Tool Talk

Classic Auto and Motorcycle Tools => Classic Auto and Motorcycle Tools => Topic started by: johnsironsanctuary on September 27, 2019, 03:30:00 PM

Title: KR Wilson combination wrenches
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on September 27, 2019, 03:30:00 PM

I just returned from a trip to the ReStore. I now own four large KR Wilson combination wrenches.
13/16, 1 1/16,  1 1/8, & 1 1/4.  All that is on them is KR WILSON BUFFALO and the size. I know that KRW was the official vendor of tools for Ford cars from the teens to the forties. I did not know that they made simple wrenches. Does anyone have anything they can add?

Title: Re: KR Wilson combination wrenches
Post by: leg17 on September 27, 2019, 09:29:10 PM

I have a couple.  There are some on eBay right now.
Memory tells me that in the '50s towards the end of KRW tools they branched out into general use tools.  They appear to be Barcalo made.

Title: Re: KR Wilson combination wrenches
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on September 27, 2019, 10:57:45 PM

Thanks Leg, I picked up a 13/16 Barcalo combination today and they are very similar, but the KRW is a bit longer. The forgings are the same and the size markings are identical.I did not know that they lasted until the fifties.

Title: Re: KR Wilson combination wrenches
Post by: leg17 on September 28, 2019, 08:34:43 AM

Buffalo, home of both Barcalo and KRW.

Title: Re: KR Wilson combination wrenches
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on October 05, 2019, 10:46:55 AM

These are the photos.

Title: Re: KR Wilson combination wrenches
Post by: d42jeep on November 27, 2019, 08:39:19 AM

Wilson clearly sourced wrenches from Barcalo. Here is my small Wilson Buffalo combo wrench with some of it’s Barcalo cousins. Barcalo was a large contract supplier to others, including Montgomery Wards.
-Don