Alloy Artifacts

Early Wrenches and the Armstrong Connection

Blackhawk-Armstrong Open-End Wrenches

Blackhawk partnered with the Armstrong Bros. Tool Company of Chicago to offer a line of alloy steel open-end wrenches, and the resulting tools were marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in bold raised letters. The collaboration began sometime in the late 1920s, and a moderate selection of wrenches was offered in a Blackhawk pocket guide from 1929.

By 1930 the selection had been expanded considerably, and the 1930 Blackhawk MG330 catalog offered a wide range of Blackhawk-Armstrong wrenches. These included double-open wrenches in industry standard sizes, 85-degree offset obstruction wrenches, tappet wrenches, S-shaped wrenches, and even single-open "waterpump" wrenches.

Armstrong continued as a manufacturing partner for Blackhawk for many years. The Blackhawk catalogs continued to mention the name Blackhawk-Armstrong at least through 1947, although not as prominently as in the earlier years, and catalog illustrations still showed tool rolls marked with both names. Some of the tools also retained markings from Armstrong; in fact, one later ignition wrench looks just like the standard Armstrong piece but with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" stamped on the back.

Industry-Standard Open-End Wrenches

We'll begin the presentation with a selection of open-end wrenches in industry-standard sizes, the ad hoc model number system adopted by many manufacturers. (See our table Industry-Standard Wrench Models for more information.) By 1930 Blackhawk was offering a very extensive selection of these models, with 41 sizes ranging from the 1/4x5/16 model 1020 to the 1-1/8x1-1/4 model 1737.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1721 5/16x3/8 Open-End Wrenches

The next two figures show examples of the Blackhawk-Armstrong 1721 wrench with slightly different markings.

Fig. 79. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1721 5/16x3/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse.

Fig. 79 at the left shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1721 5/16x3/8 open-end wrench, with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" forged into the shank, and with "Chrome-Vanadium Steel" forged into the reverse.

The inset shows the stamped "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A." marking on the reverse face. Note that this wrench is not marked with a "Strong-Arm" logo.

The overall length is 5.3 inches.

Fig. 80. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1721 5/16x3/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse.

Fig. 80 at the left shows a similar Blackhawk-Armstrong 1721 wrench, marked with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" forged into the shank and "Chrome-Vanadium Steel" forged into the reverse.

The reverse face on this example is stamped "Armstrong Made in U.S.A." with the Strong-Arm logo.

The overall length is 5.3 inches. The original finish was chrome or nickel plating, but most has been lost due to rust.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1723 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrenches

The next two figures show examples of Blackhawk-Armstrong 1723 wrenches, with minor differences in the markings noted in the text.

Fig. 81. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1723 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

In Fig. 81 at the left we see a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1723 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench, marked "Armstrong Chicago, U.S.A" on the face. The shank is marked "Chrome-Vanadium Steel" in forged raised letters, with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" on the reverse.

The overall length is 5.3 inches. The original finish has been lost due to rust and wear.

Fig. 82. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1723 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 82 at the left shows a very similar Blackhawk-Armstrong 1723 wrench, marked "Armstrong Made in U.S.A" with the Strong-Arm logo on the face. The shank has forged-in markings for "Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on one side, with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" on the reverse.

The second wrench differs in the marking "Made in U.S.A." with the Strong-Arm logo, instead of "Chicago, U.S.A." on the first example. The significance of the difference is not known.

The overall length is 5.3 inches.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 83. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Reverse and Logo.

Fig. 83 below shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1727 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench, with raised-letter markings "Blackhawk-Armstrong" and "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse. The overall length is 6.9 inches.

The upper inset shows the stamped Armstrong "Strong-Arm" logo with "Made in U.S.A." as it appears on the reverse of the 5/8 face.

Armstrong 1027 5/8x11/16 Open-End Wrench

The Blackhawk-Armstrong tools were essentially identical (except for markings) to Armstrong's regular production alloy steel tools, as the next figure illustrates.

Fig. 84. Armstrong-Vanadium 1027 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Reverse and Logo.

Fig. 84 shows an Armstrong 1027 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench, marked "Armstrong-Vanadium" in forged raised letters, with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 6.9 inches.

The upper inset shows the small "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A" marking stamped on one of the end faces.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1027-C 5/8x25/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 85. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1027-C 9/16x11/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 85 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1027-C 9/16x11/16 open-end wrench, marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters, with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 7.0 inches.

The inset shows the stamped "Strong-Arm" logo with "Made in U.S.A." as it appears on the reverse of the 11/16 face. The finish is chrome plating with polished end faces.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1028-S 5/8x25/32 Open-End Wrenches

Fig. 86. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1028-S 5/8x25/32 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 86 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1028-S 5/8x25/32 open-end wrench, marked "Armstrong Chicago, U.S.A" on the face. The shank is marked "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" in forged raised letters, with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" on the reverse.

The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish appears to be nickel plating.

Fig. 87. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1028-S 5/8x25/32 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 87 shows a similar Blackhawk-Armstrong 1028-S wrench, stamped "Armstrong Made in U.S.A." on the face with the Strong-Arm logo (see inset). The shank has forged raised-letter markings "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on one side with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" on the other.

The overall length is 7.9 inches.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1731-A 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 88. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1731-A 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 88 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1731-A 3/4x7/8 open-end wrench, with raised-letter markings "Blackhawk-Armstrong" and "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse. The overall length is 9.5 inches.

The inset shows the stamped "Strong-Arm" logo with "Made in U.S.A." as it appears on the reverse of the 7/8 face. The finish is chrome plating with polished end faces.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1733 7/8x1 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 89. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1733 7/8x1 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 89 at the left shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1733 7/8x1 open-end wrench, stamped "Armstrong Made in U.S.A." on the face with the Strong-Arm logo. The shank has forged raised-letter markings "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on one side with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" on the reverse.

The overall length is 10.5 inches. The original finish was chrome plating, but most has been lost to wear and rust.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 1033-C 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 90. Blackhawk-Armstrong 1033-C 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 90 at the left shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 1033-C 15/16x1 open-end wrench, stamped "Armstrong Made in U.S.A." with the Strong-Arm logo on the face. The shank has forged-in raised markings "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on one side with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" on the reverse (see inset).

The overall length is 10.6 inches. The finish is chrome plating, with some losses due to wear and rust.

Specialty Wrenches

Some of the early Blackhawk-Armstrong wrenches were designed for specialized applications such as brake service, for which the standard open-end wrenches weren't always suitable. These wrenches were given model numbers in the 25xx series, and in some cases the catalogs cited the particular application.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2526-A 9/16x9/16 Brake Wrench

Fig. 91. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2526-A 9/16x9/16 Brake Wrench, with Inset for Reverse, ca. 1929.

Our first example is shown in Fig. 91, a rare Blackhawk-Armstrong 2526-A 9/16x91/6 brake wrench. The shank is marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters, with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse, and with "Armstrong Chicago, U.S.A." stamped on the face.

The overall length is 6.3 inches. The original finish was probably nickel plating, but has been lost due to wear and rust.

The wrench is designed with the openings at 22.5 and 60 degree offsets for better access in tight spaces. This type of design was typically termed an "obstruction" wrench, but Blackhawk settled on a somewhat different design for their broad line of obstruction wrenches.

The model 2526-A wrench was listed in the 1929 Blackhawk "Mechanic's Guide" catalog, but the description did not indicate a specific application.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2537-A 7/16x1/2 Brake Wrench

Fig. 92. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2537-A 7/16x1/2 Brake Wrench, with Inset for Reverse, ca. 1934.

Fig. 92 shows another similar example, a rare Blackhawk-Armstrong 2537-A 7/16x1/2 brake wrench. The shank is marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse, and the reverse face is stamped "Armstrong Made in U.S.A." with the Strong-Arm logo.

The overall length is 6.3 inches. The original finish was nickel plating, but most has been lost due to wear and rust. Some traces of the nickel plating can be seen on the left face and near the raised lettering on the shank.

The model 2537-A wrench is listed in the 1934 MG-534 catalog, but not in the 1930 catalog, indicating that it was introduced somewhat later. The application was described as "External Mechanical" brakes.

This wrench has a somewhat unusual configuration in that both the opening sizes and offset angles are unequal.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2542 5/8x3/4 Chevrolet Brake Wrench

Fig. 93. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2542 5/8x3/4 Obstruction Wrench, with Insets for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 93 shows a model 2542 5/8x3/4 Chevrolet brake wrench, marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 7.7 inches.

The upper left inset shows the small and rather faint "Armstrong U.S.A." marking; the original marking was likely "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A.", but part of it has been worn away. The upper right inset shows the model number on the reverse face.

The model 2542 wrench is listed in a 1929 Blackhawk catalog section for brake wrenches, with the note "For Chevrolet Cars". The 1930 MG330 catalog still offered the model 2542, but also listed the more standard model 2729 5/8x3/4 obstruction wrench. (Note that the design of this brake wrench is basically identical to the obstruction wrenches shown in the next section.)

Obstruction Wrenches

Obstruction wrenches were a specialized subset of open-end wrenches, designed with radically offset openings for work in tight spaces. Several different obstruction wrench designs were popular in the late 1920s, and Blackhawk-Armstrong chose a design with two different opening sizes placed at nearly right angles to the wrench axis.

Blackhawk's obstruction wrenches were assigned model numbers by adding 2000 to the industry-standard number for the equivalent open-end wrench. (See our table Industry-Standard Wrench Models for more information.) For example, a wrench with sizes 11/16x25/32 would be an industry-standard model 29, and therefore became a model 2029 obstruction wrench.

Some other companies made obstruction wrenches similar to the Blackhawk models, including Billings & Spencer and J.H. Williams, and examples can be seen in the Billings M-2030 Obstruction Wrench and Williams 2021 Obstruction Wrench.

Alternate obstruction wrench designs were used by companies such as Bonney and Herbrand, and examples of their production can be seen in the Bonney 2031 Obstruction Wrench and Herbrand 1827 Obstruction Wrench.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2725-A 7/16x9/16 Obstruction Wrench

Fig. 94. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2725-A 7/16x9/16 Obstruction Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 94 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 2725-A 7/16x9/16 obstruction wrench, marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters, with "Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 5.5 inches.

The inset (reversed for readability) shows the small "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A." marking on one face, partially obscured by a previous owner marking.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2025 1/2x19/32 Obstruction Wrench

Fig. 95A. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2025 1/2x19/32 Obstruction Wrench, with Inset for Reverse.

Fig. 95A shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 2025 1/2x19/32 obstruction wrench, marked on the shank with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in forged raised letters, and with "Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 5.5 inches. The original finish was chrome or nickel plating, but most has been lost due to wear.

The inset (left in its natural orientation) shows the small "Armstrong Chicago, U.S.A." marking stamped on one face.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2728 9/16x3/4 Obstruction Wrench

Fig. 95B. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2728 9/16x3/4 Obstruction Wrench, with Inset (Rotated) for Reverse.

Fig. 95B shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 2728 9/16x3/4 obstruction wrench, stamped "Armstrong Chicago, U.S.A." on the reverse face (see inset). The shank is marked with "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in forged raised letters, with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse. (The inset has been rotated for readability.)

The overall length is 7.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2029 11/16x25/32 Obstruction Wrench

Fig. 96. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2029 11/16x25/32 Obstruction Wrench, with Inset for Reverse.

Fig. 96 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 2029 11/16x25/32 obstruction wrench, marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 7.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The inset (left in its natural orientation) shows the small "Armstrong Chicago, U.S.A." marking stamped on one face, partially obscured by a previous owner marking.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2731 3/4x13/16 Obstruction Wrench

Fig. 97. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2731 3/4x13/16 Obstruction Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 97 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 2731 3/4x13/16 obstruction wrench, with raised-letter markings "Blackhawk-Armstrong" and "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 9.3 inches.

The inset shows the stamped "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A." marking on the reverse of the face.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2731-B 13/16x7/8 Obstruction Wrench

Fig. 98. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2731-B 13/16x7/8 Obstruction Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 98 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 2731-B 13/16x7/8 obstruction wrench, marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 9.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The inset (reversed for readability) shows the small stamped "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A." marking, as it appears on the reverse of the 7/8 face.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 2733 Special 7/8x1-1/16 Obstruction Wrench

Fig. 99. Blackhawk-Armstrong 2733 Special 7/8x1-1/16 Obstruction Wrench, with Insets for Reverse and Marking Detail.

Our final example for this section is shown in Fig. 99, a Blackhawk-Armstrong 2733 Special 7/8x1-1/16 obstruction wrench, marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong" in raised letters with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse.

The overall length is 9.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The small top inset (rotated for readability) shows the stamped "Armstrong Made in U.S.A." marking with the Strong-Arm logo.

Tappet Wrenches

Blackhawk initially offered tappet wrenches in a design with one end straight and the other offset at 22.5 degrees. Two styles were available, the first with two openings of the same size, and the second style with different opening sizes. The wrenches of this second style were made in pairs with the openings exchanged, with the models distinguished by a "-B" or "-C" suffix to the model number.

The 1929 Blackhawk Mechanic's Guide listed both styles of tappet wrenches. The equal-sized models were available in sizes ranging from the 3/8 model 401 up to the 1 inch model 409. The unequal-sized models were offered in three pairs of sizes, models 402-{B,C} of sizes 1/2x9/16, 404-{B,C} of sizes 5/8x11/16, and 406-{B,C} of sizes 3/4x7/8.

Blackhawk later added tappet wrenches of the modern style, with two different opening sizes offset at equal angles. However, this later modern style appears to be quite rare, and at the present time we don't have an example to display.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 402 1/2x1/2 Tappet Wrench

The next two figures show examples of the style with equal-sized openings.

Fig. 100. Blackhawk-Armstrong 402 1/2 Tappet Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 100 shows a Blackhawk-Armstrong 402 1/2x1/2 tappet wrench, marked on the shank with "Blackhawk Armstrong Tappet Wrench" in forged raised letters, with "Drop Forged Chrome Vanadium Steel" on the reverse. The face is stamped "Armstrong Made in U.S.A." with the Strong-Arm logo.

The overall length is 8.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 404 5/8x5/8 Tappet Wrench

Fig. 101. Blackhawk-Armstrong 404 5/8 Tappet Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail.

Fig. 101 shows another example of the older style, a Blackhawk-Armstrong 404 5/8x5/8 tappet wrench. The wrench has raised-letter markings "Blackhawk-Armstrong Tappet Wrench" on the front with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse, and is stamped "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A." on one face.

The overall length is 8.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 406-C 3/4x7/8 Tappet Wrench

Fig. 102A. Blackhawk-Armstrong 406-C 3/4x7/8 Tappet Wrench, with Inset for Reverse, ca. 1929-1930.

Fig. 102A shows a rare example of the older style with different opening sizes, a Blackhawk-Armstrong 406-C 3/4x7/8 tappet wrench. The shank has raised-letter markings "Blackhawk-Armstrong Tappet Wrench" forged into the front, with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse. The faces are stamped with the model number and "Armstrong Chicago U.S.A." on the front, with the fractional sizes on the reverse.

The overall length is 8.9 inches. The original finish was chrome plating, but most has been lost due to wear.

The model number on this example has been partially obscured by damage to the "6" digit, but the correct "406-C" number can be determined by the sizes.

Blackhawk-Armstrong 428 15/16x1 Tappet Wrench

Fig. 102B. Blackhawk-Armstrong 428 15/16x1 Tappet Wrench, with Inset for Reverse.

Fig. 102B shows a very rare Blackhawk-Armstrong 428 15/16x1 tappet wrench, marked with "Blackhawk-Armstrong Tappet Wrench" forged into the shank, with "Drop Forged Chrome-Vanadium Steel" on the reverse. The right face is stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the Strong-Arm logo, with the model number on the other end and the fractional sizes on the reverse faces.

The overall length is 9.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This wrench model is not listed in the 1930 or 1934 Blackhawk catalogs, suggesting that it might have been a special-roder item.

Box-End Wrenches

In the late 1920s Blackhawk began offering 12-point box-end wrenches in both single-offset and double-offset styles. Blackhawk was one of only a few companies to offer box wrenches in the single-offset configuration, a style with two openings of the same size, one offset and one straight. This style became popular in the late 1920s as one of the first types of box-end wrenches, and could be regarded as a forerunner of the combination wrench as well.

Other tool companies offering single-offset wrenches included Blue Point (Snap-On), Bonney, Walden, and Williams, and examples of this wrench style can be seen in the Bonney 2832 Wrench, Blue Point X-16 Wrench, Walden-Worcester 2114 Wrench, and Williams 8140 Wrench.

In addition to single-offset box wrenches, Blackhawk offered several models of double-offset box wrenches, with the earliest models being short format wrenches in a 278x model series. The 1930 catalog MG330 listed four models in this series, with sizes ranging from 3/8x7/16 (2780) up to 11/16x3/4 (2784).

The figures below will show some examples of the various box wrenches, beginning with some rare examples of the 27xx single-offset series.

2718 9/16 Single-Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 103. Blackhawk 2718 9/16 Single-Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1927-1930.

In Fig. 103 we see a Blackhawk model 2718 9/16 single-offset box wrench, marked "Blackhawk Made in U.S.A." in bold raised letters.

The overall length is 9.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel with some traces of the original black paint.

The 27xx series wrenches were not listed in an early 1927 catalog, but were available in eleven sizes by the time of the 1930 MG330 catalog. The catalog description states that the wrenches were made of chrome-vanadium steel.

Interestingly, by 1930 Blackhawk was also offering the 29xx series of single-offset wrenches, and although the 29xx models were finished in chrome plating instead of black paint, the prices were actually lower than the older 27xx models! For example, the 2720 model had a $2.25 list price, but the newer 2920 model was just $2.15.

2720 5/8 Single-Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 104. Blackhawk 2720 5/8 Single-Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1927-1930.

Fig. 104 shows another example of the 27xx single-offset series, a Blackhawk model 2720 5/8 single-offset box wrench, marked "Blackhawk Made in U.S.A." in bold raised letters.

The overall length is 9.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel with some traces of the original black paint.

2724 3/4 Single-Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 105A. Blackhawk 2724 3/4 Single-Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1927-1930.

Fig. 105A shows a Blackhawk model 2724 3/4 single-offset box wrench, marked "Blackhawk Made in U.S.A." in bold raised letters.

The overall length is 11.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

2725 25/32 Single-Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 105B. Blackhawk 2725 25/32 Single-Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1927-1930.

Fig. 105B shows a Blackhawk model 2725 25/32 single-offset box wrench, marked "Blackhawk Made in U.S.A." in bold raised letters.

The overall length is 12.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel with some of the original black paint.

2924 3/4 Single-Offset Box Wrench

The next two figures show examples of the later 29xx series of single-offset box wrenches, part of the "Chief" line of tools first produced around 1929 or so. These single-offset models were listed in the Blackhawk MG330 catalog of 1930, in sizes ranging from the 3/8 model 2912 up to the 15/16 model 2930.

The single-offset style was relatively short-lived and had been discontinued by 1940 (or earlier).

Fig. 106. Blackhawk 2924 3/4 Single-Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1929-1939.

Fig. 106 shows a Blackhawk 2924 3/4 single-offset box-end wrench, stamped "U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 11.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends.

2925 25/32 Single-Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 107. Blackhawk 2925 25/32 Single-Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1929-1939.

Fig. 107 shows a Blackhawk 2925 25/32 single-offset box-end wrench, stamped "U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 11.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends.

2780 3/8x7/16 Double-Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 108. Blackhawk 2780 3/8x7/16 Box-End Wrench, ca. 1928-1931.

Fig. 108 at the left shows a rare Blackhawk 2780 3/8x7/16 offset box-end wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse.

The overall length is 4.6 inches.

2624 3/4x13/16 Double-Offset Box Wrench

Blackhawk later offered long-format double-offset wrenches in a 26xx model series, with sizes ranging from 3/8x7/16 (2612) up to 1-1/8x1-1/4 (2636). The 1934 catalog MG534 lists 12 models in the 26xx series, and specified chrome vanadium steel construction with chrome-plated finishes.

Fig. 109. Blackhawk 2624 3/4x13/16 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1931-1933.

Fig. 109 at the left shows an example of Blackhawk's long double-offset style, a Blackhawk 2624 3/4x13/16 offset box-end wrench marked "U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 12.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The plain finish on this wrench suggests an earlier manufacturing date, as by 1934 the wrenches were specified with chrome plating.

Hexo Brand Wrenches

At the very back of the 1934 Blackhawk MG534 catalog is a brief section offering "HeXo" brand wrenches, described as the "finest quality, low priced popular wrenches made." The HeXo wrench models listed there include angled, short offset, and long offset box-end styles, plus four combination wrench models given the name "Half & Half".

This catalog listing is the first known reference to the HeXo brand, which previously had been a bit of a mystery. HeXo had been tentatively attributed to the Husky Wrench Company, based on a resemblance to certain markings used by Husky: the stylized writing of the HeXo logo includes an underline trailing from the "H" and "X", and this bears a striking similarity to the "HeX" logo marked on certain early Husky Wrench Sockets. The well-known Husky brand name also incorporates an underline from the "H".

When we recall that Sigmund Mandl, the founder of Husky Wrench, had joined Blackhawk Manufacturing in the early 1930s, it's quite possible that the HeXo logo was based on a Husky Wrench brand. But regardless of the origin, the catalog listing positively identifies HeXo as a Blackhawk line from the mid 1930s.

The HeXo brand was apparently short-lived, as the wrench models offered in 1934 were assimilated into the standard Blackhawk line within a short time. (Combination wrenches even retained the odd "Half & Half" name.) Although the exact dates aren't known, it's probably reasonable to assume that the HeXo-marked wrenches were made in 1934-1936 time frame.

The figures below show a number of examples of HeXo brand wrenches. All of the examples indicate the use of chrome-vanadium alloy steel and have 12-point broachings, and the Blackhawk catalog lists the finish as nickel plating.

Hexo 15176 3/8x7/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 110. HeXo 15176 3/8x7/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail, ca. 1934-1936.

The overall length is 4.6 inches.

Hexo 15180 3/8x7/16 Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 111. HeXo 15180 3/8x7/16 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1934-1936.

Fig. 111 shows a HeXo 15180 3/8x7/16 offset box-end wrench, stamped "U.S.A." and "Chrome-Vanadium" on the shank.

The overall length is 7.8 inches.

Hexo 15183 3/4x25/32 Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 112. HeXo 15183 3/4x25/32 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1934-1936.

Fig. 112 shows a HeXo 15183 3/4x25/32 offset box-end wrench, stamped "Chrome-Vanadium" and "U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 11.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Hexo 15301 3/8x7/16 Box-End Wrench

Fig. 113. HeXo 15301 3/8x7/16 Box-End Wrench, ca. 1934-1936.

The overall length is 7.9 inches.

Hexo 15302 1/2x9/16 Box-End Wrench

Fig. 114. HeXo 15302 1/2x9/16 Box-End Wrench, ca. 1934-1936.

The overall length is 8.8 inches.

Hexo 15303 5/8x11/16 Box-End Wrench

Fig. 115. HeXo 15303 5/8x11/16 Box-End Wrench, ca. 1934-1936.

The overall length is 9.9 inches.

Hexo 15304 3/4x13/16 Box-End Wrench

Fig. 116. HeXo 15304 3/4x13/16 Box-End Wrench, ca. 1934-1936.

The overall length is 11.1 inches.

Hexo 15305 7/8x15/16 Box-End Wrench

Fig. 117. HeXo 15305 7/8x15/16 Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Detail, ca. 1934-1936.

The overall length is 12.6 inches.

Hexo 15306 1x1-1/16 Box-End Wrench

Fig. 118. HeXo 15306 1x1-1/16 Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Detail, ca. 1934-1936.

The overall length is 14.2 inches.

That completes our brief look at the early Blackhawk wrenches. We'll turn next to the Lock-On sockets and drive tools, one of Blackhawk's most important product developments.