My Small But Growing Collection of BICYCLE WRENCHES (7 inches or less only!)

four.cycle · Sep 11, 2025

^ Definitely "bicycle wrench. Only thing I have for "Fichtel & Sachs" is a notation "see ZF Sachs", so there was apparently a name change or acquisition or merger at some point.
With the two hook spanners, "hub wrench" is most certainly plausible.
And I think you're correct on time frame, simply based on the font they've chosen to use on the "Torpedo"

similar unit at ebay.de

d42jeep · Sep 14, 2025

I found this Barnes Tool Company bicycle wrench at a Carson City, NV yard sale yesterday.
It is slightly different in appearance than the one shown on AA.

From BK’s Manufacturers list.
Barnes / Barnes Tool Co., New Haven, CT / patent 282435 Jul 31 1883 & 287899 Nov 6 1883 Elbridge F Barnes & 307163 Oct 28 1884 Elbridge F. Barnes & George A. Barnes & 339813 Apr 13 1886 Patrick Ryan & John Ryan & 476079 May 31 1892 John Ryan / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers.html#barnes / https://www.datamp.org/patents/search/xrefCompany.php?id=1959 /
-Don

misterbill · Sep 22, 2025

Anybody recognize this one? It came out of a very old homemade wooden carpenter's chest from my parent's estate. Only markings are "THE H CO." and "T.P.".

Bill

four.cycle · Sep 22, 2025

^ There is nothing listed as "H Company" on the wheelmen's site, so I can only assume that "The H Company" (whoever they were) was some sort of distributor of something. My guess on the "T. P." is owner marks - they're not lined up evenly.

The wrench itself (with the half-moon cut-out on the dynamic jaw) looks Springfield-ish - they made gazillions of those for private label accounts.

Springfield / Springfield Drop Forging Co., Springfield, MA / est. 18?? inc. 1893 dissolved 1913 / https://wrenchwiki.com/springfield-drop-forge/ /

Loga_3 · Sep 27, 2025

Bahco No 15. The only F-type wrench they ever made, just so happens to be a 6" bicycle wrench. Made between 1928-1940's. The other end is a tire lever, witch is kinda neat. The finish looks really weird but its supposed to look like that. They called it "marbled finish".

Private Lugnutz · Sep 27, 2025

Loga_3 said:
The finish looks really weird but it's supposed to look like that. They called it "marbled finish".

Probably flame-tempered. Not common, but not uncommon in that era, either. I have more than a few tools and entire sets like that, including Bridgeport Hardware and Manufacturing, an L.S. Starrett ratchet, Bethlehem Spark Plug Company tools, Niehoff magneto wrenches, Bog, a Craftsman gasket cutter, and others. Some of them are quite beautiful. Chapman, the venerated maker of hex bit sets, was particularly committed to it as a finish.

Nice wrench.

four.cycle · Oct 1, 2025

^ Yes... and the "Radio-Lectric" wrenches.

And those Gilfillan magneto wrenches that I just took photographs of but haven't yet posted here. All purple and blue and silver.
And yes, Chapman. Wasn't aware that was a thing with them, but you are certainly correct.

Private Lugnutz · Oct 17, 2025

I did not snag any bicycle wrenches at the flea market today, 4.c, but I did spot this very old Bradley board game and thought you would enjoy the illustration.

four.cycle · Oct 18, 2025

Wow! Milton Bradley! I'm wondering who copied who? Gendron? or Milton Bradley?

"All art is imitation"

cowades206 · Oct 24, 2025

four.cycle said:
@middleofnowhere1 post #126 L to R:
Gormully & Jeffery (see post #1 in this thread for another example)
Coes
Mossberg A5
and
Union / Union Mfg. & Specialty Co., Buffalo, NY / wrench / patent 701584 Jun 3 1902 Dwight B. Lee / acquired by Barcalo-Buffalo 1907 /

The patent date on that last unit is either mis-stamped or impossible to read. I have one of those here somewhere. I remember the seller had a hell of a time reading the patent date. Photos below are from the ebay ad. (Memory is fuzzy on this one but I think this was another one of those "wrong patent date stamped on item" deals.)

Intriquing and interesting design. Look at the patent drawing closely to see how they put the dynamic jaw together:

Just came across this post. I have this one that matches this stamped moving jaw patent, but no sort of manufacturers ID anywhere. Newer after the patent ran out?

four.cycle · Oct 24, 2025

Union Mfg. & Specialty Co. bicycle wrench (patent 701584)(cowades206)

cowades206 · Oct 24, 2025

four.cycle said:
Union Mfg. & Specialty Co. bicycle wrench (patent 701584)(cowades206)

I cleaned it up and looked using magnification, nothing there.

four.cycle · Oct 24, 2025

Union / Union Mfg. & Specialty Co., Buffalo, NY / wrench / patent 701584 Jun 3 1902 Dwight B. Lee / acquired by Barcalo-Buffalo 1907 /

The compay was acquired by Barcalo-Buffalo in 1907.
The Barcalo-Buffalo entry at Alloy-Artifacts.org mentions that the company was succeeded by the Charles E. Hall Company.

Union Mfg. & Specialty Co. - Alloy-Artifacts.org entry.jpg

I am wondering if your unit was manufactured later by one of the successors to Union.

I am not sure where my copy of this one is. These photo images (below and in the post just above) are from an ebay listing.

Private Lugnutz · Nov 18, 2025

A delayed trade pkg from @Steven 33 arrived today with this bicycle wrench inside. The "< U.S. >" TM belonged to P. Lowentraut, and there are a few of them already posted on the thread, including mine, but the best branding on this example is on the flip side! :pimpflash

Beerhippie · Nov 30, 2025

Here's a Billings bicycle wrench that seems unique to the thread:

I searched the thread for "Billings" and checked out every example, but saw nothing quite like this. The "nut" is part of the screw, and the only markings are shown. OAL is ~6 1/2".

Private Lugnutz · Nov 30, 2025

Beerhippie said:
...saw nothing quite like this.

Probably because that's a relatively modern very small "Coes" type monkey wrench design that B&S inherited in their acquisition of Bemis & Call in 1939, who had acquired the Coes line. Search on No. 90 or No. 91. Looks to be possibly a variant of postwar age.

Private Lugnutz · Nov 30, 2025

Neither of the wrenches on this 1949 catalog page are exactly right, but hopefully you can see what I mean about it being a tiny 'Coes' type monkey wrench.

Beerhippie · Nov 30, 2025

Thanks, Lugz!

Being under 7", is it still correct for this thread?

Private Lugnutz · Nov 30, 2025

I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think anyone, including 4.c, is too much worried about it. Most of the tools here are probably true bicycle wrenches, but there are probably tiny monkey wrenches and tiny auto wrenches etc.

four.cycle · Nov 30, 2025

Well.. I set those parameters so we weren't flooded with old Moore and Ford "Auto Wrenches" - they get mixed up in the lexicon.
That's Coe's "solid handle", isn't it? They introduced it with a big splash.
And it's a Billings? That's got to be kind of an odd duck.

I try to not worry about stuff. Raises the blood pressure - not good.
Besides: worry never changed the future. Regret never changed the past.

Private Lugnutz · Nov 30, 2025

four.cycle said:
And it's a Billings? That's got to be kind of an odd duck.

I'm guessing you replied before you read my reply.

Steven 33 · Apr 28, 2026

Not sure what make something considered a bicycle wrench here but Here's some stuff

Private Lugnutz · Apr 28, 2026

The German double-jaw adjustable with the threaded end cap is cute as a bug.

Steven 33 · Apr 28, 2026

Private Lugnutz said:
The German double-jaw adjustable is cute as a bug.

Cute Enough for the last one , the sell for like 230$ Apparently ha.
I think the mossberg is name is supposed to be a type c as well Possibly worn away

LesserSon · Apr 28, 2026

LesserSon said:
Just picked this one up today. Needs derusting.

I picked up another A-1, but with a second patent.

Now what did I do with the first one?

Fred Knox · Apr 29, 2026

I think this is one bicycle wrench that I have not seen before on GJ - a Prefer (French) bicycle wrench about 4 1/2" in length. The sleeve is thick stock steel. On the back side, the words "Modele Depose" (i.e. French for a design patent) can be seen with the accents over three of the four e's.

z28lsc · Apr 30, 2026

This is my Italian Peanut butter bicycle wrench. Love the pebbles.

AreBeeBee · May 1, 2026

z28lsc said:
This is my Italian Peanut butter bicycle wrench. Love the pebbles.

My one splurge buy for my French (Jeunet) 10-speed back in the early 1970s was a set of Campy cone wrenches. Still have them, though the Jeunet was stolen out of our garage more than 45 years ago. (Sigh.)

Retired Wrench · May 1, 2026

AreBeeBee said:
My one splurge buy for my French (Jeunet) 10-speed back in the early 1970s was a set of Campy cone wrenches. Still have them, though the Jeunet was stolen out of our garage more than 45 years ago. (Sigh.)

I had a Jeunet 10-speed in the mid 70s. Very nice light weight bike. Rode it across Iowa on RAGBRAI 5. Was not a big fan of the pins that held the pedal arms on the shaft.

AreBeeBee · May 4, 2026

Retired Wrench said:
I had a Jeunet 10-speed in the mid 70s. Very nice light weight bike. Rode it across Iowa on RAGBRAI 5. Was not a big fan of the pins that held the pedal arms on the shaft.

I never had a problem with that. But I did go through a couple pairs of Wallaby-clone shoes thanks to the edge on the rattrap pedals cutting into the gum-rubber soles. Then I started using shoes with tougher soles....

Realistically the Jeunet was a good bike for someone whose previous experience was solely a J.C Higgins 3-speed. And with the insurance money and a bit more out of pocket, I got a Dawes which I still have.

firstyearchevelle · May 6, 2026

Two small bicycle wrenches that I have. I can not find any markings on either one of these.

four.cycle · May 7, 2026

left: possibly Springfield
right: British "Girder" pattern - made by a number of different manufacturers (Britain and Germany both)

Gmonkee · May 7, 2026

I have a Mossberg Sterling No. 2, 6" long version.
The nickel plating on them was very durable.
Otherwise it's just an inch longer than the 5" version.

firstyearchevelle · Sunday at 4:28 AM

Found this little guy yesterday. The only mark on it is the patent date. I have never seen one with this type of adjusting mechanism. Thanks

Private Lugnutz · Sunday at 5:49 AM

firstyearchevelle said:
Found this little guy yesterday.

Nice find! More info here...

Wow, Dude, I.B. Trippin' in 1897

I found this combination adjustable wrench, alligator wrench, spoke ****** grip, and screwdriver tool at a flea market this morning. It's 5 inches long and nickel-plated. It was patented (587,624) on August 3, 1897 by I.B. Tripp. As you can see, the dynamic jaw has a row of teeth that...

www.garagejournal.com

firstyearchevelle · Sunday at 2:33 PM

Private Lugnutz said:
Nice find! More info here...

Wow, Dude, I.B. Trippin' in 1897

I found this combination adjustable wrench, alligator wrench, spoke ****** grip, and screwdriver tool at a flea market this morning. It's 5 inches long and nickel-plated. It was patented (587,624) on August 3, 1897 by I.B. Tripp. As you can see, the dynamic jaw has a row of teeth that...

www.garagejournal.com

Good info. Thanks. I will post there as well.

Leviton · Tuesday at 6:57 PM

I haven't seen a Cyclo wrench posted yet. I found this one a couple weeks ago.

It is marked: "Cyclo" - Birmingham, England .

It's a stamped wrench with one hex opening (7/16”+) and two stadium-shaped slotted openings inboard. Around the edges it has open end hex gullets of 5/16, 5/8, 11/16 and 7/8 inches.

There was a Cyclo Gear Co. in Birmingham and I found a stamped DOE, a chain tool, a frame tool, and a spoke wrench by them online.

Leviton · 2026-05-21T11:55:40-0400

Found a C.C.M. (Canada Cycle & Motor Co. Ltd ) bike wrench. It has a polished chrome (or similar) plating with 3 boxed openings in the middle and 3 open ends around the edges. Edge opening are: 5/8”, 3/4” and 1-3/16”. Inside openings are: 11/16” & 1/2” hex and a 3/8” wide stadium shaped opening. Tool is 6.4 inches long.

Wikipedia says “the brand was first used by the Canada Cycle & Motor Co. Ltd, founded in Weston, Ontario in 1899. CCM dominated the Canadian bike market for much of the 20th century before becoming bankrupt in 1983.”

CCM’s formation was the Canadian equivalent of the American Bicycle Company wherein multiple bicycle-related companies grouped together and formed a trust to attempt to deal with issues related to market saturation, oversupply and the related pricing issues.

(Edited to add: They did have some cool bicycle designs. See thumbnail.)

Private Lugnutz · 2026-05-21T12:40:20-0400

^ I cannot look at that logo on not think ice hockey!

(I wear Bauer skates and gloves now, but there was a time, especially in my youth, and in my peak years, when almost everything I wore was CCM.) But thanks for posting that. Sheepishly, I have to admit, I had no idea they started out in bicycles. I played club, Junior, and college and never knew.

My Small But Growing Collection of BICYCLE WRENCHES (7 inches or less only!)

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

New member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member