If you have time for a longish story...

When in junior high (late 60's) I bought a happy meal ~150 pc tool set from Sears with money I made mowing yards with a push mower. At some point I added a set of off-set box end wrenches from Sears also that I love and still use.

I lost the 1/2 x 9/16 size box-end sometime decades ago. I probably left it laying under the hood of a car and it probably fell out on the road somewhere. I replaced it but the new one didn't match the set, but so what it did the job.

Well, the day after Christmas I was checking the offerings on Facebook Marketplace like I often do and mixed in with a bunch of crappy rusted and broken tools for sale was a wrench like the one I had lost! Seller wanted 30 bucks for the pile of tools. We arranged a meet at her house the next day and in the meantime I review her other listed items... all junk.

We met at her "house" and it was bad... An old broken down travel trailer parked in a field by a barn. I almost fell through the floor when I went in. I don't think it had electricity, no lights were on. The woman was poorly dressed and looked pretty frail. When I explained I only wanted the one wrench she said she needed the 30 bucks and wouldn't separate it out. She started tossing in more useless crap to try to get me to buy, all the while relating how bad off she was and how bad her Christmas had been...

I stopped her, handed her 30 bucks and just took the one wrench. I told her she could keep the rest and could try and sell them again. She took my hand and thanked me profusely. I actually got a twinge in the old feels for a bit.

Turns out the wrench was in good condition and exactly like I was missing except it was stamped SEARS instead of COMPANION on the handle. (Sears changed the brand name on these two or three times). I'm happy to have it, even at 30 bucks my set is complete again and maybe, just maybe, I helped her out a little bit that day as well.

I had to zoom it in a lot, but that looks like “COMPANION” rather than “CHAMPION”. Maybe that is apropos as those wrenches found there companion even if it does say Sears on it.

Good find! Merry Christmas to you.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
I had to zoom it in a lot, but that looks like “COMPANION” rather than “CHAMPION”. Maybe that is apropos as those wrenches found there companion even if it does say Sears on it.

You are correct sir, got my tongue tied while typing I guess...
fixed

Years back I bought a set of Snap On box end wrenches. Guy was selling them at a pawn shop and I offered him $5 more than the shop. I loved that set! My first real High End tools.

I lost the 9/16 someplace and it bothered me about as much as the OP here. The set was INCOMPLETE.

I replaced it with a Craftsman wench but it still wasn't RIGHT.

Fast Forward 20+ years. I buy a 1969 Chevelle SS 396 in 1994. A restoration job. I drove it home and on acceleration or deceleration I keep hearing a soft, metallic CLUNK. Bad Universal I surmise.

As I'm removing the rear seats, I find a Snap-On, 9/16" box end wrench jammed behind the seat near the wheel well. From the wear on the surrounding metal it has been CLUNKING back and forth for some time.

Every time I use that wrench I wonder if it had been in there since 1969 when it left the Factory?

If you decide you want an exact match.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vinta...7:g:VmkAAOSw5YlcEwh8

quote:

Originally posted by P210:
If you decide you want an exact match.

I had never actively looked for a replacement, just happened on one that day.

Dang those are tempting! They are a very useful wrench and sometimes you could use two.

quote:

Originally posted by P210:
If you decide you want an exact match.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vinta...7:g:VmkAAOSw5YlcEwh8

Is that your listing?

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:

quote:

Originally posted by P210:
If you decide you want an exact match.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vinta...7:g:VmkAAOSw5YlcEwh8

Is that your listing?

Probably not. P210 lists his location as Hawaii. The ebay listing shows that the wrenches will ship from Pennsylvania.

Ha. I found a 1/2 x 9/16 size box-end wrench. Many years ago, the Ford garage did a poor job for me. But a couple of weeks later I discovered the wrench in my car. An excellent Blue Point with a nice polish and very thin walls that fit even with little clearance between the nut/bolt head and an adjacent surface. I kept it in compensation for the poor job. Still have it.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Probably not. P210 lists his location as Hawaii. The ebay listing shows that the wrenches will ship from Pennsylvania.

Ah, thanks V. Nice catch.

I ALMOST pulled the trigger on those but then decided I was good with my current set and that $$ would be better spent on something I could use but don't already have.

That is one of the handiest wrenches I have. I would have paid the 30 bucks too. Great story

If it was my listing I’d have just asked for your address.