I Found An Unusual Walden Worcester 1/4” drive set. Feel free to post your Walden tools here.

[d42jeep]

The larger Huot box in the background.
-Don

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

The larger Huot box in the background.
-Don

Oh, that one. I got it off Ebay to put all my Monkey Ward Powr Kraft stuff in. Any clue on this smaller toolbox I picked up yesterday? It caught my eye and when I opened it I noticed the shelf for the tray actually has a depressed area that matches the bottom of the tray insert, just had to have it, $7

 

[four.cycle]

The only question I have is whether 4.c realized it, or was he, like you, seeing 'Worcester' and thinking Stevens-Walden.

I only saw "Chicago" and "Worcester" on the ferrule and wasn't able to make sense of it at all. I guess I must have missed the gigantic "R&P" logo stamped on the shank. "Reed and Prince" never occurred to me.

 

[Ksem89]

My first and only Walden, so far. Found in a tool box with tools I bought in auction.

A little Walden 3150.

Had to replace the screws, strange size, 3-48, found them in the gun screw section at ACE.

K

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

The larger Huot box in the background.
-Don

Hey, I was cruising thru a flea market/ thrift store and found another small toolbox matching the one I was asking about. It's a "My Buddy" model 251T. This one is missing the internal tray but still gas the original manufacturer sticker attached and the box itself is in better shape. Dropped another $7...

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

A couple of Walden pickups at an estate sale yesterday. They will be appropriate for a red box set with Chrome plated tools.
—Don

Man I love all your Walden sets. For some reason I’m having a problem finding wartime sets. Am I just slow or are they hard to find. I love the refrigeration set too

 

[d42jeep]

It could be that I keep buying all of them. Seriously, the wartime Walden sets pop up fairly often, particularly the cad plated sets. What is quite hard to find is the boxes with the Federal Stock Number painted on them. The black oxide sets are popular, especially the ratchets, but they may have only been made towards the end of the war.
-Don

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

It could be that I keep buying all of them. Seriously, the wartime Walden sets pop up fairly often, particularly the cad plated sets. What is quite hard to find is the boxes with the Federal Stock Number painted on them. The black oxide sets are popular, especially the ratchets, but they may have only been made towards the end of the war.
-Don

Oh that’s superb. I would like a black oxide set

 

[d42jeep]

That box is the one in my GMTK. Here are the contents. It’s taken quite a while to get to this point.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

For some reason I’m having a problem finding wartime sets.

That's because Don owns all of them.
I have at least a dozen Walden 1/4" drive sets, although I think most of them are later vintage than Don's black GMTK set there.
I do have a few black sets, but I do not believe any of them have the FSN number painted on the boxes.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

I was digging through some recent bulk acquisitions, and sort it out this Walden 1/4 Drive sockets in a 1/4 drive set box. I’m curious if these unmarked extensions fit with the set, invite extended reason, is it possible that there was a plug style ratchet that was contemporary to the Sockets and this box?

I was gonna post a picture of my recent purchase for comparison to your set but then I realize...this IS your set...ha ha. Thanks for selling! Positive feedback left for ya

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Well, until somebody turns up a catalog for this Stevens Walden "circle SW" front to back opening blue 1/4" drive set and what is supposed to be in it, it's just gonna hold all my miscellaneous 1/4" SAE and metric stuff. I believe it is newer stock than the side opening boxes. The sockets placed in the holder area are all 3106-3114 (I'm missing 3113 and a six point 3112). I added the ratchet 3150, the flex breaker is a 3117 but appears to be a WWII Era metal along with the similar 3106 3/16 socket. Both of the double male extensions are unmarked but I'm sure they're part of the original set. I've got a couple of 3160s series sockets in there too. All the metrics are 31 series. Yall hollar if you see the same box in its original issue version.

 

[d42jeep]

Well, until somebody turns up a catalog for this Stevens Walden "circle SW" front to back opening blue 1/4" drive set and what is supposed to be in it, it's just gonna hold all my miscellaneous 1/4" SAE and metric stuff. I believe it is newer stock than the side opening boxes. The sockets placed in the holder area are all 3106-3114 (I'm missing 3113 and a six point 3112). I added the ratchet 3150, the flex breaker is a 3117 but appears to be a WWII Era metal along with the similar 3106 3/16 socket. Both of the double male extensions are unmarked but I'm sure they're part of the original set. I've got a couple of 3160s series sockets in there too. All the metrics are 31 series. Yall hollar if you see the same box in its original issue version.

I would say that the tools from these three sets would all be appropriate for your blue side opening box.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

I consumed perhaps too much caffeine a couple weeks ago and actually sorted out all my Walden. I just got the photo editing software installed this morning, so I haven't yet taken shots of the individual sets. Some of these have had the contents rearranged.
This photo - in and of itself - should be ample evidence that BLUE was indeed a factory Walden color, and it appears that they used different shades of blue. Note the oddball with the back-hinged box, which I believe to be of later production:

Walden Worcester / Stevens Walden 1/4" drive SAE socket set 02/27/24

 

[Ayrhead]

A couple of speed wrenches and a tee handle. All by Walden -Worcester. Guessing these are early 1910’s to 1920’s

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Got this one from an auction the other day, $15. It's a model #1490 and has a tag on it stating Ford Model T. Didn't see anything like it on AA and haven't searched through ITCL yet so I'm curious if y'all have seen this one before

 

[Ayrhead]

I haven’t seen one b4 but I did a search and found in a 1924 Catalog the model 1490 for Ford Cars. At least you have an idea on the year of the unit. Hope that helps you out…

 

[d42jeep]

I could barely make out the markings on this 1/4” drive wartime set although at certain angles the FSN is fairly easy to see. It was missing the 11/32” socket which I added today. The tools were all black oxide except the non matching ratchet.
Added the missing socket.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 19 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box A

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt chrome
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" "
3110 5/16" "
3111 11/32" "
3112 3/8" "
3114 7/16" "
3116 1/2" 12-pt chrome (NOS)

3159 1/4" 8-pt chrome
3160 5/16" "
3161 3/8" "

3115 6 inch extension chrome
3166 2 inch extension chrome
3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
3102 Universal Joint
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (red)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet

Steel Box

Set A

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 18 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box B

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt chrome
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" "
3110 5/16" 12
3111 11/32" "
3112 3/8" "
3114 7/16" "
3116 1/2" 12-pt chrome

3159 1/4" 8-pt chrome
3160 5/16" "
3161 3/8" "

3168 6 inch extension chrome
3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
3102 Universal Joint
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (red) w/bolster
3150 Pear-head Ratchet

Steel Box

Set B

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 19piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box C

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt chrome
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" "
3110 5/16" 12
3111 11/32" "
3112 3/8" "
3114 7/16" "
3116 1/2" 12-pt chrome

3159 1/4" 8-pt chrome
3160 5/16" "
3161 3/8" "

3115 6 inch extension chrome
3166 2 inch extension chrome
3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
3102 Universal Joint
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (green)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet

Steel Box

Set C

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 16 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box D

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt chrome
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" "
3110 5/16" 12
3111 11/32" "
3112 3/8" "
3114 7/16" "

3159 1/4" 8-pt chrome
3160 5/16" 8-pt black finish
3161 3/8" 8-pt chrome

3121 Sliding "T" Handle
3121 3 inch Extension
3139 6 inch Spinner Handle (red) w/bolster
3150 Pear-Head Ratchet

Steel Box

Set D

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 15 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box E

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt black
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" "
3110 5/16" "
3111 11/32" "
3112 3/8" 12-pt black
3114 7/16" 6-pt black

3159 1/4" 8-pt black
3160 5/16" "
3161 3/8" "

3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)(plain steel finish)
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle black shaft)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet chrome

Steel Box

Set E

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 15 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box F

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt chrome
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" "
3110 5/16" 12-pt chrome
3111 11/32" "
3112 3/8" "

3150 Pear-Head Ratchet

Steel Box

Set F

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 13 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box G

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" 6-pt *
3110 5/16" 12-pt
3111 11/32" 12-pt *
3112 3/8" "
3114 7/16" "

3160 5/16" 8-pt
3161 3/8" 8-pt

3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet

Steel Box

* the 3109 and 3111 sockets have marks from a previous owner *

Set G

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 11 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box H

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt black
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" 6-pt
3110 5/16" 12-pt
3111 11/32" 12-pt
3112 3/8" 6-pt
3114 7/16" 12-pt

3160 5/16" 8-pt
3161 3/8" 8-pt

3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet

Steel Box

Set H

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 26 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box J

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt
3107 7/32" 6-pt
3108 1/4" 6-pt
3109 9/32" 6-pt
3110 5/16" 12-pt
3111 11/32" 12-pt
3112 3/8" 12-pt
3114 7/16" 12-pt

3159 1/4 8-pt
3160 5/16" 8-pt
3161 3/8" 8-pt

3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle) w/bolster
3150 Pear-head Ratchet
---- Sliding "T" Handle

1912 3/16" Ignition/Magneto Wrench
1913 13/64" "
1914 7/32" "
1915 15/64" "
1916 1/4" "
1918 9/32" "
1920 5/16" "
1922 11/32" "
1924 3/8" "
1928 7/16" "

Steel Box

Set J

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 20 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box K

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt chrome
3107 7/32" 6-pt "
3108 1/4" 6-pt "
3109 9/32" 6-pt "
3110 5/16" 12-pt "
3111 11/32" 12-pt "
3112 3/8" 12-pt "
3114 7/16" 12-pt "
3116 1/2" 12-pt "

3159 1/4 8-pt chrome
3160 5/16" 8-pt "
3161 3/8" 8-pt "

3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
---- 7/32" x 4-1/2" cross bar
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle)(* marks on handle from previous owner)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet
3102 Universal Joint
3115 6 inch extension
---- Sliding "T" Handle (no markings)

Steel Box

Set K

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 26 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box L

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

1 ea 3108 1/4" 6-pt plain steel * owner marks
1 ea 3109 9/32" 6-pt chrome - clean
2 ea 3110 5/16" 12-pt chrome - good
1 ea 3110 5/16" 12-pt chrome * owner marks
1 ea 3114 7/16" 12-pt black finish

1 ea ---- 3/16" 4-point chrome
1 ea ---- 7/32" 4-point chrome

1 ea 3116 Sliding "T" Handle (w/detent groove at center)

1 ea 3178 1/4" 6-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3179 9/32" 6-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3180 5/16" 12-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3181 11/32 12-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3182 3/8" 12-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3184 7/16" 12-pt chrome deep-well

1 ea 3102 Universal Joint (* sloppy loose *)
1 ea 3155 Ratcheting Adapter
1 ea 3129 5/16" x 6-inch slotted screwdriver bit
1 ea 3174 P1 Phillips bit
1 ea 3175 P2 Phillips bit

1 ea ---- 1/4" f. x 3/8" m. drive adapter marked only "STW"

1 ea 1718 13/64" x 7/32" Ignition Wrench
1 ea 1719 13/64" x 1/4" "
1 ea 1720 9/32" x 11/32" "
1 ea 1721 5/16" x 3/8" "

Steel Box (* with reversed end hinge *)

Set L

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 3100-K10 10 piece 1/4" drive Hex Set Screw Wrench Set in Original Box N

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

8550 Reversible Ratchet

31K 55-5-64 5/64" hex bit
31K 56-3-32 3/32"
31K 58-1-8 1/8"
31K 60-5-32 5/32"
31K 60-5-32 5/32" *
31K 64-7-32 7/32"
31K 66-1-4 1/4"
31K 70-5-16 5/16"

Steel Box with Plastic Lid in Original Shipping Box

* Yes, there are two 5/32" bits.
* This set appears to be NOS.


Set N

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 3150M 1/4" drive ratchet

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden Worcester 1/4" drive SAE Socket Set box color comparison

One common point among all Stevens Walden Worcester tools is a complete lack of consistency in the manner in which the tools are marked. Stevens Walden Worcester marked their products with a good number of different "brands", as well as expressing the sizes in different manners, alternating knurling and banding patterns, and sometimes just not bothering to mark items at all.
In addition, there also seem to have been variations in the colors used on their (very common) end-hinged boxes for their 1/4" drive sets.
They seem to have stuck with the same shade of green, but they clearly varied the blue and red tones they used.

Note the odd reverse-hinged model - the mottled one second down from top on the right.
The box with the blue "hammertone" paint is the rear-hinged model shown above in post # 348

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've already remarked on the...

Ignition/Magneto Wrench

..es on the midget thread. In particular, the raised letter WW overlines are extremely rare in my experience. As I was saying on the other thread, I've only ever found one in the wild, and it was a DBE. Prewar or very early at the latest with the Chrome-Alloy composition. Nice finish match with the handles.

 

[four.cycle]

^ That is one of the few Walden sets I have that wasn't a cobble job. Most of the others have had pieces added. I am wondering if the smaller wrenches lack that "overline" thing simply because of space limitations.

 

[d42jeep]

I imagine that those wrenches were added by a previous owner but without a late ‘44 or ‘45 catalog it’s hard to know for sure. Walden had a habit of not exactly matching styles of tools in their sets. This mixed batch of sockets was posted by OTG.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ That was the reason I put this tagline in all of the ebay listings I posted on those sets:

"As is common on Stevens Walden Worcester products, markings may be faint and are often inconsistent among pieces in the same set. (Knurling patterns and other markings may vary from socket to socket.)"

I sat down at my kitchen table and sorted through every one of those sets (as well as all of the Craftsman sets), trying to make sure they all had "matching pieces". I finally realized that with Walden is just simply isn't possible.
You remember that deal on the 7/16" knurled-band 12-point you and I did the tradesies deal on? It's nutty!

I'm thinking of tackling the Thorsen box next - their numbering system remained mostly unchanged for years (at least on sockets - the later wrench numbering system is whackazoid.)

ebay listings

 

[d42jeep]

I could barely make out the markings on this 1/4” drive wartime set although at certain angles the FSN is fairly easy to see. It was missing the 11/32” socket which I added today. The tools were all black oxide except the non matching ratchet.
Added the missing socket.
-Don

I received a partial set in the mail today that was almost a twin to the one above. Unfortunately, it didn’t have an FSN.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ as always: missing the 6-inch extension and including a chrome ratchet.

 

[d42jeep]

But they both came with the elusive crossbars.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ you noticed the only one of my sets which included the cross bar was that later production chromed set, right?