Vintage spanners

[Rocketman]

Snail brand are one of the chunkiest spanners I've come across. They truly are meaty. Superslims tend to be one of my favourite spanners for general use though.

There you go just as you wrote it

 

[MattF]

That's the ones. I just tend to find those comfy to use, and you know you can lean on them without worry.

 

[Rocketman]

It's too cold to be going out and de-icing the shed lock to see what I have lurking in the tool box. I know some of them were my Dad's - and he's been dead for 40+ years.

All the more reason to go out and spray some oil on them in this weather

 

[Rocketman]

That's the ones. I just tend to find those comfy to use, and you know you can lean on them without worry.

I like them to but I'm using imperial less and less
I have been considering getting some metric superslim's but they come at a premium I have noticed second-hand.

Funny really because as a kid I used to turn my nose up at these superslim's of my dad's thinking they were nasty black horrible things. The shiny ones as I kid I thought were the bees knees

I have got doubled up sizes in some superslim's. There appears at some point they changed the die's for the forging somewhat when you put them against each other.

 

[Cobbler]

From what I recall, Superslim spanners were also available in chrome finish. One of the traditional ironmongers had a display board with both on side by side. The black ones were the cheap & cheerful range, but strong & extremely good value. This would be in the mid '60s

 

[MBB]

Whitworth cycle spanner, Whitworth became Rudge whitworth in 1890s so must predate that.

 

[Maker]

here's a weird spanner, never found what it's for

I wonder if it's a broken ratcheting ring spanner?

 

[MattF]

I like them to but I'm using imperial less and less
I have been considering getting some metric superslim's but they come at a premium I have noticed second-hand.

Funny really because as a kid I used to turn my nose up at these superslim's of my dad's thinking they were nasty black horrible things. The shiny ones as I kid I thought were the bees knees

I have got doubled up sizes in some superslim's. There appears at some point they changed the die's for the forging somewhat when you put them against each other.

I'm still mainly Imperial here. If I need Metric, I usually just whip the newer stuff out.

 

[MattF]

From what I recall, Superslim spanners were also available in chrome finish. One of the traditional ironmongers had a display board with both on side by side. The black ones were the cheap & cheerful range, but strong & extremely good value. This would be in the mid '60s

Never seen a chromed one as yet, that I can recall. It'd seem weird seeing one chromed rather than blacked.

 

[Rannsachair]

My everyday Imperial spanners are Britool whitworth and Draper A/F, but my box of odd spanners ranges from a modified Vincent spanner (I assume from a Vincent motorcycle tool kit), Gordon, Williams

Tewel, Tipco, Bedford and HiTop (no idea where they come from?)

and some German:

 

[slim_boy_fat]

All the more reason to go out and spray some oil on them in this weather

They've managed for 40 years without anyone spraying oil on them, they'll live for another few without it.

 

[Cobbler]

And mine is not a King Dick.

But mine IS Mr Vark + another one that I bought yonks ago that I don't know the history.
The King Dick is knackered, picked it up diving off Lundy in about 30 metres in 1984 I think it was.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Cobbler That op one ^^ is just crying out for an electrolysis bath.

 

[Hood]

Well I got back to the tidying and I have found some more spanners, well boxes of them but here are some of the named ones.

Bedford, I presume the vehicle manufacturers, interesting it is metric if so.

Garrington, Magpie on the other side.

Irimo Spain.

Lister, I presume the engine makers.

A no name adjustable for getting round corners

A podger spanner, can't make out the name, see second pic.

A lovely pin spanner by J.H Williams from Buffalo N.Y.

Finally a Sidchrome from Oz.

 

[Seadog]

The adjustable could be 'Domino' brand. I've one the same. It's lightly stamped into the head I seem to recall.

 

[Hood]

The adjustable could be 'Domino' brand. I've one the same. It's lightly stamped into the head I seem to recall.

Just wire brushed it and only thing I found on it was 020M

 

[Cobbler]

Just a couple more to keep you amused, one Austin & one broken BSA. As we are talking about vintage spanners, not a spanner but definitely vintage, how many recognise the tool in the second picture?

 

[Rannsachair]

Found a few more, the original toolkit out my 1972 BMW R75/5 part Heyco spanners and BMW:

Herma - Germany, Craftsman USA and King Dick

Blue Diamond made in England, Montotype, not sure begins with E and what looks like a cheapo Spanish spanner

 

[Hood]

...... not a spanner but definitely vintage, how many recognise the tool in the second picture?

View attachment 127549

Is it a spring compressor of some sort?

 

[Cobbler]

Is it a spring compressor of some sort?

Yes it is, made by Terrys for doing side valves, my father called it a valve lifter, which on a side valve would be correct I suppose. I used it when I was about 16 to do the valves on a series 1 Morris 8. At a guess, it dates from the late 20s to early 30s.I include a different view so you can see it better. Your picture of the Bedford spanner Hood, that is the make, around in the sixties at the heyday of good British spanners.