I picked up a Dreadnaught wrench on Friday. Marked on one side DREADNAUGHT, 1/4 & 5/16 USS, 5/16 OC. The other side CHROME-MOLYBDENUM, 1025, MCKINNON, Made in Canada.
Gray tools lists a Dreadnaught adjustable in their 1941 catalogue. The response to an e-mail to them indicated that they had no knowledge of having made any Dreadnaught tools other than the adjustables.
Was Dreadnaught a house brand for someone who jobbed out manufacture to several manufacturers? At this time I am only aware of adjustables and open end wrenches with the Dreadnaught name. Does anyone have knowledge of other tools?
Mckinnon Industries bought the Canadian operations of J. H. Williams Co. of Buffalo NY in 1925. Williams was listed as Manufacturing wrenches, hammers and small tools in St Catherines Ontario at the time of purchase.
Mckinnon was an automotive supplier to GM among others. It was bought in 1929 by GM and operated as a subsiduary until 1969.
I don't recall seeing any other Mckinnon tools.

Quote from: Neals on May 19, 2013, 10:51:21 PM
I picked up a Dreadnaught wrench on Friday. Marked on one side DREADNAUGHT, 1/4 & 5/16 USS, 5/16 OC. The other side CHROME-MOLYBDENUM, 1025, MCKINNON, Made in Canada.
Gray tools lists a Dreadnaught adjustable in their 1941 catalogue. The response to an e-mail to them indicated that they had no knowledge of having made any Dreadnaught tools other than the adjustables.

It is odd that Gray claims to have no knowledge of Dreadnaught apart from the adjustables.

We know for certain - based on your own example - that they made DOEs too...

My memory and recordkeeping are both a bit lacking these days. I had forgot that Gray wrench.
Gray seems to be in the process of setting up a museum and researching their history. From 3 emails I have the impression that at present responses are based on the memory of senior staff.
I hope someday to know the Dreadnaught story.

For ship maintenance?



Just teasing.  Nice that the company's decided to honor its history.  Someone should contact them and invite them to post their questions here, eh?

I have a pair of Dreadnaught rollerskates that were sold by M-Wards.

EvilDr235

Dreadnought  OE wrenchs are new to me also as I tripped over this looking for Dreadnought  Hexall socket set made by Sedgley. Have one but have been unable to document it or locate another one.

Scroll down to July, 1915.  Bonney trademarked Dreadnought for their wrenches in 1915.  Given the Bonney-Gray connection....................?

http://toolarchives.com/?q=Bonney-Company-timeline

EDIT: Appears to be a different spelling so................nevermind   

AND, there was the DREADNOUGHT branded wrenches by Kraeuter.