Author Topic: Collecting sockets for Greene,Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1  (Read 2712 times)

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Offline Wrenchmensch

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I have started collecting sockets for my Greene, Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1.   So far, I have a 3/4 C and 5/8 hex double socket, with an  A 12 square and a 1/2 hex double socket in the wrench.  These wrenches were sized according to a scale no longer in use. The openings are much larger than the embossed figures would suggest.  Besides being a wrench that is relatively worthless to knowledgeable collectors, each socket weighs over a pound. There appear to be few, if any, boxed sets of Greene, Tweed ratchets and 1 lb. sockets out there. As a result, this collection effort promises to be slow going. 



« Last Edit: December 12, 2011, 08:45:08 AM by Wrenchmensch »

Offline eddie hudson

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Re: Collecting sockets for Greene,Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2011, 04:50:19 PM »
A group of 6 or 7 sold on ebay 3 or 4 months ago. I have no idea what sizes they were or how much they brought.

Offline rusty

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Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline Wrenchmensch

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Re: Collecting sockets for Greene,Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2011, 10:56:00 PM »
Rusty:

It took me some years last time just to come up with all four ratchets. I sold these ratchets and the sockets that were in them to the Company when I retired from Greene, Tweed. As I recall, the diameter of the ratchet increased with each higher-numbered ratchet.

I am taking a different tack this time, focusing on finding all the the sockets for the No. 1 wrench.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2011, 08:46:03 AM by Wrenchmensch »

Offline lauver

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Re: Collecting sockets for Greene,Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2011, 07:13:08 PM »
Gang,

I've never heard of Greene Tweed or seen a ratchet of socket like these posted.  Were these tools designed/intended for a particular trade?  If so, which trade(s)?
Member of PHARTS - Pefect Handle Admiration, Restoration, and Torturing Society

Offline rusty

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Re: Collecting sockets for Greene,Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2011, 08:28:28 PM »

My link didn't work very well :(
Anyhow, here is a better pic for the bored:

Set with Ratchet 0 included 3/8,7/16,1/2,5/8,3/4 for square nuts, with a second (optional?)set for hex.
plus an 8" extension and 7" drill head
Also the ratchet came Japanned or nickel plated.
The article says there are 4 sizes, 1,2,2-1/2, and 3 , but shows a 'Set with wrench #0"...hmm
#1 is 15" long, the rest are 28" long
Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline rusty

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Re: Collecting sockets for Greene,Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2011, 08:47:45 PM »

Greene Tweed (John Ashton Greene , Henry A. Tweed) is one of those companies that just sort of stayed obscure, perhaps because they were making all the non glamerous day to day stuff, gaskets, packing , seals, oil pumps, lubricators. All the things you need to keep things working. They seem to have made tools almost as an afterthought, the ratchet seems to be an exception, it is fairly well advertised, but they also made mundane things like awls for leather belt lacing, belt lacing machines etc etc...
Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline Wrenchmensch

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Re: Collecting sockets for Greene,Tweed Favorite Ratchet Wrench No. 1
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2011, 10:22:48 PM »
Rusty:

Greene, Tweed still exists.  Today it makes hi-tech seals for things like aircraft landing gear and plasma chambers.  This now-international Company has markets in Aerospace, Defense, Semiconductor, and Solar industries, to name several.

The ratchet and sockets shown in the photograph look to be fairly conventional.  The sockets for the Number 1 handle are usually found as a combined socket and handle.  The reason is that a set screw holds the massive socket in the handle.

Bob