Very Early Crescent Wrench?

[SilverDeck]

Picked up this 12 inch Crescent wrench recently and wanted to get some opinions on it. Real deal USA steel. Definitely one of the older ones with the really thick jaws (pre-Crestoloy steel). What sets this one apart is the fit and tolences are amazingly tight. Movable jaw fits so tight you can’t get a sheet of paper into the joints. Thumb screw is cross-knurled just like in the 1915 patent drawings. Also says “Patent Pending” on the handle. No way to know for sure but I suspect this may be very early in Crescent’s production. Your thoughts? Anybody have one similar to this?

 

[SilverDeck]

More pics....

 

[SilverDeck]

Here is a pic of the 1908 engineering drawings for the Crescent Adjustable Wrench. The patent wasn’t formally filed until 1915, though.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

SilverDeck,

I have a few "early" (meaning, thick head, pre-Crestoloy) Crescent wrenches, but none of them have cross-knurled thumbscrews, and none of them are marked like yours. In fact, I didn't know there were any marked PATENT PENDING. I suspect your rationale for it being not just very early, but probably first generation, is very strong.

Nice find.

 

[steamup]

Interesting. I never thought about digging into the age of some of my tools. I inherited many of my grandfathers tools, some appear quite old. Attached is the photo of a Crescent wrench, thick head, straight knurling on the knob, no "patent Pending" mark and no chrome. Having grown up near Jamestown, I always thought the wrench was either a very early model or a lunch box special. (maybe both) Attached photos. Any thoughts on age?

Also I have an interesting curved handle adjustable wrench labeled "Weston" by Keystone manufacturing, Buffalo NY. In slightly rough shape and dirty. Never bothered cleaning it up as I don't intend to use it, but is a neat wall hanger.

 

[SilverDeck]

SilverDeck,

I have a few "early" (meaning, thick head, pre-Crestoloy) Crescent wrenches, but none of them have cross-knurled thumbscrews, and none of them are marked like yours. In fact, I didn't know there were any marked PATENT PENDING. I suspect your rationale for it being not just very early, but probably first generation, is very strong.

Nice find.

The cross-knurled screw really caught my attention because I had never seen that on a Crescent before. I was surprised when I looked up the 1915 patent and saw the cross-knurl on the drawings.

 

[SilverDeck]

At body else have (or have photos) of an Crescent-brand adjustable wrench marked “Patent Pending”?

 

[Username already in use]

I found one back in October of 2016. Marked just like yours but the 8in version. Link to that thread is HERE. I had the same questions as you do. Nice find!

Here's a pic of mine:

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I missed that in 2016, Unaiu. I think you both have first generation wrenches.

 

[SilverDeck]

I found one back in October of 2016. Marked just like yours but the 8in version. Link to that thread is HERE. I had the same questions as you do. Nice find!

Here's a pic of mine:

I missed this thread as well. Definitely looks like the “little brother” to the 12”. I assume yours has the same cross-knurling on thumb screw? I wonder how many of these “Patent Pending” survivors are out there? I’m sure many have been lost to attrition and hard use.

 

[Farmer J.]

At body else have (or have photos) of an Crescent-brand adjustable wrench marked “Patent Pending”?

Were the old Snap On ones made by Crescent before they switched to Bahco? I have a 'Patent Pending' one which I bought new.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Were the old Snap On ones made by Crescent before they switched to Bahco? I have a 'Patent Pending' one which I bought new.

Snap-on's earliest supplier was Diamond Calk. From the very beginning (1923) through the early 50's, at least. I have no idea who they went with after that.

 

[SilverDeck]

Have been doing some deep digging in trade periodicals from the 1907-1910 time period looking for early info on the introduction of the "Crescent Adjustable Wrench". Attached are two early mentions, one from Engineering Review in December 1908, and the other from Machinery in January 1909. The markings on the side of the wrench in the Engineering Review article are a dead ringer for the markings on my wrench (other than it being a 12" example rather than a 10"). The Machinery article illustrates 10" and 8" models, and the article from February 1909 in Iron Age mentioned that the wrench is offered in 8" and 10" sizes. Still working on how soon the 12" size came among. As Private Lugnutz said earlier, all indicators are still pointing at this being a surviving "first generation" Crescent wrench. How many more are out there?

 

[DadsTools]

OP wrench is in amazing condition considering its presumed age. Remarkable find.

 

[SilverDeck]

Here are a couple more early appearances in the trade literature from 1909 and 1915. The Iron Tradesman article mentions that the wrenches were being made in sizes from "4 to 18 inches". But I'm still not having much luck pin-pointing when the 12" size was first introduced. My guess it was pretty early (1909-1910?) but can't find any documentation on that just yet.

The 12" wrench is in amazing condition for its age. There is plenty of evidence that it was used, but not abused, and must have been stored carefully. There are a couple of shallow corrosion spots, but other than that the original polished-steel finish is largely intact, and the oil-black finish in the web is like new. Not bad for a tool that is more is around 110 years in age.

 

[SilverDeck]

Here another ad from American Exporter from July of 1909. You've gotta love the manufacturer encouraging the use of cheater pipes to add leverage and standing behind their claim that the tool is stronger than any bolt of the appropriate size on the market.

 

[SilverDeck]

Found an interesting law case from 1917 where Crescent Tool Company filed a suit against the Kilborn & Bishop Co. to restrain K&B from manufacturing and selling a K&B adjustable wrench.

The court ultimately decided against Crescent, but the decision statements note that Crescent Tool Company organized in 1907 and put it's adjustable wrench on the market in December 1908.

For anyone interested in reading it, here is a link to the court's decision:

https://www.ravellaw.com/opinions/a93d640aa38afe7aee8e41642bfc8a8a

 

[JBranstetter]

Here's my 15" patent pending Crescent wrench with a cross-knurled thumbscrew. I've been trying for some time to find a way to date and identify the earliest Crescent wrenches. The 15-in crescent wrench first came out in 1914, as can be seen in the advertisement I posted (I find it interesting that they refer to it as an engineer's wrench). I believe the cross knurled thumb screw is an indicator of the earliest versions, as there seems to be less of them available, and the cross knurling is indicated on the 1915 patent. I have two wrenches, both are 15 inch and both have the cross-knurled thumbscrew. One of them says patent pending, the other says patented. The one with patented on it is a lot more refined in its construction as far as the finishing goes. The patent pending one has really taken an extreme amount of abuse with a hammer, as if it was treated like a striking wrench. It has H.A.M. initials stamped into it and a series of what I believe to be Rockwell hardness testing indentations. One of the close up pictures shows an 8 and 1 stamped into the flat portion of the adjustable jaw. I'm not sure what the numbers represent or why they would have been put there. It would be very difficult if not impossible to put the numbers there with the jaw installed. It has been noted that the removable jaw is forged from a special alloy with four times the strength of ordinary steel, so perhaps it was marked for a reason. Could this be an early test wrench manufactured prior to 1914? Wouldn't it be something else if the tool testing employees were the ones who struck it with the hammer to test its strength, showing how it could be abused and not break. Then afterwards someone who worked there took it home. I've done all manner of researching but have not found much more than is posted here. But I hope to find and learn more.

 

[JBranstetter]

The first two pictures are of the patent pending 15-in wrench. The next picture is the advertisement showing that it came out in January of 1914. The following pictures are of my 15-in patent pending crescent wrench that is of a finer quality (not only because it was beat with a hammer less!). One difference between it and the earlier patent pending one is the recessed area where it says patented, it is farther away from the thumbscrew, one inch versus 1/2 inch. It also has initials on it (in three places) an E.R. I assume the red paint was to identify it as E.R's wrench.

 

[d42jeep]

The cross knurled adjusters are unique to the Patent Pending Crescent wrenches.
-Don

 

[JBranstetter]

I will have to disagree with you that "The cross knurled adjusters are unique to the Patent Pending Crescent wrenches." I have two very early 15-in Crescent wrenches. One of them says patent pending, the other says patented. They both have cross knurled adjusters. I've even seen large patent pending crescent wrenches with just straight knurling. But what is common to both, is that the area where the knurling takes place is wider and flatter than the more modern ones. That is the only consistency I've seen in the very old ones. The two pictures I've uploaded are both 15-in and have the cross knurling, but one is patent pending in the other is patented.

 

[d42jeep]

Perhaps I should have prefaced my statement with “In my experience “. I do feel that the cross knurled adjuster indicates very early production. It is possible to move the adjusters from wrench to wrench as well.
-Don

 

[JBranstetter]

I believe that you are right, that it does indicate very early production. And I believe you're also right about people perhaps changing the adjusters from one wrench to another. I could see someone back then breaking their crescent wrench, perhaps hitting it with a 5 lb sledge hammer, and then after getting their new crescent wrench they did not like the new adjuster with the low quality knurling. They would then take the old thumbscrew adjuster and put it on the new wrench. Thanks for that idea.. I didn't really think of that. I'm glad that at least two people in the country are working on gaining more knowledge about these old crescent wrenches.

I'm always hoping that maybe someday a box of old Company records and memos from the early days of Crescent will show up. I'm posting a picture of the 15-in patented crescent wrench that I posted prior. I can't imagine people beating on a wrench with a hammer like they did. I'd be so afraid I'd break the wrench! But they did not, as I have it and it is not broke.

 

[d42jeep]

I would be great if you added your early examples and any other Crescent tools to this thread.

More than just adjustable wrenches, post up your vintage Crescent tools

I was surprised to find that the vintage forum didn’t have a thread dedicated to Crescent tools so I took a subtle hint from Lugz to start this one. In the early days of collecting tools for my WW2 sets, I ran across plenty of early Crescent tools and will be posting some of them here. I...

www.garagejournal.com

-Don

 

[Wolfen1086]

I've had a 10"crescent wrench that my grandfather gave me, niw, in 62,and he dies at 102,So,you have an idea ov how old it is, it was bare steel when he gave it to me, my dad blued it for be so now it's black, I am a heave equipment mechanic and that 10"crescent wrench works better that ANY snap on, Matco, oormac, spare, harbor freight or any other manufacturer, I took it up to odu in va to find out just Ole old it was, the year of manufacturer is 1920,it still like new, the damn thing is so good my son wants it he is 31 and works on kias

 

[JaredP]

Picked up this 12 inch Crescent wrench recently and wanted to get some opinions on it. Real deal USA steel. Definitely one of the older ones with the really thick jaws (pre-Crestoloy steel). What sets this one apart is the fit and tolences are amazingly tight. Movable jaw fits so tight you can’t get a sheet of paper into the joints. Thumb screw is cross-knurled just like in the 1915 patent drawings. Also says “Patent Pending” on the handle. No way to know for sure but I suspect this may be very early in Crescent’s production. Your thoughts? Anybody have one similar to this?

I own one of the early 1915 Patent Pending Crescent wrenches as well.

 

[JaredP]

At body else have (or have photos) of an Crescent-brand adjustable wrench marked “Patent Pending”?

I own one

 

[JaredP]

At body else have (or have photos) of an Crescent-brand adjustable wrench marked “Patent Pending”?

Besides my 1914-1915 Patent Pending Jamestown Crescent Brand Wrench, I also own this 4 inch "Jamestown, NY" "Made In USA" stamped adjustable wrench. I'm not 100% sure who in Jamestown made it but a former Crescent Tool Co Jamestown, NY factory worker told me that the old timers he spoke to at work years ago said that the first ever Crescent Forging (Tool) Co Jamestown wrenches only had "Jamestown, NY" "Made In USA" stamped and that'd he'd seen them come into the factory for lifetime repair or replacement while he worked there. He said my wrench is OLD. Like within the first few years of the company old. I'm still investigating it to be sure.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...a former Crescent Tool Co Jamestown, NY factory worker told me that the old timers he spoke to at work years ago said that the first ever Crescent Forging (Tool) Co Jamestown wrenches only had "Jamestown, NY" "Made In USA" stamped...

You meant forged, not stamped. I have no stake in casting (no pun intended) any doubt on the former worker, or the old timers he spoke to, but this would need independent verification due to it being at odds with ads and notices in trade mags from December 1908 (earliest documented Crescent Tool Co. production) introducing the adjustable wrench with "Crescent" brand markings. I'd also be more inclined to treat this as more than apocryphal if there were more examples and they weren't 4-inchers.

 

[four.cycle]

for the benefit of our new member @JaredP - and since I have no idea whether or not these have previously been posted on this site:

Crescent / Crescent Tool Co., 204 Harrison St., Jamestown, NY / acquired 1960 by Crescent Niagara Corp. / Apex Tool Group, LLC / patent 975694 Nov 15 1910 Frank Knight & 1133236 Mar 23 1915 Karl Peterson & 1215308 Feb 6 1917 John Emil Johnson / http://alloy-artifacts.org/crescent-tool.html#intro /

 

[four.cycle]

Crescent Tool Co., Jamestown, NY

* Note that as early as 1920, wholesale hardware catalogs (in this case Baker Hamilton & Pacific) were using the moniker "Crescent Pattern" in their marketing:

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have no idea whether or not these have previously been posted on this site

Hey, the more the merrier, but most of those are upthread.

One other observation, @JaredP. Besides not having any branding, the COO marking ("MADE IN U.S.A.") is unusual for early Crescent production. As you know, because I see that you have one, Crescent was using the top side of the wrench for the branding ("CRESCENT") flanked by a size (OAL) and compositional marking ("DROP FORGED STEEL") and the flip side for the full company name ("CRESCENT TOOL CO.") and address ("JAMESTOWN, N.Y."). Decades later they dropped the redundant branding, centered the composition, and added the COO near the hanging hole, but put that on the flip side, using the top side for the "MFD BY" and full company name and address.

Why I mention that is because your wrench has the correct markings for a later Crescent adjustable, and in their correct respective locations, for what was being put on later production wrenches near the hanging hole of the handle. If you're following that. JAMESTOWN, N.Y. on the top side and MADE IN U.S.A. on the flip side. As if they had limited space and squeezed everything else off.

Or it's a novelty product?

Does anyone know when they added a 4-incher to production? The earliest Crescent catalog that I know of in the public domain is the No. 11, dated to 1914, on IA/ITCL, linked here. It's chock full of electrotypes, including the famously annotated one they used for the 1908 trade mags. It includes a 4-incher shown as having the same markings as the 8-, 10-, and 12-inchers above.

Does anyone have an early 4-incher? I searched the Crescent thread but didn't find any. I'll post some photos of my later one here for comparison purposes.

 

[JaredP]

You meant forged, not stamped. I have no stake in casting (no pun intended) any doubt on the former worker, or the old timers he spoke to, but this would need independent verification due to it being at odds with ads and notices in trade mags from December 1908 (earliest documented Crescent Tool Co. production) introducing the adjustable wrench with "Crescent" brand markings. I'd also be more inclined to treat this as more than apocryphal if there were more examples and they weren't 4-inchers.

Yes, forged. Woops. Also, Update: I emailed Apex Tool Group (current owner of Crescent Tool brand) regarding this adjustable wrench with Jamestown, NY on it but no brand name. They replied to me with information about Pearl Johnson, who made the first tools in Jamestown, NY. While Pearl died before the first known adjustable wrenches were made, I wonder if his tool-making business was kept going. I also wonder if the lesser-known Johnson Wrench Company formerly on Taylor Street Jamestown, NY is related to Pearl Johnson. I'm not sure if they sent me a lead on Pearl Johnson because they know something I don't or if it's just a guess.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Welcome to the Madness! Honestly, though, I have to say, that kind of response, right, wrong, or indifferent, is much more than I have ever gotten out of the majority of post-conglomeration front offices I have ever tried to contact.

 

[RTM]

Little bit about Pearl Johnson from a local paper.

Pearl Johnson: Jamestown’s First Tool Maker

Most people in Jamestown know of the Crescent wrench and the Jamestown company that produced the Crescent wrench and many other tools for most of the 20th century. Crescent Tool Company began in 1907, but it was far from the first tool maker in Jamestown. During the early settlement of...

www.post-journal.com

This may have been the source for part of that.

The Early History of the Town of Ellicott, Chautauqua County, N.Y.

books.google.com

 

[JBranstetter]

Crescent Tool Co., Jamestown, NY

* Note that as early as 1920, wholesale hardware catalogs (in this case Baker Hamilton & Pacific) were using the moniker "Crescent Pattern" in their marketing:

I noticed that in the 1914 Hardware Dealers Magazine advertisement for the New Crescent 15" size wrench, that they used a picture of a 6" Crescent wrench. I guess it was so new that they didn't have a picture of it yet!

 

[JBranstetter]

Besides my 1914-1915 Patent Pending Jamestown Crescent Brand Wrench, I also own this 4 inch "Jamestown, NY" "Made In USA" stamped adjustable wrench. I'm not 100% sure who in Jamestown made it but a former Crescent Tool Co Jamestown, NY factory worker told me that the old timers he spoke to at work years ago said that the first ever Crescent Forging (Tool) Co Jamestown wrenches only had "Jamestown, NY" "Made In USA" stamped and that'd he'd seen them come into the factory for lifetime repair or replacement while he worked there. He said my wrench is OLD. Like within the first few years of the company old. I'm still investigating it to be sure.

I wonder why the thumb screw would be off center in the 4" Crescent wrench?

 

[that_ac_dude]

New here. But I thought I would share a couple of my wrenches. I have yet to see another one like the 10” I’ve got. Note it says forged alloy but doesn’t bear the crestoloy stamping. Any thoughts on the age of it? I use it every day doing heavy commercial hvac. The 4 inches I just picked up today at a flea market for a couple bucks.Enjoy.

 

[d42jeep]

The wrench with the open throat is much more modern than others that have been posted on this thread. Welcome to the Garage Journal.
-Don

 

[that_ac_dude]

The wrench with the open throat is much more modern than others that have been posted on this thread. Welcome to the Garage Journal.
-Don

What do you mean by open throat?