Tool manufacture ????

[dreamingmuscle]

Tool manufactures ????

OK over the years I've picked up various miscellaneous sockets and wrenches from estates sales, gifts from "old" friends, etc etc.

Some of the Manufactures I recognize. Some look like very good tools but the Manufactures are a mystery to me. They are all stamped USA. Any way I'll list them below and let you decide if they are worth keeping or not. Most are doubles of what I all ready have.

So do any of these brands have a good reputation

Most if not all are SAE

Wizard
Walden-Worchester
P&C
Black Hawk
Challenger
Giller
Wildes
VLCHEK (yeah I spelled that right.)
Barcalo
Armstrong

There is some old Craftsman sockets that Have a V stamped on the opposite side of the size and Craftsman logo. Again SAE.

And some very old metric sockets Marked ====Japan====

 

[qdvuu]

P&C and Vlchek are great American products. I have a bunch of them and have nothing but postive things to say about them.

 

[lbgradwell]

Everything in your list is good (assuming that is really "Wilde"), but, of course, some are better than others.

The Japan stuff may or may not be good, depending on age...

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Everything in your list is good (assuming that is really "Wilde"), but, of course, some are better than others.

The Japan stuff may or may not be good, depending on age...

I believe the Japan sockets are from the 70's if not earlier. They feel real heavy compared to today's sockets. They are or use to be bright silver, not chrome though.

Glen

 

[lbgradwell]

I believe the Japan sockets are from the 70's if not earlier. They feel real heavy compared to today's sockets.

Then you'd be getting back to a period when the Japanese tools - at least the imported stuff we got here in North America - was just not very good...

By the 1980s, you could pretty much depend on the Japanese stuff and it's been absolutely world class in many - even most - cases since.

 

[nyrapscalion]

Challenger and Giller are Stanley Proto products.

 

[justanengineer]

Then you'd be getting back to a period when the Japanese tools - at least the imported stuff we got here in North America - was just not very good...

By the 1980s, you could pretty much depend on the Japanese stuff and it's been absolutely world class in many - even most - cases since.

You have a very different view of Japanese tools than I do. Theyve always seemed not far above HF, hence why Ive got many in my "recycling" bucket. Not trying to argue, just saying I disagree.

 

[Virgil Cain]

You have a very different view of Japanese tools than I do. Theyve always seemed not far above HF, hence why Ive got many in my "recycling" bucket. Not trying to argue, just saying I disagree.

The quality came up on Japanese tools about the same time as it did on Japanese cars. Good Japanese tools are as good or better than anything out there today (but, of course they make some cheap tools as well, just as we do in the U.S.).

I have a set of Craftsman wrenches (and I think a few ratchets) that were made in Japan sometime in the mid to late 1980's, and they are good tools and they are far from top of the line Japanese production.

 

[lbgradwell]

Not trying to argue, just saying I disagree.

Fair enough, but check out the Nepros thread(s) & let me know if you still feel the same way. Probably the pinnacle of the toolmakers art.

 

[lbgradwell]

Challenger and Giller are Stanley Proto products.

Challenger was a Stanley product, but Giller wasn't...

 

[kythri]

Challenger was a Stanley product, but Giller wasn't...

Also, depending on the age, wasn't Challenger made by Proto before Stanley bought them?

 

[lbgradwell]

Also, depending on the age, wasn't Challenger made by Proto before Stanley bought them?

Yes sir; well before the Stanley acquisition. Challenger was a Penens brand dating from at least 1951...

In fact all brands under Stanley ownership have been "acquired"!

 

[woody 73]

All the tools are worth keeping after all they were ment for heavy duty work on your car. Somewhere on the GJ you can find members that collect one or more of your above names for their collections.

One tool was made by a man that came to this country from Czechoslovakia.
One tool was from a furniture company buy out.
One had a falling out and the man left to start his own company.
One started out from a grinding company.

So to answer your question they all have a good story along with a good reputation.

 

[Steinmetz]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

Wizard was a house brand for Western Auto, I think. I don't have any, but remember them from the 1960's.
Walden Worchester is hard to find. I have a few of them from the 1950's and they were quality.
Blackhawk was a quality brand that once made some very innovative tools. I have several different Blackhawk tools.

 

[lbgradwell]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

Wizard was a house brand for Western Auto, I think. I don't have any, but remember them from the 1960's.

I do!

 

[Steinmetz]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

Thank you for a look at that nice set. I think Western Auto was absorbed by Ace or True Value, correct?

 

[Steinmetz]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

Also, was that set made by Thorsen or Indestro?

 

[Stuart in MN]

I got a set of Challenger combination wrenches for Christmas in about 1969, I still use them all the time - they're good tools.

 

[KEH]

As mentioned, Wizard was a Western Auto brand name. The nice set shown by ibgradwell was AFIK made by Indestro. Good tools.

P&C (Plomberg & Carlson) also made Thorsen tools. A Thorsen ratchet was my first ratchet. No other ratchet is as easy to change direction, just a quick, easy flick of the thumb. Also, I've never ran across a broken Thorsen or P&C open gear ratchet in the pawn shop or flea market, but maybe I've just not had enpugh experience over the last 50 years.

KEH

 

[lbgradwell]

Thank you for a look at that nice set. I think Western Auto was absorbed by Ace or True Value, correct?

Most welcome; Wizard sets in that condition don't come along very often.

I'm afraid I don't know what became of the brand...

Also, was that set made by Thorsen or Indestro?

The nice set shown by ibgradwell was AFIK made by Indestro. Good tools.

Quite right; the ratchet is essentially the same as an Indestro Super 2775.

 

[Virgil Cain]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

I do!

Do you know the year of manufacture on that Wizard set?

Very nice.

 

[lbgradwell]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

Do you know the year of manufacture on that Wizard set?

It's definitely post-1954 since that's when Pat. 2686582 was issued & the ratchet is so marked.

When I tried to date it, I came up with ~1962 judging from the "Gold Crest Value" sticker employed by Western Auto about that period.

 

[ganymede]

Wow, ibgradwells set is in super condition.
The labels always get full of oil and scratched away.
Back to the op's question..
I think you should just keep Them. If something breaks then you have a backup waiting instead of having to stop everything and go to the store for a replacement.

 

[johnachak]

+1, no Japanese tools for me. Japan in my experience has not been good at making tools. At least not those sent here. Actually, I don't like Japanese cars either.
Black Hawk and Armstrong were 2 quality tool companies. Armstrong is still being made by Danaher.

 

[B17E1943]

If you're interested in the histories of many great, and now, unfortunately, defunct American tool companies, you should check out Alloy Artifacts.

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/index.html

 

[WWIIjeep]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

Thank you for a look at that nice set. I think Western Auto was absorbed by Ace or True Value, correct?

No. Western Auto went through a number of ownership changes, but Ace and True Value weren't in the number. The last two owners of Western Auto were Sears, and then finally, Advance Auto Parts. Advance converted some of the company-owned Western Auto locations to their own brand, while abandoning the Western Auto franchisees and the Western Auto brand.

At their peak in the '50s and early '60s, you could get a lot more than just tools and auto parts at Western Auto stores, including sporting goods and home appliances. A close family friend owned a Western Auto franchise, so we shopped there a lot back in the day.

 

[Pumpman1968]

Western Auto was bought out by Sears....I believe around '97 or '98.

 

[kythri]

Western Auto was bought out by Sears....I believe around '97 or '98.

1988, and then sold to Advance Auto in 1998.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Auto

 

[RCStocker]

Early Japanese tools were cheap and not all that good but tools after the mid 80's are world class. The Japanese machinist tools have always been world class. They are every bit as good as Starrett. In fact many of them are much better and the blow the hell out of Snap-on which has pure **** in its machinist tool line. The real cheap Jap sets form the 60's and 70's were a little strange and poor quality but they have their act together now.

All the tools on the list are really very good.

Armstrong are very expensive tools and top quality.

Remember that the US only has 3 million people out of 7 billion in the world. We are not the only ones that make good products.

I have had Tat tools form India for over 40 years and they were cheap but have held up as well as my craftsman and Snap-on have. They have had heavy use and my son used them growing up. He still has them and they work great.

There were a lot of hard feeling after the war and Japanese goods were considered cheap junk. Even their fine china was though of as junk but in fast it was some very well made stuff. I had a Honda generator 36 years ago and on the farm all the local farmers made fun of me and though I was nuts buying something from Japan. It is still going and all their generators have been replaced. Now they buy Honda.. LOL
Attitudes have a great deal in what people think of a product. It seems that it plays a bigger part than the actual quality of the item.

Don't be fooled by where anything is form. China has made some of the best pottery, glass and artifacts the world has ever know. They have the talent, know how and they can sit for day on end and do detailed work that very few can do. I collect Chinese antiques and artifacts. They are world class.

I don't give a ****** blazing saddle where anything is made. I want good quality at a fair price.

Everyone should have an economics class. Macro and Micro economics. You might understand that to gain wealth as a nation you must trade with other counties. Economics is not a zero end game.

Everyone of your water bottle, coke bottle or any brand of plastic bottle are made with 4 million dollar French made blow mold machines. So are you going to stop buying things in plastic bottles.

This US made is a Hoot. Even the tools form Brazil are world class. You mugs really need to get a grip on US only. Everyone here is form a different country. ****** hell.

 

[mmack66]

Early Japanese tools were cheap and not all that good but tools after the mid 80's are world class. The Japanese machinist tools have always been world class. They are every bit as good as Starrett. In fact many of them are much better and the blow the hell out of Snap-on which has pure **** in its machinist tool line. The real cheap Jap sets form the 60's and 70's were a little strange and poor quality but they have their act together now.

All the tools on the list are really very good.

Armstrong are very expensive tools and top quality.

Remember that the US only has 3 million people out of 7 billion in the world. We are not the only ones that make good products.

I have had Tat tools form India for over 40 years and they were cheap but have held up as well as my craftsman and Snap-on have. They have had heavy use and my son used them growing up. He still has them and they work great.

There were a lot of hard feeling after the war and Japanese goods were considered cheap junk. Even their fine china was though of as junk but in fast it was some very well made stuff. I had a Honda generator 36 years ago and on the farm all the local farmers made fun of me and though I was nuts buying something from Japan. It is still going and all their generators have been replaced. Now they buy Honda.. LOL
Attitudes have a great deal in what people think of a product. It seems that it plays a bigger part than the actual quality of the item.

Don't be fooled by where anything is form. China has made some of the best pottery, glass and artifacts the world has ever know. They have the talent, know how and they can sit for day on end and do detailed work that very few can do. I collect Chinese antiques and artifacts. They are world class.

I don't give a ****** blazing saddle where anything is made. I want good quality at a fair price.

Everyone should have an economics class. Macro and Micro economics. You might understand that to gain wealth as a nation you must trade with other counties. Economics is not a zero end game.

Everyone of your water bottle, coke bottle or any brand of plastic bottle are made with 4 million dollar French made blow mold machines. So are you going to stop buying things in plastic bottles.

This US made is a Hoot. Even the tools form Brazil are world class. You mugs really need to get a grip on US only. Everyone here is form a different country. ****** hell.

Is that all? Seems like more.

 

[toolguynj]

I sell all of those name brands and they are quality stuff. I particularly like the vintage Williams sets, really strong and include more socket sizes than most set sets.

I see a LOT of the later (better quality) Japan sockets and they are decent. I wouldn't put them in the same class as the classic American made ones but they are definitely usable unlike the China / Taiwan ****.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Is that all? Seems like more.

313.9 million (2012)
United States of America, Population

LOL

 

[Flatintoone]

Re: Tool manufactures ????

I'd buy anything by any of those brands. All good stuff.