Help Identifying sockets
- Thread starter ladrhog
- Start date
rickhigginshtbr
Well-known member
think a related question would be, when were hex drives discontinued? I would think WW2 time for US manufacturers... not sure about Japan though.
Conductor562
Well-known member
I wouldn't think. Who has a hex anvil ratchet to even use them? I'm sure someone out there does, but you're talking about low quality sockets and a VERY limited market.
rickhigginshtbr
Well-known member
ive had a batch of hex sockets on ebay for a little while now with minimal interest....
ajchien
Well-known member
Weren't these usually turned with a L shaped hex (allen-like) wrench rather than a ratchet?
Conductor562
Well-known member
Weren't these usually turned with a L shaped hex (allen-like) wrench rather than a ratchet?
I'd say so. It'll take a hell of an Allen wrench turn a 15/16 if its tightened down any at all.
ajchien
Well-known member
I think I've seen a few of the L shaped hex wrenches, sometimes had a detent ball in it? and i think they were around 7-8 inches long I believe. Not sure how old they are...
Mohawk Dave
Well-known member
Globemaster and the like...seen quite a few of those out here (CA) at yard sales/estate sales lately. Almost always Japan, and they do have a ratchet with a 6 sided drive. They don't catch any money here. I pass on them...no use. My buddy got an old USA set for shiggles...and that was just a couple bucks.
Conductor562
Well-known member
Shits + Giggles = Shiggles? 
I like it.
I like it.MN Falcon
Well-known member
http://books.google.com/books?id=Zd4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA299&lpg#v=onepage&q&f=false
1955 Popular Mechanics. I think this No 1454 was the Indestro set that I bought from a fellow recently. I looked it up at the time, but don't have picts right now so I am not sure. The sockets look very similar with color and knurl design as the OPs. I will get a pict when I get home tonight. Based on this ad Indestro was still making the hex sockets into the mid '50s. The set comes with a ratchet and the L-bars with a detent ball in it. I don't remember if the sockets I have say USA on them, but I know they don't have Indestro on them as the guy didn't know the brand when I questioned. I will get picts later.
1955 Popular Mechanics. I think this No 1454 was the Indestro set that I bought from a fellow recently. I looked it up at the time, but don't have picts right now so I am not sure. The sockets look very similar with color and knurl design as the OPs. I will get a pict when I get home tonight. Based on this ad Indestro was still making the hex sockets into the mid '50s. The set comes with a ratchet and the L-bars with a detent ball in it. I don't remember if the sockets I have say USA on them, but I know they don't have Indestro on them as the guy didn't know the brand when I questioned. I will get picts later.
MN Falcon
Well-known member
OK I guess the sockets don't look quite as similar as I originally thought. Here are the picts of what I have of the Indestro set though. The sockets do not have Indestro nor USA (or other COO) on them.
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203354_zps0d501317.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203354_zps0d501317.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203530_zps97f629da.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203530_zps97f629da.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203606_zpse0b68c8c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203606_zpse0b68c8c.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203829_zps1d2fcf0c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203829_zps1d2fcf0c.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_204039_zpsc6534944.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_204039_zpsc6534944.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_205220_zpsf749a965.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_205220_zpsf749a965.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203354_zps0d501317.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203354_zps0d501317.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203530_zps97f629da.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203530_zps97f629da.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203606_zpse0b68c8c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203606_zpse0b68c8c.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_203829_zps1d2fcf0c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_203829_zps1d2fcf0c.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_204039_zpsc6534944.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_204039_zpsc6534944.jpg"/>
<img src="http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/MN_Falcon/Indestro%201454/tn_20130227_205220_zpsf749a965.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo tn_20130227_205220_zpsf749a965.jpg"/>
Outlawmws
Well-known member
15/16 and 24 MM "Dual use" which means it probably doesn't fit either well.
Those type tools were sold well into the 60's or 70's, mostly as import tools in the discount trays and auto parts stores, hardware stores and even some drug/grocery stores.
Low quality and lower prices then, and still lower now, other than possibly as curiosities.
Those were knockoff's of Duro/Industro and other early brand tools which were not terrible back in the day, but no comparison to what came later in the late 30's through the early 50'swhen tools generally got better across the board, (the higher end tools were pretty good earlier, but the really cheap tools were simply atrocious back then...) The cheap knock offs were poorly made tools from piss poor metals and finished badly.
Roughly equivalent to many of the cheap Asian imports, or the "better"Indian made tools (WTF is with India that they can't seem to make ANY even semi decent tools?
)
Those type tools were sold well into the 60's or 70's, mostly as import tools in the discount trays and auto parts stores, hardware stores and even some drug/grocery stores.
Low quality and lower prices then, and still lower now, other than possibly as curiosities.
Those were knockoff's of Duro/Industro and other early brand tools which were not terrible back in the day, but no comparison to what came later in the late 30's through the early 50'swhen tools generally got better across the board, (the higher end tools were pretty good earlier, but the really cheap tools were simply atrocious back then...) The cheap knock offs were poorly made tools from piss poor metals and finished badly.
Roughly equivalent to many of the cheap Asian imports, or the "better"Indian made tools (WTF is with India that they can't seem to make ANY even semi decent tools?
)retDAC
Well-known member
They do actually make some good tools. Somewhere on this board there is at least one person who posted his wrenches are quite good.... (WTF is with India that they can't seem to make ANY even semi decent tools?
Also in this post: http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=665385&highlight=wrench+test+bahco+hazet#post665385
The 13mm Snap-on regular style spread at 135 Nm; the Indian HR spread at 143.
The 13mm Snap-on FD spread at 135 Nm; the Indian HR spread at 143.
I put the results in an Excel file if anybody wants a PM.
Remember when all Asian tools were "cheap Jap" (or seemed to be)? Someone posted his father had a really old adjustable wrench branded Award which had given outstanding service for many years. Seemed to be from the '50s or '60s. I looked that up on Alloy Artifacts and found Award was a brand made by Kyoto Tool Co. who always made quality tools. Here about the middle of the page: http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/japanese-tool-makers.html#award-oe3032-ktc
If all we ever see or hear about something is bad, we assume everything about it/them is bad.
Sometimes we need to look beyond our assumptions.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I don't doubt that some Asian made tools are well made, particularly some (Not all) from Japan and Taiwan. My comment about Indian tools was specific and based on every Indian made tool I have ever picked up to look over at literally hundreds of yard sales and Flea market stalls. Those that were not already broken or damaged were clearly utter shite. My personal experience. Do they exist? Maybe, but I cannot attest to it...
If they do exist, it appears to be either a select few, or a well guarded secret. (At least to me...)
As for the "spread tests" that is only one aspect of a tools quality.
The other end of that particular test is when it fails. if they fail catastrophically a few Nm past the spread test results, they are still a **** tool...
lastly there are the purely ergonomic and cosmetic aspects of a tools quality, and I just don't see it in either category.
If they do exist, it appears to be either a select few, or a well guarded secret. (At least to me...)
As for the "spread tests" that is only one aspect of a tools quality.
The other end of that particular test is when it fails. if they fail catastrophically a few Nm past the spread test results, they are still a **** tool...
lastly there are the purely ergonomic and cosmetic aspects of a tools quality, and I just don't see it in either category.
MN Falcon
Well-known member
No doubt. I also have had / used stuff cheap Asian tools in the past. Taiwan, Japan, China, I don't recall India but probably used them as well. I don't think I ever really got one of those tools to ever work. I have some combo wrenches in my box from tools sets that were given to me by my grandfather or others and they are the ones I never used so they survived. No sockets left and the ratchets are long gone junk.
Its always been my thought that they all can and probably do make good stuff. The problem IMHO is that the companies importing the tools want the cheapest stuff no matter how bad it is and will find a market for it, obviously since I have some myself.
For about 6 months I have been driving for a limo company to make it through a really tough time in my life. Last week I was driving and talking to an exec from a major local company. He was headed to Taiwan to work with some of the manufacturing they moved over there. He suggested that one of the reasons that the general quality of Taiwan tools increased there is related to a huge increase in the need for high quality machining in Asia required by the electronics industry. It made sense to me and makes sense that tool companies that care about quality and cost might use them. Looking at this logic it makes sense for the evolution of quality with Japan as well and kind of make sense why India is still not there, they don't have the same internal pressure to create better quality en masse and continue to make money selling junk for our market.
Just an observation I saw, not sure how much truth there really is in there but it kind of makes sense. In my mind I will always go back to those really crappy tools I got in the past and have a bias against anything made today (although I do like the gearwrench ratchet that I have much better than the Stanley made Taiwan EE series Craftsman ratchet that I had).
retDAC
Well-known member
Outlaw, I believe you have never seen a good Indian tool. My point is they do exist, just here in the US practically nobody has seen the good ones. Now, Europe is a different matter.
To you they are indeed "a well guarded secret", effectively.
To you they are indeed "a well guarded secret", effectively.
dirtydogintex
Well-known member
re: India ... semi decent tools
Could be they're built to the same quality level as their tractors?
Could be they're built to the same quality level as their tractors?