To Tell the Truth - Show us Your Truth Tools

[twertsy]

As well as can be done here, I searched for a dedicated thread for Truth Tool but didn't find anything. I find this company very interesting and grab any tool I find marked Truth. Plain and Simple, but remarkably good quality in general, particularly their sockets and drive tools.

Truth Tool History from TA:

Here is a link to the current instantiation of the Truth company, and a well written and comprehensive history of Truth.

Here is another excellent article on Truth, with much greater detail on the history of the company.

After a truthfully exhaustive search of all available records, we have yet to discover any announcements documenting the establishment of the Truth Tool Co. However, several tidbits of information give us clues.
If we read the inside covers of the Truth Catalogs, we note that in the 1928 edition, they reference Mr. Cowden working in a small blacksmith shop in South Dakota 30 years prior or, 1898. He improved his name and reputation by making fine chisels and punches for neighbors and customers, and expanded his skills with other toolmaking as the popularity of the automobile took over. This really becomes the start of the "idea" of a formal tool company.
The TRUTH trademark was filed in March of 1922, and claims first use in 1915. This begins to better establish a timeline for the company.
Most sources say Truth was acquired by Owatonna Tool Co. in 1950 but proof of this acquisition has not yet been discovered either. After the acquisition of Truth Tool, the Truth company was renamed as Truth Hardware Co. and focused on the development and production of windows.
Walter J. Felton - Patent #2,524,698 - Pulling Tool
Raymond Cowden - Patent #2,491,089 - Socket Wrench

 

[twertsy]

Here's a 1" drive set I snagged off the Bay.

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[twertsy]

Here's a 1/2" drive set, containing a mix of Truth and Ward Master branded components.

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[twertsy]

Truth wrenches come up quite randomly, and I've never come across, nor seen a full set. Here is my sparse collection.

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[twertsy]

A 1/2" breaker and more modern ratchets, along with a double saltus I snagged last year.

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[DadsTools]

Great essay on these, twertsy. I have yet to come across any Truth tools. Of course, now that I've stated this, I'll probably find some next week!

 

[davethorik]

Here are my 3 additions, lol...Truth stuff not very common in my neck of the woods.

IR22 pear head ratchet, an oddball. 1/2 drive. It shows light use and looks like it has light wear from sitting in a toolbox for years. Chrome is very nice. However the teeth look almost worn out, maybe a missed or failed heat treating step. It has 50 teeth, and the only way the head is held together, is the pawl spring pushing pawl into contact with teeth, which are in a recessed groove. You put the selector in "neutral" and the drive falls out!

R6 roundhead 1/2 push through ratchet. Drive plug is captive. Love the lettering on this one. Compared to the IR22, the only major difference is head shape and type of mechanism. Ratchets are same thickness, length, handle profile (except for hang hole), even the same diameter about drive square.

Last, a Truth Mankato Minn 1-13/16" socket in 1" drive. I was surprised to see detents on all 4 sides of the drive, like modern sockets.

 

[3baygarage]

Nice stuff guys!

Dave, the pear head came in a pouch set with interchangeable box wrench ends to sub. in for the drive square. Could have sworn I saved a picture from ebay but it’s lost.

 

[HeelSpur]

Have the one ratchet and 3 wrenches.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/razorear/40622224301/in/dateposted-public/

 

[Sunset_Z28]

Here’s my contribution. 1/2” drive extension. I thought I had a socket somewhere but couldn’t find it.




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[Provincial]

Here are a couple of photos of a Truth 3/4" drive ratchet I found last July. It has a push-plug to reverse.

The only marking is the Truth name.

 

[WarrenJ]

Thanks for the info, something else to watch for.

 

[twertsy]

Funny, almost immediately after posting about the rarity of Truth wrenches /wrench sets, I snagged this off the Bay.

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[Username already in use]

So, is it Cowden Tools, or TRUTH Tool Co.?

 

[twertsy]

So, is it Cowden Tools, or TRUTH Tool Co.?

That's an awesome box/set! Never seen one with the sticker before. It was Truth tools, manufactured / owned / invented by Mr. Cowden.

 

[Username already in use]

Thanks Todd. Any idea on vintage? I don't see the (R) anywhere on the label and the sockets and flex bar are chrome. Pre-war maybe?
I hadn't seen one with the label before either. Was surprised that I beat you to it!
No clue what would have been in the box originally. There are 10 sockets from 7/16" up to 1" and there isn't any room on the flex head handle side for even a T-Bar.

 

[twertsy]

Thanks Todd. Any idea on vintage? I don't see the (R) anywhere on the label and the sockets and flex bar are chrome. Pre-war maybe?
I hadn't seen one with the label before either. Was surprised that I beat you to it!
No clue what would have been in the box originally. There are 10 sockets from 7/16" up to 1" and there isn't any room on the flex head handle side for even a T-Bar.

I'd guess '40-55ish. I only have 34 and older cats on my site but I think I might have a couple waiting to be scanned but I'm not sure.......it's a hell of a pile.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That is a sweet set, Unaiu! I got the impression from reading one of the histories that the company may have actually been called Cowden Truth Tool Company at first, when he was in Ellenburg. Moved to Mankato in 1923. It's neat that they kept something like that as part of the branding for so long.

Funny, almost immediately after posting about the rarity of Truth wrenches /wrench sets, I snagged this off the Bay

If those weren't made by Herbrand in the 1930's, I'll eat my Herbrand tappet wrench set leatherette roll-up. The profile of the wrench and its markings - except fort the TRUITH branding, obviously - are dead ringer Herbrand! Go find your VANADIUM Herbrand TAPPET wrenches and you'll see what I mean.

And if that's not enough, note that they're actually explicitly stamped, "SOLD BY"! (As distinct from MADE BY!)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Todd,

I took some photos of my Herbrand tappet wrench set, in the same positions as your photos above, to accentuate my point about your "SOLD BY" TRUTH tappet wrenches being made by Herbrand... Even the roll-up is the same!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

One difference I can see is that Herbrand branded the shank on the same side as the model numbers (H-1 through H-4) and left the flip side shank (where the sizes are stamped on the faces) blank. For the TRUTH set, they branded the shank on the side with the sizes and left the side with the model numbers (T-1 through T-4) blank.

 

[twertsy]

I agree Greg, look to be from the same source for sure.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's an intriguing revelation. Naturally, makes me wonder how long the arrangement lasted, and what other tools Herbrand was making for Truth, if any. Nothing else is jumping out at me off the top of my head. And just think, if you hadn't bought that set, we might have never made this discovery.

 

[notlob]

For the lovers of Truth. 1932 catalog on eBay - $10 starting bid.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/COWDEN-TRUTH-TOOLS-COMPANY-ADVERTISING-SALES-CATALOG-NO-40-VINTAGE-1932/323212070199?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D50998%26meid%3D0e94c04f5f914c2496e09c2cdbd40cad%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D202290734428%26itm%3D323212070199&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Wow. As vintage tools literature goes, that is a strikingly gorgeous cover!

 

[3baygarage]

3/4 drive Truth ratchet.
Been wanting one for a long time. Found this on the bay covered in crud and in need of a replacement screw. It cleaned up pretty well and I was lucky in finding a new screw my very modest hardware assortment.

The last picture shows a faint forge marking but I can’t even describe it.

 

[Username already in use]

I was thinking about bidding on that as well. Nice pickup.

If that’s not made by Bonney, I’ll eat my hat.

 

[3baygarage]

I was thinking about bidding on that as well. Nice pickup.

If that’s not made by Bonney, I’ll eat my hat.

Thanks. Missed yer post.
That would imply that the other drive sizes in this same style were also made by them. I just don’t know. There is also a New Britain identical to this 3/4 ratchet.

 

[Username already in use]

The forging is only slightly different with the 'rib' just below the selector lever, but otherwise the identical to the 3/4" Zenel ratchet posted HERE.

The pin selector lever is typical Bonney of the era as well. I've seen a bunch of sharing going on for those larger drive sizes between brands. Do you have a link to the New Britain ratchet? I'd like to see that one.

 

[3baygarage]

I have that Bonney Zenel too, as posted in the Affliction thread:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273680&page=35

I definitely see what you mean about the levers, but overall they are quite different. Both the body, and that the Truth head is held with screws vs. riveted.

I can only compare with photos but here they are.

As far as the NB, I saw one example of the NB ratchet a couple years ago on ebay, but I doubt I can find a pic now. Someone on here probably owns it. I was quite surprised when I saw it.

 

[Username already in use]

Thanks for the comparison shots. I see what you mean. The shape of the heads are different as well. Still, they're very similar.

Wish I had that 3/4" drive Bonney speeder handle! That's real nice.

 

[davethorik]

Thanks. Missed yer post.
That would imply that the other drive sizes in this same style were also made by them. I just don’t know. There is also a New Britain identical to this 3/4 ratchet.

I remember seeing your post about the NB ratchet.
I've posted pics before of my older Truth R6 round-head push thru plug ratchet, and the newer IR22 1/2 pear head ratchet.
There is a vague forge mark on the IR22, but the R6 is hard to tell bc of oxidation.

However, both clearly to me were made by same mfg. The handle profile is identical. Rats are identical in thickness, and oal.

 

[tin medic]

Found this last week.

 

[twertsy]

Found this last week.

Nice find! I usually find ratchets, the rare wrench, and sometimes a socket here and there. Never found any specialty tools though.

 

[tin medic]

I find the rare socket or extension but this is the first specialty tool.


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[MrDeerHunter]

Todd,

I took some photos of my Herbrand tappet wrench set, in the same positions as your photos above, to accentuate my point about your "SOLD BY" TRUTH tappet wrenches being made by Herbrand... Even the roll-up is the same!

If you don't mind how much did you pay for those. I bought a 5 gallon bucket of wrenches at an auction for $15 that had over 200 craftsman, indestro, herbrand bahco, SK, no names. I think I made a full set up to 1 1/2 with them and a full set up to an 3/4 of tappets. I got the deal because it was a rusted bucket and couldn't pull out single wrenches. I used oxalic acid to clean them and I had some really nice wrenches for dirt cheap. Also came with some small no namers that were in 64ths, any idea what to use them on?

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[Private Lugnutz]

If you don't mind how much did you pay for those.

I pieced a set together one at a time at flea markets and then I bought the roll-up on fleaBay on a tip from a friend who knew I needed one. So, pretty cheap.

Also came with some small no namers that were in 64ths, any idea what to use them on?

Those are ignition wrenches. Typically came in pairs. 13/64 (15* angle) x 15/64 (60* or 75* angle), and the opposite, so that each opening gets each angle. As well as other size, also in pairs.

 

[r_olson_06]

I was told this might belong over here. Picked up this vinatge Wards Master Socket set. Cad plated and in amazing shape down to the box and blue crinkle paint. Any idea on the age. I am thinking WWII due to the cad plating.

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[Oldtuleguy]

Sure looks like truth stuff

 

[Username already in use]

I am thinking WWII due to the cad plating.

The finish is consistent with my working set of wartime TRUTH sockets. Mine are a mix of TRUTH Mankato, USA, and Ward's Master branded sockets. All with the same phosphate finish. Here's a pic for comparison.

 

[Snaparxon]

Found this today , no part number