Pliers

In this section we'll look at some of pliers offered by Plomb. As with the other sections, all model numbers have been added to the Site Index, so check the index if you're looking for a particular tool model.

218 Battery Pliers

Fig. 207. Plomb 218 Battery Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 207 shows a pair of Plomb 218 battery pliers, stamped "MFD. U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo. One handle is also marked with a forged-in code "N.2.7.L", shown as a close-up in the lower inset.

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

228 Duckbill Pliers

Fig. 208. Plomb 228 Duckbill Pliers, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1938-1948.

Fig. 208 shows the Plomb model 228 duckbill pliers, with "Made in U.S.A." stamped near the pivot, and with the PLVMB logo forged into the handles.

The overall length is 7.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The PLVMB logo on a pebbled field would appear to place these pliers in the Pebble Period, but we're not sure whether they might have been earlier prototypes. Some catalog review is needed.

240 10 Inch Waterpump Pliers

The next figures show examples of the model 240 waterpump pliers with differences in design, construction, and markings.

Fig. 209. Plomb 240 10 Inch Waterpump Pliers, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1939-1948.

Fig. 209 shows the Plomb model 240 10 inch waterpump pliers, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo.

The overall length is 9.7 inches fully extended, and the finish is plain steel.

Fig. 210. Plomb 240 Waterpump Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1939-1948.

Fig. 210 shows another pair of Plomb model 240 10 inch waterpump pliers, stamped with the model number and "Made in U.S.A." near the pivot, and with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled panel on one handle.

The overall length is 9.7 inches fully extended, and the finish is plain steel with a black oxide coating.

The PLVMB logo on a pebbled field would appear to place these pliers in the Pebble Period, but we're not sure whether they might have been earlier prototypes. Some catalog review is needed.

246 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 211. Plomb 246 Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Inset for Handle Pattern, ca. 1940s.

Fig. 211 shows the Plomb model 246 slip-joint combination pliers, stamped "Mfd. U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo.

The overall length is 6.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The inset shows the geometric gripping pattern on the handles, which can be recognized easily as the "herringbone" gripping pattern used by J.P. Danielson from the 1940s onward.

Note that one handle has been ground at the end to form a screwdriver point or small prying tool.

256 6.5 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers

Fig. 212. Plomb 256 6.5 Inch Slip-Joint Combination Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Construction Detail, ca. 1942-1945.

Fig. 212 shows a pair of Plomb 256 6.5 inch slip-joint combination pliers, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo.

The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The top inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the simple diamond checkered gripping pattern on the handles.

The lower inset shows an odd production detail, a raised circular area on the underside of the handles. The general construction and raised circular area allow us to identify the maker of these pliers as Utica Tools, and an example of the Utica equivalent model can be seen as the Utica Model 14 Combination Pliers.

Examples of this raised circular area have been observed on other Utica pliers of possible wartime production, with the circle sometimes stamped with a "V" code.

Adjustable Wrenches

By 1939 the Plomb catalogs were offering Crescent-style adjustable wrenches, a well-known type of tool widely used for many service jobs. These popular tools were made by a number of other tool companies at that time, and rather than doing the manufacturing in-house, Plomb turned to an outside vendor for contract manufacturing. Based on catalog illustrations and known examples, their first vendor was Utica Drop Forge & Tool of Utica, New York. (See our article on Utica Tool for more information.)

The identification of Utica as the contract maker was based on several observations. The Plomb catalog description of the adjustable wrenches makes note of the square jaw ("deep-throated") opening for better operation with square nuts, a feature offered by Utica and J.P. Danielson in their wrenches. Most other makers used a jaw opening shaped for hex nuts, though still usable for square shapes as well.

Another clue is provided by illustrations in the 1939, 1940, and 1942 Plomb catalogs, which show adjustable wrenches with a raised panel on the handle, stamped with the Plomb name. Raised panels are somewhat uncommon on adjustable wrenches, but the 1939 Utica catalog illustrates its adjustable wrenches with a similar raised panel, again used for the stamped name.

Finally, some early examples of Plomb adjustable wrenches show a distinctive web-like raised panel that closely matches an Early Utica Adjustable Wrench shown on our page for Utica Tools. These observations clearly establish Utica as the initial manufacturing partner for the Plomb adjustable wrenches.

Early 706 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 213. Plomb Early 706 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1939-1940.

Fig. 213 shows an example of Utica's earliest production for Plomb, a Plomb 706 6 inch adjustable wrench with a raised oval panel. The shank has a mix of stamped and forged-in markings, with the PLVMB logo stamped on the panel, plus "6 In." and "Drop Forged Alloy Steel" forged into the shank. The back side markings show the model number stamped on the panel (but partially disfigured), with "6 In." and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank.

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the maximum jaw opening is 0.8 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.38 inches.

The finish is chrome plating.

The 1939 Utica catalog has illustrations of adjustable wrenches with a floating panel closely resembling the present example.

Early 708 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench with Web-Like Panel

Fig. 214. Plomb Early 708 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1941.

Fig. 214 shows a example of Utica production for Plomb, a Plomb 708 8 inch adjustable wrench with a raised web-like panel. The shank is stamped with the PLVMB logo on the panel, with "8 In." and "Alloy Steel" in forged raised letters, and the back side is stamped with the model number on the panel with "8 In." and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the maximum jaw opening is 1.1 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.47 inches.

The finish is plain steel.

The use of the web-like panel is documented in the Utica No. 57 illustrated price list from 1941.

Early 710 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench with Web-Like Panel

Fig. 215. Plomb Early 710 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1941.

Fig. 215 shows another example of Utica production for Plomb, a Plomb 710 10 inch adjustable wrench with a raised web-like panel. The shank is stamped with the PLVMB logo on the panel, with "10 In." and "Alloy Steel" in forged raised letters, and the back side is stamped with the model number on the panel with "10 In." and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank.

The overall length is 10.1 inches, and the maximum jaw opening is 1.2 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.61 inches.

The finish is plain steel.

The use of the web-like panel is documented in the Utica No. 57 illustrated price list from 1941.

712 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench

This next figure shows a somewhat later example of Utica production for Plomb.

Fig. 216. Plomb 712 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1944-1945.

Fig. 216 shows a Plomb 712 12 inch adjustable wrench with a smooth shank, stamped with the PLVMB logo on the front, with the model number and "Made in U.S.A." on the back side.

The overall length is 12.2 inches, and the maximum jaw opening is 1.3 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.71 inches.

The finish is cadmium plating.

The smooth shank instead of the web-like panel suggests production some time after the 1942-1943 time frame.

The Switch to J.P. Danielson

Some time in the mid 1940s Plomb switched to a slightly different style of adjustable wrench, and once again the vendor can be identified by a distinctive feature of the tools. The new wrenches were made with a double-hex broached opening in the handle end, a feature found on the popular "Bet'R-Grip" wrenches made by J.P. Danielson. These new Plomb models closely resembled the J.P. Danielson "Bet'R-Grip" Adjustable Wrench shown on our page for J.P. Danielson. The Danielson wrenches were also made in the square-jaw style, and the Plomb catalogs continued to mention the improved operation with square nuts.

In addition to the broached hanging hole, the Danielson Plomb wrenches had another unusual feature: a forged-in "Plombaloy" marking to indicate the use of alloy steel. Plomb only rarely marked its tools to indicate alloy steel, although their catalogs occasionally mention the use of chrome molybdenum or other alloys. The Plombaloy marking was made with two inverted triangles to resemble the PLVMB logo, making the PLVMBALVY marking a distinctive feature of these adjustable wrenches.

Danielson's tool production from this era was generally marked with a forged-in date code, and information on these codes can be found in the section on Danielson Date Codes. Currently the earliest observed date code on a "Plombaloy" wrench is for 1946, so it's likely that production of these wrenches began in that year.

Plomb's contract production relationship with J.P. Danielson apparently went well, as in 1947 Plomb acquired the company, and afterwards J.P. Danielson operated as a division of Plomb Tool. Later production of adjustable wrenches (from 1948 onward) dropped the broached opening, but otherwise closely resembled the earlier Danielson models, including the forged-in letter and number codes peculiar to Danielson wrenches.

In addition to production for Plomb (and later Proto), the J.P. Danielson factory also provided adjustable wrenches for the other tool brands in the Plomb family, including Penens, Fleet, P&C, and later even Vlchek. Examples of this production can be seen in the P&C 1708-S Adjustable Wrench, Penens 4204 Adjustable Wrench, and Vlchek AV6 Adjustable Wrench.

The next figures show examples of J.P. Danielson adjustable wrenches produced for Plomb.

706 "Plombaloy" 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 217. Plomb 706 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1947.

Our first example of J.P. Danielson production for Plomb is shown in Fig. 217, a Plomb 706 6 inch adjustable wrench with a broached end. The shank has forged-in markings "Mfd. in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo and model on the front, with "Forged Plombaloy Steel" on the back side. The shank also has a forged-in code "B.2.7" visible at the right.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "7" year digit in the Danielson forged-in code indicates production in 1947.

706S "Plombaloy" 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 218. Plomb 706S "Plombaloy" 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1947.

Fig. 218 shows a similar Plomb 706S 6 inch adjustable wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo, model number, and "Mfd. in U.S.A." forged into the shank, with "Forged Plombaloy Steel" forged into the back side. The shank also has a small forged-in code "A.1.7" visible at the right, near the broached hole.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel. (The stamped "S" suffix to the model number indicates an industrial finish.)

The "7" year digit in the Danielson forged-in code indicates production in 1947.

708 "Plombaloy" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 219. Plomb 708 "Plombaloy" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1947.

Fig. 219 shows another example of Danielson production, a Plomb 708 8 inch adjustable wrench with a broached hanging hole. The shank has forged-in markings "Mfd. in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo and model on the front, with "Forged Plombaloy Steel" on the back side. The shank also has a small forged-in code "P-6-7" visible at the right, near the broached hole.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The "7" year digit in the Danielson forged-in code indicates production in 1947.

708S "Plombaloy" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 220. Plomb 708S "Plombaloy" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1947.

Fig. 220 shows a similar Plomb 708S 8 inch adjustable wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo, model number, and "Mfd. in U.S.A." forged into the shank, with "Forged Plombaloy Steel" forged into the back side. The shank also has a small forged-in code "L-1-7" visible at the right and shown as a close-up in the middle inset.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel. (The stamped "S" suffix to the model number indicates an industrial finish.)

The "7" year digit in the Danielson forged-in code indicates production in 1947.

710S "Plombaloy" 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 221. Plomb 710S "Plombaloy" 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1947.

Fig. 221 shows a Plomb 710S 10 inch adjustable wrench with a broached hanging hole, marked with "Mfd. in U.S.A." and the PLVMB logo forged into the front, with "Forged Plombaloy Steel" forged into the back side. The shank also has a small forged-in code "W-3-7" visible at the right, near the broached hole.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel. (The stamped "S" suffix to the model number indicates an industrial finish.)

The "7" year digit in the Danielson forged-in code indicates production in 1947.

712 "Plombaloy" 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 222. Plomb 712 "Plombaloy" 12 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1946.

Fig. 222 shows a Plomb 712 12 inch adjustable wrench with a broached hanging hole, marked with "Mfd. in U.S.A." and the PLVMB logo forged into the front, with "Forged Plombaloy Steel" forged into the back side. The shank also has a forged-in code "A-12-6" visible at the right, near the broached hole.

The overall length is 12.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "6" year digit in the Danielson forged-in code indicates production in 1946.

Transitional Proto "Plomb Tool Co." 704-S 4 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 223. Proto 704-S "Plomb Tool Co." 4 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1948.

Fig. 223 shows a transitional Proto "Plomb Tool Co." 704-S 4 inch adjustable wrench, stamped with "PLVMB TVVL CV." and "MFD USA" on the front, with "PRVTV" (Proto) and the model number on the back side. The shank also has a forged-in code "O.2.8" visible at the right, shown as a close-up in the middle inset.

The overall length is 4.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "8" year digit in the Danielson forged-in code indicates production in 1948.

Note that this wrench has a plain hanging hole instead of the broached opening previously supplied on Danielson adjustable wrenches.

The Third Style

The conventional wisdom holds that Plomb adjustable wrenches were produced in only two styles: the earlier Utica models with raised panels, and the later Danielson production with broached hanging holes. However, we recently discovered a third distinct adjustable wrench style, featuring a broached hanging hole similar to the Danielson models, but with a hexagonal jaw opening instead of the square jaw produced by both Utica and Danielson.

This third style is currently known only by the example shown in the next figure, and the Alloy Artifacts website is pleased to offer the first views of this newly recognized wrench style.

710 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench with Hexagonal Gullet

Fig. 224. Plomb 710 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. Early to Mid 1940s.

Fig. 224 shows a Plomb 710 10 inch adjustable wrench with a broached hanging hole and a hexagonal jaw opening. The mix of stamped and forged-in markings includes "Plomb Alloy Steel" stamped on the front, with the model number stamped on the back side. The shank is also marked with "Drop Forged" and the nominal size forged into the front, with "Made in U.S.A." and the "5/8" broached hole size forged into the back side.

The overall length is 10.1 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.2 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.58 inches.

The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The maker of this wrench is easily identified as the Diamond Calk Horseshoe Company, a well-respected manufacturer of adjustable wrenches and pliers. Only two companies are known to have made wrenches with broached hanging holes, J.P. Danielson and Diamond Calk, and Diamond Calk wrenches were made with hexagonal jaw openings. In addition, some details of the marking style on this wrench match other Diamond Calk examples, such as the use of an unadorned fraction to mark the broached hole size. Some J.P. Danielson wrenches do have a forged-in marking for the hole size, but the fraction is followed by the "In." unit marking.

An example of a similar Diamond Calk alloy steel adjustable wrench can be seen as the Diamalloy 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench with Broached Opening. The corresponding 10 inch alloy steel model without the broached opening can be seen as the Diamalloy 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench.

Diamond Calk is known to have provided contract production for other companies, and an example can be seen as the Ward's Master Quality 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench.

Pipe Wrenches

By the late 1940s Plomb was offering pipe wrenches in the ever-popular Stillson pattern, produced by its new J.P. Danielson division.

Proto "Plomb Tool Co." 810 10 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench

Fig. 225. Proto "Plomb Tool Co." 810 10 Inch Pipe Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail, 1948.

Fig. 225 shows a Proto "Plomb Tool Co." 810 Stillson-Pattern 10 inch pipe wrench, stamped with "Plomb Tool Co." and "MFD USA" on the handle, with "Proto" and the model number on the back side.

The overall length is 9.6 inches closed, and the finish is plain steel.

The combined "Proto" and "Plomb Tool Co." markings identify this wrench as part of Plomb's 1948 production, when it attempted to introduce the new Proto brand while retaining the company name.

The back side is also marked with a forged-in code "?.?.8" below the fixed jaw, with all but the last digit obscured by the jaw carrier assembly (see lower inset). Fortunately, this last digit is all we need from the Danielson date code to confirm 1948 as the manufacturing date. The movable jaw is also marked with a forged-in code "R.6.8" (not shown), again confirming the expected 1948 production.

An example of a similar pipe wrench marked for J.P. Danielson can be seen as the Danielson 10 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench.

Pullers and Striking Tools

4010 Heavy-Duty Gear Puller Set

Fig. 226. Plomb 4010 Heavy-Duty Puller Set with Pebbled Background, ca. 1945-48.

Fig. 226 shows a Plomb 4010 heavy-duty gear puller set, consisting of a number 4011 yoke, 4012 pressure screw, two 4015 short jaws, and two 4016 long jaws. The yoke is marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo on a pebbled background, indicating production in the 1945-1948 time frame.

The overall length of the 4012 pressure screw is 11.5 inches.

According to the 1950 catalog, Plomb had by then made some improvements to this model, including a replaceable tip for the pressure screw. The jaws also featured drilled holes near the ends to allow them to be ganged together.

4020 Medium-Duty Gear Puller Set

Fig. 227. Plomb 4020 Medium-Duty Puller Set, with Inset for Marking Detail, 1941.

Fig. 227 shows a Plomb 4020 medium-duty gear puller set, with a number 4021 yoke, 4022 pressure screw (with 9/16-12 threads), two 4025 short jaws, and two 4026 long jaws. The yoke and jaws are marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo, and the pressure screw is marked with just the PLVMB logo.

The overall length of the 4022 screw is 6.9 inches.

The inset at the lower left shows the "1B" date code on the 4025 short jaws, indicating a manufacturing date in 1941.

4070 Three-Jaw Gear Puller

Our next figure shows a fine example of the less commonly seen Plomb model 4070 puller.

Fig. 228. Plomb 4070 Three-Jaw Gear Puller, 1938.

In Fig. 228 we see a Plomb 4070 three-jaw gear puller, consisting of a model 4062 pressure screw, 4063 adjusting nut, three 4064 screw pins, three 4066 long jaws, and a 4071 three-arm yoke. The model 4066 jaws are marked "L.A." with the PLVMB logo and an "8B" date code, and the pressure screw and yoke are marked with the PLVMB logo. The adjusting nut and screw pins are unmarked.

The overall lengths are 4.6 inches for the jaws and 6.1 inches for the pressure screw.

The 4070 gear puller was also available with model 4065 short jaws, and could be ordered as a 4070A set with both jaws, 4070B with short jaws only, or 4070C with long jaws only. The price in 1936 was $4.70 for the 4070C set as shown.

Early "Plomb Tool Mfg. Co." 3/4 Taper Punch

Fig. 229. Plomb Early 3/4 Taper Punch, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. Before 1927.

Fig. 229 shows an early Plomb 3/4 taper punch, stamped "Plomb Tool Mfg. Co." on the shank.

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

The marking "Plomb Tool Mfg. Co." was generally used on early Plomb tools until around 1927.

41 Center Punch

Fig. 230. Plomb 41 5/8 Center Punch, ca. 1939-48.

Fig. 230 shows a Plomb 41 5/8 center punch, marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo.

The overall length is 5.9 inches.

Specialty Tools

In addition to its selection of general-purpose tools, Plomb offered a wide variety of specialty tools designed for one specific application, or in some cases for one particular model of automobile.

1725 Half-Moon Box-End Wrench

Fig. 231. Plomb 1725 7/16x1/2 Half-Moon Box Wrench, 1939-1948.

Fig. 231 shows a Plomb model 1725 7/16x1/2 box-end wrench in the "half-moon" or obstruction style, marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo.

The overall length is 5.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

1730 Half-Moon Box-End Wrench

Fig. 232. Plomb 1730 9/16x5/8 Half-Moon Box Wrench, 1939-1948.

Fig. 232 shows a Plomb model 1730 9/16x5/8 half-moon box wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo.

The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

4508 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor

Fig. 233. Plomb 4508 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor, with Insets for End Views, ca. 1934-1938.

Fig. 233 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb 4508 stud extractor, marked "L.A." with the PLVMB logo.

The overall length is 2.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

4515 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor with 4516 and 4517 Insertable Wedges

This next figure shows an alternate design for a stud extractor or driver.

Fig. 234. Plomb 4515 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor, with Insets for End View and Marking Detail, ca. 1939-1948.

Fig. 234 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb 4515 stud extractor furnished with 4516 and 4517 insertable wedges, with the wedges stored in the body and secured by a pin and detent ball. The tool is stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo on the body.

The overall height is 3.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The upper inset shows an end view of the extractor with the 4517 wedge installed. In operation, the knurled surface of the wedge grips the surface of the stud being removed or inserted, with the rotation of the body making the grip tighter.

The 4516 wedge is similar but narrower, allowing use with larger studs.

6527 15/16 Head Light Specialty Wrench

Fig. 235. Plomb 6527 15/16 Head Light Specialty Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1934.

Fig. 235 shows a Plomb 6527 15/16 specialty wrench, designed for adjusting the headlights on Ford and Essex automobiles. The shank is stamped "Los Angeles" with the PLVMB logo and a "4C" date code for 1934.

The overall length is 12.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Comparison of Plomb 6527 with Wilpen 8185 Wrench

Readers familiar with the early Plomb offset box wrenches may have thought that the model 6527 wrench looked vaguely familiar, and our next figure provides the connection.

Fig. 236. Comparison of Plomb 6527 (Top) with Wilpen 8185 (Bottom).

Fig. 236 shows a comparison of the Plomb 6527 (top) wrench with a Wilpen 8185 (bottom) 15/16x1 wrench from 1935, a model described in some detail in an earlier section.

(The bright disk between the wrenches is a small magnet, graciously holding the wrenches together for the photo opportunity.)

As can be seen from the photograph, the two wrenches are basically identical, with the 6527 model having been created by simply sawing off the 1 inch box end of the 8185 wrench, then slotting the other box end!

This comparison provides an important insight into Plomb's manufacturing process, as the company apparently found it advantageous to make the 6527 specialty wrench by modifying a piece made as contract production.

6601 5/8 Single-Box Wrench for Starter Service

Fig. 237. Plomb 6601 5/8 Single-Box Starter Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, 1938.

Fig. 237 shows a Plomb 6601 5/8 single-box wrench with a curved shank, designed for servicing the starter motor on Plymouth, Dodge, and DeSoto automobiles. The shank is stamped "L.A." with the PLVMB logo and an "8A" date code for 1938.

The overall length is 9.7 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

B5 Offset Screwdriver

Fig. 238. Plomb B5 Offset Screwdriver, 1932.

Fig. 238 shows a Plomb B5 offset screwdriver, stamped with the PLOMB (Round-O) logo and a "2B" date code for 1932.

The overall length is 3.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

36 3/8 Offset Screwdriver

Fig. 239. Plomb 36 3/8 Offset Screwdriver, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1939-1948.

Fig. 239 shows a Plomb 36 3/8 offset screwdriver, stamped with "Made in U.S.A." and the PLVMB logo on the shank.

The overall length is 6.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

9706 12 Inch Screwdriver

Fig. 240. Plomb 9706 12 Inch Screwdriver, with Inset for Marking Detail, 1937.

Fig. 240 shows a Plomb 9706 12 inch screwdriver, stamped on the ferrule with "Los Angeles" and the PLVMB logo, and with a "7D" date code for 1937.

The overall length is 12.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

2336 Gasket Scraper

Fig. 241. Plomb 2336 Gasket Scraper, ca. 1939-1948.

Fig. 241 shows a Plomb 2336 gasket scraper, stamped on the ferrule with "Made in U.S.A." and the PLVMB logo (see composite inset).

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

6505 Wrist Pin Tool

Fig. 242. Plomb 6505 Wrist Pin Tool, with Inset Showing Model, 1938.

Fig. 242 shows an example of a model-specific specialty tool, the Plomb 6505 wrist pin tool, designed to remove and replace the piston pins in Ford Model A and B engines. In use, the piston pin was secured to the tool with the castle nut, and then was driven into the heated piston.

The overall length is 10.25 inches, and the tool is marked with an "8A" date code for 1938. The model 6505 was listed in Plomb catalog 15-A of 1936 with a price of $1.75. Earlier catalogs listed this tool as a model F-5.

This tool is marked with patent #1,824,743, filed in 1929 and issued to K. Neu in 1931. The patent document does not indicate an assignment to Plomb, so it's possible that it was licensed to other manufacturers as well.

At least one other manufacturer offered wrist pin tools for Ford models A and B. For example, Duro Metal Products offered a Duro-Chrome 276-AB Piston Pin Tool (of somewhat different design) in their 1938 catalog.

2034 Valve Adjustment Tool

Fig. 243. Plomb 2034 Valve Adjusting Tool, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1939-1941.

Fig. 243 shows a Plomb 2034 specialty tool for adjusting valve clearances, marked "Made in U.S.A." and "Pat. No. 2,007,432" in raised letters on the back side. The overall length is 7.0 inches.

The valve tool is basically a 1/2-drive handle with an integrated screwdriver bit, and allows using a 1/2-drive socket to tighten the lock nut after the screwdriver blade has adjusted the valve clearance.

The inset is marked for patent #2,007,432, issued to E. Mancuso in 1935. The patent was not formally assigned to Plomb at the filing, which may suggest that these tools were made for Plomb by another company.

Another note of interest regarding this tool is that after being first offered as model number 2034, the number was later changed to model 6734. According to information sent by other Plomb collectors, the model 2034 tool was offered starting in 1937, then changed to model 6734 in 1942 and later.

The change in model numbers may be a bit confusing, but is actually helpful in determining the manufacturing date. The "Made in U.S.A." marking would normally indicate manufacture in 1939 or later, but by considering the change in model numbers, the manufacturing date would range from 1939 to 1941.

A similar tool was offered by Snap-on as early as 1927, and a somewhat later example can be seen in the Snap-on V21 Valve Adjuster.

6734 Valve Adjustment Tool

Fig. 244. Plomb 6734 Valve Adjusting Tool, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1942-1948.

Fig. 244 shows the later Plomb 6734 valve adjustment tool, basically identical to the previous example except for the model number.

From the discussion above, the change in model numbers from 2034 to the present 6734 helps to narrow the manufacturing date for this example to 1942-1948.

5402 1/2-Drive Torque Wrench

Fig. 245. Plomb 1/2-Drive 5402 Torque Wrench, with Insets for Detail.

Fig. 245 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb 5402 100 ft-lb torque wrench, marked "P.A. Sturtevant Co." and "Made in U.S.A." on the back side. The overall length is 19.5 inches.

The lower right inset also notes the patents D112,888 and #2,283,707, both issued to P.A. Sturtevant.

The lower left inset shows the dual-stud drive head, which allows the user to torque bolts from the top or bottom for convenience.

The finish is polished steel, with hardly a blemish on this near-mint example.

Flare-Nut Wrenches

Flare-nut wrenches are specialty tools often used for work on refrigeration and hydraulic systems. Plomb added flare-nut wrenches to their tool line at a relatively late date, probably during the war years or immediately afterwards. (These tools were not listed in the 1936 catalog.) The flare-nut wrenches were given model numbers in a 37xx series and were available in sizes ranging from 3/8 (3712) up to 1-1/8 (3736).

It's interesting to note that after Plomb switched to the new "Proto" trademark, the flare-nut wrenches were allowed to keep their full pebbled background, but with "Plomb" replaced by the new trademark. These are among the very few tools to retain the original pebble design after the trademark change. An example of the later Proto flare-nut wrenches can be seen as the Proto 3712 Wrench.

3712 3/8 Flare Nut Wrench

Fig. 246. Plomb 3712 3/8 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 246 shows a Plomb 3712 3/8 inch flare-nut wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled background, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side. The model number and fractional size are stamped on the shank.

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

3714 7/16 Flare Nut Wrench

Fig. 247. Plomb 3714 7/16 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 247 shows a Plomb 3714 7/16 inch flare-nut wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled background, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side. The model number and fractional size are stamped on the shank.

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

3720 5/8 Flare Nut Wrench

Fig. 248. Plomb 3720 5/8 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 248 shows a Plomb 3720 5/8 inch flare-nut wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled background, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side. The model number and fractional size are stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 7.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

3730 15/16 Flare Nut Wrench

Fig. 249. Plomb 3730 15/16 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 249 shows a Plomb 3730 15/16 inch flare-nut wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled background, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side. The model number and fractional size are stamped on the shank.

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

3732 1 Inch Flare Nut Wrench

Fig. 250. Plomb 3732 1 Inch Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 250 shows a Plomb 3732 1 inch inch flare-nut wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled background, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side. The model number and fractional size are stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

3734 1-1/16 Flare Nut Wrench

Fig. 251. Plomb 3734 1-1/16 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 251 shows a Plomb 3734 1-1/16 inch flare-nut wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled background, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side. The model number and fractional size are stamped on the shank.

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

3736 1-1/8 Flare Nut Wrench

Fig. 252. Plomb 3736 1-1/8 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 252 shows a Plomb 3736 1-1/8 inch flare-nut wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo forged into a pebbled background, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side. The model number and fractional size are stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 8.4 inches.

Flare-nut wrenches were offered in sizes ranging from 3/8 for model 3712 to 1-1/8 inch for the present model 3736.

Crowfoot Wrenches

Crowfoot wrenches were listed only sporadically in the Plomb catalogs, but the pieces most commonly found were probably made as special order contracts. Plomb catalog No. 12 of 1933 listed five crowfoot wrenches, ranging from the model 5716 of size 1/2 to the model 5724 of size 3/4, all in 1/2-drive. This catalog also showed the corresponding older model numbers DC8 through DC12, implying that these had been available previously.

Crowfoot wrenches are absent from catalogs later in the 1930s through at least 1940, but reappear in the later 1940s catalogs in 3/8-drive models. At this time crowfoot wrenches were offered in a 49xx series, with sizes ranging from the model 4912 of size 3/8 up through the model 4944 1-3/8 size.

In addition to the catalog items, Plomb also offered crowfoot wrenches in a K-21xxx model number series in both open-end and flare (double-hex) configurations. These K-series tools were apparently produced under special contracts, probably as part of the wartime effort, as they are not listed in the standard catalogs. In addition, the markings don't follow the expected patterns of the other tools, which makes it difficult to estimate a manufacturing date for these tools.

The next group of figures will show examples of the various crowfoot wrench models.

K21520 1/2-Drive 1-7/16 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 253. Plomb K21520 1/2-Drive 1-7/16 Crowfoot Wrench, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 253 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb K21520 1-7/16 crowfoot open-end wrench, stamped with the size, model, and PLVMB logo.

The dull cadmium finish suggests production during the war years.

K21521 1/2-Drive 1-1/2 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 254. Plomb K21521 1/2-Drive 1-1/2 Crowfoot Wrench, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 254 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb K21521 1-1/2 crowfoot open-end wrench, stamped with the size, model, and PLVMB logo.

The dull cadmium finish suggests production during the war years.

K21522 1/2-Drive 1-9/16 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 255. Plomb K21522 1/2-Drive 1-9/16 Crowfoot Wrench, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 255 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb K21522 1-9/16 crowfoot open-end wrench, stamped with the size, model, and PLVMB logo.

The dark cadmium finish suggests production during the war years.

K21528 1/2-Drive 1-7/8 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 256. Plomb K21528 1/2-Drive 1-7/8 Crowfoot Wrench, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 256 shows a specialty tool, a 1/2-drive Plomb K21528 1-7/8 crowfoot open-end wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo.

The dull cadmium finish suggests production during the war years.

K21529 1/2-Drive 1-15/16 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 257. Plomb K21529 1/2-Drive 1-15/16 Crowfoot Wrench, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 257 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb K21529 1-15/16 crowfoot open-end wrench, marked with the PLVMB logo.

The dull cadmium finish suggests production during the war years.

3/8-Drive K219xx Crowfoot Wrenches

The next several figures present examples of the K-219xx series of 3/8-drive crowfoot flare-nut wrenches, all with 12-point broachings and cadmium finishes. The tools are marked with just the PLVMB logo.

Fig. 258 shows the model K21901 size 9/16 crowfoot along with the basically identical model F21901, Fig. 259 shows the model K21902 of size 5/8, and Fig. 260 shows the model K21904 size 7/8 crowfoot wrench.

Fig. 258. Plomb 3/8-Drive 9/16 Crowfoot Wrenches, Models K21901 and F21901, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 259. Plomb 3/8-Drive 5/8 Crowfoot Wrench, Model K21902, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 260. Plomb 3/8-Drive 7/8 Crowfoot Wrench, Model K21904, ca. 1941-1945.

K21906 3/8-Drive Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 261. Plomb K21906 3/8-Drive 1-3/16 Crowfoot Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 261 shows a 3/8-drive Plomb K21906 1-3/16 flare-nut crowfoot wrench, stamped with the PLVMB logo and broached with a double-hex (12-point) opening.

The dull cadmium finish suggests production during the 1941-1945 war years.

K21920 1/2-Drive 1-9/16 Crowfoot Wrench

The larger sizes in the K219xx series used 1/2-drive connections, as the next two figures illustrate.

Fig. 262. Plomb K21920 1/2-Drive 1-9/16 Crowfoot Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 262 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb K21920 1-9/16 flare-nut crowfoot wrench, stamped with the PLVMB logo and model number and fractional size.

The crowfoot wrench is broached with a double-hex (12-point) opening for use with flare nuts.

The dull cadmium finish suggests production during the 1941-1945 war years.

K21923 1/2-Drive 2-1/4 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 263. Plomb K21923 1/2-Drive 2-1/4 Crowfoot Wrench, ca. 1941-1945.

Fig. 263 shows a 1/2-drive Plomb K21923 2-1/4 flare-nut crowfoot wrench, stamped with the PLVMB logo and model number and fractional size.

The crowfoot wrench is broached with a double-hex (12-point) opening for use with flare nuts.

The dull cadmium finish suggests production during the 1941-1945 war years.

49xx Crowfoot Wrenches

The next several figures show examples of the 49xx series of 3/8-drive open-end crowfoot wrenches. These were listed in catalogs from the mid 1940s onward.

Fig. 264. Plomb 49xx 3/8-Drive Small Crowfoot Wrenches, ca. 1945-1948.

Fig. 264 shows a group of five 3/8-drive Plomb 49xx crowfoot open-end wrenches, all marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo. The models and sizes are, from the left, 4912 (3/8), 4914 (7/16), 4916 (1/2), 4920 (5/8), and 4922 (11/16). (The 9/16 Model 4918 is missing.)

The finish on these wrenches is chrome plating.

Fig. 265. Plomb 49xx 3/8-Drive Intermediate Crowfoot Wrenches, ca. 1942-1945.

Fig. 265 shows four 3/8-drive Plomb 49xx crowfoot wrenches in the intermediate sizes, all marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo. The models and sizes are, from the left, 4924 (3/4), 4926 (13/16), 4928 (7/8), and 4932 (1 Inch). (The 15/16 Model 4930 is missing.)

The finish on all four wrenches is plain steel.

Fig. 266. Plomb 49xx 3/8-Drive Large Crowfoot Wrenches, ca. 1942-1945.

Fig. 266 shows two of the larger 3/8-drive Plomb 49xx crowfoot wrenches, both marked "Made in U.S.A." with the PLVMB logo. The models and sizes are, from the left, 4940 (1-1/4) and 4944 (1-3/8).

The finish is plain steel.