Pliers and Adjustable Wrenches

B6 6 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 366. Bonney B6 6 Inch Combination Pliers, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1948+.

Fig. 366 shows a pair of Bonney B6 6 inch slip-joint combination pliers, stamped "U.S.A." near the pivot.

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the distinctive rectangular grid gripping pattern on the handles.

Readers familiar with Crescent pliers will recognize the gripping pattern as the "Checkerdot" pattern, indicating that these pliers were made for Bonney by Crescent Tool. An example can be seen as the Crescent L26 Pliers.

B21 Lock Ring Pliers

Fig. 367. Bonney B21 Lock Ring Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 367 shows a pair of Bonney B21 lock ring pliers, stamped with Bonney and "Made in U.S.A." near the pivot.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

B43 Hose Clamp Pliers

Fig. 368. Bonney B43 Hose Clamp Pliers, with Inset for Jaw Detail.

Fig. 368 shows a pair of Bonney B43 hose clamp pliers, stamped "U.S.A." on the handle.

The overall length is 7.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

BW8 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 369. Bonney BW8 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. Early 1940s.

Fig. 369 shows an early Bonney BW8 8 inch adjustable wrench with a web-like panel on the shank. The shank has forged-in markings "8In." and "Made in U.S.A" on the front with "8In." and "Alloy-Steel" on the back side, and the panel is stamped "Bonney" on the front and "BW8" on the back side.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.49 inches.

The finish is plain steel with polished faces on the head.

Readers familiar with Utica Tools will immediately recognize this wrench as early Utica production, based on the distinctive web-like panel forged into the shank. A similar Utica wrench can be seen as the Utica Early No. 91-10 Adjustable Wrench. Utica supplied similar wrenches to several other major tool companies, including Herbrand and Plomb.

Specialty Tools

2587 CV 9/16x3/4 Ford Main Bearing Socket Wrench

Fig. 370A. Bonney 2587 9/16x3/4 Ford Main Bearing Socket Wrench, with Insets for Side View, Construction Detail, and Marking Detail, ca. Mid 1930s.

Fig. 370A shows a Bonney 2587 9/16x3/4 double-socket wrench for main bearing service, stamped with "Bonney Chrome-Vanadium" and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank, with the CV-Circle logo in between.

The top insets show the broachings of the service ends, with a 3/4 double-hex opening at the left and a 9/16 double-square opening at the right.

The overall length is 15.8 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The 1934 Bonney catalog lists this wrench for main bearing service on Ford "A", "AA", "B", "BB", and "V8" models.

Readers familiar with Bonney tools will notice that this wrench doesn't look like Bonney's style, and for good reason — the wrench is contract production by Herbrand! The corresponding Herbrand wrench can be seen as the Herbrand 2331 9/16x3/4 Ford Main Bearing Socket Wrench.

2551 "Zenel" Brake Wrench

Fig. 370B. Bonney "Zenel" 2551 3/16x1/4 Open-End Brake Wrench.

Fig. 370B shows a Bonney 2551 3/16x1/4 brake wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the face, with "Zenel" forged into the shank. The shank also has a partial forged-in code visible at the right, but the year code is unreadable.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

2556 Headlight Wrench

Fig. 371. Bonney 2556 Headlight Wrench, with Insets for Top View and Marking Detail, 1936.

Fig. 371 shows a Bonney 2556 headlight wrench, marked with "Bonney" forged into the head, with the "2556" model number forged into the back side.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

At first we thought the date code for this wrench was "IZ", viewed sideways in the lower inset, but on closer inspection it appears to be "EN" or "FN", upside-down in the inset.

The No. 2556 wrench was designed for adjusting Ford "V8" headlights and was first offered in the 1934 Bonney catalog. The slotted head allowed adjustment to be made without removing the wiring.

2566 Brake Spoons

Fig. 372. Bonney "CV" 2566 Brake Spoon, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 372 shows a Bonney 2566 brake spoon, marked with the model number forged into the shank, with "Made in U.S.A." and the CV-Circle logo forged into the back side. The shank also has a forged-in code "CV." visible at the right.

The overall length is 7.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Fig. 373. Bonney "CV" 2566 Brake Spoon, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1935.

Fig. 373 shows another Bonney 2566 brake spoon, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the model number on the back side. The shank also has a forged-in code "HM.." visible at the right (upside-down), and shown as a close-up in the lower right inset.

The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The "M" year code and "Made in U.S.A." marking indicate production in 1935.

2581 "Steeldraulic" Pliers

In the late 1920s various makes of automobiles (e.g. Hubmobile, Auburn) were fitted with the "Steeldraulic" brand of mechanical brakes. These brakes had an awkward adjustment mechanism and required a special type of pliers for service, which were accordingly dubbed "Steeldraulic pliers".

Fig. 374. Bonney No. 2581 "Steeldraulic" Pliers.

Fig. 374 shows the Bonney No. 2581 Steeldraulic pliers, marked "Made in U.S.A." near the pivot.

A number of other companies made pliers of this type, and examples can be seen in the Blackhawk 2581 Pliers, Duro-Chrome 2120 Pliers, Herbrand 272 Pliers, Utica 516 Pliers, and Vacuum Grip No. 14 Pliers.

2589 Offset Screwdriver

Fig. 375. Bonney 2589 Offset Screwdriver, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1934.

Fig. 375 shows a Bonney 2589 offset screwdriver, marked with the Bonney name forged into the shank, and with a forged-in code "DZv" on the back side.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

The "Z" year code indicates production in 1934.

2591 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor

Fig. 376. Bonney 2591 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 376 shows a 1/2-drive Bonney 2591 stud extractor and installer, stamped with "Bonney" and "Made in U.S.A." on the drive end.

The tool has a width of 2.0 inches and a height of 1.9 inches. The finish is chrome plating.

This stud extractor has an interesting design variation in that the body is driven while the knurled cam turns freely.

2857 CV Ford Brake Wrench

The next figures show several generations of the Bonney 2857 and D2857 box wrenches, specialty tools designed for turning the square brake adjusting stud on Ford model "A" automobiles and model "AA" trucks.

Fig. 377. Bonney CV 2857 7/16x1/2 Square Ford Brake Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, 1930.

Fig. 377 shows a Bonney 2857 7/16x1/2 square box wrench for Ford brake service, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the side of the shank (see top inset). The deeply paneled shank is marked with "Bonney" and the model number forged into the the front, with "Chrome-Vanadium" and the CV-Circle logo forged into the back side. The back side shank also has a forged-in code "EV." visible at the left.

The overall length is 10.6 inches. The original finish was chrome (or nickel) plating, but most has been lost due to wear and rust.

The "V" year code and CV marking indicate production in 1930.

2857 CV Ford Brake Wrench, Double-Square Version

The standard model 2857 wrench was specified with a square broaching, but the next figure shows a double-square version.

Fig. 378. Bonney CV 2857 7/16x1/2 Double-Square Ford Brake Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, 1930.

Fig. 378 shows the Bonney 2857 7/16x1/2 Ford brake wrench in a double-square version, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the side of the shank (see top inset).

The deeply paneled shank is marked with "Bonney" and the model number forged into the the front, with "Chrome-Vanadium" and the CV-Circle logo forged into the back side.

The back side shank also has a forged-in code "EV." visible at the left, and shown as a close-up in the lower inset.

The overall length is 10.6 inches. The finish is chrome plating, with some losses due to wear and rust.

The "V" year code and CV marking indicate production in 1930.

2857 Zenel Ford Brake Wrench

Fig. 379. Bonney Zenel 2857 7/16x1/2 Square Ford Brake Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1933-1934.

Fig. 379 shows a Zenel version of the Bonney 2857 7/16x1/2 square box wrench, marked with "Bonney 2857" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the paneled shank, with "Zenel" forged into the back side. The back side shank also has a forged-in code "EV........." visible at the left, and shown as a close-up in the middle inset.

The overall length is 10.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Estimating the production date for this example is a bit tricky, as the "V" year code would normally indicate production in 1930, but the "Zenel" marking indicates production in 1933 or later. Since the forged-in code includes a large number of dots (nine) following the letter codes, this suggests a production date well after the initial creation of the forging die.

In addition, upon close examination the "Zenel" marking reveals possible filled-in markings on either side, as would be the case if a "Chrome Vanadium CV" die were remade for the "Zenel" brand. Based on these considerations, this example was probably made in 1933 or 1934, with a forging die adapted from the original CV forging shown in the previous figure.

D2857 Ford Brake Wrench

In later years a double-square broaching became the preferred form for Ford brake wrenches, and Bonney updated the model number from 2857 to D2857.

Fig. 380. Bonney Bonaloy D2857 7/16x1/2 Double-Square Ford Brake Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1947.

Fig. 380 shows a later Bonney D2857 7/16x1/2 double-square box wrench.

The paneled shank has forged-in markings on both sides, with "Bonney U.S.A." and the model and sizes on the front, and with "Bonaloy" on the back side.

The back side shank also has a forged-in code "KY." visible at the right.

The overall length is 10.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends.

The "Y" year code and Bonaloy marking indicate production in 1947.

2680 Brake Spring Pliers

Fig. 381. Bonney 2680 Brake Spring Pliers, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1940s.

Fig. 381 shows a pair of Bonney 2680 brake spring pliers, marked "Made in U.S.A." in forged raised letters, with "Pat. 2264391" forged into the back side.

The overall length is 12.1 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

These pliers are described by patent #2,264,391, issued to J.M. MacLeod in 1941.

2866 1/2-Drive Torque Adapter

Fig. 382. Bonney 2866 1/2-Drive 1/2 Torque Adapter, with Inset for Back Side.

2870 1/2-Drive Torque Adapter

Fig. 383. Bonney 2870 1/2-Drive 5/8 Torque Adapter, with Inset for Back Side.

2874 1/2-Drive Torque Adapter

Fig. 384. Bonney 2874 1/2-Drive 3/4 Torque Adapter, with Inset for Back Side.

2617 1/2-Drive 11/16 Wide-Sweep Torque Adapter

Fig. 385. Bonney 2617 1/2-Drive 11/16 Wide-Sweep Torque Adapter, with Inset for Construction Detail, ca. 1954+.

Fig. 385 shows a 1/2-drive Bonney 2617 11/16 torque adapter, stamped "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

This tool was designed for tightening the cylinder head bolts on 1954 (or later) Ford overhead valve engines.

T7 3/8-Drive 1/2 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 386. Bonney T7 3/8-Drive 1/2 Crowfoot Wrench, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 386 shows a Bonney 3/8-drive T7 1/2 crowfoot wrench, stamped "Bonney" and "Made in U.S.A." on the face, with the model number and fractional size on the back side.

T8 3/8-Drive 9/16 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 387. Bonney T8 3/8-Drive 9/16 Crowfoot Wrench, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 387 shows a Bonney 3/8-drive T8 9/16 crowfoot wrench, stamped "Bonney" and "Made in U.S.A." on the face, with the model number and fractional size on the back side.

Refrigeration Tools

Bonney was one of several tool companies to make refrigeration specialty tools, with others including Duro/Indestro, Snap-On, Walden, and Williams. Bonney's refrigeration tools included such items as specialized ratchets, sockets with male drive studs or special broachings, and flare-nut wrenches.

Bonney first offered refrigeration tools in their 1936 catalog, but then oddly the refrigeration section disappeared from the catalogs until 1947.

[RF21] Refrigeration Ratchet, 3/16 Female Drive

Fig. 388. Bonney [RF21] 3/16 Female Drive Refrigeration Ratchet, with Insets for Side View and Back Side, 1936.

Fig. 388 shows an early Bonney RF21 3/16 female drive refrigeration ratchet, but marked as the RF22 model. The shank has forged-in markings "OPEN" and "RF22 Bonney" on one side, with "SHUT" and "Made in U.S.A." on the back side. The back side shank also has a forged-in code "CN..." visible at the left, and shown in greater detail in the lower inset.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The "N" year code indicates production in 1936.

In addition to the ratchet drive, the other end of the handle provides a 1/2 hex socket opening, plus a 1/4 square opening in the base of the socket and a 3/16 square opening in the handle.

Bonney initially offered refrigeration ratchets in three models, the RF21 with 3/16 drive, RF22 with 1/4 drive, and RF23 with 5/16 drive. By 1947 one additional model was available, the RF25 with 3/8 drive. The refrigeration ratchet models were identical except for the opening in the drive gear.

Since the 1/4 drive size was the most popular model, the ratchet bodies were generally made with the RF22 model number forged into the shank, with the drive gear selected for the specific size.

Examples of refrigeration ratchets from other makers include the Duro-Chrome 4490, Walden-Worcester 867, and Williams MR-51.

RF22 Refrigeration Ratchet, 1/4 Female Drive

Fig. 389. Bonney RF22 1/4 Female Drive Refrigeration Ratchet, with Inset for Back Side, 1945.

Fig. 389 shows a Bonney RF22 1/4 female drive refrigeration ratchet, with forged-in markings "SHUT" and "Bonney Made in U.S.A." on one side, and with "OPEN" and "RF22" forged into the other side. The shank also has a forged-in code "JW." visible at the right.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The "W" year code indicates production in 1945.

[RF25] Refrigeration Ratchet, 3/8 Female Drive

Fig. 390. Bonney RF25 3/8 Female Drive Refrigeration Ratchet, with Inset for Back Side, 1945.

Fig. 390 shows a Bonney RF25 3/8 female drive refrigeration ratchet, but marked as the RF22 model. The shank has forged-in markings "SHUT" with "Bonney" and "Made in U.S.A." on one side, with "OPEN" and "RF22" forged into the other side. The shank also has a forged-in code "JW." visible at the right.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The "W" year code indicates production in 1945.

As noted above, Bonney generally made the ratchet bodies with the most popular RF22 model forged into the shank.

RF45 Refrigeration Ratchet, 1/4 Female Drive

In later years Bonney offered a reversible refrigeration ratchet, as shown in the next figure.

Fig. 391. Bonney RF45 1/4 Female Drive Refrigeration Ratchet, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1963+.

Fig. 391 shows a Bonney RF45 1/4 female drive refrigeration ratchet, marked "Bonney USA" in an outline pattern with "RF45" on the back side.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "outline" pattern markings suggest production in 1963 or later.

2618 7/16x9/16 Flare-Nut Wrench

Fig. 392. Bonney 2618 7/16x9/16 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1947.

Fig. 392 shows a Bonney 2618 7/16x9/16 flare-nut wrench, marked with "Bonney" and the fractional sizes forged into the shank, with the model number forged into the back side. The back side shank also has a forged-in code "CY.." visible at the left.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The "Y" year code indicates production in 1947.

RF54A 3/4x7/8 Flare-Nut Wrench

Fig. 393. Bonney RF54A 3/4x7/8 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1945.

Fig. 393 shows a Bonney RF54A 3/4x7/8 flare-nut wrench, marked with "Bonney" forged into the shank, and with the model number forged into the back side. (Note that the "A" suffix of the model is stamped.) The back side shank also has a forged-in code "DW." visible at the right.

The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "W" year code and plain steel finish indicates production in 1945.

RF55A 7/8x1 Flare-Nut Wrench

Fig. 394. Bonney RF55A 7/8x1 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 394 shows a Bonney RF55A 7/8x1 flare-nut wrench, marked with "Bonney" forged into the shank, and with the model number forged into the back side. (Note that the "A" suffix of the model is stamped.)

The back side shank also has a forged-in code "LM.." visible at the right, and shown as a close-up in the middle inset.

The overall length is 9.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Aviation Wrenches

Bonney's "waterpump" wrenches of the 1920s later found important applications in aircraft service, and the line of wrenches not only remained in production, but even expanded to include straight single-open thin wrenches.

Bonney catalog C-2 from 1950 referred to the straight thin pattern as straight service wrenches. These wrenches were recommended for adjusting pinion shaft bearings and were offered in a 19xx series, with sizes ranging from 1932 (1 inch) to 1972 (2-1/4 inch).

Bonney 1934 1-1/16 Straight Service Wrench

Fig. 395. Bonney 1934 1-1/16 Straight Service Wrench, ca. 1970s+.

Fig. 395 shows a Bonney 1934 1-1/16 straight service wrench, stamped "USA" with the fractional size and model number.

The overall length is 12.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Bonney 1944 1-3/8 Straight Service Wrench

Fig. 396. Bonney 1944 1-3/8 Straight Service Wrench, ca. 1970s+.

Fig. 396 shows a Bonney 1944 1-3/8 straight service wrench, stamped "USA" with the fractional size and model number.

The overall length is 12.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

[Bonney 1968] 2-1/8 Straight Service Wrench

Fig. 397. [Bonney 1968] 2-1/8 Straight Service Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1950s-1960s.

Fig. 397 shows a [Bonney 1968] 2-1/8 straight service wrench, stamped with the fractional size and a B-Circle logo on the face, as seen in the inset.

The overall length is 12.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The B-Circle logo indicates the wrench was made as contract production.

Bon-E-Con Economy Tools

By 1953 Bonney had established an economy line of tools with the brand name "Bon-E-Con". The tools had somewhat simplified designs and markings and were given model numbers with a "Z" prefix. (The older Zenel tools sometimes had a "Z" prefix, but the base model numbers were different so that there were no number collisions.)

Bonney had first experimented with economy tools in the 1930s with the introduction of the "TuHex" brand and "Nob" tools. (See the section on TuHex and Nob for more information.) These experiments led to the Bon-E-Con line of the 1950s.

Bonney advertised the Bon-E-Con line in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science beginning in January of 1953, but the ads were somewhat half-hearted — typically they started out as an ad for Bonney tools, then at the end mentioned that if the reader was short of cash to try the Bon-E-Con line. (Bonney was probably keenly aware that introducing a second line of tools risked cannibaliziing sales of their first line tools.)

Bon-E-Con tools were sometimes marked with the brand name, but other times were marked only with the B-Hex logo, a design resembling a "B" in a hex outline. (Actually it was probably intended as an updated form of the older B-Shield logo.)

Bon-E-Con ZE2428 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 398. Bon-E-Con ZE2428 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench.

An example of the Bonney's economy line is shown in Fig. 398, a Bon-E-Con ZE2428 3/4x7/8 open-end wrench, marked "USA" with the B-Hex logo.

The overall length is 9.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends.

Bon-E-Con ZEB26 Combination Wrench

Fig. 399. Bon-E-Con ZEB26 13/16 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 399 shows a Bon-E-Con ZEB26 13/16 combination wrench, marked "USA" with the B-Hex logo.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends.

Bon-E-Con ZEB28 Combination Wrench

Fig. 400. Bon-E-Con ZEB28 7/8 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 400 shows a Bon-E-Con ZEB28 7/8 combination wrench, marked "USA" with the B-Hex logo.

The overall length is 11.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends.

Bon-E-Con ZA700 1/2-Drive Ratchet

Fig. 401. Bon-E-Con ZA700 1/2-Drive Ratchet, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1951.

Fig. 401 shows a Bon-E-Con ZA700 1/2-drive ratchet, marked with "USA" forged into the handle, and with a forged-in code "LO...." on the back side (see middle inset).

The overall length is 10.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The "O" year code indicates production in 1951.

Bon-E-Con ZA707 1/2-Drive Ratchet

Fig. 402. Bon-E-Con ZA707 1/2-Drive Ratchet, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1957-1960.

Fig. 402 shows a Bon-E-Con ZA707 1/2-drive ratchet, marked "USA" and "Pat. Pend." with the B-Hex logo.

The overall length is 10.0 inches.

The ratchet mechanism is a bit unusual, as it uses a single triangle-shaped pawl held within a cavity, but not constrained by a pivot pin. A spring plunger attached to the shifter pushes the pawl into contact with the drive gear.

The pending status refers to patent #2,957,377, filed by T.G. Hare in 1957 and issued in 1960.

Bon-E-Con ZT700 3/8-Drive Ratchet

Fig. 403. Bon-E-Con ZT700 3/8-Drive Ratchet, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 403 shows a Bon-E-Con ZT700 3/8-drive ratchet, marked "USA" on the handle.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

This ratchet appears to be a reworked version of the old model T35 ratchet.

Modern Wrenches

In the late 1940s Bonney introduced a new "Streamlined" design for their open-end and combination wrenches, featuring a rectangular shank with dart-shaped depressions and a raised oval in the center. The heads were also somewhat thinner, making the wrenches lighter and easier to handle.

By the early 1960s the depressed darts and raised ovals of the Streamlined design had been replaced by simple outlines stamped into the shank, giving the wrenches a flat profile. We'll call this the "Outline" design, for lack of a better term.

By 1967 the final style in the development of Bonney wrenches was in production. These wrenches featured a flat shank with a fully polished finish, and open ends were designed with a Vee-shaped gullet. This full polish design was actually "borrowed" from Herbrand (which had used it since the 1950s), since by this time Bonney and Herbrand were both part of Utica Tools. The latest models of box-end wrenches also used the "Loc-Rite" broaching developed by Kelsey-Hayes, the parent company. An example can be seen as the Loc-Rite 23336 Flare-Box Wrench.

Since by now the reader should be very familiar with the different types of wrenches, the examples in this section will be grouped by the design style rather than by functional type.

The Streamlined Style

In the late 1940s Bonney introduced a new "Streamlined" design for their open-end and combination wrenches, featuring a rectangular shank with dart-shaped depressions and a raised oval in the center. The heads were also somewhat thinner, making the wrenches lighter and easier to handle. The Streamlined design was first listed in a supplement to catalog C-1 from the late 1940s, and was included in the regular printing of catalog C-3 from 1950.

The standard markings for the Streamlined design include the Bonney name stamped on the raised center oval with the model number on the back side oval. The opening size(s) are stamped on the face(s), and the back side has "USA" forged into the shank.

Notably absent from the markings are "Bonaloy" or other indications of the alloy steel, although the catalogs confirm that the streamlined wrenches were being made with alloy steel.

The early production of the Streamlined style was given a distinctive finish, with highly polished ovals and faces contrasting with the matte surface of the shank. The later production though had a rather different appearance, with a uniform rough polished surface for both shank and faces, possibly from a tumbling operation.

Forged-in codes can generally be found on the earlier production of the Streamlined style. However, after the change in the finishing process the forged-in codes were no longer present, either having been omitted from the dies or lost in the finishing process. Currently the latest observed date code was from 1959, so this could be considered as the approximate change-over date.

The Streamlined style was intended as a replacement for the older Bonaloy open-end and combination wrenches, but in the case of the open-end wrenches, both the older and newer styles were offered until at least 1954 or later. To assist with this extended product transition, the Streamlined wrenches were given new E-series model numbers with the sizes encoded in 32nds.

For the combination wrenches the new style retained the same model numbers and appears to have replaced the old product line immediately, at least for sizes of 1 inch and under. Larger sizes were still being made in the older style until at least 1954.

1116H Streamlined 1/2 6-Point Combination Wrench

The streamlined combination wrenches were also offered in a long format with model numbers in the 11xx series, in both 12-point and 6-point (single-hex) broachings. The single hex model numbers were distinguished by an "H" suffix.

Fig. 404. Bonney 1116H Streamlined 1/2 Long Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1949.

Fig. 404 shows an early example of a long format wrench in the Streamlined style, a Bonney 1116H 1/2 single-hex combination wrench. The wrench is marked "U.S.A." on the back side, with a forged-in code of "L:M" visible at the far right.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The streamlined design with the year code "M" indicates production in 1949, the beginning of the third cycle of the Bonney date code system. This is currently our earliest example of the Streamlined design.

1161 Streamlined 7/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 405. Bonney 1161 Streamlined 7/16 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1952.

Fig. 405 shows a Bonney 1161 7/16 streamlined combination wrench with the standard markings. The back side of the shank also has a forged-in code "AP.." visible at the right.

The overall length is 5.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The streamlined design with the year code "P" indicates production in 1952, in the third cycle of the Bonney date code system.

1162 Streamlined 1/2 Combination Wrench

Fig. 406. Bonney 1162 Streamlined 1/2 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1953.

Fig. 406 shows another example of the Streamlined design, a Bonney 1162 1/2 combination wrench with the standard markings. The back side shank also has a forged-in code "HQ.." visible at the right.

The overall length is 5.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The streamlined design with the year code "Q" indicates production in 1953, in the third cycle of the Bonney date code system.

1164 Streamlined 5/8 Combination Wrench

Fig. 407. Bonney 1164 Streamlined 5/8 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1952.

Fig. 407 shows a Bonney 1164 5/8 combination wrench in the streamlined style with the standard markings.

The back side shank also has a forged-in code "AP.." visible at the right.

The overall length is 7.3 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces, now worn away in some places.

The streamlined design with the year code "P" indicates production in 1952, in the third cycle of the Bonney date code system.

1165 Streamlined 11/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 408. Bonney 1165 Streamlined 11/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1950.

Fig. 408 shows a Bonney 1165 11/16 streamlined-style combination wrench with the standard markings. The back side shank also has a forged-in code "DN.." visible at the right.

The overall length is 8.2 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces, with some losses due to wear and rust.

The streamlined design with the year code "N" indicates production in 1950.

1167A Streamlined 13/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 409. Bonney 1167A Streamlined 13/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1950.

Fig. 409 shows a Bonney 1167A 13/16 streamlined combination wrench with the standard markings. The back side shank also has a forged-in code "EN..." visible at the right.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The streamlined design with the year code "N" indicates production in 1950.

1160 Streamlined 3/8 Combination Wrench

The next two figures show examples of the later production of the Streamlined style, finished with a uniform rough polish.

Fig. 410. Bonney 1160 Streamlined 3/8 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. Late 1950s to Early 1960s.

Fig. 410 shows a Bonney 1160 3/8 combination wrench in the streamlined style with the standard markings, but with the later style finish.

The overall length is 4.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

No forged-in code was found on this example, and the production date was estimated based on the finish style.

1166 Streamlined 3/4 Combination Wrench

Fig. 411. Bonney 1166 Streamlined 3/4 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. Late 1950s to Early 1960s.

Fig. 411 shows a Bonney 1166 3/4 streamlined combination wrench with the standard markings, but with the later style finish.

The overall length is 9.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

E810 Streamlined 1/4x5/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 412. Bonney E810 1/4x5/16 Streamlined Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1953.

An example of the streamlined design for open-end wrenches is shown in Fig. 412, a Bonney E810 1/4x5/16 open-end wrench. The shank is stamped with the Bonney name on the raised center panel, with the model number stamped on the back side panel and "USA" forged into the back side shank. The shank also has a forged-in code "EQ..." visible at the left.

The overall length is 4.2 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The Streamlined design with the year code "Q" indicates production in 1953, in the third cycle of the Bonney date code system.

E2022 5/8x11/16 Open-End Wrenches, Streamlined Style

Fig. 413. Bonney E2022 5/8x11/16 Streamlined Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1957.

Fig. 413 shows a Bonney E2022 5/8x11/16 open-end wrench in the Streamlined style, stamped with the Bonney name on the raised center panel, with the model number stamped on the back side panel and "USA" forged into the back side shank. The shank also has a forged-in code "LU" visible at the left.

The overall length is 7.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "U" year code and streamlined style indicate production in 1957, in the third cycle of Bonney's date code system.

Fig. 414. Bonney E2022 5/8x11/16 Streamlined Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1959.

Fig. 414 shows a slightly later Bonney E2022 open-end wrench in the streamlined style. The shank is stamped with the Bonney name on the raised center panel, with the model number stamped on the back side panel and "USA" forged into the back side shank.

The shank also has a forged-in code "CW" visible at the left.

The overall length is 7.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "W" year code and streamlined style indicate production in 1959, in the third cycle of Bonney's date code system. This is currently the latest legible date code in our collection, though actually the forged-in code is a bit difficult to read, suggesting that changes in the finishing process were probably starting to happen at this time.

E2830 7/8x15/16 Open-End Wrench, Streamlined Style

Fig. 415. Bonney E2830 7/8x15/16 Streamlined Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, 1951.

Fig. 415 shows a Bonney E2830 7/8x15/16 open-end wrench in the streamlined style, stamped with the Bonney name on the raised center panel, with the model number stamped on the back side panel.

The shank has a forged-in code "AO...." visible at the left (shown as a close-up in the upper inset), with "USA" forged into the back side shank.

The overall length is 10.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The year code "O" and streamlined style indicate production in 1951, in the third cycle of Bonney's date code system.

E3032 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench, Streamlined Style

Fig. 416. Bonney E3032 15/16x1 Streamlined Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. Late 1950s to Early 1960s.

Fig. 416 shows a Bonney E3032 15/16x1 open-end wrench in the streamlined style, stamped with the Bonney name on the raised center panel, with the model number stamped on the back side panel.

The shank is marked with "USA" forged into the back side.

The overall length is 11.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

This wrench is of later production and the forged-in code was no longer legible after the finishing process.

The Outline Style

In the early 1960s Bonney simplified its "Streamlined" design further by replacing the depressed panels and raised ovals with stamped outlines that suggested the former features. We'll refer to this as the "Outline" style.

Our first published reference for the Outline style is the 1963 Bonney catalog, which shows open-end and combination wrenches sporting the new fashion. (Box-end wrenches and some specialty wrenches continued to show older forms dating back to the Bonaloy era.) However, a reader has reported finding a date-coded Outline style wrench with an "X" year code for 1960, indicating that some Outline production had begun by 1960. It's not known whether the new design immediately replaced the older style or was phased in over time, perhaps as older dies needed replacing.

The Outline style was produced for only a brief time. By 1964 Bonney had been conglomerated into the Utica Tool Division of Kelsey-Hayes, joining its long-time competitor Herbrand there. By 1967 the Bonney tool line had been completely revamped as the overlapping lines of tools were "harmonized". In this process Bonney's open-end and combination wrenches ended up taking over Herbrand's full polish design with Vee-shaped gullets. A 1967 Bonney catalog (conveniently available online) shows wrenches in the full-polish design.

Based on these considerations, we can estimate the production dates for Outline style wrenches as 1960-1966.

E1820 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench, Outline Style

Fig. 417. Bonney E1820 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench in Outline Style, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1960-1966.

Fig. 417 shows an example of the outline style, a Bonney E1820 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench, stamped "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 6.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

1163 9/16 Combination Wrench, Outline Style

Fig. 418. Bonney 1163 9/16 Combination Wrench in "Outline" Style, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1960-1966.

Fig. 418 shows an example of a combination wrench in the outline style, a Bonney 1163 9/16 combination wrench, stamped "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 7.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

1167A 13/16 Combination Wrench, Outline Style

Fig. 419. Bonney 1167A 13/16 Combination Wrench in "Outline" Style, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1960-1966.

Fig. 419 shows a Bonney 1167A 13/16 combination wrench in the "Outline" style, stamped "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The Full-Polish Style

By 1964 Bonney had been conglomerated into the Utica Tool Division of Kelsey-Hayes, joining its long-time competitor Herbrand there. Since the Bonney and Herbrand tool lines were rather similar and overlapped extensively, the tool designs were "harmonized" to eliminate redundancies. In this process Bonney's open-end and combination wrenches ended up taking over Herbrand's full polish design with Vee-shaped gullets. A 1967 Bonney catalog (conveniently available online) shows wrenches in the full-polish design.

The Bonney full polish line remained in production until the company eventually closed.

1167A 13/16 Combination Wrench, Full-Polish Style

Fig. 420. Bonney 1174 1-5/16 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1967 Onward.

Fig. 420 shows a Bonney 1167A 13/16 combination wrench in the full-polish style, marked "USA" on the flat shank.

The overall length is 11.2 inches, and the finish is polished chrome plating.

The open end of the wrench has a V-shaped gullet, and the box end uses the rounded corners described by the Loc-Rite patent. (The rounded corners of the broaching can be seen with a close look at the photograph.)

1174 1-5/16 Combination Wrench, Full-Polish Style

Fig. 421. Bonney 1174 1-5/16 Combination Wrench, ca. 1967 Onward.

Fig. 421 shows a Bonney 1174 1-5/16 combination wrench, marked "USA" on the flat shank.

The overall length is 16.6 inches, and the finish is polished chrome plating.

The open end of the wrench has a V-shaped gullet, and the box end uses the rounded corners described by the Loc-Rite patent. (The rounded corners of the broaching can be seen with a close look at the photograph.)

1116 1/2 Combination Wrench, Full-Polish Style

Fig. 422. Bonney 1116 1/2 Long Combination Wrench in Full-Polish Style, ca. 1967 Onward.

Fig. 422 shows an example of the full-polish style in a Bonney 1116 1/2 long-format combination wrench, marked "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 7.7 inches, and the finish is polished chrome.

This wrench uses the Loc-Rite broaching for the box end, and a close look at the (enlarged) photograph shows the rounded corners of the broach.

MEB19 19mm Combination Wrench, Full-Polish Style

Fig. 423. Bonney MEB19 19mm Combination Wrench, ca. 1967 Onward.

Fig. 423 shows another example in the full-polish style, a Bonney MEB19 19mm combination wrench, marked "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 8.1 inches.

The box end of this example uses a conventional broaching.