Tool Talk
Wrench Forum => Wrench Forum => Topic started by: hosspapa on October 23, 2019, 05:21:42 PM
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I've reviewed lots of vintage Crescent wrenches (including those on Alloy Artifacts) and haven't been able to match this 8" adjustable wrench to one of those.
One side reads as follows:
8IN. MADE BY CRESCENT TOOL CO. JAMESTOWN, N.Y. U.S.A.
Other side reads as follows:
8IN. CRESCENT DROP FORGED STEEL
There are other wrenches with markings that are close to this -- but can't find a match. If anyone can give me an approximate date on this wrench, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Except for the chipped off adjustable jaw on yours, it appears to be exactly like the one shown on Ally Artifacts. Since Crescent made the same wrenches for years, it is near impossible to date .
Alloy Artifact's photo-
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Thank you for the response - and I initially thought the same thing as you but the markings on my wrench are different than the Alloy Artifacts example.
My wrench looks more similar to the one in referenced in Alloy Artifacts intro to Crescent: "The advertisement at the left shows an early Crescent wrench, published in the June 1910 issue of the Hardware Dealers' Magazine." See attached image courtesy of Alloy Artifacts. But I really couldn't make out the writing on the wrench ... and even if it did match that early example, I wasn't sure how long they might have produced the wrench with those markings.
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I believe that your wrench was manufactured prior to 1941. Since these wrenches were included in early WW2 Jeep onboard toolsets I’ve done a bit of research on them. The early wrenches like yours were made of carbon steel and to provide adequate strength the heads were quite thick. When Crescent introduced the Crestoloy alloy wrenches those heads were thinner. The catalog image is from 1941. The square reinforced hanging hole on the Chrome wrench started around 1960
-Don
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Thank you for that information and the images. The bottom wrench in the 4th picture with the "8IN. CRESCENT DROP FORGED STEEL" matches one side of my wrench. Curious as to what the other side of that wrench looks like?
What puzzles me about my wrench is that it is the only one I've seen that has those particular marking configuration. The differences are subtle - but I was hoping that they would key someone off as to the age of the wrench.
For example on the other side of my wrench (opposite of the CRESCENT DROP FORGED STEEL side) --
Most wrenches will have MFD BY whereas my wrench is MADE BY.
Most wrenches will feature a large CRESCENT followed by a smaller TOOL CO. JAMESTOWN N.Y. whereas my wrench has MADE BY followed by a smaller CRESCENT TOOL CO. JAMESTOWN, N.Y. U.S.A. Most wrenches do not include the U.S.A.
It is a beautiful wrench and feels great in the hand.
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Fortunately, I rarely throw anything away although this wrench has seen better days. Here are both sides.
-Don
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That matches mine! Thanks. And I have the same issue - rarely throw anything away!