Vintage Wright - Share it Here

[d42jeep]

I found a 3/4” drive 1-3/8” socket/paperweight for misterbill’s gradually growing Wright collection.
-Don

 

[Leviton]

Pat pending n70. Still working very smoothly.

I have an N-70 like yours. Seems almost singularly scarce. Unfortunately, mine is trashed. Sort of. I have the arm, the shifter and its spacer, two screws, two pawls and their spring, one ball, the head base? Am I missing something? Do you still have yours? Have you taken it apart? Any advice?

I found a Wright N-70 ratchet that was made in 1952. Has a round, knurled, selector switch. It is marked patent pending (likely referring to patent US2715955A applied for in 1950, granted in August 23, 1955).

It didn’t function. I took it apart and found the guts strewn about inside. I straightened a bent spring, cleaned and lubed, and used the patent drawing to figure out how to reassemble. Now it works fine.









(10.5” overall length and marked “Wright Barberton-O-USA N-70 Pat. Pending 52-" )

 

[misterbill]

I found a Wright N-70 ratchet that was made in 1952. Has a round, knurled, selector switch. It is marked patent pending (likely referring to patent US2715955A applied for in 1950, granted in August 23, 1955).

It didn’t function. I took it apart and found the guts strewn about inside. I straightened a bent spring, cleaned and lubed, and used the patent drawing to figure out how to reassemble. Now it works fine.









(10.5” overall length and marked “Wright Barberton-O-USA N-70 Pat. Pending 52-" )

Nice find and I approve of your supervisor.

 

[RTM]

Nice find and I approve of your supervisor.

Those tools need a Cat scan before further diagnosis, and treatment can happen

 

[misterbill]

I picked this up on FBM today. Only the ratchet is dated (1964) but the 10 point sockets and two-tone box are consistent with that timeframe. It got me wondering about one thing, though. Can we determine when Wright changed colors on their socket boxes? I think they went from green to the two-tone black and gray at the same time they changed their drive tool numbering scheme. I have no evidence for when they went from the two-tone scheme to red. (All of my newer stuff was acquired onesy-twosy or used.)


Bill

 

[misterbill]

Another interesting observation that also acts as a warning against absolutes… this socket I received from @d42jeep has a “63” date code. This is after Wright supposedly had gone to an alphabetic scheme in 1961 (“A”).


Bill

 

[four.cycle]

Can we determine when Wright changed colors on their socket boxes? I think they went from green to the two-tone black and gray at the same time they changed their drive tool numbering scheme. I have no evidence for when they went from the two-tone scheme to red.

Do we have photo image(s) of the green boxes and/or the red boxes?

 

[misterbill]

Found this little gem in a tackle box at my parents' house yesterday. It's a 1940 dated P12 3/8" x 7/16".




Bill

 

[d42jeep]

I found these 3/8” drive Wright tools at a recent estate sale. Probably the first Tootsie Roll flex handle I’ve seen in person.
-Don

 

[misterbill]

Do we have photo image(s) of the green boxes and/or the red boxes?

Sure do. Just scroll in this thread and you'll se examples. OTG had this set in a green box in post 327 and genog had an example of a red box in post box in post 466. There are others. The green, if I had to guess, runs from post WWII until the early 1960s when Wright went to their new model number scheme. The red boxes maybe starting in the 1980s?

Bill

 

[misterbill]

Sure do. Just scroll in this thread and you'll se examples. OTG had this set in a green box in post 327 and genog had an example of a red box in post box in post 466. There are others. The green, if I had to guess, runs from post WWII until the early 1960s when Wright went to their new model number scheme. The red boxes maybe starting in the 1980s?

Bill

Answering some of my own questions... we know from visual evidence on Alloy Artifacts that Wright started their renumbering scheme (at least for their drive tools) in 1959 and the box containing the "60" marked tools is of the two-tone black/silver variety. The 1957 catalog shows the older style rounded socket boxes in (presuming) the green color. So, two-tone started sometime between 1957-1960.

Looking at the catalogs that are available, we know from the text on page 7 of the 1972 catalog that they were still using the two-tone combination at that time.


The next available catalog is 1977. Page 11 shows a set with the number 93 metal box which looks to be the same shape (can't tell the color because it's black and white print) as the later red boxes that I have.


FWIW, last month I made one of my periodic inquiries of Wright to see if they would consider releasing older catalogs - especially in light of 2027 being the 100 year anniversary. Here is the reply I got:

"There is no update or movement on the releasing of old Wright catalogs. You are correct about our 100th is approaching (Jan 2027). As we gear up for the celebration of that, will let you know if featuring prior year catalogs is something that will be included."

Bill

 

[Oldtuleguy]

By the 70s probably red boxes. Late 40s 50s green. Silver 60s, 70s up red is my take on it.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I sent the photos and questions in to Wright but have not yet heard back from them.

 

[misterbill]

This l'il fella' arrived in the mail today. Clipping of the No. 74 ignition pliers is from the 1939 catalog.






Bill

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ Love the period dated penny for context idea, Billiam.

 

[GemState10ER]

First post on this thread…here’s some pawn store socket bin finds!

 

[3baygarage]

Nice. That first socket is quite old!

 

[genog]

Wright is kinda scarce around here....for me anyway

This 6" adjustable is one of the few Wright tools that I have

 

[four.cycle]

Wright 610 14 piece 3/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set

*size range: 3/4" - 1-5/8"
* From wear marks, it appears only the 3/4" and 1-1/16" sockets were used. The other pieces are new.
* The 1-5/16" socket was replaced with a PROTO equivalent at some point by the previous owner.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

An immovable object (my aversion to chrome and later tools) met an irresistible force (my penchant for ignition wrenches) at the flea market this morning, and the irresistible force won.

Wright ignition set No. 798. Guessing late 60s or even later, though I'm counting on @misterbill to say more. It's an interesting pouch. Loads from the back, with a weird half flap. Kind of quirky ingenious. They can't fall out no matter how it's turned or jostled. Wrenches, four missing, are 15* x 80* with the same opening size on both ends and no V gullets. I have many brands of sets and orphans, all 15* x 60*, 15* x 75*, or 15* x 90*. This is a configuration I have never seen before.

 

[misterbill]

An immovable object (my aversion to chrome and later tools) met an irresistible force (my penchant for ignition wrenches) at the flea market this morning, and the irresistible force won.

Wright ignition set No. 798. Guessing late 60s or even later, though I'm counting on @misterbill to say more. It's an interesting pouch. Loads from the back, with a weird half flap. Kind of quirky ingenious. They can't fall out no matter how it's turned or jostled. Wrenches, four missing, are 15* x 80* with the same opening size on both ends and no V gullets. I have many brands of sets and orphans, all 15* x 60*, 15* x 75*, or 15* x 90*. This is a configuration I have never seen before.

I found it in both the 1989 and 1977 catalogs that I have.

1989


1977

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found it in both the 1989 and 1977 catalogs that I have.

Thanks, Bill. I'm going with '77, although I'm feeling a little disgruntled and miffed they didn't even bother to mention that it was "Supplied in plastic pouch," my favorite part.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

With the thought of maybe filling this up a little, I went through my orphan stash this morning, recalling that I may have picked up at least one Wright ignition wrench along the way. I was right, but it's the wrong configuration (15* x 60*, different sizes each end), with a V- gullet, and natural steel. Probably older.

 

[misterbill]

With the thought of maybe filling this up a little, I went through my orphan stash this morning, recalling that I may have picked up at least one Wright ignition wrench along the way. I was right, but it's the wrong configuration (15* x 60*, different sizes each end), with a V- gullet, and natural steel. Probably older.

Probably is (w)right. I think your P60 is from prior to WWII. They are in the 1939 catalog.


Bill

 

[misterbill]

Some additional evidence that Herbrand made wrenches for Wright. This 5/8 x 11/16 short DBE with the distinctive raised panel arrived yesterday and matches what's in Herbrand's 1939 catalog nicely.






Bill

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ Some oh-HI-yah cahoots right there.

 

[3baygarage]

Interesting. A parallelogram panel also appears on New Britain, Husky, probably other brand wrenches.

 

[misterbill]

Excellent point, @3baygarage. Do you know what era the other brands had those panels? (AA posits NB in the early mid 40s and the NB 1940 catalog would seem to agree.) Wright's focus on drive-tools-only started about the time of WWII and they didn't expand to a full line of tools again until the late 1950s. I agree it's a possibility, but I'm still leaning towards Herbrand because of Wright's traditional regional alliances (e.g., Champion-DeArment, Ridgid).