Grandpa's S-K socket set

[n8n]

anyone want to take a stab at identifying this for me? Is this a real set or just parts in a S-K box?

Box is marked S-K Tools, The Sherman-Klove Co., Chicago, Ill., Made in U.S.A.

I have

a 3/8" ratchet
shallow 6 points 3/8, 7/16, 1/2
shallow 12 points 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4
deep 6 points 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16
universal
short extension
round bar

there's an extra 9/16" socket in there that looks newer than all the others

Ratchet, 7/16" shallow, and extension are marked "S-K Wayne"; other tools are just marked S-K. Perhaps the set predates S-K Wayne naming and those are warranty replacements?

I'm assuming that where the extra 9/16" is sitting in the box there should be a spark plug socket?

What's the bar for? If this is a set, should there have been a sliding T-handle in it as well?

Just trying to figure out what I've got, it is not going anywhere unless my cousin really wants it. If this is a set I might want to find the missing pieces however.

http://s1058.photobucket.com/user/thatguyN8/library/grandpas socket set?sort=3&page=1

 

[Provincial]

There should have been a breaker bar in the set. The round bar was put through a hole in the breaker bar handle to use as a T-handle extension driver.

Nice set! I have my grandfather's S-K 1/2" drive set from the 1940's. He let it sit in an open machine shed, but the chrome should mostly polish up. The box is kind of rough.

 

[n8n]

Thanks. are my other assumptions about this set correct? and I'm assuming based on the size of the box/free space that it would have been an 8" bar, probably part no. 45153? Guess I'm going to have to keep an eye out for one of those with a logo matching the majority of the sockets which is a plain "S-K" but no diamond.

 

[Steinmetz]

I own a lot of vintage S-K sets, but not that particular one. It appears that there are several replacement tools in the set, due probably to loss by the original owner. The S-K Wayne boxes were all finished in green hammer tone, not green wrinkle, and were suitably marked.

The S-K Wayne era (the successor in interest was the Symington-Wayne Corp., who manufactured, among other things, the famous Wayne service station pumps) began in 1962 and ended about 1970. S-K was then sold to Dresser Industries, an oil tool and services company. The rest of the story is well-known, with ownership by Facom, a French company, and then as an investor-owned company that eventually sought bankruptcy protection. Ideal Industries purchased the assets of the company not too long ago, and relaunched it.

 

[bonneyman]

According to AA, that box logo came in around 1939, and continued till about 1955. Give or take.
So, saying the box is 40's is about right.

 

[n8n]

Thanks bonneyman, that must have been one of the first good tools my grandfather bought then, as he was in the Marine Corps during WW2 and I doubt was buying mechanic's tools then. Unless it was actually my great-grandfather's?

In any case, as I said, I'm keeping it as I remember it sitting on his workbench in the basement. It sounds silly but at some point when I moved the red Dymo tape label with his name on it came off the box never to be seen again (which I assume means that at one point he must have used it at work) and that makes me a little sad.

 

[lilredex]

If it is any help, this is a similar vintage quarter Inch drive set that I bought new around 1954. All are marked "S-K"


image sharing

 

[ganymede]

Lilredex, you took good care of a nice set.
I can't tell on this dinky phone screen..
Is your ratchet stamped with the 1981526 patent ?

 

[NoahG]

What were the common 8 pt sockets in these sets? 7/16 and ?

I'd love to find a complete one. Hammertone green is the best.

 

[ganymede]

What were the common 8 pt sockets in these sets? 7/16 and ?

I'd love to find a complete one. Hammertone green is the best.

I bought this set at a yard sale and it had everything but the ratchet.
8pt sizes are 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8.

 

[Steinmetz]

If it is any help, this is a similar vintage quarter Inch drive set that I bought new around 1954. All are marked "S-K"


image sharing

I have one of those sets. The receipt left inside listed the price of the set as "$8.30".

 

[n8n]

I have one of those sets. The receipt left inside listed the price of the set as "$8.30".

Shoot, I'll take six... one for me and one for everyone at the shop. A bargain!

 

[Deskmechanic]

Does your breaker bar have a part number stamped on it? I have a similar set and the breaker and rod that goes in the handle are unmarked. I always wondered if they were indeed S-K products.

Funny I have the same ones (and the same question). But I never knew they were SK, figured they were Indestro since I have some of those 1/4 drive too.

 

[B17E1943]

I'm no expert, but I'm thinking most of the tools in the OP's set are later pieces than the box.

That particular diamond box logo wouldn't have been used in the SK-Wayne era, I don't think.

I have a very similar set to lilredex's, and the sockets are knurled. Were the 3/8 sockets also knurled in that era?

 

[thesilverone]

good work lilredex

 

[Steinmetz]

I'm no expert, but I'm thinking most of the tools in the OP's set are later pieces than the box.

That particular diamond box logo wouldn't have been used in the SK-Wayne era, I don't think.

I have a very similar set to lilredex's, and the sockets are knurled. Were the 3/8 sockets also knurled in that era?

The 3/8 in. sockets were never knurled, for some strange reason.

 

[Steinmetz]

The early 1/2 deep sockets had a through hole in the drive end sized to receive a bar, also included with the set. I have at least one of those sets.

 

[Steinmetz]

Shoot, I'll take six... one for me and one for everyone at the shop. A bargain!

It was my father's.

 

[lowbucktruck]

That is an interesting combo S-K set, since it has both deep sockets and regular shallow sockets. The divider in the middle of the box makes me think that the set was originally like that. Definitely some later S-K Wayne replacement tools in there.

 

[ganymede]

Lilredex, you took good care of a nice set.
I can't tell on this dinky phone screen..
Is your ratchet stamped with the 1981526 patent ?

Ok never mind, i got to a computer and flipped the image on a big screen.
It is the earlier pat# : 1981526.

Dont know how long your set was on the shelf before purchase but it looks like they were stamping the old pat# (1981526 issued 1934) on ratchets long after the other one (#2232477 issued 1941) had been granted.
Makes me wonder if they waited for the first to expire before stamping the newer one or did they mark both in the same time frame (some ratchets with one and some with the other?).

 

[Steinmetz]

U.S. Patent no. 1981526 expired in 1951, assuming a 17-year term. U.S. Patent No. 2232477 expired seven years later in 1958, provided there was no disclaimer of a terminal portion of 2232477. The patents were co-existing, not successive.

 

[ganymede]

U.S. Patent no. 1981526 expired in 1951, assuming a 17-year term. U.S. Patent No. 2232477 expired seven years later in 1958, provided there was no disclaimer of a terminal portion of 2232477. The patents were co-existing, not successive.

So do you think they marked them either way in the same time frame?
They kept marking the 2232477 patent into the 'SK Tools' era.

 

[Steinmetz]

So do you think they marked them either way in the same time frame?
They kept marking the 2232477 patent into the 'SK Tools' era.

Many companies continued to mark their items with patent numbers decades after the patent expired. I always assumed that they didn't want to change the forging dies, or something like that. With others, it's just a status thing.

There's no harm in doing so, since the patent is unenforceable and, in fact, is dedicated to the public.

 

[ganymede]

Many companies continued to mark their items with patent numbers decades after the patent expired. I always assumed that they didn't want to change the forging dies, or something like that. With others, it's just a status thing.

There's no harm in doing so, since the patent is unenforceable and, in fact, is dedicated to the public.

Yea, it's probably that simple and I'm just thinking about it too much.
It just frustrates me because it could have been a good way to date some of the older ratchets.

 

[lilredex]

Most questions have been already answered...but a close up just in case.


free photo upload

There are no markings on that crossbar, except for the knurling, but it was part of the set.

The balance of my 1954 S-K purchases can be seen in the last photo here.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149275

 

[n8n]

my crossbar doesn't have the knurling, it's just a plain bar.

I'll keep an eye out for that breaker bar. Should mine (pics linked in OP) have the diamond logo? My sockets do not and I think my ratchet was a warranty replacement as it is marked "S-K Wayne" unlike most of the pieces in the set.

Also, how many extensions should I have? I only have a short one but I see some people have posted pics with sets with a short and medium (6"?)

Or does S-K keep records of historical products? Maybe if I dropped them a note they could identify the set and give me a sheet listing its original contents? I guess I just assumed that that would not work as they have changed hands several times since my set was produced.

 

[Steinmetz]

Most questions have been already answered...but a close up just in case.


free photo upload

There are no markings on that crossbar, except for the knurling, but it was part of the set.

The balance of my 1954 S-K purchases can be seen in the last photo here.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149275

The crossbar was included in the set. They were not marked.

 

[ganymede]

Just saw these on ebay.
Looks like they even stamped the 1981526 pat# on "S-K Tools" era rats.

 

[bonneyman]

my crossbar doesn't have the knurling, it's just a plain bar.

I'll keep an eye out for that breaker bar. Should mine (pics linked in OP) have the diamond logo? My sockets do not and I think my ratchet was a warranty replacement as it is marked "S-K Wayne" unlike most of the pieces in the set.

Also, how many extensions should I have? I only have a short one but I see some people have posted pics with sets with a short and medium (6"?)

Or does S-K keep records of historical products? Maybe if I dropped them a note they could identify the set and give me a sheet listing its original contents? I guess I just assumed that that would not work as they have changed hands several times since my set was produced.

I have one of those 3/8" breakers in my (growing) Wayne set - without the rod.
If you find a Wayne version I'll trade you.

 

[n8n]

I have one of those 1/4" breakers in my (growing) Wayne set, without the rod.
If you find a Wayne version I'll trade you.

1/4" or 3/8"? My set is 3/8" only

 

[bonneyman]

1/4" or 3/8"? My set is 3/8" only

Shoot, I screwed up. My breaker is 3/8", not 1/4".
S-K in a diamond, 45153 on the reverse side.