Antique Mini Wrench [Resurrection]

These mini wrenches are for sale here:
www.handtoolrescue.com/produc...
In this video I reproduce a 3in version of an antique wrench / spanner that was originally patented in 1879 by Charles Billings. These style wrenches were first used mainly on bicycles, but eventually made their way into the glove compartment of very early cars.
This style wrench was also commonly made by apprentice machinists as part of a test, since multiple skills are needed to produce it.
The wrenches were originally made of "Norway Iron", which is a type of steel that has a slightly higher carbon content than wrought iron. I decided to go with 44W/A36 steel for this recreation, for this reason.
The wrench blanks were cut out of 3/8in thick steel and then machined. I thought adding a brass adjuster would make a neat addition as well.
I had a lot of fun getting this wrench made, but it was also a tremendous amount of work.
I would like to that the patrons on Patreon for supporting this adventure as well as Colonel & Sons Machine Works for their incredible efforts machining these wrenches. You can contact them at [e-mail].
Help secure more tools for future videos (if you want):
/ handtoolrescue
Instagram:
/ handtoolrescue
Facebook Group - Share your restorations
/ handtoolrescue
Reddit - Share your restorations
/ handtoolrescue

[@jmaclaren4147]

I got my wrench today. I love it, very good filing and finish... Anyone who is thinking of getting one, you will not be disappointed. I will pass this on to my grand children and more.

[@belfastmafia]

"and that's why you use coolant" - continues to mill without coolant

[@dizzolve]

for everyone's viewing pleasure

[@jaswats9645]

I know, he's going to use coolant later when it's not so cold.

[@francyszz3]

That can be used as a good meme

[@More_Row]

Why did that sound dirty in my head.

[@yeagerxp]

dude it is -21 in Manitoba, give him a break LOL

[@muellermade4857]

Best restoration yet, I couldn't even recognise what it was at the start.

[@d1gardner]

I ordered and received the large version and this version. Great quality and definitely worth the wait. They are genuine heirloom tools!!!!

[@jimbilton1956]

Completely engrossing to watch those machines at work. Wonderful. And thanks for not adding music!

[@Grumskiz]

Love the fact that it can be used to securely grab and dispose waste!

[@HandToolRescue]

So many uses!

[@robertgemski7728]

Amazing how much work goes into that wrench. You are a true craftsman. Thank you for making interesting videos great content man!

[@umdsupreme]

My little Hand Tool Rescue wrench arrived today and I'm already using it. I love it, well done. Now, I need to buy the big one. 🙂

[@user-px4mn3qp2q]

Got mine today and can't help but play with it constantly. Thanks for the work on the channel and the wrench.

[@samaker4]

I love that little wrench. I love hearing you talk about it in your FitZall podcast

[@webchimp]

Imagine showing this video to the people who used to make these wrenches originally. "Turn on the damn coolant" would probably be the first thing they'd say.

[@nickh.3315]

“Coolant is helluva lot cheaper than a bit”

[@HandToolRescue]

They probably had to make the wrench uphill, both ways.

[@MisterRorschach90]

Hand Tool Rescue are you trying to tell me the earth is a ladder?

[@Njazmo]

@@MisterRorschach90 vertical pancake.

[@lanawilson6263]

Fantastic work all! Outstanding job Colonel & Sons as always

[@WolfHolloway]

Honestly, I have nothing profound to say; I’ve been watching these videos for about 18 months and I just genuinely love them. I hope that you keep this up, absolutely some of my favorite content to see!

[@HandToolRescue]

Thank you!

[@NOWThatsRichy]

Great piece of engineering, & the bottle opener function is a useful addition too!

[@philanna38]

This machine is so amazing! Love watching it! Thanks!

[@Madlintelf]

I love those wrenches, thanks for sacrificing the bit so we could see it without the coolant, felt bad but it was still nice to see clearly.

[@thuglincoln7699]

I have one of each of these wrenches and I'll say they are both fantastic, and well worth the price.

[@mauriziofigini]

I'd like the one with the Tbit embedded

[@HandToolRescue]

Done!

[@nealwalden3543]

Just watched Essential Craftsman open their mail and spied your brilliant reproduction. Just ordered my own. What a nice bit of work. Appreciate you doing this.

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Very Cool process on how one of those wrenches are made.

[@twh1168]

Very cool to watch! I enjoy watching all your videos.

[@michaeladdington7596]

I gave myself face cramps from safety squinting for so long. Won't someone please think of the endmills?

[@theropesofrenovation9352]

Incredibly cute wrench!

[@t3rminallychi11]

Hi @handtoolrescue! Love your videos, I could (and often do) watch them for hours. I don't immediately have a use for the mini wrench, but I had to order one. If nothing else it will make a great bottle opener :) Keep up the great work! Glad to give a little support to a channel I get so much entertainment from.

[@patrickdewaele]

Hi Hand Tool Rescue, I received yesterday my "Mini Wrench", it's a gorgeous piece. Thanks for the quick shipping, with kind regards, Patrick - Belgium - Europe :-)

[@ShamblerDK]

I am very impressed, with your extremely cool machinery.

[@socialghost4400]

This was super satisfying to watch

[@byronspade1633]

Awesome looking tools. Will order in near future

[@sailingmaster]

Bought both today. Lovely design.

[@bottlesandblisters]

Ive got one the same as that I found and restored to working order never thought I'd see another one thanks for the upload

[@matthewharry2803]

I love how much this sounds like the old school transformer soundwave

[@orphanpixels]

I was thinking "Worst cover of Mr. Blue Sky ever."

[@westcoastgio6328]

just scrolled down to say the same thing

[@HandToolRescue]

Interesting!

[@miatafan]

Love the shape of those wrenches, I have to get one at some point, those were some pretty harsh cuts at times. I really liked watching the brass knob get turned

[@monkeyart813]

Looks awesome!

[@freshlysquosen]

These wrenches are now available in metric, imperial, and reverse thread versions. Collect all three! ;)

[@Nothingtoya]

Damn, I dont even have the first one I ordered and now I've ordered the mini! Awesome work man!

[@FredMcIntyre]

Awesome work! 👍🏻👊🏻

[@BuildSomthingCool]

I like the magnet in the vibratory finisher, trick> :-)

[@HandToolRescue]

They say there are still wrenches down in the finisher to this day...

[@doctor_voctor]

Vibratory finisher, that's what my wife calls me.

[@JeremySchoeder]

@@doctor_voctor No she doesn't, but I bet she has one.

[@doctor_voctor]

@@JeremySchoeder Oh no you didn't :o

[@gc7439]

These are neat! I just ordered two. One for me, and one for my dad's upcoming birthday.

[@Madein515]

I love mine! Carry it everywhere with me. So handy! Thanks!

[@TheBackyardHappens]

Very awesome to watch.

[@RevoBasher]

thanks for sacrificing a tool for our viewing pleasure...great video

[@Sugarkraft]

Wonderful video! 👍👍

[@mtrcycls]

thank god for these reminder videos.... I ordered my wrench 3 months ago and keep forgetting about it.

[@CMDJerZboi]

I watched the video and went to like it, and I had already liked it before I started watching!

[@oldhick9047]

I first saw these on AvE channel. They look and seem to work great. Just the fact that you are making cool shit is also great, thanks.

[@billybannanaman]

I actually inherited one similar, its by far one of my more favorite tools

[@giovanniyorke7455]

Finally I can make my purchase order, fantastic job. You took soo long to make the small one

[@carlwhite8225]

Mine is on the after April 2019 order, is going to make a great Birthday gift for my Dad.

[@williammcguire3rd]

This was cool as hell!!!👍😌

[@metallicaman0258]

Bought one as soon as I finished the video! Been following since your second video, please keep up the good work! I'll be getting a larger wrench soon too

[@HandToolRescue]

Thank you so much!

[@metallicaman0258]

@@HandToolRescue anything to support your channel that I can afford.

[@ZmarleneZ]

so excited that i ordered one!! great video, no need to eliminate coolant for me!

[@mertcnar1648]

Thanks for sharing the stories

[@abdel8147]

Nice a as element in an EDC kit. Good job.

[@MrYournamehere4202]

Cool stuff bro!

[@crystalsoulslayer]

Very cool to be able to see exactly what the machines are doing. Also slightly terrifying, watching the tooling glow red with heat... I've never been in the same building as a machine tool, and I _still_ got pucker-by-proxy.

[@ArifKamaruzaman]

That's a hot wrench. Literally.

[@Cactinaes]

Loved video awesome tool.

[@my520graj]

I have one of those, I bought it on the flee market, great tool. Good luck. I'm waiting for AvE review.

[@oliverlentzen5402]

very nice == I got mine yesterday == thank You

[@FriedRys]

Just placed my order for both wrenches, can't wait to get my grubby paws on them!

[@FriedRys]

Forgot to add, order #04292

[@CTmoog]

Great video man!

[@saltysteel3996]

The mini is cool, but I can't wait to recieve my full size version!

[@vincentrosa9631]

Nice job

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed very much and a Thumbs Up also

[@hene193]

Okay this is awesome. Bought one straight away! Even if the shipping may take up to 3 months to europe. I don't care. That is so awesome.

[@DustinRogersinMO]

So cool. #4266 coming my way. Ive wanted one since the first time I saw one of your videos.

[@captainjerk]

I love these things! :D

[@charleslindberg829]

Aww. That is one cute tool.

[@tonywitherspoon6844]

I like Thros my Grand Paw had a set for working on 1909 to 1929 Ford's he owned a Gas station from 1920 up to 1954.

[@Willx1012]

This is really cool, great work. I'm actually holding an original King Dick English model in hand and the comparison is phenomenal.

[@londonunderground3609]

Was just thinking about that as I have a king dick one that was passed down from my grandad (probably 1940's) and it's one of my favourite tools. Good to see just how much work goes into the construction, nice job

[@albakhati5529]

Brilliant

[@censusgary]

I just realized something: Watching someone do things by hand is much more fun than watching a robot do stuff.

[@peterwhitejr.9374]

Just ordered one

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Nice wrench

[@user-dx6pt9oo6h]

Good job 🔥🔥🔥🔥👍👍👍👍

[@KillingerUSA]

I need that in my pocket!

[@bilalmarir5047]

Good job👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@brucemorris6319]

Nice bike wrench.

[@Kremit_the_Forg]

Someone needs to film this with a high speed camera. Would be really interessting to see the tools and the chips glowing

[@leksey7870]

It was interesting!

[@orangmakan]

Mine came with a small, curved piece of steel acting as a spring below the knurled wheel to help handle the back leash.

[@rushwal]

I got the notification my wrench has shipped!

[@phillipsofthedriver]

Me too! Yay!

[@SrPachaman]

I have to say it: IT'S SO CUTE :D

[@aaronchapman1613]

That was great i want one.

[@hamidsalman2476]

Awesome. Awesome. ..Awesome

[@pesterenan]

I felt bad that our *viewing pleasure* made you lose a drill bit =(

[@Anonymouspock]

That's not a drill bit, that's a T slot cutter of some sort.

[@MisterRorschach90]

Eh he will make it back next time he sells one of those over priced beautiful wrenches.

[@midgetman4206]

@@MisterRorschach90 hey, that's what you pay for hand made

[@SolvietSoundtrack115]

@@midgetman4206 true dat

[@sk8crtn]

@@Anonymouspock it’s a keyseat.

[@1992djg]

I got mine ordered woooooooo

[@theofontaine5564]

Eargasms tinged with sadness, then possibilities.

[@abdulazeez.98]

This is true meditation...

[@stokeburner6730]

Thats cool.

[@RavenTheRebel]

Thanks for saving me during another night of insomnia. Nothin bettet

[@radiodjungli9096]

Super!

[@je_rocha]

Recebi hoje a mini wrench. Estou impressionado com a qualidade. Parabéns 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@THISisglmicle]

That was hard to watch, but I watched it anyway, very cool.

[@einufo]

It was a pleasure to watch this video, thank you. Greetings TinoPS: The next time WITH coolant please!

[@Mister_Brown]

i kept expecting at the end for you to plop down a quadruple scale version diagonally across the table. it'd be interesting to see the way they made these originally, i'm thinking punching or i guess forging the outside shape of the body and head, then horizontal mill for reducing the tongue thickness, tbit in a vertical for the slot , screw machine for turning the tongue down to round and threading. nut is a standard screw machine process, break the edges somehow and you're done

[@roadweary5252]

I will own one eventually. I have no use for it but I’m buying one anyways. It will go well with my HTR sticker!

[@sikkepossu]

Had to make an order. :P

[@CarsonsVids]

I just bought two of these. One for me, and one for my dad.

[@sprflyenya]

I just did the exact same thing

[@kotadawndragon]

Hmm. This would actually have some applications in jewelry-making if something soft were added to the jaws to keep them from marking up the softer metals. I think I might get one for just that!