Last Wrench for the day - questions

[Twertsy]

This Williams wrench is very crude.  Even their earliest examples that I've seen were never this crude.  The "crudeness" appears to be original or at the very least very old.  It is bent twice on the shank at approximately 20 degrees.  Thoughts?

[lptools]

Looks like early drop forgery!!!!

[Northwoods]

Or the inspiration for the Bridgeport Hy-Bar wrenches!

[krusty the clown]

H.M. Williams?

[Twertsy]

That's actually what I thought it said at first but the "M" you see is actually the W in Williams as far as I can tell.  The J is gone.  There is actually an H. Williams & Co. that comes up in the early 1800s but with the Diamond W, I'm hesitant to stray from JH.  The Diamond W is present on both sides, which is odd.....

[bill300d]

I've been looking at these photos for a couple of days now and can't get past the thought that at least those heads were user modified if not the bends too. If not then it was a special order wrench that didn't warrant the tooling to make it look like it should.

[Twertsy]

I've been looking at these photos for a couple of days now and can't get past the thought that at least those heads were user modified if not the bends too. If not then it was a special order wrench that didn't warrant the tooling to make it look like it should.

Ha ha..........I've been looking at the physical wrench every day, amazed at how crappy the quality is.  Let me try and get you guys some better pics today of the head flats and sides.  It looks like it came that way to me but hell, I ain't no expert!

[bill300d]

Ha ha..........I've been looking at the physical wrench every day, amazed at how crappy the quality is.

That's what I'm talking about. I guess anything is possible but I can not for the life of me imagine Williams producing something such as that which you have there.

[Twertsy]

Here are some more detailed pics.  I just don't see where it's been modified but we'll probably never know............

[leg17]

Came out of the forging die flat and was finished including name stamp.
Overheated while being modified by bending.
Sides ground for some clearance application.

Like most modified tools, you had to be there.

[Twertsy]

Came out of the forging die flat and was finished including name stamp.
Overheated while being modified by bending.
Sides ground for some clearance application.

Like most modified tools, you had to be there.

The more I stare at it the more I think you're right.  There appears to be the remnants of a small weld where the probably cracked it while bending.........it's right on the bend.

[bill300d]

Came out of the forging die flat and was finished including name stamp.
Overheated while being modified by bending.
Sides ground for some clearance application.

Like most modified tools, you had to be there.

I agree