Dad's little wrench

[Doug-Iowa]

Been busy cleaning out my folk's place, having lost Dad this time last year and Mother in January. I found this wrench in the ashtray in his car. I don't recall ever seeing it so I doubt it is some family heirloom but kind of neat to find. I might use it for a key fob on my shop keys.

One side says "4" "Clik-Stop (r) PAT." "MF'D USA M55"
Other side says "4" "P&C (r) 1704-SL" "FORGED ALLOY STEEL"

Internet search indicates it might have been made in 1959, same as me!

 

[MasseyHarrisGuy]

I have one of those size wrenches. Believe it or not it can come in handy sometimes. I like to carry it on mower repair jobs or mower battery replacements.
But a tool that Dad, or Pop, or Uncle Frank used would just get hung on a wall in the shop and not used.
I'm contradicting myself saying this as I believe tools were meant to be used not looked at, but there is a time and a place for everything. What infuriates me the most is when someone passes on and the toolchest or toolbox ends up in the dumpster. At least find someone to give them to or out them at the curb for free. I've picked waaaaay to many tools out of dumpsters. Makes me sad that someone would do that.
Sorry for possibly derailing your thread. Just brought back some memories of past relatives.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

Love it
Keep it close to you , use it and remember your mum and dad every time you do .

 

[DaleinWV]

Still have a few of my father's tools hanging higher up on the workbench wall - typically out of reach for everyday use.
P&C Tools

 

[Keith Molden]

I have a 4" Crescent made in New York that I carry in my pocket. Sure comes in handy almost every day. My Grandson is constantly saying "Grandpa, give me your wrench for one thing or another. It opens to 9/16 so it's handy. When it comes my time he will get it.

 

[Ken Loewenhagen]

I have carried a 4" Mac wrench like that for over 40 years. I'm never without that wrench or a jacknife.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

These were in FIL's old tool box. Pliers are Case. Unfortunately I dropped the 4" Diamaloy into the "valley of lost tools" under the manifold of the 5.4 Triton. Spent a few hours trying to magnetically fish it out. I retrieved it from the mouse nest a few years later while changing the manifold gaskets. Pretty well corroded.

 

[gab]

.Proto click stop, been in my tool box for years, don't remember where it came from.

 

[Kid Shileen]

I have one of those. Handy as heck.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

gab; Is there something about the way it works that's different from other crescent wrenches? I'm curious about the words "Clik-Stop" on the handle; wonder whether that's a feature of its operation, or the name of a separate line of Proto tools.

Stan

 

[John Garner]

By 1959, P&C was one of a number of tool companies / brands owned by Morris Pendleton's Pendleton Tool Industries. Pendleton Tool Industries commonly "pooled" manufacturing within its various manufacturing plants, which allowed the different plants to specialize in just a few types and sizes of tools that would eventually be stamped with different Pendleton Tool brands. P&C's corporate siblings included Proto, Penens, Fleet, Challenger, Vlchek, and J. P. Danielson of Jamestown, NY.

Before being bought by Morris Pendleton, J. P. Danielson was a cross-town rival with Crescent Tool. Both companies specialized in the manufacturing of pliers and adjustable wrenches. Even before Pendleton bought J. P. Danielson, Danielson had manufactured and branded pliers and adjustable wrenches for Pendleton's Proto and P&C lines. The buy-out cemented Danielson's position as a Pendleton supplier, and would eventually brand adjustable wrenches for all of the Pendleton Tool brands. In addition Danielson made adjustable wrenches for non-Pendleton lines including Vaco, Thorsen, Montgomery-Ward's PowrKraft.

At some point -- I suspect in the 1960s -- the Danielson name was dropped and the Jamestown manufacturing plant was rebadged as a Proto plant before being shuttered a few years later.

 

[Billy NY]

I always find this interesting, 4" Proto 704 & other similar small adjustable wrenches. I've had this one since 1986 if I recall. It resides in a prominent location in my wrench drawer.

It is handy and or indispensable for some things, a prized possession, and I don't want to lose it by carrying in a pocket. Another inexpensive knock off would be better to carry.

 

[730 virgil]

I have one that is 2 and 1/2 inches on key ring for my Dodge pickup. No name on it probably made in China. Tall Kid needed it for something one day last week.

 

[Billy NY]

I find this one is handy and something else nothing else will do LOL ! That even smaller one is likely the same.

 

[John Garner]

BillyNY--

Let me recommend either a Spanish-made Channellock or a Taiwan-made Carylyle 4 inch adjustable wrench for daily carry. Out here on the west coast, Ace Hardware Carrie's the Channellocks, while Carylyle is NAPA's premium line of tools. I haven't seen new US-made adjustable wrenches as well fit-and-finished since the early 1970s.

 

[gab]

I've never looked close but it has a detent that makes a small click when adjusted.

 

[BRSnKY]

Some tools need to be steepled up high instead of just hung on a nail. I agree wholeheart