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Vintage Armstrong Tappet Wrenches
- Thread starter yhprum
- Start date
neophyte
Well-known member
I don't have an old Armstrong catalogue to check, but I did check an old Bonney catalogue from 1947.
Several different tool manufacturers used a standardized numbering system for the styles of wrench, and the Armstrong numbers on those match up with the Bonney numbers.
Presuming that Armstrong and Bonney produced the same wrenches in the same sizes, there should be an Armstrong number 401A wrench in a 7/16" size, an Armstrong number 403 wrench in a 9/16" size, and an Armstrong number 405 wrench in an 11/16" size.
The Bonney catalogue I checked didn't list a number 406 wrench, so it's possible there are other larger sizes Armstrong may have manufactured that Bonney didn't. The regular 420 series double open end tappet wrenches manufactured by Bonney, were also available with 3/4", 13/16", 7/8", 15/16", and 1" open ends. If the numbering of the 400 series tappet wrenches stayed consistent, then 13/16" would be 407, 7/8" would be 408, 15/16" would be 409, and 1" would be 410.
I just did a quick search thru ebay and found a number 408 Bonney, so I presume a 407 and 408 Armstrong might exist.
Several different tool manufacturers used a standardized numbering system for the styles of wrench, and the Armstrong numbers on those match up with the Bonney numbers.
Presuming that Armstrong and Bonney produced the same wrenches in the same sizes, there should be an Armstrong number 401A wrench in a 7/16" size, an Armstrong number 403 wrench in a 9/16" size, and an Armstrong number 405 wrench in an 11/16" size.
The Bonney catalogue I checked didn't list a number 406 wrench, so it's possible there are other larger sizes Armstrong may have manufactured that Bonney didn't. The regular 420 series double open end tappet wrenches manufactured by Bonney, were also available with 3/4", 13/16", 7/8", 15/16", and 1" open ends. If the numbering of the 400 series tappet wrenches stayed consistent, then 13/16" would be 407, 7/8" would be 408, 15/16" would be 409, and 1" would be 410.
I just did a quick search thru ebay and found a number 408 Bonney, so I presume a 407 and 408 Armstrong might exist.
neophyte
Well-known member
I was looking thru the Alloy-Artifacts website.
Armstrong and Blackhawk had a partnership for a several decade period. Some of the wrenches were manufactured by Armstrong including the tappet wrenches.
"Blackhawk initially offered tappet wrenches in a design with one end straight and the other offset at 22.5 degrees. Two styles were available, the first with two openings of the same size, and the second style with different opening sizes. The wrenches of this second style were made in pairs with the openings exchanged, with the models distinguished by a "-B" or "-C" suffix to the model number.
The 1929 Blackhawk Mechanic's Guide listed both styles of tappet wrenches. The equal-sized models were available in sizes ranging from the 3/8 model 401 up to the 1 inch model 409. The unequal-sized models were offered in three pairs of sizes, models 402-{B,C} of sizes 1/2x9/16, 404-{B,C} of sizes 5/8x11/16, and 406-{B,C} of sizes 3/4x7/8."
So if you're trying to complete your set, Blackhawk wrenches might match if you can't find Armstrong ones. Also be wary of B and C designated wrenches since these will have different sizes on each end, but still use the same type of wrench blank. Also, if the number 409 wrench was 1", then one of the sizes I listed wasn't standard so the numbers I listed would be off. The Bonney number 408 wrench was 15/16".
https://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/blackhawk-innovation-p3.html
Armstrong and Blackhawk had a partnership for a several decade period. Some of the wrenches were manufactured by Armstrong including the tappet wrenches.
"Blackhawk initially offered tappet wrenches in a design with one end straight and the other offset at 22.5 degrees. Two styles were available, the first with two openings of the same size, and the second style with different opening sizes. The wrenches of this second style were made in pairs with the openings exchanged, with the models distinguished by a "-B" or "-C" suffix to the model number.
The 1929 Blackhawk Mechanic's Guide listed both styles of tappet wrenches. The equal-sized models were available in sizes ranging from the 3/8 model 401 up to the 1 inch model 409. The unequal-sized models were offered in three pairs of sizes, models 402-{B,C} of sizes 1/2x9/16, 404-{B,C} of sizes 5/8x11/16, and 406-{B,C} of sizes 3/4x7/8."
So if you're trying to complete your set, Blackhawk wrenches might match if you can't find Armstrong ones. Also be wary of B and C designated wrenches since these will have different sizes on each end, but still use the same type of wrench blank. Also, if the number 409 wrench was 1", then one of the sizes I listed wasn't standard so the numbers I listed would be off. The Bonney number 408 wrench was 15/16".
https://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/blackhawk-innovation-p3.html