Ultimate Bemis & Call Thread & Railroad Marked Tools

[AntiqueBen]

I've noticed here on GJ that Bemis & Call tool information is scattered all over the place. Like B&C info, Railroad marked B&C tools, and other RR marked tools, are scattered across multiple threads. I've always been drawn to B&C tools. Their sturdy construction & overall quality I'm sure are a few reasons why the Railroad used these wrenches & tools. I won't go to much into the history of B&C because most of us know all about who they are & what they produced. They got their start in the early 1840's & even manufactured the first screw fed wrench patented by Solyman Merrick in 1835. More B&C history here:

Bemis & Call Tool Factory, Springfield, Mass - Lost New England

The factory of Bemis & Call Hardware and Tool Company at 125 Main Street in Springfield, around 1938-1939. Image courtesy of the Springfield Preservation Trust. The scene in 2017: The origins of the Bemis & Call Hardware and Tool Company started in the 1830s, when merchant Stephen C. Bemis began...

lostnewengland.com

This thread can be a place to not only post your B&C tools, but also post your Railroad marked tools by B&C or other manufacturers. I've always been interested in Railroad marked tools & their history. The Railroad is what jump-started industry in our country, so there is such a rich history about the Railroad & the tools they used. It's neat to see all the tools that helped build the Railroad across our great country. So, post all your Bemis & Call tools here along with any Railroad related/marked tools.

Below are some of my Bemis & Call tools. From the 1835 Merrick wrench, the 1859 A.D. Briggs patented wrench to the famous B&C combination wrench. The bigger 18" all steel B&C wrench is marked "L&N RR Co" for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. I have a really nice B&C wrench coming that is stamped by the famous B&O (Baltimore & Ohio) Railroad which was the first Railroad in the US. When it shows up I'll post pics.

 

[Jr5]

I love those wrenches. Like works of art

 

[Mintgrun]

I've noticed here on GJ that Bemis & Call tool information is scattered all over the place.

This one has 26 replies.

Show us your Bemis & Call Combination Wrench

Hello All, I found this Bemis & Call Combination monkey and pipe wrench. It's in good working condition. I noticed it seems to be an early version by it's markings. According to Alloy Artifacts the monkey/pipe wrench combination patent date is 1893. The last patent date on my wrench appears to...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[AntiqueBen]

I watched the B&O rail cars full of coal go up & down the tracks throughout my childhood. I grew up in Ironton Ohio. Small town with a big history. Ironton and the surrounding Ohio valley was FULL of iron ore. So much that is how Ironton got its name "Iron Town." At one time the little town of Ironton was the largest supplier/exporter of iron ore in the world as well as having the largest blast furnace in the world. Other countries including Russia bought iron ore that came out of the Ironton valley along the Ohio River. The iron ore that came out of Ironton & the surrounding area helped build America.

At one time trains would go through the middle of town on Railroad St. Trains would go through a hillside tunnel on the North side of town. There were tracks on both ends of town & tracks running along the Ohio River. One of the biggest Railroad train hubs was right across the river in Russell KY that continued south through Ashland KY. No matter where you were, the train tracks weren't to far away. We've waited on many trains passing by with B&O rail cars full of coal.

They started constructing B&O Railroad in 1826 & was operational by 1830. It was the first Railroad in the US. Their goal from the very beginning was from Baltimore to reach the Ohio River. They finally reached the Ohio River in the early 1850's. I guess that's why railroad tools interest me because of where I'm from & the historical aspect of how my hometown is part of Railroad & Iron history.

Below are pics of my Bemis & Call wrench stamped B&O RR. I was a little shocked to find this one in the condition it's in. The B&C logo & the RR stamping is probably the best I've seen. A lot of times they are worn out or dinged up, but this is a nice example. When I receive it I'll post better pics. Also, some cool B&O train pics.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some I’ve posted before on various threads.

-Don

 

[d42jeep]

A few more.
-Don

 

[AntiqueBen]

A few more.
-Don

Nice examples Don. No collection is complete unless you have at least one S-Wrench & one combination wrench.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks. Around here it’s not unusual to find tools marked SP Co. which was the marking used by Southern Pacific, the railroad.
-Don
Champion deArment ball pein hammer.
Williams adjustable (hand engraved)
Provincial posted this chisel that he found
eBay listing
Another eBay listing photo
Barely visible on these lineman’s pliers.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Here are a couple of wrenches marked "Railroad Special." The large 21" wrench is double stamped. W&B (Whitman & Barnes) on the handle, and J.H. Williams on the top jaw. I believe Williams bought out W&B in 1920. Very heavy duty construction. Looks like someone put a cheater on the big ones handle at some point. I've been tempted to try & straighten it out.

 

[slowtwitch73]

The local re store had two Rialroad marked B&C 'hawks beak' wrenches 70$ for the pair. I saw they can be had on Ebay for quite a bit less.

They were gone next time I went so someone else thought them priced well.

 

[AntiqueBen]

The local re store had two Rialroad marked B&C 'hawks beak' wrenches 70$ for the pair. I saw they can be had on Ebay for quite a bit less.

They were gone next time I went so someone else thought them priced well.

What to always look for on the Bemis & Call combination wrenches is if it has a screw under the bottom of the jaw that's holding the bottom jaw of the pipe wrench. These are the older versions. Around 1890 or so a pin on the side of the jaw held the bottom pipe jaw in place. Most of what you see out there has a pin. The older ones with the screw are more difficult to find.

 

[AntiqueBen]

This one has 26 replies.

Show us your Bemis & Call Combination Wrench

Hello All, I found this Bemis & Call Combination monkey and pipe wrench. It's in good working condition. I noticed it seems to be an early version by it's markings. According to Alloy Artifacts the monkey/pipe wrench combination patent date is 1893. The last patent date on my wrench appears to...

www.garagejournal.com

I wanted to add the Railroad angle. Every once in a while you see B&C tools marked with Railroad marks. It's a neat history. Also, to just see all the different tools marked & associated with different Railroads. The Railroad related tools seem to be scattered all over GJ. I thought they deserved their own thread.

 

[AntiqueBen]

My 12" Bemis & Call B&O Railroad wrench showed up. I'm still a little shocked of the condition of this wrench. The B&C logo & all the other stampings are so crisp & clear. Outside of a few minor dings this thing is basically mint.

 

[MikeOxard]

I've noticed here on GJ that Bemis & Call tool information is scattered all over the place. Like B&C info, Railroad marked B&C tools, and other RR marked tools, are scattered across multiple threads. I've always been drawn to B&C tools. Their sturdy construction & overall quality I'm sure are a few reasons why the Railroad used these wrenches & tools. I won't go to much into the history of B&C because most of us know all about who they are & what they produced. They got their start in the early 1840's & even manufactured the first screw fed wrench patented by Solyman Merrick in 1835. More B&C history here:

Bemis & Call Tool Factory, Springfield, Mass - Lost New England

The factory of Bemis & Call Hardware and Tool Company at 125 Main Street in Springfield, around 1938-1939. Image courtesy of the Springfield Preservation Trust. The scene in 2017: The origins of the Bemis & Call Hardware and Tool Company started in the 1830s, when merchant Stephen C. Bemis began...

lostnewengland.com

This thread can be a place to not only post your B&C tools, but also post your Railroad marked tools by B&C or other manufacturers. I've always been interested in Railroad marked tools & their history. The Railroad is what jump-started industry in our country, so there is such a rich history about the Railroad & the tools they used. It's neat to see all the tools that helped build the Railroad across our great country. So, post all your Bemis & Call tools here along with any Railroad related/marked tools.

Below are some of my Bemis & Call tools. From the 1835 Merrick wrench, the 1859 A.D. Briggs patented wrench to the famous B&C combination wrench. The bigger 18" all steel B&C wrench is marked "L&N RR Co" for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. I have a really nice B&C wrench coming that is stamped by the famous B&O (Baltimore & Ohio) Railroad which was the first Railroad in the US. When it shows up I'll post pics.

You're correct sir Bemis & Call never made tools specify for any railroad company but they did manufacture a lot of specialty tools for Ford Motor comp. for Ford Mechanics, back in those days not many people new what a car motor even looked like so to be a car mechanic was a good job to have and not many tools existed yet just for auto mechanics.

 

[BryanWithiam]

These two Bemis & Call wrenches come from my family’s Kansas branches. We had Swedish and German immigrant settlers there. The large wrench says “Bemis & Call”, “Springfield”, “N”, “21”, and “AL” twice. The smaller wrench has the brand name and also the descriptors “solid bar” and “Pat. Jan 14 95 [or 96]”.

 

[tombell572]

Quite a few years ago I found an 8-inch Bemis and Call S-handle adjustable wrench at a tag sale. Well-made and in nice contditon, it soon became may favorite adjustable. A while later, while surfing eBay I saw another, but a different size. I realized that there may be a whole range of sizes and that triggered my search. Here they are--from 6 to 14 inches.

Tom B.

 

[h~moto]

This is my B&C wrench as found at a yard sale. I find it interesting because I think it represents a time when things were repaired instead of thrown away.

 

[Eric Brown]

Question: In this B&C ad it refers to "Bright finish". Is this simply polished or perhaps nickel plated? I haven't seen any that might have been nickel plated, but the ad does show one at the bottom that was. I am re-working a B&C combination wrench and plan on nickel plating it.

 

[tombell572]

My guess would be a ground, nicely finished surface that was left unpainted such as the sides of the jaws. I've never seen one of these plated--mine are pictured in comment #16.

Tom B.

 

[d42jeep]

I agree with Tom. Mine look to just be polished steel given their propensity for rusting. I should have more careful to apply Fluid Film.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ I've looked at quite a few of them online and in catalogs and I do not recall seeing any that appeared to be "plated". The only specimens I've seen "in the wild" were in junk stores and antique shops and they were all horribly rusted.

 

[Eric Brown]

Here is my B&C 16" combination wrench. Before and after cleaning/polishing. I won't nickel plate until warmer weather. Mine appears to be a common one, and based on construction and markings it is probably a "newer" one. Probably late 1920's to 1930's. Handle looked to have been originally painted black, so I sanded down and repainted. Interesting detail, the nut holding the handle on is a left-handed thread.

 

[Eric Brown]

Here is my B&C 16" combination wrench. Before and after cleaning/polishing. I won't nickel plate until warmer weather. Mine appears to be a common one, and based on construction and markings it is probably a "newer" one. Probably late 1920's to 1930's. Handle looked to have been originally painted black, so I sanded down and repainted. Interesting detail, the nut holding the handle on is a left-handed thread.

Just an update. Just received a similar wrench but in the 8" size. So, I cleaned/polished it and will nickel plate both.
They both used a left-handed nut on the handle.

Here is a before after of the 8" plus a "pair" picture.

 

[d42jeep]

Nice cleanup. I personally prefer the color of the handle on my original. The left hand thread on the nut holding the handle in place on the rusty lower one was a surprise


-Don

 

[Eric Brown]

Nice cleanup. I personally prefer the color of the handle on my original. The left hand thread on the nut holding the handle in place on the rusty lower one was a surprise


-Don

I agree and would have preferred a more natural finish. I did strip the handle of what appeared to be a black finish probably from the factory. The wood was not very pretty. I did try a little Hemp oil but there were so many dinged areas and it just wasn't looking good. So decided to repaint black and cover up some ugly. Decided to just make the small one matched. Also found out the 8" is a less common size.

 

[Eric Brown]

Nice cleanup. I personally prefer the color of the handle on my original. The left hand thread on the nut holding the handle in place on the rusty lower one was a surprise


-Don

Side note: I bought this on E-Bay and just sent the seller pictures of it cleaned and polished. He said it looked good and was glad it didn't end up as scrap. Can't save them all but may have saved this one.

 

[RTM]

there were so many dinged areas and it just wasn't looking good

Woodworker tip here: if you have a dent in wood pieces, sometime you can sweat them out. I use a wet towel, and a large flat tip on my Weller pistol grip soldering iron. Put the towel down, put the tip on top of your dent, and heat for a few seconds. Lather rinse repeat until level or slightly above, then send a bit to remove the raised grain.

Pardon Our Interruption

This shape tip, but mine came with nuts and bent ends to attach it.

 

[Eric Brown]

Woodworker tip here: if you have a dent in wood pieces, sometime you can sweat them out. I use a wet towel, and a large flat tip on my Weller pistol grip soldering iron. Put the towel down, put the tip on top of your dent, and heat for a few seconds. Lather rinse repeat until level or slightly above, then send a bit to remove the raised grain.

Pardon Our Interruption

This shape tip, but mine came with nuts and bent ends to attach it.

Unfortunately the dents were deep enough to break the grain. Steam won't fix that. As the handle was originally painted, I painted it again.

 

[Eric Brown]

Just an update. Just received a similar wrench but in the 8" size. So, I cleaned/polished it and will nickel plate both.
They both used a left-handed nut on the handle.

Here is a before after of the 8" plus a "pair" picture.

UPDATE: Just nickel plated both the 16" and 8" versions. Did not plate the springs.
FYI: The nuts holding the handles on have left-hand threads.