The strong arm of tools

[bmwrd0]

Forming in 1890 in order to make bicycle parts and tools to repair the bikes, Armstrong developed, in 1895, the lathe tool holder. A device that was to help revolutionize machine work, the brothers who formed the company dropped the unprofitable cycle business to focus on the world of tooling and eventually hand tools.

Armstrong Brothers continued to make and refine lathe tooling as one of their primary product lines while expanding ever so slowly into the world of hand tools.

My collecting focus has been in the 50-70's era of tools, and I have acquired a catalog from each of those decades-'57- '66- '77, to help me. As Armstrong never showed the labels on the inside of a socket set in the catalog pics, one has to use other methods to deduce the age of a given set or box. Also, the use of drawings rather than pictures before the seventies further makes identification of years difficult.

In this picture, you can see two different yellow labels used

but the sets have different colors for the box lids. The Bog sorced ratchet on the right is original to the set (I added the spinner later) so that helps date this set to the fifties, if not earlier. The set on the left is later, my guess would be '60's.

This box is from post '77, due to the five digit serial number, a change that was outlined in the '77 catalog. The components all came later as I built up that set piece by piece.

Another set that I built up from a box I found. The ratchet is from the sixties, but the box doesn't match the sets in that catalog.

This 1/2" set shows up in the '66 catalog. Note the dark color of the box lid. It is supposed to have a breaker bar, but as I haven't found one yet, the same box can be had with a ratchet set.

 

[bmwrd0]

Here is a pre -'77 wrench set, in a post -'77 vinyl roll.

You can see the four digit part numbers on the polished chrome wrenches and the five digit (two numbers, a dash, and then three) in the upper corner of the roll.

 

[bmwrd0]

Here is a sample of the 1957 catalog socket section.
[[url=https://flic.kr/p/2butiC4]arnstrong79
[i[url=https://flic.kr/p/2cNNM7W]armstrong81
armstrong82
Armstrong83
So, what do you have?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Impressive armstrong collection!

 

[twertsy]

I don't find much Armstrong stuff AT ALL. In fact, I've not even found enough to warrant their own drawer yet. So, nice collection. I'd sooner think the set with the Bog sourced ratchet, assuming it's known to have come with the set, to be 1940's.

 

[bmwrd0]

Yeah, older Armstrong is pretty non-existent. I have a few catalogs as I mentioned, and that helps pin stuff down, but the labels don't get shown in the catalogs at all, they have a completely different logo.

The Bog could definitely be '40's as I don't really know much about them. I should have time later today (if my clients stop being royal pains) to get a pic of all the ratchets I have together.

 

[shanny19]

Armstrong engineers wrenches are very plentiful around my parts, and Ive accumulated a nearly full set from 1/4” to 3 1/2”, with just a few gaps filled by Williams.

Armstrong hardline like combo wrenches or sockets/ratchets is non-existent.

 

[d42jeep]

My favorite Armstrong tool is my cad plated 1/2" drive ell handle from my WW2 toolset. It's in excellent condition for it's age.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Beemer,

As you know from our exchange on the 1/4-inch drive thread, I have some Armstrong tools. I don't store all of them together by brand, though, and I have a few more pressing projects to take care of. But I do plan to make it a mission to find them, gather them, snap a group shot, and some close-ups.

Just wanted to let you know I wasn't ignoring the thread - and that I love the thread title!

 

[davethorik]

This is my favorite Armstrong piece...a No. 2 screw jack.
I don't see very many of these.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this link to an early catalog today.
https://archive.org/details/ArmstrongBrothersToolCatalogC39/page/n11
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I look for them, but no luck. Couple of random bits and pieces

 

[bmwrd0]

Oooo... Another catalog! This helps so much. Weird that I never thought to look there for, I have downloaded so many catalogs from them.

 

[tin medic]

I have the 43, 48, 61 & 66 catalogs.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have the 43, 48, 61 & 66 catalogs.

That's good news! The 39 that Don posted a link to above was on TA. When TA comes back up, it will be nice to see the 43 and the 48.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It really is the epitome of the onesy-twosie brand.

Here's most of my Armstrong.

The big fat whoppin' DOE wrench on the left is an Armstrong-made BLACKHAWK-ARMSTRONG. That's not rust, but dried preservative. At least half the DOE wrenches are marked "HI-TENSILE", Armstrong's wartime alloy marking. And half of those have a "TAXI" number. (For the uninitiated, a US Army Ordnance Dept stock number that fell by the way side by the end of the war.) Armstrong was a huge supplier, especially wrenches and special wrenches, like the SOE with the surplus strip on it.

An L Handle, like Don's.

An adjustable spanner. (Only the oldtimers like Armstrong, Billings, Williams, and Fairmount made stuff like that, putting them in a different class for me, not superior, just different, than latecomers like Snap-on and the like.)

A couple tool holders, because after all, what would an Armstrong thread be without machine tools.

And then there's the socket drive tools.

Perhaps nothing illustrates the sporadic findings better than the drive tools. The five (5) sockets (looking very Williams-y, as expected, btw!) and the extension in the box are 3/8-inch drive and they belong with and were found in that box. No ratchet. Nothing else. The hinge handle is 1/4-inch drive. I have a drawer full of ignition wrenches sorted by brand in little plastic mini-drawers that I removed from an cheap-*** plastic cabinet, but I keep the Armaloys in this box because it matches, and because it makes the box look less empty!

As for 1/2-inch drive, two sockets from completely different eras, one looking very Williams-y, the other not so much. And a beautiful S-15 speeder with a HITENSILE marking. Again, no ratchet, no hinge handle, no extensions. Oh, and the other sockets at the top with the black special socket - also Armstrong - are **-12xx series 1-inch drive. That's the way it goes with Armstrong! Onesy-twosy!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here are some close-ups...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

And some more close-ups...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Just the Armaloy 11XX series ignition wrenches..., which I need to try to complete one of these days...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This is my favorite Armstrong piece...a No. 2 screw jack. I don't see very many of these.

Very cool, dave! I've seen one - yours!

I do have one favorite Armstrong piece myself that I held out for last. Well, many pieces, one set. A pipe threading set, to be precise. Wartime. Dated 1944. Complete except for the taps. I have it documented fairly well.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

More pics... (I'll spare you a pic of every set of dies and collars, but include one for the markings...)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Doh!

That's a different Armstrong! The Bridgeport Armstrongs, not the Brothers Armstrong of Chicago!

Second time I fell in that trap. I'll delete in the morning...

 

[thehorse13]

I bought a toolbox full of 1950s Armstrong tools off a retiring bodyshop guy way back in the late 80s. I prefer Armstrong as my daily users around the garage. I think it's one of the underrated brands from the past.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice tap and die set. Armstrong or not

 

[d42jeep]

I rarely find Armstrong tools. Here are a few from my miscellaneous box.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice tap and die set. Armstrong or not

Thanks, Otg. It's Armstrong. Just not the Chicago cool logo Armstrong.

 

[misterbill]

Can anyone date this NM-91 ratchet? It came with some items I picked up recently and I can't seem to find any catalogs or information online.

Bill

 

[jessesandy]

What is that ?



Can't tell if the square drive end is on a piece under that or not.
That pin fits to the notch in the "handle" ?

Thanks !

 

[Private Lugnutz]

What is that?

It's a spinner-extension. You lock it into that notch, the grip won't rotate, and you can use it as a nut spinner or driver. When it's not in that notch, the grip rotates, so you put the male drive end on a socket, or a uni joint, you hold the rotating grip, and you put a ratchet or a hinge handle or something with a male drive stud into the female square drive opening in the **** end (which you can't see in that shot). The grip will turn in your hand.

EDIT: I have one from Williams that works a little differently. Instead of a notch in the edge, there is a hole in the middle of a very similar sleeve, and a spring-action pin on the other piece pops into the hole. To release it, you push the pin with your thumb and twist.

 

[bmwrd0]

Can anyone date this NM-91 ratchet? It came with some items I picked up recently and I can't seem to find any catalogs or information online.

Bill

That is one of the last pre-77 ratchets. In '77 they switched to a 5 digit serial number. As far as online catalogs, here is the '39 and that website has a few other odds and ends.

 

[misterbill]

That is one of the last pre-77 ratchets. In '77 they switched to a 5 digit serial number. As far as online catalogs, here is the '39 and that website has a few other odds and ends.

Thank you sir. Do you know if there is a range of years that they were made?

Bill

 

[shanny19]

Here’s my biggest

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Anybody know what industry/application this is for? I have never seen anything like it. Making adjustments on some kind of machine perhaps? The hex opening is 1-1/4". The diameters of those three round openings with the laterally slotted rims on one side are 1-1/8", 3/4", and 1/2". It has a model number (No. 1B), but that hasn't helped. Not listed in the 1939 catalog and not coming up in searches.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Also picked up a flex extension. I wish it was midget instead of junior drive, and I suspect it's a little newer than I collect. If anybody needs it, holler.

 

[thehorse13]

Here is my favorite Armstrong 1/4 inch drive set. It is in like new shape but the decal dis not fare nearly as well as the tools.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RubiconJK]

Anybody know what industry/application this is for? I have never seen anything like it. Making adjustments on some kind of machine perhaps? The hex opening is 1-1/4". The diameters of those three round openings with the laterally slotted rims on one side are 1-1/8", 3/4", and 1/2". It has a model number (No. 1B), but that hasn't helped. Not listed in the 1939 catalog and not coming up in searches.

I haven't found it yet either Lugz, but everything close shows up as a lathe tool holder. Nothing though with all the extra holes.

 

[bmwrd0]

Lugz, the part number is from after the change over I talk about in the first post, so after 1977.

 

[davethorik]

I've been picking up Armstrong lately in onesie, twosie fashion. I don't find much either although if you go in an older machine shop you will see lots of it, I've learned.

I now have a partial collection of these Blackhawk Armstrong Hexite DOE wrenches.

Armstrong FA-50 and FA-51 ratchets, both 3/8. The FA-50 looks NOS and has the original Armaloy drive plug, no. F-150.

Found a companion for my no. 2 screw jack.

Armstrong no. 3 heavy service c-clamp (6" capacity) with hardened screw. Looks unused just a bit rusty. I also have a matching no. 1 (3" capacity) not pictured. I have a bunch of newer as well, including a NOS 12" *********** (yellow Hi viz).

Finally, an NM-110 convertible spinner extension like the Williams.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some Armstrong 1/4" stuff.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Blackhawk Armstrong wrenches