Wakefield Wrench Company

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Wakefield Wrench Company was an early maker of adjustable wrenches operating in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Company History

The Wakefield Wrench Company began operations in 1889 and took its name from its founder, John E. Wakefield, an inventor of some note.

One of the company's earliest products was a quick-adjusting pipe wrench based on patent 454,893, filed by J.E. Wakefield in 1890 and issued in 1891. One novel feature of the wrench was that the jaws had replaceable inserts, one serrated for working on pipes or unfinished articles, and the other smooth to avoid damaging a finished surface.

Fig. 1. 1891 Notice for Wakefield Quick-Adjusting Pipe Wrench. [External Link]

Fig. 1 shows a notice for the Wakefield quick-adjusting pipe wrench, as published on page 912 of the November 19, 1891 issue of The Iron Age.

This is currently the only public reference we've found for this early Wakefield tool, suggesting that it was not very successful commercially.

Bicycle Wrenches

The company's early products also included bicycle wrenches, a popular item during the 1890s.

Fig. 2. 1894 Advertisement for Wakefield Cycle Wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 2 shows an early advertisement for Wakefield bicycle wrenches, as published on page 76 of the December 27, 1894 issue of The Iron Age.

Fig. 3. 1904 Advertisement for Wakefield Nut and Pipe Wrench. [External Link]

Fig. 3 shows an ad for a Wakefield nut and pipe wrench, as published on page 135 of the December 22, 1904 issue of Iron Age

Succession by Clarence E. Wakefield

By the late 1910s the company was being run by Clarence E. Wakefield, the son of the founder.

Fig. 4. 1919 Advertisement for Wakefield Wrench. [External Link]

Fig. 4 shows an ad for Wakefield wrenches, as published on page 57 of the August, 1919 edition of Hardware and House Furnishing Goods.

The Wizard Wrench

By 1919 Wakefield was offering adjustable open-end "Wizard" wrenches.

Fig. 5. 1919 Ad for Wakefield Wizard Wrench. [External Link]

Fig. 5 shows an ad for a "Wizard" adjustable open-end wrench, as published on page 90 of the December 25, 1919 issue of Automotive Industries.

On December 3, 1919 Clarence E. Wakefield filed a trademark application for "WIZARD", with the first use date claimed as May 1 of 1919. The trademark was granted as #132,574 on June 22 of 1920.

Fig. 6. 1920 Notice for Wakefield Wizard Wrench. [External Link]

Fig. 6 shows a notice for Wakefield "Wizard" wrenches, as published on page 50 of the March, 1920 edition of the Motor Record.

Socket Sets

By 1925 Wakefield was calling itself the Wakefield "All-Steel" Wrench Company, and had started offering hex-drive socket sets.

Fig. 7. 1925 Ad for Wakefield All-Steel Wrenches. [External Link]

Fig. 7 shows an ad for Wakefield "All-Steel" wrenches, as published on page 60 of the November, 1925 edition of American Exporter.

The illustration shows a hex-drive socket set with an Ell handle and six sockets, as well as a No. 100 adjustable wrench.

As a side note, the text states that the company began manufacturing wrenches in 1889.

By the early 1930s Wakefield was offering socket sets in a metal box with a spring retainer, based on a listing for a "Master Socket Set No. 2" on page 467 of the 1931 Mossman-Yarnelle distributor catalog.

The company name is not mentioned, but the illustration shows "Wakefield" and "Worcester, Mass." on the side.

The text of the listing has a "patent applied for" notation, possibly for the metal container. The pending notation was found to refer to patent 1,760,799, issued in 1930.

Patents

Trademarks

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts Collection.

Currently we do not have any catalogs for Wakefield Wrench.

Industrial Distributors

Wakefield tools were available from some industrial distributors.

• Waterhouse & Lester 1924. The 1924 Waterhouse & Lester catalog No. 20 lists Wakefield "All Steel" wrenches on page 355, in models No. 17, No. 19, and No. 100.

Selected Tools

We are fortunate to have a rare example of the early Wakefield quick-adjusting pipe wrench, as well as a modest selection of the company's later products.

Wakefield No. 3 Quick-Adjusting Pipe Wrench

Fig. 8. Wakefield No. 3 Quick-Adjusting Pipe Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1890s to Early 1900s.

Fig. 8 shows a rare Wakefield No. 3 quick-adjusting pipe wrench, stamped with "The Wakefield Wrench" and "Worcester, Mass." on the upper jaw, and with the "No. 3" model number on the lower handle.

The back side jaw is stamped with "Pat. June 30, 91" and "Other Pat's Pending" patent notices, as shown in the lower inset.

The overall length is 16.0 inches fully extended, and the maximum opening is 2.3 inches. The finish is plain steel.

The patent date refers to patent 454,893, filed by J.E. Wakefield in 1890 and issued in 1891.

Wakefield 5 Inch Bicycle Wrench

Fig. 9. Wakefield 5 Inch Bicycle Wrench.

Fig. 9 shows a Wakefield 5 inch bicycle wrench, stamped "Wakefield Wrench" and "Made in Worcester, Mass. U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 5.4 inches. The finish is plain steel with pitting due to rust, but the original finish may have been nickel plating.

Wakefield No. 8 8 Inch Bicycle Wrench

Fig. 10. Wakefield No. 8 8 Inch Bicycle Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1900.

Fig. 10 shows a very early Wakefield No. 8 bicycle wrench, marked "Wakefield Wrench" and "Made in Worcester, Mass. U.S.A.", with "Pat. Sept. 4, 1900" on the back side (see inset). The overall length (fully extended) is 8.0 inches.

The date marked on the tool refers to patent 657,326, which was issued to J.E. Wakefield. The patent describes the construction of the wrench, and the most notable feature is the handle tube drawn from a single sheet of steel.

Wakefield 10 Inch "Nut & Pipe" Auto Wrench

Fig. 11. Wakefield 10 Inch "Nut & Pipe" Wrench, ca. 1908 to 1910s.

Fig. 11 shows a Wakefield 10 inch "Nut & Pipe" adjustable wrench, marked "Wakefield Wrench" and "Worcester, Mass. U.S.A." with a "Pat. May 5, 1908" patent notice.

The overall length is 10.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent date on the tool refers to patent 886,448, filed by J.E. Wakefield in 1903 and issued on May 5, 1908. This wrench originally would have had an insertable pipe jaw, but the extra jaw had been lost by the time we acquired the tool.

Wakefield No. 24 1/2-Hex Drive Ratchet

During the 1920s Wakefield began producing hex-drive socket sets for the automotive market. This next figure shows a ratchet that probably was a component of a socket set.

Fig. 12. Wakefield No. 24 1/2-Hex Drive Ratchet, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1920s.

Fig. 12 shows a Wakefield No. 24 1/2-hex drive ratchet handle, marked "Made in Worcester, Mass. U.S.A." with "Pat. Jul 12 1910" and "Pats. Pending" on the back side. The overall length is 7.0 inches.

A patent search found this tool described by patent 963,895, issued to H.L. Houghton on the cited date.

The patent corresponding to the pending status has not yet been found.

Wakefield No. 19 9 Inch Auto Wrench

Fig. 13. Wakefield No. 19 9 Inch Auto Wrench, ca. 1922-1930.

Fig. 13 shows a somewhat uncommon Wakefield No. 19 auto wrench, stamped "Made in Worcester, Mass. U.S.A." and "Pat'd. Nov. 14 1922" on the shank.

The overall length is 9.1 inches.

The cited patent date refers to patent 1,435,548, issued to J.F. Oliver and J.P. Fleming, and assigned to Clarence E. Wakefield.

Wakefield No. 45 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 14. Wakefield No. 45 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 14 shows a Wakefield No. 45 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench of stamped steel construction, marked with "Wakefield" and "Made in Worcester, Mass. U.S.A." stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Wakefield No. 55 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 15. Wakefield No. 55 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 15 shows a Wakefield No. 55 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench of stamped steel construction, marked with "Wakefield" and "Made in Worcester, Mass. U.S.A." stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 5.8 inches.

Wakefield No. 70 3/4x25/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 16. Wakefield No. 70 3/4x25/32 Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 16 shows a Wakefield No. 70 3/4x25/32 open-end wrench, marked with "Wakefield" and "Made in Worcester, Mass. U.S.A." stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 7.8 inches.

Wakefield "Wizard" No. 34 Nut-and-Tap Open-End Wrench

Wakefield sometimes used the "Wizard" brand for its products, as the next figure illustrates.

Fig. 17. Wakefield "Wizard" No. 34 1/2x9/16 Nut-and-Tap Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 17 shows a Wakefield "Wizard" No. 34 open-end wrench in the nut-and-tap style, stamped "Made in Worcester, Mass, U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 4.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The square opening in the center allowed the wrench to be used as a (threading) tap handle, and this style was commonly called a "Nut and Tap" wrench. The center hole was also typically used with a bolt for holding sets of wrenches.

An example of Nut-and-Tap wrenches from another maker can be seen as the Indestro Nut-and-Tap Wrench Set.

Wakefield's use of the "Wizard" brand should not be confused with later (and better known) use by the Western Auto Supply Company.