Craftsman deep metric v sockets with knurled top

[drink]

Have you ever found or used any of the Craftsman deep 6 point metric v sockets with a knurled top? Are these sockets a rare type they only made limited quantities of? What can you tell about them? I found these pictures and copied them so it would help you to better understand what I am trying to discuss.

 

[bluebolt]

I have some along with shallow metrics with the knurled top.

 

[gungatim]

I have quite a few of the shallow. they are just the older (oldest?) design. wish I had a complete set...

 

[bluebolt]

First off my earliest metric Craftsman which are =V= without a part number don't have any knurling. The size is marked so far for example 17MM
I also have one deep 3/8D that is marked 17 M/M Craftsman U.S.A. and nothing else. No V or part number or anything.

I took a look at my extras with the knurling on the top. They have differences too. They all have part numbers so far. I have some marked -V- with M/M, -V- with mm, -VV- with M/M, -VV- with mm and -G- with mm.

I have them in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive.

 

[drink]

First off my earliest metric Craftsman which are =V= without a part number don't have any knurling. The size is marked so far for example 17MM
I also have one deep 3/8D that is marked 17 M/M Craftsman U.S.A. and nothing else. No V or part number or anything.

I took a look at my extras with the knurling on the top. They have differences too. They all have part numbers so far. I have some marked -V- with M/M, -V- with mm, -VV- with M/M, -VV- with mm and -G- with mm.

I have them in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive.

What I need are like the sockets in the pictures. My standard sockets are 3/8" drive 12 point and stand about 1 inch high. I will settle for either a v or vv 9mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 14mm in these. Like in the pictures.

The 3/8" drive deep socket is a 19mm 6 point with a knurled top. A v or vv would work.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I thought that they knurled the tops to make it easy to I.d the metric units

 

[Cruzan80]

Let me take a look at what I have. I may have some of the shallows, if you don't mind EE. (still USA made). Less sure of the 19mm.

 

[drink]

I thought that they knurled the tops to make it easy to I.d the metric units

I have not gone through every socket they have made but they used to make metric sockets with them knurled on the top. Some newer metric sockets have been knurled at the bottom.

 

[Jazz1]

Never seen one before. Got knurled bottom metric set

 

[Derek420]

I got tons of craftsman v deeps but none like that nor have I seen any in the wild.

 

[gungatim]

I've got metric with no knurling and also with knurling, I will try and take a look at what I have and get some pics. I believe the bottom knurling is after the no-knurling, which is after the top-knurling. just going by age, I've no idea what codes are on them. I have 4 boxes loaded with craftsman sockets so it will take a bit of time to dig through them and see exactly what I have.

since I don't have any complete sets of them, I don't mind trading them off to someone building a set.

 

[Rileysan]

I thought that they knurled the tops to make it easy to I.d the metric units

Agreed. However, that was apparently short-lived.

I have a full set of knurled metric shallow sockets but have never owned or seen deep metric sockets with knurling. My oldest deep metric sockets are -G- (80s/90s)

Brian

 

[drink]

I've got metric with no knurling and also with knurling, I will try and take a look at what I have and get some pics. I believe the bottom knurling is after the no-knurling, which is after the top-knurling. just going by age, I've no idea what codes are on them. I have 4 boxes loaded with craftsman sockets so it will take a bit of time to dig through them and see exactly what I have.

since I don't have any complete sets of them, I don't mind trading them off to someone building a set.

Okay, thanks. Sometimes I thought they knurled sockets so you could grip them better. The only thing is they only knurled the metric sockets as far as I know. So far I am thinking they made the plain, then knurled at the top, then knurled at the bottom. The height of the sockets was changed also. I think they made some really old knurled sockets a long time ago but they were made by others.

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

Hi all, I'm a bit of a craftsman nut so I posted some photos of my knurled top band metric sockets. I have craftsman catalogs from the 70's and the first time that they advertised the knurled band was in the 1977 catalog. I only have the catalog run until 1982, but they advertised the knurled top band in each catalog starting in 1977, maybe it went beyond 1982??? Not sure. Great thread though, thanks for starting it!

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

Oops, didn't attach the photos correctly in my previous post.

 

[drink]

Hi all, I'm a bit of a craftsman nut so I posted some photos of my knurled top band metric sockets. I have craftsman catalogs from the 70's and the first time that they advertised the knurled band was in the 1977 catalog. I only have the catalog run until 1982, but they advertised the knurled top band in each catalog starting in 1977, maybe it went beyond 1982??? Not sure. Great thread though, thanks for starting it!

Do you have those catalogs scanned in PDF documents? Do you have a 1975-1976 Craftsman tool catalog? I have been trying to find a catalog scan of a small Craftsman metric tool set I purchased back in the 1970's. My set cam with a 17" tool box, hack saw, 1/4" & 3/8" sockets, hex keys, magnetic nut holders, some open end wrenches, a 3/8" ratchet, etc. I don't remember the exact year but it had to have been the mid 1970's. The thing is my sockets in the set are knurled on top and I thought I bought it in about 1975 or 1976.

 

[drink]

Oops, didn't attach the photos correctly in my previous post.

Do you want to sell the set of sockets?

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

Do you have those catalogs scanned in PDF documents? Do you have a 1975-1976 Craftsman tool catalog? I have been trying to find a catalog scan of a small Craftsman metric tool set I purchased back in the 1970's. My set cam with a 17" tool box, hack saw, 1/4" & 3/8" sockets, hex keys, magnetic nut holders, some open end wrenches, a 3/8" ratchet, etc. I don't remember the exact year but it had to have been the mid 1970's. The thing is my sockets in the set are knurled on top and I thought I bought it in about 1975 or 1976.

Is the tool set like the one on the left in this photo? This is out of the 75/76 Craftsman tool catalog. You could be absolutely right about the knurled band existing before 1977. Just because they advertised it in 1977 it could have very well existed before 1977. Scanning the catalogs into PDF is a great idea, I will see what I can do. I am a bit tech challenged but I can give it a shot. I don't think that I can sell my sockets though, sorry if I'm being a big ol' tool tease!

 

[drink]

Is the tool set like the one on the left in this photo? This is out of the 75/76 Craftsman tool catalog. You could be absolutely right about the knurled band existing before 1977. Just because they advertised it in 1977 it could have very well existed before 1977. Scanning the catalogs into PDF is a great idea, I will see what I can do. I am a bit tech challenged but I can give it a shot. I don't think that I can sell my sockets though, sorry if I'm being a big ol' tool tease!

They do look like a nice set.....like they haven't been used. Anyway my metric tool set is like the SAE set in the picture but it did not have any 1/2" drive tools in it. I think I bought it out of the Sears Big Book catalog when I was a kid. A picture of my set is included also. Take note on how the catalog shows a crown logo on the tool box. My tool box had a Sears Craftsman logo on the front until somebody ripped it off.

 

[Mooreag47]

Picked these up in the wild one at a time glad some one is shedding light on them. I wasn't sure about them but I like

 

[drink]

Picked these up in the wild one at a time glad some one is shedding light on them. I wasn't sure about them but I like

Do you have a Craftsman 3/8" drive 19mm deep socket with a knurled top?

 

[Mooreag47]

Nope only one deep and it's a 13 mm

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

They do look like a nice set.....like they haven't been used. Anyway my metric tool set is like the SAE set in the picture but it did not have any 1/2" drive tools in it. I think I bought it out of the Sears Big Book catalog when I was a kid. A picture of my set is included also. Take note on how the catalog shows a crown logo on the tool box. My tool box had a Sears Craftsman logo on the front until somebody ripped it off.

I looked through the Craftsman catalogs and unfortunately I could not find a metric set that matches yours. They all have the 1/2" drive metric sockets along with the 3/8 and 1/4. What I suspect is that they might have offered your set for sale in the Sears big book but not in the Craftsman catalog. I have seen this before with some Craftsman tool sets that were in sales flyers in the 70's but not available in the Craftsman catalog from the 70's. Sorry I don't have any Sears big book catalogs, just Craftsman tool catalogs. But it would be interesting to compare the tool sets that were available at that time in the two catalogs.

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

I did find this set, it sort of matches your set. I found it in the 1978/1979 Craftsman tool catalog. The photo is of a SAE set but they did offer it in metric too. Can't get my scanner to work so I have to post photos.

 

[egdede]

I always thought the usual was for Craftsman metric sockets to have hash-marks at the drive end of the socket (for I.D. not for grip). I have Craftsman EE series metric sockets that do not have hash-marks. I have never seen ones like the OP postd; with hash marks at the business end of the socket.

 

[drink]

I looked through the Craftsman catalogs and unfortunately I could not find a metric set that matches yours. They all have the 1/2" drive metric sockets along with the 3/8 and 1/4. What I suspect is that they might have offered your set for sale in the Sears big book but not in the Craftsman catalog. I have seen this before with some Craftsman tool sets that were in sales flyers in the 70's but not available in the Craftsman catalog from the 70's. Sorry I don't have any Sears big book catalogs, just Craftsman tool catalogs. But it would be interesting to compare the tool sets that were available at that time in the two catalogs.

Thanks! I think it was bought from the Sears Big Book catalog sometime around 1974-1976.

 

[Dozerhand]

Is the tool set like the one on the left in this photo? This is out of the 75/76 Craftsman tool catalog. You could be absolutely right about the knurled band existing before 1977. Just because they advertised it in 1977 it could have very well existed before 1977. Scanning the catalogs into PDF is a great idea, I will see what I can do. I am a bit tech challenged but I can give it a shot. I don't think that I can sell my sockets though, sorry if I'm being a big ol' tool tease!

Hey someofusgotfarmingtodo, any chance you can post some pictures of the small sae sets from that 75/76 catalog? I've got a partial set from that era and would like to know what all was included. The 1/4 drive stuff came in their own black permatex box.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

the -v-'s with part numbers and knurling on top are semi rare... the older =V='s with no part number are harder to come by

 

[wafrederick]

I have a 13mm shallow socket in 1/2 drive this way.Found it out of a car I parted out few years ago.

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

Hey someofusgotfarmingtodo, any chance you can post some pictures of the small sae sets from that 75/76 catalog? I've got a partial set from that era and would like to know what all was included. The 1/4 drive stuff came in their own black permatex box.

Yeah, I know the exact 1/4 drive set with the black box that you are talking about. I'll snap some photos and post them soon, I'm still trying to figure out how to scan it into a PDF.

 

[drink]

the -v-'s with part numbers and knurling on top are semi rare... the older =V='s with no part number are harder to come by

What is it that makes a v socket, or tool so much better than the others?

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

What is it that makes a v socket, or tool so much better than the others?

quality of the steel used, just for starters. If you dig around on here, it's been discussed a handful of times.

 

[gungatim]

Okay, thanks. Sometimes I thought they knurled sockets so you could grip them better. The only thing is they only knurled the metric sockets as far as I know. So far I am thinking they made the plain, then knurled at the top, then knurled at the bottom. The height of the sockets was changed also. I think they made some really old knurled sockets a long time ago but they were made by others.

Here's what I've got:
no knurling:
3/8 short 12pt unless specified: 19,17,17,15,15(6pt),14,14,13,11,9(6pt) - series "EE".
3/8 short 12pt: 10, series -V-.
3/8 deep 6pt: 11 - series "EE"

Top knurling:
1/2 short 12pt: 22,19 - series "V", (and owner engraved "Bloom")
3/8 short 12pt : 13 - series-V-
3/8 short 12pt: 12 - series -VV-
3/8 short 12pt: 12 - series -G-

Bottom knurled standard:
1/2 short 12pt: 7/16 - series BE (40's era).

 

[drink]

Here's what I've got:
no knurling:
3/8 short 12pt unless specified: 19,17,17,15,15(6pt),14,14,13,11,9(6pt) - series "EE".
3/8 short 12pt: 10, series -V-.
3/8 deep 6pt: 11 - series "EE"

Top knurling:
1/2 short 12pt: 22,19 - series "V", (and owner engraved "Bloom")
3/8 short 12pt : 13 - series-V-
3/8 short 12pt: 12 - series -VV-
3/8 short 12pt: 12 - series -G-

Bottom knurled standard:
1/2 short 12pt: 7/16 - series BE (40's era).

Can you upload some pictures of the 3/8 short 12pt: 10, series -V-?

 

[gungatim]

pics of the 10mm short no-knurl. <1" tall. believe that series is Easco...note the difference in mm vs. M/M on the 9mm next to it...

also found another bottom knurled 3/8" short 3/8 12pt series BE...

 

[drink]

pics of the 10mm short no-knurl. <1" tall. believe that series is Easco...note the difference in mm vs. M/M on the 9mm next to it...

also found another bottom knurled 3/8" short 3/8 12pt series BE...

Hmmm, my sockets are about 1" tall with MM's on them and they are not knurled.

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

Hey someofusgotfarmingtodo, any chance you can post some pictures of the small sae sets from that 75/76 catalog? I've got a partial set from that era and would like to know what all was included. The 1/4 drive stuff came in their own black permatex box.

Sorry to leave you hanging, I really wanted to scan these into PDF but I can't get the scanner to work. Here are some photos of the 75/76 Craftsman tool catalog for the 1/4” drive sockets set in the black case. Looks like they offered a couple different set combinations in 1/4” depending on which Mechanics Tool Set it came with. They also offered a stand alone set with either 16 or 12 piece.

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

What is it that makes a v socket, or tool so much better than the others?

Thought that you might find this interesting, its from the 1953 Craftsman tool catalog during the =V= series era.

 

[someofusgotfarmingtodo]

Thought that you might find this interesting, its from the 1953 Craftsman tool catalog during the =V= series era.

For those of us with reading glasses.

 

[Cruzan80]

To to add to the confusion, picked up a 18mm short in a batch of sockets. Already had one which had knurling on one end, but this was the other end. So I now have two 18mm's with banding at each end.

The odd part is that they are both -G- series, same model number (and theoretically from the same manufacturing plant and similar years). Will put up pictures later.