Full polished tools were ALWAYS used as they were easiest to be cleaned and the easiest to see the dust or dirt.
I do know also in the Air Force had full aircraft oxygen systems on the C-141B, C-5A, the KC-135, B-52G and H models all had pure oxygen on board and the requirements there was also the same of full polish tools kept clean the same as Boeing. Being I was in the Air Force active duty from 1976 until 1983 and in the Reserves from 1984 until after Desert Storm and they had even tighter rules and requirements on full oxygen system work.
I cannot say what was done from any time frame from before I started working as a mechanic in the mid 1970's. What happened before I was wrenching I cannot say. Sure my first set of hand tools was Craftsman but that is natural int he regard that my father was a store manager at Sears. I still have that special set that my father gave me on my 14 birthday after getting annoyed that I was constantly going through our farm tool box looking for tools and of course I have his tools when he needed them for something else. My father solved a couple problems that way, one being I was not in the farm toolbox much and I had my tools and kept them under lock and key as I knew my brothers and sister would raid it if I did not do it.
It is true that any brand of tools will do 95-99% of the job but once you get on a aircraft that has oxygen systems like the 737, 747, 767, 787, 777 etc. they used nothing but spotlessly cleaned and tested with black lights to ensure that the tool did not have any dust or dirt on them then sealed in a plastic bag. Full polished tools were ALWAYS used as they were easiest to be cleaned and the easiest to see the dust or dirt.
I do know also in the Air Force had full aircraft oxygen systems on the C-141B, C-5A, the KC-135, B-52G and H models all had pure oxygen on board and the requirements there was also the same of full polish tools kept clean the same as Boeing. Being I was in the Air Force active duty from 1976 until 1983 and in the Reserves from 1984 until after Desert Storm and they had even tighter rules and requirements on full oxygen system work.
I cannot say what was done from any time frame from before I started working as a mechanic in the mid 1970's. What happened before I was wrenching I cannot say. Sure my first set of hand tools was Craftsman but that is natural int he regard that my father was a store manager at Sears. I still have that special set that my father gave me on my 14 birthday after getting annoyed that I was constantly going through our farm tool box looking for tools and of course I have his tools when he needed them for something else. My father solved a couple problems that way, one being I was not in the farm toolbox much and I had my tools and kept them under lock and key as I knew my brothers and sister would raid it if I did not do it.
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