Craftsman Stainless Steel Wrenches

[Fedwrench]

I was surfing ebay a little and found some Craftsamn stainless steel wrenches listed. I've never seen these before. I guess they might be from back in the day when they had the stainless ratchets and the sockets with the black rubber bands around them. I don't remember the wrenches though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Craf...ryZ43994QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[bchee]

I haven't seen those before either. I have a feeling the ending bid will be pretty high.

 

[Roadsters.com]

There's a reason nobody makes wrenches out of stainless. For a given size and shape, forged steel is stronger and much more resistant to cracking.

They're interesting pieces of history, though.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

[paramudduck]

I have some of the banded sockets but I don't remember the stainless wrenches. Always wanted one of the ratchets just thought they looked cool.

 

[Bolster]

There's a reason nobody makes wrenches out of stainless. For a given size and shape, forged steel is stronger and much more resistant to cracking.

Stainless steel is forged just like non-stainless steel. What used to make stainless an inferior steel for tools was its lack of toughness. These days, there are types of stainless that will give non-stainless steels a run for the money in the toughness department.

Yes, there are mfgrs that currently make stainless steel tools, we had a thread on it some time ago. Personally I think stainless is THE tool steel of the future. Give it another 5 or 10 years. Huge advances are now underway with stainless, particularly with the introduction of particle metallurgy.

Why just 20 years ago, we had people saying that stainless could never replace carbon steel in quality knife blades. It did. Now it's hard to find a carbon steel that's as good all-around as a stainless steel.

Cman may have been too early. If they used 420 or 440 stainless, then...ewww.

 

[eschoendorff]

Holland, MI... Hmmm....

 

[nordstar]

There's a reason nobody makes wrenches out of stainless. For a given size and shape, forged steel is stronger and much more resistant to cracking.

They're interesting pieces of history, though.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

Stainless steel tools are designed for use in critical production, sterile, Cleanroom, or corrosive environments. They don't chip off like chrome tools do and they don't corroded. They also cost a ton. Nasa uses them a lot. I am sure that they are used to work on the machines that build processors and other computer hardware.

 

[buening]

They also cost a ton.

This is key to this entire discussion. Marketers for Craftsman and others have likely determined that demand would be pretty low considering the large cost increase for the consumer.

 

[cruiser808]

These wrenches would be great for use on a boat or other marine environment.

 

[Chris Adams]

I still have and sometimes use a stainless 1/2 ratchet I bought from Sears in 85. Works, looks good. Stainless properly done is as good as any other material.

 

[lauver]

I still have and sometimes use a stainless 1/2 ratchet I bought from Sears in 85. Works, looks good. Stainless properly done is as good as any other material.

Chris,

Is there a series code stamped on either side of your SS ratchet. If so please post.

 

[lauver]

FedWrench,

I tried to email the seller, but couldn't because I don't have an ebay account.

Could you email the seller and ask him what's stamped on the back side of the wrenches?

I looked at the photos and it looks like the back side of the wrenches have the "wrench size", "forged in USA", and a "one-character code" (couldn't make out) stamped on it. If we could get this code, it might help to identify the OEM.

Thanks!!!!

 

[Chris Adams]

Chris,

Is there a series code stamped on either side of your SS ratchet. If so please post.

Maybe the lone B on the plastic part?
On the underside of the ratchet on the plate it says us pat no. 4,631,988 & 4,485,700
On the shaft it has Stainless in script.
On the rubber grip insert it says
Pat. B usa 43763
Opposite side it says CRAFTSMAN on the rubber.
That’s all the markings.

 

[lauver]

Chris--Thanks for checking and posting the details.

 

[Fedwrench]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...8706&ih=010&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=

Who thought that theses wrenches would command over $202? I'm amazed that they went that high.

 

[Uncle Buck]

The stainless wrenches were advertised in Sears tool catalog around 1968 as Sears Finest. I will have to check later, I have the catalog and was looking at it a while back. The wrenches were sold many years befire the ratchets of the mid 1980's. I remember those at the time. I also remember thinking they would be gone with no support in a few years as well!

 

[lauver]

The stainless wrenches were advertised in Sears tool catalog around 1968 as Sears Finest. I will have to check later, I have the catalog and was looking at it a while back. The wrenches were sold many years befire the ratchets of the mid 1980's. I remember those at the time. I also remember thinking they would be gone with no support in a few years as well!

Hholmberg,

I checked my 1960-1969 catalogs and saw no mention of the SS wrench sets. There were, however, many references to the new push button ratchets. I don't have any 1970's catalogs.

Let me know when you find the catalogs where the SS wrenches were first mentioned.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I will check this tonight and let you know. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Uncle Buck]

I found the stainless steel wrenches discussed in the 1972-73 Sears tool catalog. The set was offered as a set of 8 and came in a fancy box. This was a very high end set for the time, and sold for $48.00 when new. While the price sounds cheap today, the price for a 10pc set of raised panel combo's at the time was $18.75! The price points alone speak volumes.
I also have the 1974-75 tool catalog and they were not offered in that, or subsequent years that followed. I think they are one of Sears "We tried, but it didn't work" experiments that was there one year and gone the next.

Having the luxury of having known about this kind of Sears wrench for years, I have always kept a sharp eye peeled for one I might encounter in the wild so to speak. However, I have never personally seen one of these wrenches in my travels.

 

[bchee]

I haven't seen those before either. I have a feeling the ending bid will be pretty high.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...8706&ih=010&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=

Who thought that theses wrenches would command over $202? I'm amazed that they went that high.

I did

 

[le6920]

I have a few of them. There were two different styles and both were no longer offered by the mid 70s as stated.

I was told they came from Moore Drop forge, but they might have farmed out production to another local SS type manufacturer.

 

[lauver]

I have a few of them. There were two different styles and both were no longer offered by the mid 70s as stated.

I was told they came from Moore Drop forge, but they might have farmed out production to another local SS type manufacturer.

le6920,

It's interesting that you mention MDF as the likely OEM. I was looking at the 2nd photo http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Craft...QQcmdZViewItem and could swear there is a V code on the reverse side of those wrenches.

Since you own a few of these SS wrenches, could you look them over carefully and see if there is a V stamped on the back side of the wrenches?

 

[le6920]

Lauver you are correct they are V marked. The top one (15/16th) is not. It is also not marked stainless so maybe it is not stainless. Any idea?

 

[bchee]

what the heck is up with that groove in the top wrench? That's weird

 

[le6920]

No idea, not sure if it was some experimental one or what.

 

[Bolster]

A way of lightening the heavier/larger wrenches, using less expensive metal in them?

 

[eschoendorff]

Those stainless wrenches are just a really nice sleek design. I dunno how well they work, but they sure look cool!

 

[Bacchus]

Stainless steel is forged just like non-stainless steel. What used to make stainless an inferior steel for tools was its lack of toughness. These days, there are types of stainless that will give non-stainless steels a run for the money in the toughness department.

Yes, there are mfgrs that currently make stainless steel tools, we had a thread on it some time ago. Personally I think stainless is THE tool steel of the future. Give it another 5 or 10 years. Huge advances are now underway with stainless, particularly with the introduction of particle metallurgy.

Why just 20 years ago, we had people saying that stainless could never replace carbon steel in quality knife blades. It did. Now it's hard to find a carbon steel that's as good all-around as a stainless steel.

Cman may have been too early. If they used 420 or 440 stainless, then...ewww.

Composite will the wave of the future in 5 to 10 years, not stainless.

 

[lauver]

Lauver you are correct they are V marked. The top one (15/16th) is not. It is also not marked stainless so maybe it is not stainless. Any idea?

le6920,

Thanks for checking; the V series code and catalog dates suggest that Easco made these SS wrenches.

Regarding the non SS but otherwise similar wrenches-- there were two models of ratchets, one "SS" and one "Lifetime" chromed steel, with different model numbers, but otherwise the same. The wrenches may also have been produced in two different forms. Just a hunch.

 

[davestlouis]

The wrenches are thicker through the middle of the shank...is that an ergonomic thing or a metallurgical issue I wonder. Either way, very sleek looking. Does anyone here actually use theirs? If so, how well do they work?

 

[Tool Pants]

I will bring this tread back to life.

Wondered who made the stainless and I guess the lifetime ratchets for Sears. I do not have any because I did not like them when they came out, and now that I would like to collect some I am not going to pay the crazy ebay prices.

As stated in a prior post there are 2 patent numbers. 4,631,988 and 4,485,700. I found this picture on ebay. First time trying to look up a patent number and this is what I found.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...4,631,988.PN.&OS=PN/4,631,988&RS=PN/4,631,988

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...4,485,700.PN.&OS=PN/4,485,700&RS=PN/4,485,700

Both patents are registered to David S. Colvin in Farmington Hills, MI. But these patents are just for the deign of a ratchet, and I see no clue as to what company made the stainless/lifetime ratchets. I did a google search under his name and if he is the same guy he has other patents. If it is the same guy he even sued Microsoft over a non-tool patent.

Maybe this info will help the tool detectives to find a clue as to what company made the ratchets.

I would question if it was Miller Drop Forge/Easco because it would take too much money to create a limited contract line for Sears, and out of stainless.

 

[robine]

Interesting discussion on some ss wrenches I bought at a pawn shop ~25 years ago.

 

[HanShotFirst]

Stainless steel tools are designed for use in critical production, sterile, Cleanroom, or corrosive environments. They don't chip off like chrome tools do and they don't corroded. They also cost a ton. Nasa uses them a lot. I am sure that they are used to work on the machines that build processors and other computer hardware.

When you get stainless very hard and tough, the chromium content is way down, and the "stainless" is not all that "stainless", and they WILL rust. Chrome plated tools are of several orders of magnitude more resistant to rust than stainless tools. But as you stated, you don't have the issue of flaking with stainless, and in certain environments that could be a very big deal.