Bed Wrenchs or Bed Keys

[Glenn]

The other day a fellow ask if I had, (I may be part blacksmith and part pack rat but this was a bit of a stretch) or could make, a bed wrench or bed key.

So, were bed wrenches or bed keys ever made from metal?
Can you provide information on the design?

[bigfootnampa]

Glenn; He is probably wanting one of the antique type which were mostly wooden. They are sort of like a giant clothespin with a tee handle on the top and were used to tighten the ropes on a rope bed frame. Basically they are much like a blacksmith's bending fork in design. Shouldn't be too difficult to make.

It seems that the metal ones had a bit different design though. I can't quite see just how they were used but it seems that they had a square socket on one end which likely fitted the bolts for the frame. The other end had a slot and just how that worked is what I cannot quite envision. There are several examples that seem handmade but to the same design. Here's a link: http://www.mainememory.net/artifact/14457

[bigfootnampa]

Interestingly early firefighters carried bed wrenches as standard equipment and sometimes also black bags for silverware. Apparently the beds of the era were deemed worthy of salvage when possible and were disassembled ahead of the fires progress and moved out of the fire's path.

[bigfootnampa]

AHA! Here's another good picture. I think I figured these out. I think these were not used for tightening the ropes (as the wooden type were) but were an early form of multi-wrench. I think that the tapered slots were used to turn the handmade and variably sized square bolt heads. If the square socket would not fit they would insert the nut in the wide part of the slot and slide it toward the narrower end until it fit tightly and then they could turn the nut! The taper toward the end of the tool probably was used to pry the parts once the nuts were removed. http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-firemens-bed-wrench

[bigfootnampa]

It is possible that the metal types were mostly created for firefighters... so that they could rescue varied beds from burning homes.

[Marksnagel]

As a volunteer firefighter I really enjoyed the education provided by the previous answers to the post. I'll have to make one and see if any of the other firefighters or the paid firefighters in the next town can answer what it is. Cool! Thanks.

Mark <><

[Farmall]

The use of bed wrenches has not stopped. I know several craftsmen who are making very nice 4-poster beds today where the frame is bolted together and tightened using a bed wrench. None of them are the rope type. I also have seen the old rope bed frames that used a key as well, and I have seen a metal key. All of the keys for the most recent made ones were metal. Not sure that's helpful, but it's what I know about bed keys.

[Glenn]

Go to a blacksmithing forum, post a question about a rather obscure tool and get 6 replies within 10 hours. And one fellow is going to make one to educate others on the old ways of doing things. Only on IForgeIron LOL

Thank you for the replies.

[bigfootnampa]

I might make one too as I was a firefighter and one of my brothers researched and wrote a history of our department. Our department in Nampa Idaho has too short a history to involve bed wrenches (I think) but I think my brother might like having one anyway... just as a general relic of fire department history.