What are they thinking

[Lewill2]

Just when you think you have seen it all you come across something like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1800s-antique-HAND-WROUGHT-IRON-WRENCH-wood-handle-/310306009486?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483fadf18e

[bc_z]

be interesting to watch if in this economy someone really needs it that bad - but that is what the free enterprise market allows - you can spend your money any way you see fit.

[lbgradwell]

Is there something special about that particular wrench or is it as it appears - a $15 wrench that is really only worth $5 because of its truly crappy condition?

[rusty]

hmm, it's crappy, not wrought iron, and I've turned them down at the flea in that condition for 50 cents - p

But....someone out there will decide that because it is old it is valuable, to each his own I guess..

With a little forge work, you could make it in to a truely useless hammer...

[Papaw]

I sent him a message about that wrench. Maybe he will google Coe's.

[Lewill2]

I gave up sending negative comments to listings like that. If you search Corn Sheller there is a $700 dollar bronze hand corn sheller listed. I sent a guy a note about one listed before and he didn't like what I had to offer. If you look at it, it is a documented fake. Jim Moffet has it listed in his hand corn sheller book. They look real nice but they are fakes.

[Papaw]

My first message-

Dear antique.cottage,

I hope you have realized that that wrench is NOT handwrought! It is s very common Coe's pattern wrench, and they were produced in the hundreds of thousands.

His response-

Dear papawswrench,
thanks, when was it made?
- antique.cottage

My next message-

Dear antique.cottage,

It is almost impossible to tell in the poor condition yours is in, but if you look here- http://www.davistownmuseumDOTorg/bioCoes.htm ( change DOT to a dot ), you will find plenty of info on Coes. They were the premier maker of monkey wrenches. Yours is probably of later manufacture and made by someone else with the Coe's logo under license. Another place for wrench info is Alloy Artifacts, and another is The Wrenching News. My own tool forum is Tool Talk at http://wwwdotpapawswrench.com/vboard/index.php ( again change DOT to a dot )

- papawswrench

[Branson]

It's broken from using it as a hammer, it's beat up, and it is a late model.   It's not "hand forged" and I'll never understand how something mass produced in a factory can be "primitive."    :o

Not long ago I saw some "Warranted Superior" saw nuts -- the ones with the eagle on them -- advertised as Civil War patriotic pins.  I wrote to the seller to let them know.  He was adamant that they were used during the Civil War as patriotic pins.  End of discussion.

I wonder how much he paid for that monkey wrench...  Maybe one of us ought to put up one of our better discards for $200...

[Papaw]

I'd take half that for at least 2/3 of my monkey wrenches!

[lbgradwell]

Papaw, your email to the Seller does not appear to have led to any changes in his listing. Perhaps that would have been too much to expect...

[benjy]

SO,,, which one of you will bid first i wonder :)