The Story of Vlchek

Vlchek Logo on an Open-End Wrench

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Vlchek Tool Company (pronounced "Vel-check") started as a small blacksmith shop and grew to become the largest maker of automobile tool kits. Founded by a Czech immigrant, the company built a reputation for high-quality tools as well as efficient production. In this page we'll look at the company's interesting history and examine a selection of its tools.

Company History

It's sometimes difficult to find information on the early history of tool companies, but the present case is a happy exception. The founder of Vlchek Tool was thoughtful enough to write his autobiography, suitably titled The Story of My Life and published (in Czech) in 1928. Now available in English translation, the book offers an interesting look at immigrant life in late 19th and early 20th century America, and provides many details on the development of the Vlchek Tool Company.

Vlchek Tool began in 1895 as a small blacksmith shop founded by Frank J. Vlchek, a Czech immigrant who had settled in Cleveland, Ohio. For the first few years his business operated as a typical blacksmith shop of the time — making and repairing metal items, sharpening tools, and even shoeing horses. But Vlchek was constantly pushing himself to improve his skills and learn new techniques, and this lead to the purchase of a power hammer and then a drop forge. Both tools were powered by an old gasoline engine he had purchased inexpensively and then rebuilt by hand.

The power hammer enabled Vlchek to improve both the production rate and quality of his tools, and the business expanded rapidly. By 1903 the operation had outgrown its original quarters, so Vlchek built a new larger shop at 1537 Central Avenue, with a sign proclaiming "The Vlchek Tool Manuf'g Co." on the front. As the business grew, Vlchek started selling hammers, chisels, and punches into the wholesale market, and soon raised the notice (and ire) of some long-established hardware makers.

On Feb. 24, 1909 a fire destroyed much of the new building, and this disaster threatened to close the business permanently. By this time though, Vlchek had established an excellent reputation for hard work and quality products, and so was able to gain the financial backing to set up a new operation.

Vlchek and a group of investors formed the Vlchek Tool Corporation, with Frank Vlchek as President and major shareholder, but answerable now to a board of directors. The company built a new factory on East 87th Street and was back in business by May of 1909.

The new company prospered and continued to expand, chiefly due to the rapid growth of the automobile industry.

Automobile Tool Kits

Vlchek had for some time been making automobile tool kits, the collections of essential tools that were shipped with every automobile of the day. Automobile companies ordered thousands of tool kits at a time, and at one point Vlchek Tool claimed to sell to 85% of the automobile makers. (There were many more auto companies in those days.)

Fig. 1. 1912 Notice for Vlchek Motorcycle Tool Kit. [External Link]

Fig. 1 shows a notice for a Vlchek tool kit, as published on page 242 of the May, 1912 edition of The Automobile Trade Journal.

This particular example was intended as a motorcycle tool kit, and the text lists the contents as a monkey wrench, combination pliers, screw driver, flat file, drift punch, cold chisel, hammer, tire tools, and a box of cotter pins. The price was $3 in an imitation leather case, or $4 for genuine leather.

The tool kit business was profitable but challenging, as the automobile makers were constantly trying to reduce the price, and the production contracts specified large volumes and tight delivery schedules.

Vlchek responded by improving the production efficiency and material workflow of the factory, so that raw steel moved efficiently from the loading dock through the various forging and finishing steps. Visitors of the day (frequently including competitors) marveled at the smooth and efficient operations.

Cost Analysis

Vlchek was also a pioneer in cost analysis, and established a special Cost Department to keep up-to-date estimates of the costs of production. This move was prompted by Vlchek's observation that many of his competitors didn't know whether they were operating at a profit or loss until the books were closed at year's end; obviously, this would be a major problem in a period of fluctuating prices.

The combination of efficient production and good business management allowed Vlchek Tool to expand its factory several times between 1909 and 1920.

Fig. 2. 1917 Advertisement for Vlchek Valve Lifter. {External Link]

Fig. 2 shows an advertisement for a Vlchek valve lifter, as published on page 177 of the January, 1917 issue of Hardware Dealers' Magazine.

Although not noted in the text, this tool was covered by patent 1,159,626, issued to F.J. Vlchek in 1915.

Reorganization in 1918

Fig. 3. 1918 Notice for Vlchek Tool Company. {External Link]

Fig. 3 shows a notice of reorganization of the Vlchek Tool Company, as published on page 61 of the January, 1918 issue of Hardware Review.

The text notes that the company's capital had been increased from $300,000 to $900,000, a substantial sum in those days.

The "Big Nine"

By 1918 Vlchek had become one of the "Big Nine" of the forging industry: nine companies who together accounted for nearly all of the drop-forged wrench production. These companies jointly signed a Conservation Agreement to reduce manpower and materials, as requested by the War Industries Board.

Expansion in the 1920s

Vehicle tool kits continued to be an important product for Vlchek in the 1920s. By the mid 1920s Vlchek had begun placing ads in some of the popular magazines of the time, such as Popular Mechanics.

Fig. 3B. 1924 Advertisement for Vlchek Tool Kits.

The scan in Fig. 3B shows an ad for Vlchek tool kits, as published on page 152 [External Link] of the December, 1924 issue of Popular Mechanics.

The illustration shows the 20-piece "Tourist" kit in a canvas roll, priced at $7. The text offers other tool kits ranging from the No. 909 "Little Roadster" at $3 up to the No. 900 "Mechanician Kit" at $20.

Chrome-Molybdenum Wrenches

Fig. 3C. 1928 Notice for Vlchek Wrench Sets. [External Link]

In 1928 Vlchek began offering open-end wrenches made of chrome-molybdenum alloy steel.

Fig. 3C shows a notice for Vlchek wrench sets in carbon steel and chrome-molybdenum steel, as published on page 60 of the July 19, 1928 issue of Hardware Age.

The top illustration shows the "Fitz-All" carbon steel wrench set, and the bottom illustration shows the new chrome-molybdenum wrench set. Although not mentioned in the text, the wrenches were designed with "Parabolic" heads.

By this time open-end wrenches of chrome-vanadium or chrome-molybdenum steel had been available for several years from Bonney, J.H. Williams, and others, but sales were primarily to professional markets. Vlchek tools were widely sold in retail markets, so the introduction of chrome-molybdenum alloy steel was significant.

By the late 1920s Vlchek Tool had expanded beyond tool kits into general automotive service tools, offering wrenches, pliers, and striking tools in both carbon and alloy steels.

A catalog from around 1929 shows a selection of open-end and tappet wrenches in chrome-molybdenum steel, generally regarded as the highest quality steel for tool making.

A full-page ad in the May 1930 issue of Popular Science Monthly shows an impressive Vlchek Forging Hammer along with examples of the various tools sold by the company. The text of the ad emphasizes the high quality of Vlchek tools and the low cost made possible by volume production.

Shock-Proof Screwdrivers

In 1930 Vlchek introduced a line of screwdrivers with shock-proof plastic handles. The tools proved to be popular and Vlchek Tool became one of the largest makers of screwdrivers.

A Full Line of Quali-T-Tools

By 1934 Vlchek Tool had greatly expanded its offering of automotive service tools. Catalog A-2 from 1934 included sockets and drive tools in 1/2 and 3/4-drive, the first time that these important tools had been offered by the company. The catalog also listed box-end wrenches and a variety of automotive specialty tools.

Another notable change was that the catalog was now divided into two parts, with the first section captioned with the somewhat awkward "Quali-T-Tools" brand and apparently intended for the professional mechanic. The second section listed Vlchek's high-volume product lines intended more for occasional or casual use, but including some alloy steel tools as well.

For whatever reasons, Vlchek's venture into the full-service automotive market was short-lived, and by 1938 the product line had been reduced greatly. The socket tools had been discontinued, and the company apparently decided to concentrate on high-volume production items rather than specialty tools, so that its catalogs listed relatively few tools.

Plastic Injection-Molding

Vlchek's experience with plastic screwdriver handles resulted in the company becoming a pioneer in the field of injection-molding, and by 1938 Vlchek had formed a plastic injection-molding division.

By 1945 the plastics division had a separate facility in Middlefield, Ohio. (The Vlchek name is apparently still in use for some plastic floral containers.)

The Post-War Era

In the post-war years Vlchek continued production of its alloy steel wrench lines, and also offered a wide range of economy "special analysis" steel tools.

Except for a brief period in the mid 1930s, Vlchek Tool had ignored the socket revolution for most of its history, but in the mid to late 1950s began offering socket tools in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, and 3/4-drive. However, these late socket tools were not produced internally, but were sourced as contract production from Plomb Tool/Pendleton Tool Industries.

Acquisition by Pendleton Tool

In 1959 Vlchek Tool was acquired by Pendleton Tool Industries, the parent company of Proto Tools, P&C, Penens Corporation, and other tool manufacturers. (The acquisition date comes from a newpaper notice, noted in our article on Proto.) Under Pendleton the Vlchek brand remained in production, with the Vlchek factory continuing production of tools for the Vlchek brand, as well as contract production for Fleet Tools and possibly other Proto brands. In addition, other manufacturers in the Pendleton group contributed tools branded as Vlchek.

Acquisition by Ingersol-Rand

In 1964 Pendleton Tool Industries was acquired by Ingersoll-Rand, an industrial conglomerate. Under Ingersoll the Vlchek factory in Cleveland was finally closed in 1969, but it's not known whether the Vlchek brand continued in use after this.

Patents

Trademarks

Tool Identification

Tools sold as Vlchek products are generally very easy to identify, as with few exceptions the company used only the markings "Vlchek" or "Motiv" for these items.

However, tools produced by Vlchek as contract production may be very challenging to identify.

Some contract production may have been intentionally unmarked at the request of the customer, in order not to reveal Vlchek as the actual producer. The high efficiency of the Vlchek factory gave them a much lower cost structure than many competitors, and in some cases erstwhile competitors gave up production in favor of purchasing goods from Vlchek and branding them as their own.

In other cases the contract customer may not have cared whether the tools were identifiable as Vlchek. For example, the Western Auto Supply buyers may have been happy to have customers recognize their Wizard and Westcraft wrenches as Vlchek tools. The examples in the section on Contract Production show that a number of such tools are easily identifiable as Vlchek production.

The sections below will present a number of design, production, and marking characteristics of Vlchek tools, and these characteristic features may be helpful for identification in the absence of an explicit company marking.

V-Shield Logo

Although tools made for contract production may be difficult to identify, there is at least one simple case: some such tools were marked with the well-known V-Shield logo, a "V" and nested "T" inside a shield outline.

In 1929 Vlchek registered the V-Shield logo as a trademark, which was issued as #256,630 on May 21, 1929.

Fig. 4A. V-Shield Logo.

The scan in Fig. 4A shows the logo image as it was presented in the trademark application.

The small figure forged into tools is somewhat less detailed, but on a good forging the small "T" inside the "V" will be visible. An example of this logo on a tool can be seen in the Vlchek 19/32x11/16 Wrench in a later figure.

Fig. 4B. "Coat-of-Arms" Design from 1912 Vlchek Catalog.

The V-Shield logo is based on a more complex "Coat-of-Arms" design, an example of which was published on the cover of the 1912 Vlchek catalog.

The scan in Fig. 4B shows the design on the 1912 catalog cover.

Vlchek Banner Logo

Fig. 5. Vlchek Banner Logo.

Fig. 5 shows an example of a Vlchek "Banner" logo, a design frequently shown in catalogs but less often found on the tools themselves. The design consists of a large "V" with a "Vlchek" banner crossing it, with "Made in U.S.A." at the top and bottom.

This example is from the Vlchek 8 Inch Combination Pliers shown in a later figure.

Norivell Open-End Wrench Set

One of the known exceptions are the carbon-steel wrench sets sold with a metal holder; these sets may have other brands marked on the holder, and sometimes no company marking at all on the tools.

Fig. 6. Vlchek Norivell Open-End Wrench Set

Fig. 6 shows a "Norivell Wrench Set", which was identified as a Vlchek product by the patent #1,808,190 stamped on the bottom. (This patent was issued to F. Vlchek in 1931.)

The individual wrenches in the Norivell set are marked "Made in U.S.A." and "Drop Forged", but have no company or size markings.

The 1938 catalog shows an illustration for a set that looks very similar, but is shown as a "Checker Wrench Set". Both "Norivell" and "Checker" seem like a word play on "Velcheck", so that may be how the names were derived.

Forged-In Numbers

One of the characteristic features of Vlchek production is the frequent presence of a forged-in number on one end of the wrench, an example of which is shown in next figure. (Additional examples appear in many other figures in this article.)

The meaning of these forged-in numbers is not known, but they might indicate a particular drop-forge used in production, or possibly a generation number for the forging die. (Vlchek perfected a technique for forging its dies from a master copy, rather than having to make each by hand. This would have saved them a great deal of time and money for items made in sufficient quantity to wear out the forging die.)

Asterisk Mark and Forged-In Number

Vlchek box-end wrenches typically included a forged-in mark resembling an asterisk, usually opposite the forged-in number on the back side. This detail is seldom (if ever) seen on other makers' tools.

Fig. 7. Asterisk Mark and Forged-In Number on WBC1618 Wrench.

Fig. 7 shows an example of the forged-in asterisk mark, as photographed on the shank of a WBC1618 box wrench.

The asterisk can be seen at the left of the raised panel.

Sharp Radius on Box Ends

Another characteristic of Vlchek production is the use of a relatively sharp grinding radius on the box ends of wrenches.

Fig. 8. Box Ends of Vlchek Wrenches Showing Sharp Curvature

Fig. 8 shows examples of the sharp grinding radius, as illustrated in a profile view of three stacked box-end wrenches.

Other manufacturers commonly provide ground and polished box ends on wrenches, but usually with a much larger radius of curvature.

Vlchek open-end wrenches also exhibit rounded edges on the wrench heads.

Chrome Molybdenum Marking

Vlchek frequently used chrome molybdenum alloys for its tools, and when the alloy content was marked on the tool, Vlchek commonly used a particular and distinctive marking style. The "Chrome Molybdenum" text was marked in a sans serif font using all capital letters, but with the leading "C" and "M" letters increased in height. Other makers typically used letters of uniform height for this type of marking.

Fig. 9. Vlchek "Chrome Molybdenum" Marking Style.

Fig. 9 shows an example of the Vlchek "Chrome Molybdenum" marking style, taken from a Vlchek 94 Tappet Wrench shown later in this article. Notice that the leading letters of the words are made taller, even though the letter forms are already capitalized.

Manufacturing Dates

Estimation of the manufacturing date for a tool is an important step in understanding its context within the overall output of the manufacturer. Vlchek is not known to have marked tools with a date code, so the estimation of production dates must be made based on factors such as design, markings, catalog listings, and other characteristics.

In this section we will offer guidelines for estimating the manufacturing dates of Vlchek tools.

• Chrome Molybdenum Steel. Early Vlchek alloy steel wrenches were consistently made of (and marked for) chrome-molybdenum steel from the mid 1920s up until the 1942-1945 wartime era.

• Round-Shank Box Wrenches. Box wrenches with round shanks were first offered in the early 1930s in double-offset, short double-offset, and single-offset configurations. Round-shank wrenches remained in production until around 1937.

• W-Series Open-End Wrenches with Wide Shanks. By 1934 Vlchek was offering W-series open-end wrenches with model numbers encoding the sizes in 32nds. Catalog A-2 illustrated the wrenches with wide shanks and noted the use of chrome-molybdenum steel.

• Raised Oval Panels. In 1937 or 1938 box wrenches with raised oval panels superseded the round shank style. Box wrenches were available in short angled (WBC) and standard deep offset (WBA) configurations. The oval panel style remained in production until around 1946 or 1947.

• Combination Wrenches. Vlchek produced combination wrenches as contract production in the 1936-1939 time frame, and presumably under their own brand shortly thereafter. Early combination wrenches had raised oval panels similar to the box wrenches.

• WBH Series Wrenches. The popular WBH series of offset box wrenches was introduced during the mid 1940s, probably by 1945.

• Flat-Shank Wrenches. Box and combination wrenches changed to a style with flat shanks around 1947. Combination wrenches initially had wide flat shanks.

• W-Series Open-End Wrenches with Narrow Shanks. By 1949 the Vlchek catalog was illustrating the W-Series open-end wrenches with a narrow shank.

• Panel-Bar Economy Wrenches. By 1949 Vlchek was offering an economy line of "Panel Bar" wrenches with depressed oval panels.

• Single-Sided Markings. In the late 1940s or early 1950s the markings on combination and box wrenches changed from double-sided to single-sided. (Wide shank combination wrenches have been noted for both marking styles.) Currently we estimate that this changes went into effect in 1950, but this will be revised if better information becomes available.

• Post-War Alloy Usage. Unlike most other manufacturers, in the post-war era Vlchek continued to note specific (chrome molybdenum) alloy content for certain tools. (Most other manufacturers had adopted generic "alloy steel" or a company brand alloy by this time.) The 1949 and 1952 catalogs noted chrome moly steel for tappet wrenches, WBA series offset box wrenches, and the PFH309 waterpump pliers.

• Motiv Brand Economy Wrenches. By 1952 Vlchek had introduced the "Motiv" brand for a line of economy tools made of "Special Analysis Steel".

• Narrow Shank Combination Wrenches. The narrow-shank style was first observed in a 1953 Western Auto catalog, and the 1957 Vlchek catalog also shows narrow shank wrenches. Since the 1952 Vlchek catalog showed combination wrenches with a wide flat shank, the transition to the narrow style likely occurred in 1953.

• Generic Alloy Usage. By catalog A-9 of 1955 the descriptions mention only "alloy steel" where previously chrome-moly steel had been noted for certain tools.

• Raised Triangle Marking. A number of seemingly late production Vlchek tools have been observed with a small forged-in triangle marking, perhaps as a replacement for the "asterisk" forge mark of earlier years. The triangle mark may indicate production after Vlchek became part of Proto.

References and Resources

The photographs and observations in these pages are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts collection.

Information on the early history of Vlchek Tool was obtained from Frank Vlchek's autobiography The Story of My Life, translation edited by Winston Chrislock and published by The Kent State University Press.

The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History has a brief article on the Vlchek Tool Company, which notes that Vlchek Tool was acquired by Pendleton Tool Industries. (The actual date of the acquisition was late 1959, rather than the 1958 date implied by the article.)

Catalog Coverage

Product information was obtained from a number of Vlchek catalogs, as summarized in the table below.

Industrial Distributors

Vlchek tools were sold through many different channels, including industrial distributors, automotive supply specialists, and even high-volume retailers such as Western Auto Supply.

• Pittsburgh Gage & Supply 1913. The 1913 catalog from the Pittsburgh Gage & Supply Company lists Vlchek chisels on pages 953-955. Other listings include drift pins and cotter pin pullers on page 956.

• J.M. Waterston 1916. The 1916 catalog No. 22 from J.M. Waterston, a tool distributor based in Detroit, lists a Vlchek valve spring lifter on page 167, straight tubular socket wrenches on page 171, bent tubular socket wrenches on page 172, square shank and offset screwdrivers on page 208, and a cotter pin extractor on page 210.

• Central Automobile Supply 1916. A 1916 catalog from Central Automobile Supply (Des Moines, IA) lists a number of Vlchek tool kits on pages 57 and 195, including a special Ford tool roll and sets of tubular socket wrenches.

• Harron, Rickard & McCone 1918. The 1918 catalog No. 2 from Harron, Rickard & McCone, an industrial distributor, lists Vlchek bent tubular socket wrenches on page 117.

• Chandler & Farquhar 1919. The 1919 catalog "A" from the Chandler & Farquhar Company, an industrial distributor in Boston, lists Vlchek all-steel screwdrivers on page 575, and chisels and punches on page 600. The listings don't mention the company name, but "Vlchek" is visible in the illustrations.

• Marshall Auto Supply 1920. The 1920 catalog "A" from the Marshall Auto Supply Company, an automotive distributor in Marshalltown, Iowa, lists Vlchek all-steel screwdrivers and offset screwdrivers on page 225.

• Pittsburgh Auto Equipment 1920. The 1920 catalog No. 7 from the Pittsburgh Auto Equipment Company, a wholesale distributor, lists Vlchek wood-handled screwdrivers on page 246, offset screwdrivers on page 247, chisels on page 249, punches on page 250, and bearing and carbon scrapers on page 326.

• Marwedel 1922. The 1922 catalog No. 11 from the C.W. Marwedel Company, an industrial supplier in San Francisco, lists Vlchek No. 25 cold chisels and No. 40 diamond point chisels on page 381.

  Also listed are Vlchek No. 485 flue beading tools on page 375, No. 380MF brick chisels on page 375, No. 255 ripping bars on page 377, and No. 130 star drills on page 378.

• Waterhouse & Lester 1924. The 1924 Waterhouse & Lester catalog No. 20 lists a Vlchek valve lifter on page 423, a No. 913 chisel and punch set on page 478, and a No. 914 cold chisel set on page 478.

• Western Auto Supply 1929. The 1929 Western Auto Supply (Western edition) catalog lists two Vlchek open-end wrench sets on page 87, a "Fitz All" 6-piece (carbon steel) set for $0.95, and a 6-piece chrome-molybdenum set for $2.60.

• Western Auto Supply 1930. The 1930 Western Auto Supply (Western edition) catalog offers Vlchek open-end wrench sets and individual wrenches on page 91. The sets include a "Fitz All" 6-piece (carbon steel) set for $0.95, a 6-piece chrome-molybdenum set for $2.60, a set of four chrome-molybdenum tappet wrenches for $1.25 in black or $1.85 in nickel, and "Parabolic" chrome-molybdenum wrenches in industry-standard sizes for prices ranging from $0.30 for No. 1721 up to $1.37 for the No. 1034 wrench.

• Mossman-Yarnelle 1931. The 1931 catalog No. 31-T from the Mossman-Yarnelle Company of Fort Wayne (Indiana), an industrial distributor, lists Vlchek open-end wrench sets on pages 460-461. The listings include sets of "Parabolic" open-end wrenches in both chrome-moly and carbon steel, a 5-piece set of Star "S" wrenches, an 8-piece set of chrome-moly tappet wrenches in a tool roll, and a 16-piece set of "Parabolic" open-end chrome-moly wrenches in a tool roll.

  Also listed are Vlchek "Dura" screwdrivers on page 409.

• Western Auto Supply 1932. The 1932 Western Auto Supply (Western edition) catalog offers Vlchek "Parabolic" chrome-molybdenum open-end wrenches.

• Ducommun "H" 1933. The 1933 catalog "H" from the Ducommun Corporation lists Vlchek bearing scrapers on page 179.

• Western Auto Supply 1953. A 1953 Western Auto Supply catalog provided illustrations of Vlchek contract-made tools of this era.

Early Production and Specialty Tools

Vlchek produced a relatively small number of different tools, preferring to make only those items that it could sell in large quantity. A look at the 1938 catalog shows a reasonable line of carbon-steel open-end "engineers" wrenches, a smaller selection of alloy-steel open-end wrenches, a small number of box-end wrenches, and lots of punches, chisels, and hammers. Most notable is the absence of combination wrenches, already very popular at this time, and the lack of ratchets and sockets.

The 1952 catalog reveals a somewhat expanded product line that included more models of box-end wrenches, as well as (finally!) combination wrenches. In addition, a line of economy tools branded "Motiv" had been established. There were still no ratchets and sockets though, making it clear that Vlchek Tool had decided to sit out the socket revolution.

The 1957 catalog No. 10 finally offers a line of sockets and drive tools in several drive sizes. (However, these tools are not commonly found, so it appears that Vlchek may not have sold very many of them.) This catalog also shows a number of tool display boards intended to assist retailers, showing that the company was apparently shifting to serve the retail market, after selling primarily to large companies up to this point.

The examples of tools shown below are arranged roughly chronologically based on the capability of production, but the actual age of particular tools is not known. Vlchek is not known to have had any date code marking system, though it's possible that the forge numbers may have some relationship to production date.

Striking Tools and Pliers

Punches, chisels, and hammers were among the first tools produced by Vlchek Tool, and pliers would have been made as soon as the automobile tool kit business started to develop.

"Auto Hammer" 10 Inch Ballpeen Hammer

Fig. 10. Vlchek "Auto Hammer" 10 Inch Ballpeen Hammer, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 10 shows a Vlchek "Auto Hammer" 10 inch forged ballpeen hammer, marked with "The Vlchek Tool Co." forged into the handle, with "Auto Hammer" forged into the back side.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Specialty Tools

No. 2 Adjustable Pin Spanner

Fig. 11. Vlchek No. 2 Adjustable Pin Spanner, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1913-1916.

Fig. 11 shows a Vlchek No. 2 adjustable pin spanner, marked with "The Vlchek Tool Co." forged into the shank, and with "Pat. App'd For" stamped into the spanner arm.

The back side is marked with "No. 2" forged into the shank, as shown in the middle inset.

The overall length ranges from 10.3 inches to 12.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent pending status refers to patent #1,168,844, filed by J.J. Bartenstein in 1913 and issued in 1916, with assignment to the Vlchek Tool Company.

Forged Valve Spring Lifter

Fig. 12. Vlchek Forged Valve Spring Lifter, ca. 1915 to 1920s.

Fig. 12 shows a specialty tool for compressing valve springs, stamped "Vlchek Cleveland" on one arm.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is black paint.

Although no patent notice is marked on this example, this tool is covered by patent #1,159,626, issued to F.J. Vlchek in 1915.

Later [No. 600] "Fitz-All" Valve Spring Lifter

Fig. 13. Later Vlchek [No. 600] "Fitz-All" Valve Spring Lifter, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1930s.

Fig. 13 shows a later Vlchek [No. 600] "Fitz-All" valve spring lifter constructed of stamped sheet metal, marked with "Vlchek" and "Patent Pending" on the top. Although not marked with a model number, this tool is listed as a No. 600 Fitz-All Valve Lifter in the No. 13 and A-2 catalogs from the early 1930s.

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

The patent corresponding to the pending notice on this tool is not yet known.

No. 51 1/2 Bent Tubular Socket Wrench

Fig. 14. Vlchek No. 51 1/2 Bent Tubular Socket Wrench, ca. 1916.

Fig. 14 shows a Vlchek No. 51 1/2 bent tubular socket wrench tool, bent to form an Ell-shape and marked "Vlchek Cleveland".

The hex openings at each end have the same size and were measured as 1/2 (or possibly 17/32) inch.

The overall length is 6.5 inches.

The wrench has a cross-bar hole for additional leverage. The construction is from seamless steel tubing, hardened after forging, and with a plain steel finish.

These wrenches were apparently made for early Ford applications. For example, an automotive supplies catalog from 1916 shows a set of five of these wrenches in a canvas roll, marked "Bent Socket Wrench Set for Ford".

Cotter Pin Puller

Fig. 15. Vlchek Cotter Pin Puller, with Inset for Detail.

Fig. 15 shows a specialty tool designed as a cotter-pin puller and as a small pry-bar, marked "Vlchek Cleve O." as shown in the inset.

The overall length is 5.8 inches.

The finish is plain steel, although it may have been painted black originally.

9 Inch Forged Steel Screwdriver

Fig. 16. Vlchek 9 Inch Forged Steel Screwdriver, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 16 shows a Vlchek 9 inch forged steel screwdriver, marked only with the V-Shield logo forged into one of the handle flanges.

The overall length is 9.0 inches. The finish is plain steel with traces of the original black paint.

10 Inch Forged Steel Screwdriver

Fig. 17. Vlchek 10 Inch Forged Steel Screwdriver, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 17 shows a Vlchek 10 inch forged steel screwdriver, stamped "Vlchek Clev'd, O." on the shank.

The overall length is 9.8 inches. The finish is plain steel with traces of the original black paint.

12 Inch Bearing Scraper

Fig. 18. Vlchek Bearing Scraper, with Inset for Detail.

Fig. 18 shows a Vlchek bearing scraper with a wooden handle, marked "Vlchek Clev'd, O." on the shank.

The overall length is 12.7 inches. The finish was originally black paint, now mostly worn off.

Although not marked with a patent notice, this tool resembles the description in patent #1,015,461, issued to F.J. Vlchek in 1912.

5/8x11/16 "Reverse Gear" Open-End Wrench

Fig. 19. Vlchek 5/8x11/16 "Reverse Gear" Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 19 shows an early Vlchek 5/8x11/16 specialty open-end wrench, designed for adjusting the Model T Ford reverse gear (and brake) bands. The wrench is marked with the V-Shield logo and "Reverse Gear Wrench" forged into the shank.

The overall length is 8.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Spark Plug and Head Bolt Wrench

Fig. 20. Vlchek 5/8x15/16 Spark Plug and Head Bolt Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Detail.

Fig. 20 shows a popular tool for Model T Ford spark plug and head bolt service, a Vlchek 15/16 open-end and 5/8 hex socket wrench, stamped "Vlchek" on the face.

The overall length is 10.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Similar wrenches were made by a number of other manufacturers, examples of which include the Herbrand 2334 Spark Plug Wrench and Herbrand 2335 Spark Plug Wrench.

909 1-1/8 Single-Open Check-Nut Wrench

Tools marked with the V-Shield logo were most commonly (double) open-end wrenches, but the next figure shows a less commonly seen single-open style.

Fig. 21. Vlchek 909 1-1/8 Check-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 21 shows a Vlchek 909 single-open wrench marked with the V-Shield logo. The size is not marked but was measured as 1-1/8.

The overall length is 7.5 inches.

The wrench is fairly thin for its opening size, and may have been intended as a "check-nut" wrench, a wrench used to tighten a locking nut.

Hub Wrench

Fig. 22. Vlchek Hub Wrench, Measured 2-1/8 (Hex) x 1-7/16 (Open).

Fig. 22 shows an early Vlchek hub wrench, marked only with the V-Shield logo. The hex opening was measured at 2-1/8 inches, and the open end is 1-7/16 inches.

The overall length is 8.7 inches. The original finish was black paint, but only a few traces remain now.

ND-32 Nut Driver

Fig. 23. Vlchek ND-32 1/2 Inch Nut Driver.

Fig. 23 shows a Vlchek ND-32 1/2 inch nut driver with a wooden handle, marked "U.S.A." on the shank. The overall length is 8.9 inches.

The wooden handle is finished with black paint, and the shank and socket appear to be plated with nickel.

3B5166 Tee Socket Wrench

Fig. 24. Vlchek 3B5166 7/16 Tee-Handle Socket Wrench, with Inset for Broaching.

Fig. 24 shows a Vlchek 3B5166 7/16 Tee-handle socket wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

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

The model number on this tool suggests that it may have been contract production for Caterpillar.

2372 Fordson Socket Wrench

This next figure shows an example of the V-Shield logo on a Fordson socket wrench.

Fig. 25. Vlchek 2372 Fordson Socket Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail.

Fig. 25 shows a Vlchek 2372 offset socket wrench made for Fordson tractors, stamped with the model number and V-Shield logo, with "Fordson" on the back side. The unmarked hex socket openings were measured as 3/4 and 7/8, with a 1/32 oversize allowance.

The overall length is 11.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Auto Wrenches

Auto or "monkey" wrenches were one of the standard items in automobile tool kits, and Vlchek produced these tools in great quantities over the years. Auto wrenches were produced in several sizes, with the 9 inch and 11 inch models being the most common, but other sizes may be seen as well.

11 Inch Auto Wrenches

Fig. 26. Vlchek 11 Inch Auto Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 26 shows an early example of the Vlchek 11 inch auto or monkey wrench. The movable jaw is marked "Drop Forged" and "Cleve. O, U.S.A." with the Vlchek name in a fancy emblem (see inset), a mark often seen on earlier tools. The handle has additional markings "Made in U.S.A." and "11 Auto" in forged raised letters. The overall length is 11.0 inches.

The wrench is finished with black paint, the standard for tool kit items of this type.

Fig. 27. Vlchek V-Shield 11 Inch Auto Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 27 shows a similar Vlchek 11 inch auto wrench, marked "11-In-Auto" in forged raised letters, with the V-Shield logo on the back side.

The overall length is 11.0 inches, and the finish is black paint.

9 Inch Auto Wrenches

Fig. 28. Vlchek V-Shield 9 Inch Auto Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 28 shows one of the staples of an automobile tool kit, a Vlchek 9 inch auto wrench marked "9 In Auto" in raised letters. The inset shows the V-Shield logo on the back side, near the fixed jaw of the wrench.

The overall length is 8.9 inches, and the finish is black paint.

The movable jaw of this relatively early model is a forging, the standard construction of the time. The next figure will show a later construction technique.

Fig. 29. Vlchek V-Shield 9 Inch Auto Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 29 shows a later version of the Vlchek 9 inch auto wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." and "9 Auto" in raised letters, with the V-Shield logo and the number "25" on the back side.

The overall length is 8.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

In this later model, the movable jaw is now made with a piece of sheet steel riveted to the hardened jaw piece.

14 Inch Auto Wrench

Fig. 30. Vlchek V-Shield 14 Inch Auto Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 30 shows a Vlchek 14 inch auto wrench, marked with "14 In. Auto" forged into the shank, with the V-Shield logo forged into the back side (see inset).

The overall length is 13.9 inches, and the maximum opening is about 4.0 inches. The finish is black paint.

15 Inch Auto Wrench

Fig. 31. Vlchek V-Shield 15 Inch Auto Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 31 shows a Vlchek 15 inch auto wrench, marked with "Drop Forged" and "Vlchek" stamped on the movable jaw, and with "Made in U.S.A." and "15 Auto" (partially obscured) forged into the shank.

The overall length is 15.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The hole at the end of the shank is roughly made, possibly with a cutting torch, and was likely added by a former owner.

Carbon Steel Wrenches

Vlchek used carbon steel for its wrenches until around the mid 1920s or so, and after the introduction of alloy steels, Vlchek continued to produce carbon steel wrenches at least into the 1950s.

The earlier carbon-steel wrenches were frequently marked with a forged-in V-Shield logo, particularly those made for contract production. Sometimes the markings also included an industry-standard model number, or the least the opening sizes, but wrenches devoid of other markings are not unknown.

Open-End Wrenches

V-Shield [727] 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 32. Vlchek V-Shield [727] 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 32 shows a 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench marked with the V-Shield and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged" forged into the back side.

The overall length is 6.1 inches.

The shank is also marked with a forged-in number "95" visible at the right.

The wrench is not marked with the sizes, but was measured as 9/16x5/8 inches, a model 727 wrench in the industry-standard notation. (See our table of Industry-Standard Numbers for Open-End Wrenches for more information.)

V-Shield [27] 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 33. Vlchek V-Shield [27] 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 33 shows a wrench marked only with the V-Shield logo, without even the sizes marked. The sizes were measured as 19/32 by 11/16 inches, making it a model 27 by the industry standard.

The overall length is 5.8 inches.

This wrench may have been part of a tool kit, as the body appears to have traces of black paint remaining.

21 5/16x13/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 34. Vlchek 21 5/16x13/32 Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 34 shows a Vlchek 21 5/16x13/32 open-end wrench, stamped with the Vlchek name on the face.

The overall length is 3.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

729 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrenches

The next two figures show examples of the Vlchek 729 wrench.

Fig. 35. Vlchek 729 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 35 shows a Vlchek 729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench, stamped with the Vlchek name and model number on the faces.

The overall length is 7.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Fig. 36. Vlchek 729 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 36 shows another Vlchek 729 open-end wrench, stamped with the Vlchek name and model number on the faces, with "Made in U.S.A." and "Drop Forged" forged into the shank.

731A 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 37. Vlchek 731A 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 37 shows a Vlchek 731A 3/4x7/8 open-end wrench, stamped with the Vlchek name and model number on the faces. The shank is marked with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the front, with "Drop Forged" forged into the back side. (The inset has been rotated for readability.) The shank also has a forged-in code "9" visible at the right.

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

S-Shaped Wrenches

Open-end wrenches with an "S" shaped shank were a popular early wrench style, originally developed for use with square nuts. The "S" curve of the handle provides a natural 22.5 degree offset for the head, which allows the wrench to work with a minimal 45 degree swing clearance.

Vlchek offered S-shaped wrenches in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from a model 75-C (1/4x5/16) to 85-D (1-1/8x1-5/16) in a quasi-standard numbering system.

75B 3/8x7/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

The next several figures show examples of "S" wrenches acquired as part of a Vlchek "Star" wrench set.

Fig. 38. Vlchek 75B 3/8x7/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 38 shows a Vlchek 75B 3/8x7/16 S-shaped open-end wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." with "Drop Forged" on the back side. A forged-in number "4" appears on the shank at the right, and the fractional sizes are also forged into the back side.

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

This wrench was part of the "Star" five-piece wrench set in a metal holder, shown as the Vlchek "Star" Set in a later figure. As was common for wrenches sold in sets, the individual wrenches are not marked with the company name.

79 5/8x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 39. Vlchek 79 5/8x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 39 shows a Vlchek 5/8x11/16 open-end S-shaped wrench with the industry-standard number 79, marked "Made in U.S.A." with "Drop Forged" on the back side.

A forged-in number "6" appears on the shank at the right, and the fractional sizes are forged into the back side.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

81B 3/4x13/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 40. Vlchek 81B 3/4x13/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 40 shows a Vlchek 3/4x13/16 open-end S-shaped wrench with the industry-standard number 81B, marked "Made in U.S.A." with "Drop Forged" on the back side. A forged-in number "5" appears on the shank at the right, and the fractional sizes are forged into the back side.

The overall length is 9.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

83B 7/8x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 41. Vlchek 83B 7/8x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 41 shows the largest wrench from the "Star" set, a Vlchek 83B 7/8x1 S-shaped open-end wrench, marked with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged" forged into the back side. A forged-in number "5" appears on the shank at the right, and the fractional sizes are also forged into the back side.

The overall length is 10.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

A careful examination of the end faces shows that they are very flat but not ground, with the appearance of a rough forged surface pressed flat. This is likely the result of finishing using a "coining press", an operation using extreme pressure to produce tools with flat surfaces and tightly controlled thickness. The use of coining presses for tool making was one of the many production innovations introduced by Frank Vlchek.

Wrench Sets

Vlchek offered sets of wrenches in a bewildering array of size combinations and finish options, and under numerous brand names such as Fitz-All, Star, Norivell, and Checker. These sets were typically supplied in a metal holder made either of stamped sheet metal or with wire spring sides.

In order to clarify the contents of the various wrench sets, we have provided Table 4 below with a summary of the major set types.

In addition to these set types, each set could be purchased in up to five finish options. (The early 1930 catalog had four options, the 1934 catalog had five.)

For example, by the early 1930s the Large Fitz-All "6" Piece set could be ordered as a No. 2153 "Unfinished Tempered", No. 2150 "Ebony All Over", No. 2151 "Semi-Finished", No. 2405 "Velco Rust Proof, Cadmium Plated", or No. 2442 "White Nickel-Buffed Heads".

To provide one last twist, the catalogs note that for last two finish options the wrenches would be stamped with numbers and opening sizes. This implies that for the other finish options, the wrenches would be unmarked — a frequent observation for Vlchek wrench collectors.

We hope that the above table will assist wrench historians in documenting and restoring their Vlchek wrench sets. Of course, after eighty years in an unheated barn the five finish options are likely to have turned to rust, rust, rust, rust, and rust, but the presence of stamped model numbers and sizes will at least distinguish the last two from the first three.

We have several examples of Vlchek wrench sets and will add them to this section as time permits.

Norivell Six-Piece Open-End Wrench Set

Fig. 42. Vlchek Norivell Open-End Wrench Set, ca. 1930s.

Fig. 42 shows a Vlchek "Norivell" open-end wrench set, marked with "Norivell Wrench Set" and "Drop Forged Tempered" embossed on the sheet metal holder, and with patent #1,808,190 stamped on the bottom. This patent was issued to F. Vlchek in 1931, allowing the set to be identified as Vlchek production.

The individual wrenches in the set are marked with "Made in U.S.A." and "Drop Forged" forged into the shank, but have no company or size markings.

"Star" Five-Piece S-Shaped Wrench Set

Now that we've seen some of the individual "S" wrenches, it's time to show the wrench set.

Fig. 43. Vlchek "Star" Five-Piece S-Shaped Wrench Set, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. Late 1920s to 1930s.

Fig. 43 shows a Vlchek "Star" S-shaped wrench set, consisting of five S-shaped wrenches in a wire spring holder.

The set is marked with "Star S Wrench Set" plus "The Vlchek Tool Co." and "Cleveland, O." stamped on the bottom of the holder (see inset).

The wrenches in the set are models 75B (3/8x7/16), 77B (1/2x9/16), 79 (5/8x11/16), 81B (3/4x13/16), and 83B (7/8x1 Inch). Each wrench is marked with "Drop Forged" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank, along with the sizes and model number.

The set as acquired was missing the 77B wrench, so we have substituted a model of the same size from another maker to fill out the holder for the photograph. (We later managed to find the proper Vlchek wrench to complete the set.)

The bottom of the holder is also stamped "U.S. Patent 1808190", a reference to patent #1,808,190, issued to F. Vlchek in 1931. Note that this is the same patent seen on the Norivell Wrench Set described previously. (The wrench holders don't look very much alike, but the patent was written to provide a lot of "wiggle room".)

The Vlchek catalog No. 13 from around 1930 offered the Star wrench sets in three finish options, at prices ranging from $1.55 to $2.00.