Bonney Forge & Tool

CV Decal Design from 1925 Trademark.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Bonney was an early tool company most notable for its 1922 introduction of a full line of alloy steel wrenches.

Company History

The company was founded in 1877 as the Bonney Vise & Tool Works by Charles S. Bonney, a noted inventor. The company's first location was in Philadelphia, and their early products included vises (as expected), pipe wrenches, monkey wrenches, and other tools.

One of the company's early tools was a combination pipe and monkey wrench, a notice for which was published on page 54 of the June 28, 1902 issue of The Metal Worker. The tool was later referred to as "The Masterpiece".

Fig. 1. 1906 Ad for Bonney "Masterpiece" Pipe and Monkey Wrench. [External Link]

Fig. 1 shows an ad for a Bonney "Masterpiece" pipe and monkey wrench, as published on page 762 of the April, 1906 edition of Hardware Dealers' Magazine. The text lists the company's address as 3011-3015 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.

Fig. 2. 1908 Advertisement for Bonney "Champion" Vise. [External Link]

Fig. 2 shows an ad for a Bonney "Champion" vise, as published on page 359 of the May 1, 1908 issue of the Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal.

The Move to Allentown

By January 1, 1909 Bonney had moved its factory and main office to Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Fig. 3. 1909 Notice for Bonney Vise & Tool. [External Link]

Fig. 3 shows a notice of the move to Allentown, as published on page 159 of the February, 1909 edition of Southern Machinery.

The text provides some details for the move and notes that the new factory would provide four times the capacity.

The "Big Nine"

By 1918 Bonney 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.

Bonney Forge & Tool Works

In 1921 Bonney Vise & Tool Works changed its name to Bonney Forge & Tool Works, which better reflected the increasing role of drop-forging in its tool production.

The Development of Alloy Steel

In the early 1920s Bonney was a pioneer in the use of alloy steel for hand tools. To quote from a later catalog,

In July, 1923, Bonney startled the tool world by announcing a new kind of wrench "guaranteed to strip the thread or break the bolt without damage to the wrench." It was the Bonney 'CV' Engineers' Wrench ... the original alloy steel wrench.

Bonney's "C.V." wrenches were actually announced as early as November of 1922.

Fig. 4. 1924 Advertisement for Bonney C.V. Wrenches. [External Link]

Although the claim of first use of alloy steel could be debated — Armstrong and Plomb may have a claim here — Bonney was clearly very influential in this area. The Bonney CV wrench line was hugely successful, and by the end of the 1920s most major tool companies were using alloy steels for their products.

Fig. 4 shows an ad for a Bonney "C.V." open-end wrenches, as published on page 91 of the July, 1924 issue of Popular Science Monthly.

Obstruction Wrenches and Socket Tools

In late 1926 Bonney expanded their 'CV' line to include angle-head obstruction wrenches, and shortly afterwards announced a line of detachable sockets and drive tools.

Fig. 5A. 1927 Advertisement for Bonney 'CV' Socket Sets.

A full-page ad at the front [External Link] of the December 15, 1926 issue of Industry Illustrated shows a set of five C.V. "right angle" wrenches in a leatherette roll. This is currently our earliest published reference for Bonney's obstruction wrenches.

An early notice for Bonney socket tools can be found on page page 88 [External Link] of the January 1, 1927 issue of the Automobile Trade Journal, which illustrates the tools and notes the use of chrome vanadium steel.

The scan in Fig. 5A shows a somewhat later ad for Bonney socket sets, as published at the front [External Link] of the June 15, 1927 issue of Industry Illustrated.

The strikingly clear illustration shows the Bonney No. "R" set in a metal box, consisting of 10 hexagon sockets with an assortment of drive tools.

12-Point Box-End Wrenches

By 1928 Bonney was producing 12-point box-end wrenches, initially as a specialty tool. Box wrenches with thin-wall 12-point openings were a new style of wrench made possible by the use of alloy steel.

Fig. 5B. 1928 Notice for Bonney No. 2540 Main Bearing Wrench.

The scan in Fig. 5B shows a notice for several tools in the Bonney 'CV' line, as published on page 39 of the October 25, 1928 issue of Motor Age.

The text describes the Bonney No. "R" socket set in a metal box, and also announces the No. 2540 chrome-vanadium Chevrolet main bearing wrench.

As can be seen in the lower illustration, the No. 2540 wrench was an offset box-end wrench with 12-point openings. This tool is notable as Bonney's first 12-point box-end wrench, and an example made in 1928 can be seen as the Bonney 2540 Main Bearing Wrench. This notice is the earliest known published reference to the No. 2540 wrench.

Also mentioned is the Bonney No. 18 Ignition Set, which consisted of 10 chrome-vanadium wrenches designed to service the popular ignition systems. This notice is also the earliest known published reference to the No. 18 set.

Fig. 5C. 1929 Notice for Bonney Box-End Wrenches.

The development of 12-point box-end wrenches had been pioneered in the mid to late 1920s by P&C, Plomb, Blue Point, Milwaukee Tool & Forge, and Truth Tool, but Bonney is believed to have been the first major manufacturer to offer box-end wrenches.

Bonney's earliest box wrenches appear to have been influenced by P&C, as they incorporate a quirky tapered box end characteristic of P&C's production.

By 1929 the Bonney 'CV' line included sets of general-purpose 12-point (double-hexagon) box-end wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 5C shows a notice for Bonney box-end wrenches, as published on page 46 [External Link] of the December, 1929 issue of Motor Boating.

The text notes that the wrenches were available in a No. 29 set of three short box-end wrenches and the No. 31 set of six standard length box-end wrenches. The left-hand illustration shows the wrench sets in leatherette rolls. Although not noted in the text, the standard length wrenches were in the single-offset style.

Observed date codes indicate that the production of standard box wrenches began in 1929. However, prior to 1929 Bonney was already producing a No. 2540 specialty box wrench for Chevrolet main bearing service, as noted above.

This notice also announces the availability of chrome-vanadium alloy sockets with double-hexagon broachings, as seen in the right-hand illustration.

The 1930s

By the 1930s Bonney was offering a full line of mechanics tools in their catalogs, including sockets and drive tools, wrenches, pliers, and many specialty tools. Their selection rivaled that of other leading companies such as Herbrand, Snap-On, Plomb Tool, and J.H. Williams.

In 1932 Bonney developed a super-tough alloy steel named "Zenel" to use for their top-of-the-line tools, and in 1939 coined the name "Bonaloy" for their alloy steel tools. (Both Zenel and Bonaloy were registered as trademarks.)

"TuType" Combination Wrenches

Shortly after the introduction of Zenel tools, Bonney announced a new style of Zenel "TuType" wrenches with open and box ends of equal size, the design now known universally as combination wrenches.

Fig. 6. May, 1933 Catalog Listing for Bonney Zenel "TuType" Wrenches.

Bonney's announcement came in a catalog supplement dated May of 1933, which places it just one month after the Plomb newsletter announcing their combination wrench.

The scan in Fig. 6 shows the listing for Zenel "TuType" wrenches, as published on page 41 of a 1933 catalog supplement.

To add to the intrigue, a number of examples of Bonney combination wrenches have been found with a "CY" date code for March of 1933, meaning that the forging dies were prepared in March. If we presume that initial production would have commenced shortly, this means that Bonney was likely producing combination wrenches before Plomb announced them.

Examples of Bonney's early combination wrenches can be found in the section on Zenel "TuType" Combination Wrenches.

Acquisition by Miller Manufacturing

At some point in the early to mid 1950s, Bonney was acquired by Miller Manufacturing of Detroit, a maker of specialty tools and equipment for the automotive industry. With Miller's backing, Bonney built a new factory in Alliance Ohio and was in operation there by 1957; the new factory was used for production of both Bonney and Miller branded tools. Bonney also modernized their old factory in Allentown, and the older site continued to be used for some forging products.

Acquisition by Utica Tools

In 1964 Bonney was purchased by Utica Tools, the tool division of the Kelsey-Hayes Corporation. Kelsey-Hayes had previously acquired Utica in 1956 and Herbrand in 1961, so with the acquisition of Bonney, all three major tool companies were under one roof. The three companies shared a huge factory in Orangeburg, South Carolina, which claimed at the time to be one of the world's largest tool-making facilities.

Later Operations

In 1967 the Utica, Herbrand, and Bonney combined holdings were acquired by the Triangle Corporation and operated for a number of years as the Utica Tools Division of that company.

The Triangle Corporation was later acquired by the Cooper Tools conglomerate, and the Bonney operations were discontinued sometime in the early 1990s.

Patents

Trademarks

The table below shows the trademarks registered by Bonney that have been found to date.

Tool Identification

Most Bonney tools are easy to identify, with clear markings for the company name either stamped or forged into the tool.

B-Shield Logo

Fig. 7. Bonney B-Shield Logo.

Fig. 7 shows the Bonney B-Shield logo forged into the shank of a tool.

The B-Shield logo was frequently forged into tools made as contract production and serves to identify Bonney as the maker.

CV-Circle Logo

Fig. 8. Bonney CV-Circle Logo.

Fig. 8 shows the Bonney CV-Circle logo forged into the shank of a tool.

B-Hex Logo

Fig. 9. Bonney B-Hex Logo.

Fig. 9 shows the Bonney B-Hex logo stamped on a tool.

The B-Hex logo was used for the Bon-E-Con line of economy tools.

B-Circle Logo

Fig. 10. Bonney B-circle Logo.

In later years Bonney used a "B" in a circle as a stamped logo for contract production. This marking has been observed on single-open aircraft wrenches from the 1950s or 1960s.

Fig. 10 shows the Bonney B-Circle logo stamped on a tool.

An example of the B-Circle marking on a tool can be seen on the Bonney 1968 2-1/8 Straight Aircraft Wrench.

Manufacturing Dates for Tools

Bonney is one of the manufacturers with a well-established date code system, although the date codes were not published to our knowledge. This section will discuss the analysis and decoding of the date codes.

Forged-In Codes: The Bonney Date Code System

[Editor's note: The following section was written around May of 2008 and documents the rediscovery of the Bonney date code system. Although the section is now rather old, we've left it written mostly in the present tense, to help convey the sense of excitement as this important finding unfolded.]

Many Bonney tools have a small forged-in (i.e. raised letter) code consisting of two alphabetic characters, often with one or more raised dots nearby. We have been noting these codes in the descriptions of those tools bearing such marks for some time now, but since the Bonney catalogs do not document the use of the codes, the meaning has been unclear.

Recently though one of our readers has suggested that the two-letter codes are actually a coded date, with the first letter representing the month and the second letter indicating the year. The reader cites examples of this type of coded date being used on forgings for bicycle parts, and even offers a web page of proposed dates for Bonney tools, using examples drawn from the Alloy Artifacts pages, personal tools, and Ebay listings. (The web page with the proposed dates can be viewed at vintage-trek.com as bonney_tool_date_codes.htm [External Link].)

The reader's suggestion seems reasonable enough, and we are now in the process of reviewing our numerous examples of tools (mostly wrenches) with forged-in codes. The preliminary results indicate that the forged-in codes do appear to represent a date coding system, although in a slightly different form than the original suggestion. The main difference is that Bonney appears to have used only the 14 letters M-Z to indicate the year, rather than all 26 letters, with the 12 letters A-L reserved for use only as the month codes. With the use of this restricted set of letters for the year code, the system would cycle through the codes every 14 years.

Some of the strongest evidence in favor of the date code intepretation comes from a series of early wrenches marked with the Chrome-Vanadium or CV-Circle logo plus a forged-in B-Shield logo. Based on this combination of markings, these wrenches would be expected to have been manufactured in 1923 or the following few years, and in the available examples the year codes are clustered together as "O", "P", and "Q". Thus if the baseline of the system is selected as 1921 for the first "M" code, the {O,P,Q} codes would correspond to 1923-1925, fitting nicely with our prior expectations.

With the baseline year and preliminary confirmation provided by the early CV and B-Shield wrenches, we then looked for additional examples to help support (or refute) the proposed date code system. This required finding tools for which a credible independent estimate of the manufacturing date could be made, using information such as markings, finish, catalog descriptions, and so on. The list below summarizes the examples identified thus far.

• Plain or Cadmium Finishes

  Additional evidence was provided by a series of "Bonaloy" box and combination wrenches with plain steel or cadmium finishes instead of chrome plating, a production change forced by wartime restrictions. With the same 1921 baseline year assumption, the {T,U,V} codes found on some of these examples correspond to the years 1942-1944 in the second cycle of the codes. Some additional examples with plain finishes have year codes "S" or "W", corresponding to 1941 or 1945 respectively, years for which at least part of the production fell under wartime restrictions.

• Plain or Cadmium Finish with Lower-Grade Steel

  Some examples of forged drive tools have been found without the usual marking for CV or Bonaloy steel, and with plain steel or cadmium finishes instead of chrome plating. The missing alloy specification is believed to indicate the use of a lower-grade steel, another example of the production changes common during the 1942-1945 wartime years. With the standard 1921 baseline year assumption, the {U,V} year codes found on these examples correspond to the years 1943 and 1944 in the second cycle of the codes.

• Post-War Bonaloy Open-End Wrenches

  Several examples of Bonaloy open-end wrenches with chrome finishes and "Made in U.S.A." markings were examined, a combination of features that indicates production from late 1945 until about 1947. The example wrenches had year codes "W" or "X", corresponding to 1945 and 1946 with the assumed baseline year.

• Obstruction Wrenches with "Patent Applied For" Notice

  Our earliest catalog reference for the right-angle obstruction wrenches is from around 1927, and the catalog description includes a "Patent Applied For" notice. No patent has been found, and later catalog listings don't mention a patent, suggesting that the patent applied notice was used only on early production. Several examples of Bonney obstruction wrenches with a "Pat. App. For" marking were examined, and the {R,S,T} codes on these wrenches correspond to the years 1926-1928 with the 1921 baseline assumption. The example wrenches were also marked with sizes in the S.A.E. or U.S.S. conventions, another indicator of early production.

• Zenel Combination Wrenches

  Based on catalog information, Zenel combination wrenches were made only from 1933 through 1938. Only a few examples of Zenel combination wrenches were available, but all of these wrenches have a "Y" year code, which corresponds to 1933 with the 1921 baseline assumption.

• Earliest "Streamlined" Wrench

  According to catalog information, the production of Bonney's "Streamlined" wrenches began around 1950. (See the section on Modern Wrenches for more information on the "Streamlined" style.) The earliest date code observed on the available examples has an "M" year code, corresponding to 1949 with the 1921 baseline assumption.

• Latest Use of Bonaloy

  Based on a catalog review, by 1957 Bonney was no longer using "Bonaloy" in its catalog descriptions. The latest date code observed on a Bonaloy-marked tool has a "T" year code for 1956.

Table of Bonney Date Codes

The table below illustrates how the date code system would play out with 1921 as the baseline year. The example tools in the table were selected based on having an independent estimate of the manufacturing date.

Details and Disclaimers

The above discussion of the date code system has omitted a few details, so we'll attempt to cover them here.

The forged-in codes frequently include one or more raised dots and sometimes a "v", and although the meaning is not yet known, these might represent the age or cumulative usage of the forging die. If Bonney used a master die to make working dies, the dots might represent generations of the working dies.

Another possibility is that the dots might be counters for the number of impressions struck from the die, e.g. a dot for every 10,000 impressions. Or similarly, the dots could indicate a successful (passed) periodic inspection, if Bonney's quality control protocol called for inspections of the forging dies at regular intervals of time or usage.

If the various dots and "v" markings do indicate usage of the die, this would imply that tools having forged-in codes with extra markings would be somewhat older than examples with just the plain code. Currently we don't know whether this "extra age" factor is insignificant (e.g. months) or might extend into years. Usage of a forging die could depend on many factors, including whether the particular wrench model was popular or not. It might be possible to actually estimate the age value of each dot or mark, if enough examples of a particular wrench model could be examined, but this is probably unlikely for the tools being considered here.

Another point to mention (though implicit in the discussion) is that the described date codes apply to the forging dies themselves, not to the tools struck from the dies. If a die was used infrequently, the actual manufacturing date of some tools could be substantially later than the die code would imply. A true date code for tools would use a stamped date applied individually to each tool, and could be changed even daily if needed.

What about the month code, the first letter of the forged-in code? Currently we don't have sufficiently precise date estimates to test whether the first letter actually indicates the month when the die was made, although it seems to be a reasonable assumption. We'll add more on this later if new information becomes available.

Applications for the Date Code System

Now that the date code system has been reasonably well validated, we can use the system to derive some useful secondary results, beyond the obvious usage for estimating the production date of individual tools. We have several applications in mind, all of them related to estimating the date of certain marking changes. The specific changes of interest are:

1. Discontinuation of the B-Shield Forge Mark on Wrench Shanks.
2. Discontinuation of U.S.S. and S.A.E. Sizes for Wrench Openings.
3. Discontinuation of Bonney Name with Embedded Shield.
4. Change from "Made in U.S.A." to "U.S.A." Marking.

For all of these cases we know the approximate date of the change, but there are good reasons for attempting to get a more precise date. For some tools the date code may be missing or unreadable, and these secondary marking features may provide the only means of estimating the production date. In addition, some of the marking changes may apply to other classes of tools (e.g. sockets) that don't have date codes at all.

Estimated Date for Change from "Made in U.S.A." to "U.S.A." Marking

We'll begin by looking at the date of the change from the "Made in U.S.A." marking to the simpler "U.S.A." form, both of which were used as stamped markings on wrench faces and shanks. This change had previously been estimated as occurring in the late 1940s, but we should be able to be more precise using the date codes.

Our approach will be to list examples of the older marking ("Made in U.S.A.") with the latest date codes, then list examples of the new marking ("U.S.A.") with the earliest date codes, but still later than the last older marking. The reason for this last constraint is that we might expect to see some examples with the new marking but an older date code, if the code includes dots to suggest later production. Once the examples are listed in chronological order, the dividing line should be a reasonable estimate of the date for the marking change.

The preliminary results in the table at the left indicate that the marking change probably occurred between January and February of 1947. This is right around the time previously estimated for the change, but using the date codes has allowed a much more precise estimate.

While selecting the examples for the table, we found a few wrenches with newer ("U.S.A.") face markings but an older date code, suggesting that the actual production was somewhat later than the date code would indicate. In all of these cases the older date codes included extra dots, and we can look at these as an opportunity to make a (crude) estimate of the "age value" of the dots.

The following exceptions were noted:

• Bonaloy 1731-A Open-End Wrench. This wrench has an "LX." date code, nominally corresponding to December 1946. If we take the transition date for the marking change as February 1947, this would suggest a value of two months for the dot in the date code.
• Bonaloy 1031 Open-End Wrench. This example has an "LX..." date code, again nominally corresponding to December 1946, but with three dots. For this case, the transition date in February 1947 would suggest a value of less than one month for each dot in the date code.
• Bonney E28 Ignition Wrench. This is another example with an "LX..." date code for December 1946 but with three dots. The transition date in February 1947 would suggest a value of less than one month for each dot in the date code.
• Bonaloy 2729 Obstruction Wrench. This example has an "AX..." date code, nominally corresponding to January of 1946 but with three dots. This is about 13 months before the February 1947 transition date, suggesting a value of about four months for each dot in the date code.

Estimated Date for Discontinuation of B-Shield Forge Mark

Our next application will be to examine the B-Shield forge mark, an older marking that continued briefly into the CV era. As with the previous case, the approach will be to list the relevant examples in (presumed) chronological order, and then observe the dividing line.

Estimated Date for Discontinuation of U.S.S. and S.A.E. Size Markings

Estimated Date for Change from Embedded Shield to Plain Bonney Name

The final application will be to estimate the date of the change from the embedded shield face marking to the plain Bonney name.

The initial results for this exercise are less helpful than in the previous cases, as we don't have enough early examples to narrow the gap between the two marking styles. In addition, the earliest "Plain Bonney" example is somewhat confusing, as it bears an early year code but is followed by four dots.

At this point we can be reasonably certain that the change from embedded shield to plain Bonney had occurred by 1933, but it may have occurred somewhat earlier, possibly by 1931. Hopefully some additional examples will be found to fill in the missing years.

Other Dates and Events

Not all Bonney tools are marked with a forged-in code, either because the tool was made before the code system was adopted, or because of the nature of the tool (e.g. a machined socket). In these cases the manufacturing date must be estimated based on other factors, such as the design and construction, markings, patents, registered trademarks, or catalog illustrations.

The following list of observations and events may be helpful in estimating the manufacturing date for some tools.

• Allentown, Pennsylvania. In 1906 Bonney moved to Allentown, its second location.

• B-Shield Forge Mark. B-Shield logo with a "B" enclosed by a shield. First use unknown, used until approximately mid 1920s. The date code system indicates that this marking was discontinued in mid to late 1925.

• Bonney Forge & Tool Works. Company name changed from Bonney Vise & Tool Works on February 8, 1921, the date given in 1925 catalog.

• Bonney Name with Embedded Shield. Logo with an embedded shield in the Bonney name between the two "N" letters. Probably first used with the change to the Bonney Forge & Tool Works name, marked on wrench faces until approximately mid 1930s. The date code system indicates that this marking had been replaced by the plain Bonney name by early 1933.

• Alloy Steel Tools. Tool world startled in 1923 by Bonney's claims for alloy steel tools.

• CV Chrome-Vanadium. CV-Circle logo with Chrome-Vanadium, used in advertisements as early as 1923 with a claimed trademark registration in 1925. Phased out in favor of Bonaloy beginning in 1939.

• Wrench Sizes with U.S.S. or S.A.E. Size Conventions. Opening sizes on earlier wrenches were generally marked using a mix of U.S.S., S.A.E., or Hex Capscrew size conventions. With the adoption of the American Standard system in the late 1920s, Bonney (and most other makers) switched to marking wrench openings with the fractional sizes. The date code system indicates that Bonney had switched to fractional sizes by early 1927.

• Zenel. Trademarked name used for highest-grade alloy steel, in use from 1932 until the mid 1950s.

• Bonney Tools. Trademark with words enclosed in an oval, registered in 1935.

• Bonaloy. Brand name for alloy steel tools, in use from 1939 until the mid 1950s.

• Cadmium or Plain Finishes. Bonney alloy steel tools were generally finished with chrome plating from the late 1920s onward. Wartime material shortages forced the use of cadmium or plain steel finishes during the years 1942-1945, and these finishes serve as a valuable date marker.

• U.S.A. Stamped Markings. Stamped markings on wrench faces and shanks changed to "U.S.A" (from "Made in U.S.A.") in the late 1940s, based on post-war examples of Bonaloy wrenches that show both markings with some frequency. The date code system indicates the change had occurred by February 1947.

• Streamlined Wrench Design. Bonney redesigned their open-end and combination wrenches around 1950 and referred to the new style as the "Streamlined" design. The design used a rectangular shank with depressed darts and a raised oval, in place of the older flatish or oval tapered shank. Wrenches in this design were marked with "U.S.A." stamped or forged into the shank, with no mention of Bonaloy or other alloy brands.

• Bon-E-Con. Trademarked name for economy tool line, claimed as a trademark as early as 1950, but registration filed in 1953.

• Alliance, OH. Third location for Bonney, moved around 1957.

• Outlined Design on Wrenches. By 1963 the streamlined design for wrenches had been replaced by outlines of the design elements, with two dart shapes flanking a center oval.

References and Resources

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

Catalog Coverage

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

Industrial Distributors

Bonney listings in early distributor catalogs (prior to the mid 1910s) appear to have been limited to hollow augers and vises. From the 1920s onward, Bonney tools were sold through a number of industrial and automotive suppliers, and the catalogs of these companies may provide helpful product information.

• Wm. Frankfurth Hardware 1917. The 1917 catalog No. 5 from the Wm. Frankfurth Hardware Company of Milwaukee lists Bonney drop-forged open-end wrenches in a display assortment on page 211. The assortment includes open-end "S" wrenches 500, 502, and 504, along with open-end ISN Nos. 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, and 34.

• Waterhouse & Lester 1924. The 1924 Waterhouse & Lester catalog No. 20 lists Bonney CV tappet wrench models 402-405 on page 357. The illustration shows the wrenches marked "Chrome-Vanadium" with the B-Shield Logo. A No. 412 set of eight wrenches (two of each) in a leatherette roll was available at a $20.06 price.

• Dunham, Carrigan 1925. The 1925 catalog No. 73 from the Dunham, Carrigan & Hayden Company, a wholesale hardware supplier, lists Bonney "CV" engineers' wrenches in ISN sizes 1723 to 1033-C on page 1515, water pump wrenches in 16 models from 1230 to 1272 on page 1515, and tappet wrenches in 15 models from 401 to 409 on page 1516.

• Williams Hardware 1925-1926. The 1925-26 catalog from the Williams Hardware Company (not to be confused with J.H. Williams & Co.) lists Bonney CV open-end and tappet wrenches. The illustration shows the open-end wrenches marked "Chrome-Vanadium" with the B-Shield Logo.

• Ducommun "G" 1926. The 1926 catalog "G" from the Ducommun Corporation lists Bonney "CV" tools on pages 225 through 228, including open-end wrenches, tappet wrenches, and water pump packing wrenches.

• Waterston No. 25 1926. The 1926 catalog No. 25 from J.M. Waterston of Detroit lists Bonney C.V. open-end wrenches on page 160, and 4xx series C.V. tappet wrenches on page 161. Note that this catalog is undated, but is referenced in the trade press in November of 1926.

• C.W.Marwedel 1929. The C.W. Marwedel catalog No. 12 of 1929 lists one page of Bonney tools, including a set of ignition wrenches and a selection of CV water pump packing nut wrenches, with models ranging from 1228 (7/8) up to 1272 (2-1/4).

• Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel 1930. The Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel catalog No. 21 from around 1930 lists an extensive selection of Bonney "CV" wrenches on pages 623-626. The listings include engineers' wrenches, tappet wrenches, water pump wrenches, specialty wrenches, and wrench sets.

  This catalog is undated and was published without copyright, but the date can be estimated as 1929-1930 by the contents.

Early Tools

Carbon steel was the dominant material for tool making before the introduction of alloy steels in the 1920s. Bonney continued to produce carbon steel wrenches well after their alloy counterparts had become popular, as for some applications carbon steel was still preferred.

Early Bonney tools were typically marked with the Bonney name in a curved oval outline.

Early Universal Pliers with Wire-Cutting Slots

Fig. 11. Bonney Early Universal Pliers, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1903-1910.

Fig. 11 shows an early pair of universal pliers with wire-cutting slots, marked with "C.S. Bonney" forged into the handles, and with a "Pat'd Apr. 28 '03" patent date on the lower jaw.

The overall length is 8.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent date refers to patent #726,794, filed by Charles S. Bonney in 1902 and issued the following year.

Early "Always Ready" No. 1 Alligator Wrench

Fig. 12. 1886 Catalog Listing for "Always Ready" Wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 12 shows a catalog listing for Bonney "Always Ready" alligator wrenches, as published on page 19 of the 1886 Bonney catalog.

Although we know this today as an "alligator" wrench, Bonney couldn't call it that in their catalog, since "Alligator" was a trademark of the American Saw Company.

Fig. 13. Bonney "Always Ready" No. 1 Alligator Wrench, ca. 1880s to Early 1900s.

Fig. 13 shows a Bonney "Always Ready" No. 1 alligator wrench, stamped "Bonney" and "Trade Mark" in the center.

The overall length is 5.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel with extensive pitting, and with traces of its original nickel plating.

Early No. 1-1/2 "Crocodile" Wrench

Fig. 14. Bonney No. 1-1/2 "Crocodile" Wrench, ca. 1900s-1910s.

Fig. 14 shows a Bonney No. 1-1/2 "Crocodile" wrench, marked with "Bonney" and "U.S.A." forged into the body.

The overall length is 5.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of black paint.

Early "Vixen" 8 Inch Alligator Wrench

Fig. 15. Bonney "Vixen" Alligator Wrench, ca. 1906-1920.

Fig. 15 shows a Bonney "Vixen" 8 inch alligator wrench, stamped "Vixen" on the left jaw, with "B.V.&T.Wks, Inc." and "Allentown, PA" on the right jaw.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "Allentown" marking indicates production after 1906.

Early 501 1/2x9/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 16. Bonney 501 1/2x9/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, ca. Before 1920.

Fig. 16 shows a Bonney 501 1/2x9/16 S-shaped open-end wrench, marked with the "Bonney" oval logo and "U.S.A." forged into the shank.

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

Early 130 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench with Stamped Construction

Fig. 17. Bonney 130 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. Before 1920.

Fig. 17 shows a Bonney 130 1/2x9/16 wrench of stamped construction, marked with the Bonney name and embedded shield.

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

6 Inch Curved-Handle Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 18. Bonney 6 Inch Curved-Handle Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 18 shows an early Bonney 6 inch adjustable wrench with a curved or S-shaped handle, marked with "Bonney" forged into the handle, with "6 In" on the back side.

The overall length is 5.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Bonney's adjustable wrenches of this style were generally marked with a June 1, 1915 patent date, although the marking (if present) is no longer legible on this example. The date refers to patent 1,141,602, filed by J.G. Baker in 1913.

10 Inch Curved-Handle Adjustable Pipe Wrench

Fig. 19. Bonney 10 Inch Curved-Handle Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 19 shows an early Bonney 10 inch adjustable pipe wrench with a curved or S-shaped handle, marked with the B-Shield logo forged into the head, with "10 Inch" forged into the handle. The back side is marked with "Bonney" forged into the handle, with "Patented June 1, 1915" stamped below the jaws.

The overall length is 9.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent date refers to patent #1,141,602, filed by J.G. Baker in 1913.

Early 6 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench

Fig. 20. Bonney 6 Inch Stillson Pipe Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1906 to 1910s.

Fig. 20 shows an early Bonney 6 inch Stillson-pattern pipe wrench with a turned wooden handle, stamped "Stillson Pattern Wrench" with "Bonney Vise & Tool Wks. Inc." and "Allentown, PA. U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 5.8 inches closed and 6.8 inches fully extended. The finish is plain steel.

The "Allentown" marking indicates production in 1906 or later.

Early "Automobile" 8 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench

Fig. 21. Bonney "Automobile" 8 Inch Stillson Pipe Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. Pre-1920.

Fig. 21 shows an early Bonney 8 inch "Automobile" pipe wrench, stamped "Stillson Pattern Wrench" with "Bonney Vise & Tool Wks. Inc." and "Allentown, PA. U.S.A." on the shank, and with "Automobile" forged into the handle panel.

The overall length is 6.9 inches closed and 8.1 inches fully extended. The finish is plain steel.

8 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench

Fig. 22. Bonney 8 Inch Stillson Pipe Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1926.

Fig. 22 shows a somewhat later Bonney 8 inch Stillson-pattern pipe wrench, marked with "Bonney" and the B-Shield logo forged into the shank, with "Allentown, PA." and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side.

The jaw is also marked with the B-Shield logo (not shown) and has a forged-in code "GR" visible in the depressed panel, shown as a close-up in the middle inset.

The overall length is 7.0 inches closed and 8.0 inches fully extended. The finish is plain steel.

The "R" year code indicates production in 1926.

Early 10 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench

Fig. 23. Bonney 10 Inch Stillson Pipe Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, 1921.

Fig. 23 shows a Bonney 10 inch Stillson pipe wrench, with forged markings "Bonney Stillson" and the B-Shield logo on the front shank, and with "Allentown, PA" and "Made in USA" forged into the back side.

The back side also has a forged-in code "CM" below the fixed jaw, shown as a close-up in the lower left inset.

The overall length is 9.2 inches closed and 10.3 inches fully extended. The finish is plain steel.

The "M" year code indicates production in 1921, in the first year of Bonney's date code system.

Early Battery Terminal and Grease Cup Pliers

Fig. 24. Bonney Battery Terminal and Grease Cup Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1921.

Fig. 24 shows a pair of Bonney battery terminal specialty pliers, stamped "Battery Terminal and Grease Cup Pliers" with the Bonney B-Shield logo, and with a "Pat. Feb. 24, 1920" patent notice.

Both handles are also marked with a forged-in code "EM" below the pivot (see lower inset).

The overall length is 8.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent date refers to design patent D54,516, filed by J.E. Durham, Jr. in 1919.

The "M" year code indicates production in 1921, in the first year of Bonney's date code system.

Open-End Wrenches

Early 21 5/16x13/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 25. Bonney 21 5/16x13/32 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 25 shows an early Bonney 21 5/16x13/32 open-end wrench, marked with the B-Shield logo forged into the shank, and with the Bonney name and embedded shield stamped on the face.

The overall length is 3.2 inches. The finish is plain steel with extensive pitting due to rust, making the markings a bit difficult to read.

The back side faces are stamped "1/8" and "3/16" as implicit references to the U.S.S. size convention, corresponding to the 5/16 and 13/32 across-flats openings.

This wrench is not marked with a forged-in code, suggesting a production date before 1921.

Early 550AS 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 26. Bonney 550AS 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 26 shows an early Bonney 550AS 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench, marked with the B-Shield logo forged into the shank, and with the Bonney name and embedded shield stamped on the face.

The back side faces are stamped with the fractional sizes.

The overall length is 4.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Early No. 29 11/16x25/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 27. Bonney No. 29 11/16x25/32 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 27 shows an early Bonney No. 29 11/16x25/32 open-end wrench, marked with the B-Shield logo forged into the shank, and with the Bonney name and embedded shield stamped on the face.

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

The back side faces are stamped "3/8" and "7/16" as implicit references to the U.S.S. size convention, corresponding to the 11/16 and 25/32 across-flats openings.

This wrench is not marked with a forged-in code, suggesting a production date before 1921.

725 7/16x1/2 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 28. Bonney 725 7/16x1/2 Open-End Wrench, 1923.

Fig. 28 shows a Bonney 725 7/16x1/2 open-end wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." in raised letters with the B-Shield logo, and with the Bonney name and embedded shield stamped on the face.

The back side shank has a forged-in code "FO" (not shown).

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

The back side faces are stamped "1/4 ⬡C" and "1/4 U.S.S. 5/16 ⬡C", references to the older size conventions.

The "O" year code and B-Shield forge mark indicate production in 1923.

727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrenches

The next figures show two generations of the Bonney 727 wrench.

Fig. 29. Bonney Early 727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench, 1923.

Fig. 29 shows an early Bonney 727 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." in raised letters with the B-Shield logo, and with the Bonney name and embedded shield stamped on the face.

The back side shank has a forged-in code "EO" (not shown), and the back side faces are stamped "3/8 S.A.E." and "7/16 S.A.E.", references to the older size convention.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "O" year code and B-Shield forge mark indicate production in 1923.

Fig. 30. Bonney 727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench, 1925.

Fig. 30 shows a somewhat later Bonney 727 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench, with the face stamped "Made in U.S.A." and with the shield logo in the Bonney name. The back side shank has a forged-in code "HQ" (not shown).

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is black paint with polished end faces.

The back side faces are stamped "3/8 S.A.E. 3/8 ⬡C" and "7/16 S.A.E. 7/16 ⬡C", references to the older size conventions.

The "Q" year code and embedded shield marking indicate production in 1925.

33 7/8x31/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 31. Bonney 33 7/8x31/32 Open-End Wrench, 1922.

Fig. 31 shows a Bonney 7/8x31/32 open-end wrench with the industry-standard number 33.

The wrench is marked "Made in U.S.A." in raised letters with the B-Shield logo, and the Bonney name (with embedded shield) is stamped on the face.

The back side shank has a forged-in code "LN" (not shown), and the back side faces are stamped "1/2 USS 5/8 CAP" and "9/16 USS", references to the older size conventions.

The overall length is 9.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel with a few traces of black paint remaining.

The "N" year code and B-Shield forge mark indicate production in 1922. This wrench is one of our earliest examples marked with a Bonney date code.

37 1-1/14x1-1/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 32. Bonney 37 1-1/16x1-1/4 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail, 1922.

Fig. 32 shows a larger example with the raised logo, a Bonney No. 37 1-1/16x1-1/4 open-end wrench, stamped on the face with the Bonney name and embedded shield.

The shank has forged-in markings "Made in U.S.A." with the B-Shield logo, with a forged-in code "HN" on the back side (see lower inset).

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

The upper insets show the back side face markings "5/8 U.S.S." and "3/4 U.S.S. 1 ⬡C", references to the older U.S.S. and Hex Capscrew size conventions. The "N" year code and B-Shield forge mark indicate production in 1922. This tool is currently our earliest example marked with a Bonney date code.

725B 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 33. Bonney 725B 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench, 1928.

Fig. 33 shows a Bonney 725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench, with the face stamped "Made in U.S.A." with an embedded shield logo in the Bonney name. The shank has a small forged-in "PT" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 5.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "T" year code and embedded shield marking indicate production in 1928.

Bonney Special Ford Wrench Set

Fig. 34. 1919 Notice for Bonney Special Ford Wrench Set.

The scan in Fig. 34 shows a notice for a Bonney "Ford Owner's Wrench Kit", as published on page 348 [External Link] of the January 1, 1919 issue of the Automobile Trade Journal.

The set consisted of six wrenches, with five standard open-end wrenches and one special reverse gear wrench. The latter wrench was designed for making adjustments to the Ford transmission.

The text notes the reinforced openings of the wrenches.

The set was available for $2.75 in a canvas roll, or $2.50 in a cardboard box.

Note that the illustration shows the fractional sizes of the wrench openings, rather than the U.S.S. or other size conventions. In order to maximize the utility of the set, Bonney chose the sizes that would be most useful for Ford Model T applications, even if it meant a non-standard size combination.

33F 7/8x15/16 Open-End Wrench

This next wrench is an example of the tools provided in Bonney's special Ford wrench kit.

Fig. 35. Bonney 33F 7/8x15/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1919-early 1920s.

Fig. 35 shows a Bonney 33F 7/8x15/16 open-end wrench, marked with the model number and B-Shield logo forged into the shank, with the fractional sizes forged into the back side.

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

The "33F" marking on this tool was not an Industry-Standard Number, and the "F" was intended to indicate a wrench selected for Ford Model T applications. This model was the largest wrench in the "Ford Owner's Wrench Kit" illustrated in the previous figure.

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

Fig. 36. Bonney 5/8x11/16 "Reverse Gear" Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1915-early 1920s.

Fig. 36 shows an early Bonney 5/8x11/16 "Reverse Gear" open-end wrench, marked with "Reverse Gear Wrench" and the B-Shield logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 8.9 inches. The finish is plain steel with extensive pitting due to rust.

This wrench was designed for adjusting the reverse and brake bands on the Model T Ford, and the shank is offset at the 11/16 end to provide better access.

S-Shaped Wrenches

Early 501A 1/2x9/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 37. Bonney 501A 1/2x9/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Marking Detail.

Fig. 37 shows a Bonney 1/2x9/16 S-shaped wrench, stamped with an unusual form of the B-Shield logo displaying the Bonney name across the top (see upper right inset), and with the model number stamped on the back side.

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

504 15/16x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 38. Bonney 504 15/16x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 38 shows a Bonney 504 15/16x1 S-shaped wrench with the Bonney name and embedded shield stamped on the face, and with a shield emblem forged into the shank.

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

The markings on this wrench appear to indicate a transitional form, as the shield emblem on the shank hasn't yet become the B-Shield logo.

500A (75-B) 3/8x7/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 39. Bonney 500A (75-B) 3/8x7/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, 1923.

Fig. 39 shows a Bonney 500A 3/8x7/16 S-shaped wrench also marked as a model 75-B, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the Bonney name and embedded shield on the face. The shank has a forged-in code "EO" visible at the left.

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "O" year code and B-Shield forge mark indicate production in 1923.

502D 9/16x5/8 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 40. Bonney 502D 9/16x5/8 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, 1924.

Fig. 40 shows a Bonney 502D 9/16x5/8 S-shaped wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." in raised letters with the B-Shield logo, and with the Bonney name and embedded shield stamped on the face. The shank has a forged-in code "JP" visible at the left.

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

The "P" year code and B-Shield forge mark indicate production in 1924.

502G 19/32x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 41. Bonney 502G 19/32x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, 1925.

Fig. 41 shows a Bonney 502G 19/32x11/16 S-shaped wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the Bonney name and embedded shield on the face. The back side shank has a forged-in code "GQ" visible at the left (see middle inset), and the back side faces are stamped "5/16 U.S.S." and "3/8 U.S.S.", references to the older U.S.S. Size Convention.

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

The "Q" year code and embedded shield marking indicate production in 1925.

664S 9/16x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench for Textile Machine Works

Fig. 42. Bonney 664S "Textile Machine Works" 9/16x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, 1925.

Fig. 42 shows a Bonney 664S 9/16x11/16 S-shaped wrench made for the Textile Machine Works company, a major manufacturer of textile machinery.

The wrench is stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the Bonney name and embedded shield on the face, with "Textile Machine Works" on the shank.

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

The left and right insets show the back side face markings "3/8 S.A.E. 3/8 CAP" and "7/16 S.A.E. 7/16 CAP", references to the older S.A.E. and Hex Capscrew size conventions.

The overall length is 7.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "Q" year code and embedded shield marking indicate production in 1925.