Very early wrench??? 1831

[NJ Marty]

I have no clue about this wrench. It appears ANTHONY CHESTONE NOV. 4 1831. It looks like the bottom loop of the 8 is still visible. Anyone seen a wrench like this and how early if its not 1831?

 

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[johnnyi]

Nice stout little wrench which no doubt has a rich history. I don't think the stamping has anything to do with the wrench though for a number of reasons: The style is a machinist's or steel worker's wrench from around turn of the century to a few decades later; the font stamped on the wrench (stamped later, judging from it's lack of wear) seems a little too modern for 1831; and the first patent on a wrench was a few years after 1831 which eliminates that possibility. Hard to say why it was stamped with name and date (1931?) but we could speculate. Maybe the tool was issued by a business to a workman, and he was accountable for it? We were in the midst of a depression after all. Anyway, nice wrench whatever date it is.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Very Interesting!

Do you wish to share any details as to how you came to acquire this wrench? This is steel, real steel, and considering that welding in the industry was not perfected until the mid 1930's, you're looking at a tool pushing the limits of technology even in 1931.

I once worked with a man who'd worked on the Hoover Dam, and another who wrote Detroit's first building codes in 1939. All this goes to say that industrially, America really got it going by the 1930's.

With this summary, what I mean to say is that this cannot be from 1831, but has to be in the range of 1931. We could not forge steel like that in 1831.

 

[johnnyi]

Very Interesting!

Do you wish to share any details as to how you came to acquire this wrench? This is steel, real steel, and considering that welding in the industry was not perfected until the mid 1930's, you're looking at a tool pushing the limits of technology even in 1931.

I once worked with a man who'd worked on the Hoover Dam, and another who wrote Detroit's first building codes in 1939. All this goes to say that industrially, America really got it going by the 1930's.

With this summary, what I mean to say is that this cannot be from 1831, but has to be in the range of 1931. We could not forge steel like that in 1831.

Although I agree completely the wrench is not from 1831, the part about forging is not quite acccurate. There were many wrenches from the turn of the century which were drop forged. Moore and Co. for instance made a fine series of drop forged wrenches in 1900, as did some other companies even earlier. By the time the thirties had rolled around some of these heavy wrenchs were getting obsolete; even the spuds (I used an old PTT set of these to dismantle and scrap the old chicago double end trolley cars back in the late 70's) were seeing the last of their bridge building and high iron hay day. The distinguishing factor about your particular wrench is it's thicknesss relative to it's size, which would date it a wee bit earlier than the 1930's stamp.

 

[nhbenz]

There's mention of an Anthony Chestone in the Scovill Bulletin, as working in the repair department, starting in 1908. I can't get it to open on an iPad, but here's a link to the articles: http://www.google.com/search?q=scov...#hl=en&q=+"anthony+chestone"+scovill+bulletin

 

[NJ Marty]

Very Interesting!

Do you wish to share any details as to how you came to acquire this wrench? This is steel, real steel, and considering that welding in the industry was not perfected until the mid 1930's, you're looking at a tool pushing the limits of technology even in 1931.

I once worked with a man who'd worked on the Hoover Dam, and another who wrote Detroit's first building codes in 1939. All this goes to say that industrially, America really got it going by the 1930's.

With this summary, what I mean to say is that this cannot be from 1831, but has to be in the range of 1931. We could not forge steel like that in 1831.

I got this at a garage sale in northern NJ. The guy said the tool belonged to his father ant this guy was in his 70s.

 

[NJ Marty]

There's mention of an Anthony Chestone in the Scovill Bulletin, as working in the repair department, starting in 1908. I can't get it to open on an iPad, but here's a link to the article: scovill bulletins - Google Search

Thanks so much for the info, I looked and was pleased to see the name. I wonder what state the scovill bulletins originated.

 

[nhbenz]

It was out of Waterbury Connecticut I believe, which is not too too far from NJ.

 

[clovis97]

I don't think that the wrench dates to 1831 either.

My guess is that it is a specialty wrench, made for a single application, like a lathe or other type of equipment.

 

[Ant]

I think it is less than 70 years old, I see that round dibet in the crook of the wrench on modern day wrenches and similar marking that relate to the steel manufacturing aspect of the tool. I think the marking (1031) is for the Vanadium Steel identification.

 

[Sod Buster]

I think it is less than 70 years old, I see that round dibet in the crook of the wrench on modern day wrenches and similar marking that relate to the steel manufacturing aspect of the tool. I think the marking (1031) is for the Vanadium Steel identification.

In that case what does Nov. 4. designate?

 

[Ant]

I can see the wrench was milled or drilled to make the jaws.
I could ask why there is a period instead of a comma on the date. I was a tool attendant, tool mechanic, heavy mobile equipment mechanic, now I’m an automotive mechanic that works on HMMWV mechanic. I say that because I have seen many tools that have marks like that turn out to be lot number. And furthermore I have never seen a wrench that old and small that was mill or drilled like I see on that wrench.
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[Ant]

Hey, after looking at the photos on a monitor instead of on my cell phone I would say that the owner of that wrench stamped his name and that date on them (Anthony SHUTSTONE? Nov. 4. 1931). Now a day’s most mechanics/technicians mark their tools using an electronic engraver, some of us will use stamp /punch dies on larger wrenches and equipment.

 

[Sod Buster]

Hey, after looking at the photos on a monitor instead of on my cell phone I would say that the owner of that wrench stamped his name and that date on them (Anthony SHUTSTONE? Nov. 4. 1931). Now a day’s most mechanics/technicians mark their tools using an electronic engraver, some of us will use stamp /punch dies on larger wrenches and equipment.

Also, using a dot between the month, day, and year, is done in other cultures.

 

[Ant]

Well when I see a wrench stamped like that I think of a military toolroom with mix match punch stamp sets, and many don't have a comma so we use a period. Back in the old days they made us mark our personal tools. Now a days most units provide the tools.

 

[Ant]

See if you can find a person named Anthony Chestone born Nov. 4, 1931.

 

[DCMatt]

I think Ben is right on. Anthony Chestone started at Scovill in 1908. Left the company, then returned in 1925 and worked as a repair man for 28 years.

 

[Davo]

I'm no tool expert, so could be way off base. But the wrench looks rough to me. Could it be homemade, and Nov. 4 1931 is the date he made it?