I watched this one with interest up to about $40. It didn't stay there long. Finally went to some lucky duck for $148. More pictures here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170840783433&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:US:1123

Wow, that would be cool to have!

A major brand 4 way tire wrench, very first one I have ever seen.  Usually they are plain, or maybe champion, acme.   I have a Goodyear tire iron, 7 inches, but think this is much rarer. 

 way neat

ditto.

If I stumbled across oneof those, I would have to start a whole plomb collection to go with it -P

dunno why they are hard to find, you would think there would be bazillions of something as common as a tire iron , but I have never ever ever seen one, not even a picture...

I had heard of a Plomb 4 way,  the classic swapmeet seller" you just missed a cool Plomb tool", but never had the pleasure of seeing on in person.  Pretty cool!

Jim

It's a "dandy", no doubt about it.  I too have never seen one in the wild and did not know they even existed.

I have seen tons of 4-way lug wrenches, but they were always cheap generic import tools you might buy at Wal-Mart or your local auto parts store.  Plenty of shiney chrome, but no character or soul.

There are at least two versions of these by Plomb but this is the coolest one by far. Blackhawk made a great 4-way also.

Gang,

I suspect every major tool company made cool 4-way lug wrenches between the 1920's and 1950's.  But these were pretty much rendered obsolete with the advent of the pneumatic impact wrenches and sockets.  It's sad, these "end of an era" events...

>It's sad, these "end of an era" events...

Unless of course, you are the poor schmuck taking off lug nuts all day..

But you are right, the cheapo ones were for joe car owner to throw in the trunk, the Nice plomb etc ones were for the professional mechanic, who , after impact tools became widely available, really did not need them any more..

I never cease to be amazed that people nowadays call lug wrenches "tire irons".  A tire iron is an entirely different tool used for mounting and dismounting tires on rims.
V/8

Because they used to be one and the same tool, one end was the spoon for the tire, the other the lug socket...

Quote from: v8garage on May 29, 2012, 04:11:22 PM
I never cease to be amazed that people nowadays call lug wrenches "tire irons".  A tire iron is an entirely different tool used for mounting and dismounting tires on rims.
V/8

The world is indeed going to hell in a hand basket. And now this.

The "tire iron" term had me puzzled too,we call them a wheel brace over here. Never seen one that fancy, though there is one similar (different brand) on our ebay at the moment.   ebay No 320912059689
Graeme 

V8 is right. It is a lug wrench. Thanks!