Identifying my STANLEY west Germany DOE's

[hickory n Steel]

I had posted about these wrenches on the old site but the mistery continued.


They're essentially car kit wrenches, but they work fine for me and they seem to have decent enough steel ( here's an example I founded listed as a Porche out wrench )


  Gedore was a strong speculation so I did a bit of digging and saw no major similarities to any Gedore wrenches I found pictures of, Dowidat however was proving more and more similar.

Here's the best picture I could find of a pretty similar Dowidat wrench.

I could find no branded wrenches that were an exact match to mine, but Dowidats were the only closely similar examples.
I wish I could find an exact match with their name on it to confirm, but  maybe they just didn't want their more refined standard production tools assocated with the much more crude kit wrenches.

I'd love to here any thoughts or ideas you guys may have.

[strik9]

How about a Stahlwille Stablil export model?  Recently found here, dating it has not proven easy.

[hickory n Steel]

I had initially not considered Stahlwille because of the finish, every wrench I've seen from them were finished much much better.


I may be way off base on this, but I'm not aware of Stanley producing / marketing much in the way of automotive type tools before they acquired PROTO so I'm thinking mid-late 80's on my wrenches.
A late production budget spec'd tool could definitely explain the rough finish, maybe all their car kit wrenches were like this or Stanleys spec just allowed for this.

Based on this example I found, you just might be spot on.
The releif on the handle area is exact, but the heads and grind line's on them sure are spot on.
I suppose they just went a totally different direction for their budget / kit tools than for their main line standard production tools.

[strik9]

That wrench was a chance find two weeks ago.  I really just wanted it for the name as I had none. 

   I be the Stanley fanboy of old and collect Oxwall Quality tools so a few doubt my sanity but hey, if its paid for and does the job its good.

[goodfellow]

I think "Made in West Germany" was used as a designation up until the early 1990's. Before the war it was only "Germany" and immediately after (1945-49) it was qualified with an allied occupation designation such as "Made in West-Germany - US de-Military Zone", substituted with British and/or French zone depending on manufacturing location.

The wrenches remind me of 1970's Dowidat production, but the finish is pretty rough -- even for Dowidat low end production standards

[strik9]

If it makes a difference even the Stahlwille isn't perfect.  Mine whrn on a table would not lie flat.  I had to take a few degrees of twist out of the shank.

Not a crippling flaw but my really good wrenches won't twist.  I have no fear in using it but will not double up on it.

[hickory n Steel]

That wrench was a chance find two weeks ago.  I really just wanted it for the name as I had none. 

   I be the Stanley fanboy of old and collect Oxwall Quality tools so a few doubt my sanity but hey, if its paid for and does the job its good.

Would you happen to know if Stanley did in fact offer anything in the way of mechanic tools before their acquisition of proto ?
I certainly don't know of anything besides a little Chapman style bit ratchet I've seen said to be from the 50's or so.

[hickory n Steel]

I think "Made in West Germany" was used as a designation up until the early 1990's. Before the war it was only "Germany" and immediately after (1945-49) it was qualified with an allied occupation designation such as "Made in West-Germany - US de-Military Zone", substituted with British and/or French zone depending on manufacturing location.

The wrenches remind me of 1970's Dowidat production, but the finish is pretty rough -- even for Dowidat low end production standards

They are rough which is why I figure late production.

I wish I could find an example of at the very least a Dowidat or Stahlwille branded wrench with  " special steel " on it, but at best all I'm finding is forged steel or drop forged steel.

[strik9]

Stanley played the Joe Homeowner market best as I recall.  Maybe pro woodworkers and carpenters but back when everybody did some carpentry or your house fell down sooner or later.

    1984 is the magic number for the Proto deal but I seen few mech specific tools until the 90's in local stores.        CM/Sears was the mech stuff and Stanley the home.  Some crossover but that had to be. 
    One could get by with just one brand but if stores were close why not both?
   My Sears runs were infrequent as it was two towns over.  ACE was three blocks away snd oprn on Sunday.  Perfect.

   

[hickory n Steel]

Stanley played the Joe Homeowner market best as I recall.  Maybe pro woodworkers and carpenters but back when everybody did some carpentry or your house fell down sooner or later.

    1984 is the magic number for the Proto deal but I seen few mech specific tools until the 90's in local stores.        CM/Sears was the mech stuff and Stanley the home.  Some crossover but that had to be. 
    One could get by with just one brand but if stores were close why not both?
   My Sears runs were infrequent as it was two towns over.  ACE was three blocks away snd oprn on Sunday.  Perfect.

 

I didn't think Stanley was really doing any mech tools before they acquired PROTO.