Uploaded July 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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In this video we do a deep dive into the Crescent Tool Company, and the invention of the modern adjustable wrench.

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Moar History:
alloy-artifacts.org/crescent-tool.html
insyte-consulting.com/made-in-wny-iconic-crescent-wrench-born-in-jamestown
crescenttool.com/our-brands/crescent
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_wrench

Old Crescent Catalogs:
archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22Crescent+Tool+Co.%22
archive.org/details/CrescentCooper1982

1871 Jamestown NY Map:
loc.gov/item/2016585510

Crescent Plant Historical Marker:
hmdb.org/m.asp?m=94792

Coes Patent:
patents.google.com/patent/US2054A

Coes Wrench Ads:
google.com/books/edition/National_Hardware_Bulletin/qpc7AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=coes+wrench&pg=PA166&printsec=frontcover
google.com/books/edition/Hardware_World/KJo7AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=coes+wrench&pg=RA3-PA15&printsec=frontcover
google.com/books/edition/Stoves_and_Hardware_Reporter/8Zw7AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=coes+wrench&pg=RA1-PA18&printsec=frontcover
google.com/books/edition/Automobile_Trade_Journal_and_Motor_Age/wDdLAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=coes+wrench&pg=RA6-PA121&printsec=frontcover

Loring Coes Obituary:
google.com/books/edition/Machinery/5KTmAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=coes+wrench&pg=PA664&printsec=frontcover

E.J. Worcester Patent:
patents.google.com/patent/US17531A

Bahco Patent:
archive.org/details/bahco-1926-1927-catalog/page/5/mode/2up

Johan Johansson history:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Petter_Johansson

Crescent Patents:
patents.google.com/patent/US1133236A
patents.google.com/patent/USD47389

1918 Crescent Lawsuit:
google.com/books/edition/United_States_Circuit_Courts_of_Appeals/I9krAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=crescent+tool+company&pg=PA393&printsec=frontcover

MotorKit Ad:
google.com/books/edition/The_American_Exporter/GVn4fVPchVkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=motorkit&pg=RA1-PA55&printsec=frontcover

1924 Crescent Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Automotive_Industries/pBxQAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=crescent+tool+company&pg=RA4-PA99&printsec=frontcover

1927 Crescent Chemical Lab ad:
google.com/books/edition/Telephony/NtR3roHMomMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=crescent+tool+company&pg=RA2-PA43&printsec=frontcover

Smith & Hemenway Merger:
google.com/books/edition/Motor_West_and_California_Motor/8bLdorUDsvEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=crescent+tools+ford&pg=RA2-PA50&printsec=frontcover

WWII Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=1tkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56&dq=crescent+tool+company

Factory Photos 1931:
archive.org/details/crescent-tools-catalog-19

1952 "Buster" Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=kNwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA231&dq=crescent+tool+company

2017 Sumpter Factory Layoffs:
thestate.com/news/business/article126068444.html
wach.com/news/local/apex-tool-in-sumter-to-layoff-170-employees-by-the-spring

Apex Merges Wiss into Crescent:
prnewswire.com/news-releases/crescent-introduces-new-brand-identity-300565189.html

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:38 J.P. Danielson Company
00:58 Adjustable Wrench History
02:17 Kilborn & Bishop Lawsuit
03:01 Crescent Trademarks
04:16 Smith & Hemenway Merger
04:59 Post-War Expansion
05:49 Cooper Acquisition
07:08 My Thoughts & Outro