Vintage S-K Tools

[ranger08]

I used this Midwest Military paint which apparently can no longer be shipped to CA. It seems to be a good match for several vintage companies’ boxes.
-Don

oh, im NZ so no chance of that down under, but that does seem a very good match

 

[ranger08]

found this at the local market for $40nz
what appears to be a complete 4098 set circa mid 30s to early 40s plus an extra 40907 socket
outside was so rusted i had to strip it and prime it, now i have to find a paint match, and a wrinkle finish?

 

[mudflap]

Thanks to all who have posted pics of their old SK tools. looking at them is like comfort food to an old farm kid.. Takes me back to Gramps barn, and the evenings spent fixing/maint on his tractors, trucks, rakes, bailers, etc.

 

[d42jeep]

found this at the local market for $40nz
what appears to be a complete 4098 set circa mid 30s to early 40s plus an extra 40907 socket
outside was so rusted i had to strip it and prime it, now i have to find a paint match, and a wrinkle finish?

That’s a great find in New Zealand. Congratulations. I believe that set started being sold in 1946 and was unchanged into the early ‘50s.
-Don

 

[ranger08]

That’s a great find in New Zealand. Congratulations. I believe that set started being sold in 1946 and was unchanged into the early ‘50s.
-Don

yes anything usa is rare here, mostly england and australia stuff
i assumed it is a 4098 as it has all the right serial numbers on the individual pieces, however there are no indents in the drive recess so suggest it is an earlier version dated to the late 1930s according to info online, however its the only sk i own so i could be wrong

 

[Oldtuleguy]

found this at the local market for $40nz
what appears to be a complete 4098 set circa mid 30s to early 40s plus an extra 40907 socket
outside was so rusted i had to strip it and prime it, now i have to find a paint match, and a wrinkle finish?

The metal tag on your box is post war

 

[d42jeep]

As OTG states above, the dual level 1/4” drive box with the metal riveted tag came out in 1946.
I added the amber handled spinner to my set.
-Don

 

[ranger08]

As OTG states above, the dual level 1/4” drive box with the metal riveted tag came out in 1946.
I added the amber handled spinner to my set.
-Don

awesome thankyou for the information, appreciated

 

[mudflap]

My Gramps old 1/2 SK ratchet. Still works great even with part of the switch plate broke out. I bought a rebuild kit, but not the right size for the older ones ?

 

[d42jeep]

You might be able to find a vintage donor ratchet to replace your broken piece.
Here are some cleaned up tools found at recent sales.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I took the opportunity to apply wrinkle finish to an S-K box since the forecast was for a warm day. I hit it with the sander and masked off the label on the interior.
It was warm enough for the wrinkling to work quickly. Here is the bottom of the box.
The top wrinkled up within one minute.


After letting the box dry in the hot sun for a few hours I sprayed a light coat of the olive green paint inside and out.


I may have to do a second light coat of the green later today.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

After the formerly rusty metric socket rack came out of the evaporust, I sanded off what little of the original paint that remained. I found some Hunter Green paint on the shelf that looked pretty close. Here is a before picture.
Here is the first coat. It will need to be turned over and finished later today.
If it comes out okay, I may do my first one as well. It has some finish issues
-Don

Edit. Finished this morning

 

[d42jeep]

Filled up the newly refinished box and rack.
Time to refinish my old metric rack.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Started cleaning the old rack. I’m afraid that there is too much paint loss to try to keep it original. Removing the old blue paint spill took most of the underlying paint with it.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Not SK, but Artisan tools are discussed here often. I picked up an Artisan 10" adjustable Friday, and because it had green plastic molded on the handle, I researched Diamond Horseshoe. Sure enough, Alloy Artifacts shows Diamond as a supplier to Gambles. I posted the find on the Diamond thread.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this rusty 8” example that I thought I would free up and keep in an Artisan set. I started with evaporust and have been soaking it in penetrating oil for several days. I freed up the screw but the adjuster is still frozen to the screw and shows no sign of freeing up. I’m afraid that I may end up having to drill out the screw. I’ll try for a few more days before I resort to that.
-Don
i ended up sanding and spraying the metric rack. A previous owner broke off the clips for hanging the rack.

 

[Outlawmws]

I freed up the screw but the adjuster is still frozen to the screw and shows no sign of freeing up.

Heat, Kroil, long, LONG soaks are the key here. I don't think I'd attempt a drill out of a screw that long...

 

[Shelbylex]

I had similar situations before, Don.
Try the following: try doing slight taps on the frozen part and then continue soaking. This sometimes creates micro cracks in rust bond and evaporust slowly goes in. It might take a week, but it might work... Also, you can try tapping to give it a right to left motion (with a little bit more strength, but have to be careful...)

 

[Farmer J.]

I had similar situations before, Don.
Try the following: try doing slight taps on the frozen part and then continue soaking. This sometimes creates micro cracks in rust bond and evaporust slowly goes in. It might take a week, but it might work... Also, you can try tapping to give it a right to left motion (with a little bit more strength, but have to be careful...)

All this is good advice. I could just add, IMHO, when tapping the rusted part try doing it against or with a lump of scrap lumber, that doesn't put burrs on the metal where it hits.
Lots of things like that get seized up on a farm by the sea, I tend to smack them against a piece of wood to loosen the rust then leave them soaking in a bucket of diesel.
Sometimes I forget they're in soak and discover them months later then have the pleasant surprise that they move easily!

 

[d42jeep]

The wrench is still winning but I will try the suggestions. Thanks.
Now I have to gather some more metric S-K sockets.

-Don

 

[Etchase]

Liquid nitrogen? Alternating heat cold. Fun to play with even if it doesn’t work.

 

[Shelbylex]

I would not risk liquid nitrogen - I am not sure, but it might create micro cracks in material….

 

[d42jeep]

I had similar situations before, Don.
Try the following: try doing slight taps on the frozen part and then continue soaking. This sometimes creates micro cracks in rust bond and evaporust slowly goes in. It might take a week, but it might work... Also, you can try tapping to give it a right to left motion (with a little bit more strength, but have to be careful...)

All this is good advice. I could just add, IMHO, when tapping the rusted part try doing it against or with a lump of scrap lumber, that doesn't put burrs on the metal where it hits.
Lots of things like that get seized up on a farm by the sea, I tend to smack them against a piece of wood to loosen the rust then leave them soaking in a bucket of diesel.
Sometimes I forget they're in soak and discover them months later then have the pleasant surprise that they move easily!

After receiving all the good advice, I upped my game with a larger hammer and with some determined striking along with liberal application of my 3 in 1 penetrating oil, the adjusting wheel finally freed up.
The Artisan adjustable project is finally complete.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Great job, Don! Nice save!!!

 

[Farmer J.]

Great job, Don! Nice save!!!

Yea, it works now and looks as good as new.

 

[d42jeep]

I received some wartime S-K tools in an eBay lot today. I added a 1/2”, 7/16” and 3/8” socket to the 3/8” drive set in progress. The sockets are now all in place.
-Don

 

[saukit]

Figured I’d post this over here for those of you that don’t follow the garage sale thread. Ran across a 1/4” drive beavertail rat marked S-K yesterday. Can’t find a comp in limited googling, assuming it’s pretty rare though.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

They pop up in the artisan sets as well

 

[d42jeep]

They don’t pop up at my house yet although I’m always looking!
Here are todays S-K finds at a Gardnerville, NV estate sale this morning.
Organized the partial set. It needs a correct 9/16” shallow socket and universal but it has an extra spark plug socket. The insert is dated 12/74.
-Don

 

[Raineman]

Don, I'll look in my extras. 9/16" 6 point "SK TOOLS" ?

 

[d42jeep]

Don, I'll look in my extras. 9/16" 6 point "SK TOOLS" ?

Thanks. Yeah, I need that one and an S-K TOOLS marked universal. I may have them in the Bay Area but it will be a few weeks before I can check.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Cleaned up some recent finds.
Recent arrivals.
Metric sockets
12 point metric sockets
1/4” drive ratchet
36mm 1/2” drive socket had a little rust on the interior
-Don

 

[Indexmill]

Great haul! Congrats! Is that 1/4" SK wrench (first pic) a bit bow-legged?

 

[d42jeep]

I didn’t notice that it was. I’ll double check it when I get a chance.
-Don

 

[ecotec]

S-K 8 piece 1/4" drive METRIC Deep-Well Socket Wrench Set E

manufactured by S-K Tool, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

41701 6mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41703 7mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41704 8mm 6 pt deep-well socket (* see note below *)
41705 9mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41706 10mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41707 11mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41708 12mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41709 13mm 6 pt deep-well socket


* There are issues with the chrome plating on the 8mm socket. It's not peeling. It's not cracked. It's just kind of weird.

Set E

I don’t think that I have ever seen this set. I have about 3 of the later sets that came in the open top trapezoid. They are 9pc.

 

[four.cycle]

I don’t think that I have ever seen this set. I have about 3 of the later sets that came in the open top trapezoid. They are 9pc.

It's not a "set" you'd find in any catalog. It's a "set" that was cobbled together on my kitchen table. I think Don contributed a couple pieces of that "set" to fill a couple holes in the middle.

I'm unloading my entire collection. (Actually unloading everything - it just takes forever to get it photographed and listed on ebay. We're going for bare walls here.) Consequently you'll see a good many "sets" I've posted here (or listed on ebay) that are not "sets" found in any catalogs. Any package that is more than one piece is a "set" by definition.

 

[d42jeep]

Great haul! Congrats! Is that 1/4" SK wrench (first pic) a bit bow-legged?

It might have a slight bend but nothing drastic.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ the gullet looks a bit wowed out there

 

[cody1325]

You might be able to find a vintage donor ratchet to replace your broken piece.
Here are some cleaned up tools found at recent sales.
-Don

Nice!

Those flex heads are like $20 a piece (clearance priced, might I add) from my local mine supply. Had a swearing fit with a particular bolt and nut combo, and I bought one of each 7/16 they had--including some newer flex heads. A combo of Proto ASD and SK 6-pt. got it off. But, a later job fully required the use of that flex head. Guess I'll start seeing what I can source secondhand.

 

[d42jeep]

^ the gullet looks a bit wowed out there

For a poor little 1/4” combo that wrench has been kind of abused. Now that you pointed that out, I think that I will put it in my vise with the soft jaws and squeeze it back to exactly 1/4”. Fortunately, it is not my only 1/4” combo.
-Don