Tool Talk
Wrench Forum => Wrench Forum => Topic started by: jimwrench on September 16, 2015, 04:28:40 PM
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The bottom 3 are marked ( superslim) and the trademark is (T/W) in a circle. The crossbar is straight across (Not Angled) but my computer don,t do that. Who is their father?
THe top one has a snail trademark and marked (5/16 W 3/8F and 1/4 W 5/16 F.) Any info appreciated.
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They were made by Thomas Smith & Sons of Saltley Ltd., Birmingham. Thomas Smith is said to have chosen the snail as his brand because his motto was, "The snail may be slow, but he gets there in the end"
The firm began in 1848 when it made velocipedes and small hand tools. In 1896 it was operating out of Saltley Mill in Birmingham. In 1937, in addition to custom drop forgings, they advertised spanners, adjustable wrenches, hammers, and hatchets of all descriptions. In the 1960's, the factory was moved from Saltley to Coleshill. Many of their products (hammers, hatchets, garden tools, spanners (chrome-vanadium & carbon steel) plus their adjustable & pipe wrenches) were exported to India. The company failed around 1973 after more than a century in business.
http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2013/03/vanished-makes-snail-brand-tools.html (http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2013/03/vanished-makes-snail-brand-tools.html)
And a TATHS ( Tools and Trades History Society ) article-http://www.taths.org.uk/tools-and-trades/articles/183-100-years-of-adjustable-spanners-in-birmingham (http://www.taths.org.uk/tools-and-trades/articles/183-100-years-of-adjustable-spanners-in-birmingham)
As for Superslim, they are probably Williams and might still be available at http://www.smithfrancistools.co.uk/ (http://www.smithfrancistools.co.uk/)
Good news as Nortons used Superslims in their toolkits for years, as did many other British Bikes.
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Don't forget the the SNAIL BRAND ENFO (English FORD) auto monkey wrenches & the SNAIL BRAND "S" Handle adjustables -- the last named has an especially prominent snail.
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T.Williams has a short entry at AA...
http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/other-makers-p3.html#t-williams (http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/other-makers-p3.html#t-williams)
I like Superslims. They are strong, light and not bulky. Excellent wrenches.
The ones you have are AF "across the flats" or will fit our American style hardware.
The Snail is a Whitworth/British Standard type - the measurements indicate screw diameter, not head size. Not familiar with the use of "F" to indicate British Standard.
Al
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Yeah, I have a 7" auto wrench. Cute little terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk trademark!
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Yeah, I have a 7" auto wrench. Cute little terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk trademark!
Man I am ewally messed up - I thought those were huge hairy mammals that have some kind of stink gland.
Chilly