Old Record 24" Stilson Monkey Wrench [Restoration]

Go to getroman.com/RESTORE for $15 dollars off your first order of ED
treatment.
In this episode of Restore it I restore a rusty 24" Record adjustable monkey wrench, I've had for years. Because it was such a basic item to restore I decided to challenge myself by going for a mirror finish.
This restoration was more of a personal challenge rather than something that was done for a customer.
Thank you for watching! Subscribe for more videos like this. More information is below.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Preview
00:19 - Dismantling
00:50 - Washing
01:08 - Shot blasting
02:23 - Protecting the bare metal with oil
02:29 - Drilling out the pivot pin
04:06 - Removing damage and wear marks
04:12 - GetRoman
05:09 - Smoothing out surface damage
08:12 - Reshaping the teeth
09:02 - Second oiling
09:45 - Sanding the damage-free surfaces
10:51 - Polishing all metal surfaces
11:56 - Removing the damage and knurl from the nut
13:35 - Cleaning the nut thread
13:54 - Cleaning up the nut sides
14:21 - Preparation for paint
15:15 - Painting the wrench
16:01 - Flattening the primer
16:14 - Mixing the base coat
17:42 - De-masking
17:53 - Final paint details
18:05 - Cleaning up masking mistakes
18:14 - Making a new pivot pin on the lathe
23:01 - Restored parts before reassembly
23:24 - Reassembly
24:58 - Final shots and thanks
Time and costs of this restoration:
This restoration took me 3 days
$8 Wrench
$5 Etch primer
$5 Primer
$10 Base coat's
$8 Clear coat
$10 Nut Knurling
$6 Stainless steel rod
If you have any questions about the restoration, tools I'm using or anything else, just ask me in the comments. I read them all and try to reply as soon as possible.
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Discord
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[@toothrestorer6588]

Nice restoration. The heading is incorrect, however. That is a pipe wrench, not a monkey wrench.

[@RestorationbyGOAT]

When I finish a restoration, my favorite thing is to use that tool in my workshop. But that's not the rule for the wrench you're restoring because this wrench is AWESOME my friend! friendship of restoration. 😍 💘 🛠 👍

[@Nbomber]

Subtly shilling your own channel. If you want extra reach, youtube has some glitch regarding community posts. Look into it. I dunno if its still active. Best of luck to you.

[@robertduverger3442]

not a monkey wrench but a pipe wrench.

[@restaurandocoisasvelhas]

Hello Friend. It was very good. Hugs from Brazil.

[@kamil_k38]

I don't understand this is perfectly good wrench for working it no need to restore anything

[@modvavet]

I was thinking that. Like, it started off in significantly better condition than any of my working ones that I actually use. :P Looks nice, though.

[@purdyboi8078]

@@modvavet I know right? Like, same as mine. Like, exactly! 🙄

[@rudybriskar5267]

Turned out beautiful!

[@BulletproofPastor]

Tools are called by different names in different countries, sometimes even within a country. Here, we call that a pipe wrench. Here, a "Monkey Wrench" would have smooth jaw faces that remain parallel (replaced by "crescent wrench"). As a purchase agent for an industrial construction company, I've ordered a lot of tools and consistently had to describe a needed tool because the supplier knew it by another name. Great video. You've done a beautiful job.

[@MrNunna]

I WAS going to say exactly that. Here in the U.S., that's a pipe wrench.

[@korn111685]

Could you imagine a tradesmen who had a tool his whole career and then you restored it into a showpiece like this for him? Amazing…

[@Endicorp1]

Nice finish on the pipe wrench and good match of the Record blue paint. Personal choice, but I would have tried to match the rounded head of the rivet pin and left the numerals 24 unpainted. Great attention to detail. 👍

[@ianstradian]

This project could be used as an award for a plumber. Mount the pipe wrench to a plaque and add a award to it. “Local Union 456 most prolific plumber award 2022”

[@TrapShooter68]

I have this same wrench. It's been sitting in a Florida unairconditioned garage for over 40 years with no rust. It appears to have a plain phosphate finish applied to prevent rust. Not sure I like it polished, but you do you.😊

[@mariofabrizi5050]

Agree, the polished wrench looks like crap

[@Manny_El_M1.1]

now its all slippery, this polished wrench is a decoration now.

[@johnmaxx4818]

I do too but I call it a pipe wrench

[@blankiitog2747]

I have but in 14" its madera in germany so thats why

[@jimjam3782]

Good for you. Do you want a cookie?

[@jokle01]

That should be a trophy or an award to a master plumber for retirement or something of the sort. Etch the name into the handle and perfect.

[@jcdelacruz6040]

This is a shiniest restoration Ive ever see

[@RichardT2112]

Great job! I have several of these handed down the generations. They are beat up and well used, and although I love the look of yours, I very much enjoy holding these old tools and being part of the history of the tool, as those dents and scratches tell a long lost story.

[@jeremynorman7741]

Its their character. Each tool has its own personality and the wear and tear tells you what it is.

[@frankbiz]

Amazing restoration, that can now be used in a operation room now. 👍🏻

[@shedmanx3640]

A beautiful OTT restoration. Love the shine and I think you pretty well nailed it with the “Record” colour. I’ve done a few similar to yours and they’re definitely wall hangers.

[@glengullickson6538]

Beautiful! Thank you for taking the time!

[@LBG-cf8gu]

Wow! I love these artisan channels.

[@MrJamesjustin]

Absolutely beautiful.

[@riskybusiness3413]

Holy cow! Wish I had one of those to frame and hang on my wall!

[@stunnedatsunset7649]

Excellent work! The modification is pure genius!

[@mattbannan637]

INCREDIBLE WORK...A TRUE WORK OF ART!!!

[@danielaruta8816]

A great project to hone your metal restoration skills. Beautiful results as well. Nice job.

[@robertsnyder6982]

A really awesome and perfect restoration. Great attention to detail.

[@markdaugherty6378]

You are stacking up a lot of great results, thanks so sharing.

[@gregj.gotham4402]

Beautiful restored pipe wrench.

[@carlmcgee1623]

A masterpiece to be certain !

[@Devastator0]

Great work mate and excellent result! Love all the vids, keep up the high quality work!

[@nickp3173]

Beautiful. That's a decorative piece now. Great work!

[@coolissimo69]

So Glad that I can watch another of your great videos.

[@OldtoNewRestorations]

That's an impressive shine! Great to watch, keep it up! 👍

[@bigoldgrizzly]

Car boot sale last weekend, bought 3 of these in very good order for less than you spent on paint [£6 ] Total over restoration, but no complaints from me - what ever floats your boat. Mine will be cleaned, de-rusted [electrolysis] , minor touch up to the teeth on the jaw faces, good coat of wax-oil and go straight into service on the farm. nice work young fella

[@awizardalso]

The mirror finish was amazing.

[@brucefreedman3655]

That is absolutely awesome!!!

[@RiotGearEpsilon]

Majestically shiny.

[@myrestorations]

Amazing work 👏 🙌

[@jeffreykreft5442]

Most beautiful Stinson wrench I have ever seen! Nice job.

[@matthewpearsall9249]

I'm just in the middle of restoring a Record 14 which I found in the grass while I was cutting it at work I'm glad I spotted it from my ride on mower

[@pareshgajjar6601]

Amazing work

[@jeremyrimmer9247]

Such a beautiful restoration… I wouldn’t have the heart to actually use it!

[@bobcontreras5638]

Beautiful work of art, great restoration it was.

[@bigdaddycain8561]

Wow the amount of sanding and patience that went into that!!😎👍👍

[@seanrodden6151]

Nice work, great result. Tarting up a working tool does feel a bit like ironing underpants though. I prefer to watch vids where something broken is brought back to functioning life.

[@Miricrafts]

Beautiful mirror effect 👍

[@RestoredChannel]

Well done, so shiny😍

[@patrickobrien.2028]

Incredible work. Thats a beautiful looking wrench. Keep up the good work.

[@Falconhunter276]

Amazing finish.

[@FixedByDuncan]

Turned out nice, new knurling looks good. The colour scheme you chose suits it. 👍🏻

[@simranjitsingh8551]

To all the restoration channels out there ... If your final piece is not shiny and numbers/letters are hand painted .. belive me friends you not done the real justice ... We viewers are mostly non-tool using guys and to us shiny matters. To real tool users, shiny may not matter. But they are not the majority nod views. Love you all. Excellent finish product !!

[@Glory_inthe_3rd77]

Looks really good

[@e.c.jr.3580]

Awesome job man!!! Turned out perfect!!

[@iainfowler24]

If I lived on my own. I’d hang that on my toilet wall for guests to admire 👍🏼

[@Coogfan1996]

Great job on this one! Good choice over too

[@rachmadanirachmadani1548]

Awesome result, bro. Great job !! Next project is your vise..👍👍❤️

[@jackvetra2844]

Very nice beautiful work I love old stuff

[@karlwarnes6062]

That's a really nice restoration of a classic. Have done a few hand tools always get a kick out of using them on site in my day job and therapeutic restoring them.

[@Vadym618]

That's "hell yeah" category of the restoration! 👍💪 And, it's hard to see when you are working on it by your hands, but not when working with machines. But your stuff is big and expensive 😉☺️

[@conwaynoel3715]

Excellent job

[@JulioCesar-vd6em]

Nice job. Good work!!

[@davebuts1921]

Very nice mate, I have a few old tools from when we cleared out my Grandads workshop. So well made and a pleasure to use.

[@androidtyphoo9161]

Impressive work!

[@peterealey154]

It’s beautiful!! Like jewelry! Great Job!

[@burundi8909]

amazing job , lots of skills !

[@joeygaming2987]

That looks beautiful good job

[@RestorationApprentice]

Already watched it on your other channel. Great to see it all in one place.

[@amaurieduardolinke1601]

Great work, congratulations ✌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@joejones6968]

Fantastic young man, You are truly an artisan, top notch tool and die maker, in the future? Thank you for making this video for all of us to watch and see you do your work.

[@davidcoats1037]

Fantastic job! Well done 😃👍🏼

[@ianderbyshire384]

well done, trouble is, it's too good to use now great to see younger people with skill, dedication and sense of achievement

[@christophermarshall5765]

Nice job. Useful tools they are.

[@antoniovazjr6297]

Gorgeous

[@matthewsalomone3800]

Beautiful

[@snag1956]

Enjoyable, TFS!

[@RazorCustoms]

Great job. I wonder if you could have welded in the damage to the screw and saved a lot of metal. I find glass beads to give a finer finish and leave a smoother finish on the metal, making it easier to do follow up surface finishes. Instead of a rough satin, a fine satin finish. You could always take a metal bar, compare the different blast media in strips as well as along the top, different buffed spots with X amount of time buffed for polished finish.

[@austinvitoux]

Looks awesome!

[@arnhemseptember2009]

Fun project!

[@uncleblack7322]

Great job...Excellent resto

[@jojolee9608]

Wow....!it's totally a perfect job excellent

[@MegaDuvid]

Beautiful!!!!

[@OrionsKelt]

Damn you literally made it better than the original

[@drivewaystar6485]

Wow. Cant believe you hand sanded the entire thing like that. I used to do that too until my wrists couldnt take it anymore. Looks amazing

[@JustPlaneNutzRC]

Nice work! I just restored the 18" version of this Stilson wrench.

[@RebuiltRestored]

I think that’s the best looking pipe wrench in the world! 👍

[@southernman74l9]

Very nice work!

[@sonyhk3824]

More than wonderful job 👍. Cheers

[@allenschwinn9699]

Very nice work young man.

[@Eeeeste]

Beautifull finish and Nice work with the lathe!! Constantly improving man 👍🏼👍🏼

[@evanmurphy2165]

Looks great - too nice to use now.

[@user-yu7qo5bo4f]

Greetings from Siberia! Stillson's English key is the greatest invention of the 19th century. Very competent and painstaking work. Every step is precise and thoughtful. Cleaning first. Sandblast. File. Polishing with different sandpapers. To the ideal, to the ideal! Sponges on the vise when working with polishing. Oil lubrication between treatment. Finishing polishing with paste. New knurling on the nut. All handles and moving parts are not painted. Only labels. It is important. But I would not lubricate the tool with lithol or amber lithium grease, as it accumulates small particles of dirt and metal in itself. It is better to use dry Teflon grease for chains. Dirt does not accumulate on it so much. Thanks!

[@jairborges474]

Amazing job. Congratulations from Brazil.

[@suhayl5157]

This wrench looks amazing but what exactly is the purpose of this restoration? It is not intended to be used that is for sure, and if held in a collection, then it is not a true representation of the brand since they never intended to finish it this way. did you just do it because you can? or is it for the sponsor's support? I wonder

[@SubramaniamLakshminarayanan]

Amazing job on putting such a wonderful shine and finish to the wrench. This wrench has now graduated to a showcase from a toolbox. With a 5000 grit smooth finish it would be a potential safety hazard to use it as a tool - imagine an oily or greasy hand slipping on that smooth surface when applying full force while at work.

[@abbas9063]

👑Great job, very professional🥇🏆👑

[@2cmo]

This is beautiful, I oftentimes seen people restoring and then instead of grinding or filing out the damages, adding bondo and that for me is a short cut, metal can be filled by welding and when you grind out the weld leveling it out, it retaind the original metal work. I really enjoyed this. I will be subscribing simply because of the fact that you really worked on the metal.🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 from South Africa

[@jamescraig5421]

A new Lease of life Bro.keep the great work up 👍.👌👌👌

[@stoveboltlvr3798]

Even your sponsor supports rusty tools!😁

[@1scottdees]

Nice work.

[@patrickseynave]

bravo , beau travail fait avec soin , merci du partage !

[@Wickedjc2119]

I found an old bottle capper I wanna do the same thing to. Thank you for the video

[@T_ndhlovunator]

Nice work, could see your reflection

[@mattman8685]

Damn fine work

[@TheBlackGreatWhite83]

Good freaking job!