Real or Repro?

[Papaw]

Neil asked if his Winchester wrench might be 100 years old, so I did some googling.
"Real or Repro"  http://www.realorrepro.com/article/Winchester-Tools-fake-and-forged-marks-mismatched-pieces

"Winchester Tools
fake and forged marks; mismatched pieces

At the end of World War I, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company was looking for new consumer products to maintain war time production levels. The company wanted items that could be produced with the same workers and equipment previously used to manufacture guns and ammunition. Among the new product lines selected was an extensive range of hand tools.

Winchester's tools, like their better known guns and ammunition, are now highly collectible and can sell for up to several hundred dollars. Forgeries of the famous Winchester trademark are now becoming more frequent. This article will discuss how to identify genuine marks on Winchester tools and detect the most common forgeries. We'll also look at "marriages" of mixed parts and pieces."

[HeelSpur]

Wow that's great info.
I believe this is the only one that I have and it seems to check out alright.




# is 1528 and the sizes say 7/16 STD & 3/8 STD (3 is extremely worn)

[Nolatoolguy]

I think I could possibly have a fake maybe???

[mvwcnews]

I think I could possibly have a fake maybe???

More likely you have a WINCHESTER  monkey wrench -- No. 1003 is the nominal 10 inch.    Look real close with a magnifier at the rust etch & nicks by the E & R -- if those letters are new there will be obvious signs of sharp edges where there should be age & wear.   

When dad had his last sale, mom was using an old  hardware shipping box as a flower stand.  It had WINCHESTER on one side & KEEN KUTTER on the other -- dating from the time that KEEN KUTTER bought out the WINCHESTER tool lines.  Needless to say, mom's flower stand box got put on the auction.

[Papaw]

Most likely yours is a real one judging from the signs of use and abuse. Fakes were made to look like the real thing in order to sell to unsuspecting buyers and would have put into a collection or display. They would have had nominal wear marks and patina in order to fool the buyer. Yours has been used a lot and abused by a PO.

[mrchuck]

The knurled knob tells me it is the "Real McCoy".