Vintage RIDGID Pipe Wrenches

[Mgdoug3]

One more question about my Rigid. Would the 1929 patent number (1727623) be on a 1955 model?

Edit: the end of the adjustable jaw is rounded but the adjusting nut is completely knurled. One site site said the rounded threads was 52 or later but the completely knurled nut was 48 or older. The the 36" model slightly different from the smaller ones?

The plate on the housing looks more like war time model than the post war model. The more I look the more confused I get.

 

[d42jeep]

My opinion is that your wrench was made around 1945. At least that is how it looks to me. Here are some of mine made around the same time period, but smaller than yours. The red one is what I would expect a 1955 wrench to look like.
-Don
Edit... it's likely that your moveable jaw has been replaced with a newer one.

 

[Mgdoug3]

The jaw being replaced would make sense. All the other features indicate an older model.

 

[d42jeep]

Exactly. If you look closely at my first picture the solid knurled nut has been replaced by a newer split knurled nut on my uppermost 10" example. The pieces were sold separately for repairs.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You guys fixed that one on your own! Thanks, Don. I totally muffed my own dating methods! That's the danger of falling prey to just looking at the code. On the good news side, my muff actually helps confirm the dating methods, which is more important. That adjusting nut stayed with the wrench, Mgdoug3, which was made after 1937 and before 1948. EDIT: It does give me an opportunity to talk about finish, as long as you brought it up. I have never made it part of the empirical research, but anecdotally, I am pretty sure that the red enamel started in the late 40's. Put it this way - I have never seen a wrench exhibiting 1948 and later features that wasn't painted red. And conversely, I have never seen a wrench that exhibiting 1929 to 1948 features that was painted red. Although Mgdoug's floating jaw is steel, which is maybe why I have avoided using finishes.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I have a red painted model that I pick up off the road. I'll have to take a closer look at it. Someone put some serious torque on it though. The handle has been broken off and welded back together. I can't complain for the price.

 

[d42jeep]

I have a red painted model that I pick up off the road. I'll have to take a closer look at it. Someone put some serious torque on it though. The handle has been broken off and welded back together. I can't complain for the price.

That’s funny. The red one I posted above my wife found on the side of the road when we parked at an estate sale. Like you say, the price was right.
I found this early 10” wrench at an estate sale this morning. Pre ‘37 and no patent number. Here are pictures of the wrench and the jaw. 1928?
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That is a real head scratcher, Don! I don't remember seeing a "PAT'D" mark before. If someone already reported one on this thread, I missed it. I am working on one cup of coffee here, and raring to get out the door for my flea market, so I reserve the right to either un-screw this or screw it up even more later, but I think you may have found a missing link.

Follow my logic and double-check or argue with me....

That wrench could not have been made in 1938 or later, so the "8" in the code has to be 1928. I am thinking it has to fit between the top two photos in my chart on post #1. The "PAT PEND'G" marking on the first wrench (which has none of the features patented in the second patent) has to refer to the first patent (which they never put on a wrench.) The "PAT PEND'G" on the second wrench (which has the features patented in the second patent) has to refer to the second patent, which they started putting on wrenches after it was granted. I think that means the "PAT'D" on your wrench has to refer to the first patent. With a code ending in "8", it can't refer to the second patent, which wasn't granted until 1929. It looks to me like their initial philosophy on the patents was to just forge "PAT'D" on the wrench, without the actual number. When they applied for the second patent, they went back to "PAT PEND'G" again. When that was granted, they decided to forged in the number instead of "PAT'D," maybe because now there were two patents in play. I would be tempted to think the sequence could be for the second patent - "PAT PEND'G" to "PAT'D" to "1,7272,623", but again, that second patent wasn't granted until 9/19/1929. Unless you've got a dynamic jaw made in 1928 inside a wrench made in 1929.

As you know, my initial motivation with this thread wasn't so much to figure out how to date all the wrenches, but the wartime wrenches. So I can live with fuzzy and TBD!

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Lugz,
I've got what I believe is a wartime 10" wrench. It has all the features you mention #8, #9, #10 & #11. The code is B14-2. Additionally, there is a 7 stamped at the top of the groove on the handle. A "3." is stamped on the body/plate/static jaw/whatever that part of the wrench is called. I'd appreciate you letting me know if you think it's wartime. Also, thanks for doing all this "work"!

Mike

 

[MattT]

Unless you've got a dynamic jaw made in 1928 inside a wrench made in 1929.

Definitely possible. Manufacturing wasn't "lean" back then. Or maybe changing the jaw die number got overlooked that year. Or if it didn't leave the factory that way somebody might have switched in an older jaw afterwards.

 

[d42jeep]

Lugz,
I've got what I believe is a wartime 10" wrench. It has all the features you mention #8, #9, #10 & #11. The code is B14-2. Additionally, there is a 7 stamped at the top of the groove on the handle. A "3." is stamped on the body/plate/static jaw/whatever that part of the wrench is called. I'd appreciate you letting me know if you think it's wartime. Also, thanks for doing all this "work"!

Mike

Mike,
Since Lugz hasn’t answered yet, I would vote 1942 on your 10” Ridgid. All the details are correct for that time frame.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Sorry, Mike. Thanks, Don. Absolutely. Matches all the wartime features and has a date code ending in "2". With the 1937 trademarked swash plate, it can't be a 1932, and if it was 1952 it would probably be red with a rounded dynamic jaw end and a different adjusting nut.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Sorry, Mike. Thanks, Don. Absolutely. Matches all the wartime features and has a date code ending in "2". With the 1937 trademarked swash plate, it can't be a 1932, and if it was 1952 it would probably be red with a rounded dynamic jaw end and a different adjusting nut.

Thanks Don. Thanks Lugz. And I think I do have the "1952" 10" wrench you just described. I know you're interested in the wartime wrenches but tomorrow I'll verify if it meets all the criteria to be a 52. It's cool having a good idea when your vintage tools were made.

Mike

 

[4xdog]

Here's a 14-inch Ridgid pipe wrench that's been in our family longer than I have. It was my father's, almost certainly bought in the late 40s-early 50s when he was rigging machinery in Cleveland with his father.

B17-3 forged markings on rounded-end dynamic jaw. What looks like R···14 on the adjusting nut (but I'd need to check that closer to be sure). Original paint and remnants of decal intact. I'd certainly assign it to 1953, knowing its provenance and the design features.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yes, that's a classic example of a wrench made after 1952, and, if I'm right about the code, almost certainly 1953. Thanks for the contribution!

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Lugz,
I know this isn't of interest but as another data point...this 10" is B63 on the handle, partially knurled adjustment nut, rounded end on the dynamic jaw thread and no patent date. "10 R 10" on the adjustment nut.

PS Please pardon the rust. This is part of a bunch of tools I picked up at an estate sale a month or two ago and still haven't really gotten through them to clean up. I hate rust on my tools! :-\

Mike

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugz,
I know this isn't of interest but as another data point...this 10" is B63 on the handle, partially knurled adjustment nut, rounded end on the dynamic jaw thread and no patent date. "10 R 10" on the adjustment nut.

They're all of interest in the sense of statistical relevance, Mike. As I said, we really haven't encountered a wrench that busts either the patent-and-feature dating method or the code theory. And we have many in support. That wrench, for example, fits a 1953 (maybe 1963, but someone else can figure out the modern wrenches! ). The numbers in the nut recess are another reference to the length of the wrench.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Got another data point for your research Lugz...a 6"er. Marked B.3.4 with patent 1727623 on the handle. Has the other two requirements with knurled adj nut and squared off dyn jaw. Picked it up this morning for $2. Still has part of the decal on it. From what I gather on this thread it was made in '44? Not bad condition for a 74 year old pipe wrench.

 

[d42jeep]

If the decal is over the red paint, as it appears, I would say that is a newer handle with an earlier jaw and nut. It appears to bulge out a bit around the hanging hole as well. The earlier wrenches weren’t painted at the factory.
-Don
Edit....I went and did a survey of my small Ridgid wrenches and now I’m not so sure. Most of the red painted examples I’ve seen don’t have the early patent number. The patent number is normally replaced with “Heavy Duty”. Yours may be a transitional wrench.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

If the decal is over the red paint, as it appears, I would say that is a newer handle with an earlier jaw and nut. It appears to bulge out a bit around the hanging hole as well. The earlier wrenches weren’t painted at the factory.
-Don
Edit....I went and did a survey of my small Ridgid wrenches and now I’m not so sure. Most of the red painted examples I’ve seen don’t have the early patent number. The patent number is normally replaced with “Heavy Duty”. Yours may be a transitional wrench.

Decal is over the red paint. So given the code B.3.4 and the things you just mentioned when does "the brain trust" think this was made?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's a bit of an odd duck. The static jaw and handle look like 50's to me. The adjusting nut doesn't. The end on that dynamic jaw isn't round, but it isn't exactly squared off either. I'm not sure what to think about this one.

 

[d42jeep]

While I was looking through my Ridgid I ran across this. Early patent, red paint, split knurling and early jaw. Kind of a similar situation.
-Don

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Got another data point for you. Date code is B-10-6. It meets all 4 of the criteria for the war-time Ridgid pipe wrenches. This was in the small Kennedy toolbox I picked up on Monday.

 

[d42jeep]

Mike,
Looks like like one year too new to be wartime but a nice looking 1946 Ridgid. I have got to stop picking up every one of these I run across. Enough is enough!
-Don

 

[Hamster]

Another data point with B-1-1, its a 6” I found at a flea market. View attachment 1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Mike,
Looks like like one year too new to be wartime but a nice looking 1946 Ridgid. I have got to stop picking up every one of these I run across. Enough is enough!
-Don

Don,
I don't have near that many of them (and all have come in toolboxes I've bought so far) but I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday.

Mike

 

[Shelbylex]

Got another one (sorry, did not clean it up yet - got it couple of days ago...). Ridgid 6.

Code: B-10-1

Trying to guess the year: 1941 (please confirm, if you can)

 

[d42jeep]

Another data point with B-1-1, its a 6” I found at a flea market. View attachment 1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Got another one (sorry, did not clean it up yet - got it couple of days ago...). Ridgid 6.

Code: B-10-1

Trying to guess the year: 1941 (please confirm, if you can)

It looks to me like both of your wrenches were made in 1941.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Don

 

[gicts]

If you're still in need of submissions and will excuse my 'restoration' that's in progress:

 

[d42jeep]

If you're still in need of submissions and will excuse my 'restoration' that's in progress:

Based on the code on the jaw, it looks as if your wrench was made in 1944. I assume that the adjusting nut is knurled it’s entire width.
I found an early 10” with a date code of 1 on Friday. I would assume that it was made in 1931.
-Don

 

[Muttly]

I picked this one up for $1 per inch thanks to this thread.

B - 7 - 3 =1943?

Could the paint be original?

 

[d42jeep]

1943 seems correct and I don’t believe that the paint is original. They started the red paint in the next newer version. That’s a big one! Congrats.
-Don

 

[jeffmoss26]

picked these up over the weekend at the ReStore.
Gave them a quick cleaning on the wire wheel and wiped them down with Tub O Towels. Might paint the red one, we'll see.

 

[allank]

Greetings - discovered this thread while researching a pipe wrench I found, and decided to clean up. It's a RIGID, with the patent 1,727,623.

I recorded a video of the before and after, as well as some of the process, however not able to post links here (yet).

I'll post some hi-res images of the wrench, as well as the video as soon as I am able.

 

[tym]

Just found this thread via a search as I tried to learn more about my $0.50 acquisition yesterday.

Looks like this is likely wartime, manufactured in 1943? The floating jaw is labeled B-11-3.

I notice some examples above with the L-**-Y format, the ** number is greater than 12, so perhaps it's week of the year vs. month?

 

[Mark in Indiana]

I posted this Ridgid Super 8 on another thread before I cleaned it up. I'm sure that it was manufactured within the last 30 years. At 62#, I'm glad that I never needed to use it.

 

[Neal From California]

. I have a 36 inch ridgid. Do most collectors want it all cleaned up or in the current vintage condition? I have sold two in the past one cleaned up and one vintage patina. They went for almost the same price


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Neal From California]

. Neal in California here. I want these to go to a good home.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Neal From California]

Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app