Debcrow
Well-known member
These two Craftsman offset Box end wrenches came in a garage sale lot. They are both identical design and both marked with the Moore Drop Forging 'V".
However, one is plated and one shows no sign of ever being plated. I took the pictures outside and used a flash so there is some reflection on the unpainted one, but it shows no sign of plating. It also shows no signs of rust. That may be because it is from dry New Mexico and was heavily coated with hardened grease in the bottom of the box. After prying it loose from the box it took a day of soaking in gas to get it to come clean with some scrubbing.
There are some other differences. They have identical stampings. However the font size is just a little larger between the two and much more heavily stamped on the unplated one. When I had them laying on the table next to each other I noticed they did not lay the same. The plated one is slightly thicker where the bend is on both ends.
I spent a couple of hours researching these on GJ and AA. Most everything I find seems to indicate the early post WWII unplated wrenches did have a V cast on the shank. And were not stamped with the Moore 'V'. Neither one of these has that.
Anyone have any idea when the unplated one was made? There was a Cad plated DOE end wrench in the same box which I found someone else had an identical one on GJ, I am assuming that one was Korean War vintage.
However, one is plated and one shows no sign of ever being plated. I took the pictures outside and used a flash so there is some reflection on the unpainted one, but it shows no sign of plating. It also shows no signs of rust. That may be because it is from dry New Mexico and was heavily coated with hardened grease in the bottom of the box. After prying it loose from the box it took a day of soaking in gas to get it to come clean with some scrubbing.
There are some other differences. They have identical stampings. However the font size is just a little larger between the two and much more heavily stamped on the unplated one. When I had them laying on the table next to each other I noticed they did not lay the same. The plated one is slightly thicker where the bend is on both ends.
I spent a couple of hours researching these on GJ and AA. Most everything I find seems to indicate the early post WWII unplated wrenches did have a V cast on the shank. And were not stamped with the Moore 'V'. Neither one of these has that.
Anyone have any idea when the unplated one was made? There was a Cad plated DOE end wrench in the same box which I found someone else had an identical one on GJ, I am assuming that one was Korean War vintage.
