Vintage S-K Tools

[drivesitfar]

Don (Jeep), great looking stuff there that is for certain.

BMW: thanks for the information and i'll do some more checking and see if I can find out some pricing and methods for all of us to move some of our stuff around a bit.

 

[r_olson_06]

Roy took pity on me for missing two sets in my new toolbox pictures and traded me these beautiful sets. Thanks, Roy!
-Don

Glad it is going to a good home. I will trade SK for Plomb any day.[emoji2]

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrench 3061

 

[lardy1]

I really like the attitudes of the guys here in the Vintage forums. The way you trade and support one another in collecting is awesome. I have been here but a short time and have been generously assisted by a couple different folks. No gouging. Just fair trade between good folks.

Some of you guys have been here in GJ for years. I really appreciate all the knowledge and the willingness to help others. This thread probably isn't the place for it but I'm an SK brand ***** and novice collector so I put it here.

Thanks guys and gals.

 

[Outlawmws]

Probably as good as anywhere!

And I agree the camaraderie here is awesome!

 

[Catfishdan]

Roy took pity on me for missing two sets in my new toolbox pictures and traded me these beautiful sets. Thanks, Roy!
-Don

Nice! Does that finish the set for you?

 

[d42jeep]

Nice! Does that finish the set for you?

It was actually just a project I did for amusement to see how close I could come to duplicating the factory set. Those were the two sets that I didn’t have. I may be short another piece or so but not enough to worry about. After I took those pictures, I loaded the new box with a lot more tools. I spent the day today cleaning up tools that we found yesterday. The last picture shows the S-K results.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I added the new and old together and came up with a set from 9/16” to 1-1/8”
-Don

 

[outofbounds]

Originally posted by Lardy1
I really like the attitudes of the guys here in the Vintage forums. The way you trade and support one another in collecting is awesome. I have been here but a short time and have been generously assisted by a couple different folks. No gouging. Just fair trade between good folks.

Some of you guys have been here in GJ for years. I really appreciate all the knowledge and the willingness to help others. This thread probably isn't the place for it but I'm an SK brand ***** and novice collector so I put it here.

Thanks guys and gals.

Lardy1,
Where in Michigan are you?

 

[lardy1]

About 30 miles east of Saginaw and about a hundred miles north of Detroit.

 

[outofbounds]

About 30 miles east of Saginaw and about a hundred miles north of Detroit.

North of Saginaw Bay towards Tawas? or out in the Thumb?

 

[lardy1]

Straight east out Saginasty on 46 around 30 miles. Thumb area. Not too far from Caro. Out in the corn stubble.

Got some land in Tawas too. Trying to sell 26 acres and a project house.

 

[outofbounds]

Straight east out Saginasty on 46 around 30 miles. Thumb area. Not too far from Caro. Out in the corn stubble.

Got some land in Tawas too. Trying to sell 26 acres and a project house.

Nice. I would think property in/around Tawas City would move pretty well.

I'm from around Detroit, and spend what little available free time around Boyne City, as my dad lives there.

I like the "Saginasty". My friends who grew up there called it "Draginaw"

 

[lardy1]

Dig it. We're hijacking a good thread here.

 

[d42jeep]

I can get it back on track and I might have a socket of interest to lardy1.
I finally found a 15/16” socket (along with a few others) on eBay that completes my wartime 1/2” drive set. I’m just going to ignore the missing crossbar for now. The last picture is a plain steel 13/16” wartime socket which is suddenly surplus.
-Don

 

[outofbounds]

I can get it back on track and I might have a socket of interest to lardy1.
I finally found a 15/16” socket (along with a few others) on eBay that completes my wartime 1/2” drive set. I’m just going to ignore the missing crossbar for now. The last picture is a plain steel 13/16” wartime socket which is suddenly surplus.
-Don

OK, Don......
We are officially back on the rails. Are these sockets, new to my possession as of this evening, considered "wartime" SK? Also, is there a pricing premium for such special items?

 

[d42jeep]

OK, Don......
We are officially back on the rails. Are these sockets, new to my possession as of this evening, considered "wartime" SK? Also, is there a pricing premium for such special items?

S-K immediate prewar and postwar were chrome plated, so when I see sockets like yours I assume wartime. Wartime S-K came cad plated, black oxide or plain steel. The first picture is a black oxide wartime finish and the second picture is of some postwar sockets. I haven’t noticed much price difference, just the wartime tools are harder to find.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

If anything sometimes they are cheaper because sellers think the chrome is worn off.

 

[lardy1]

Don (If I may), when you call that 13/16 a "steel" socket, I'm not really sure if that's a match to my set or not. Others have referred to mine as black oxide. Are they the same?

I'm very interested in that socket if it is indeed what mine are and you are willing to part with it. Roy was kind enough to hook me up with a ratchet and the other AWOL socket from my set. Roy's ratchet is the only drive tool I have. I'll be watching for those elusive T-handles.

I truly appreciate the spirit and camaraderie of GJ.

 

[r_olson_06]

Don (If I may), when you call that 13/16 a "steel" socket, I'm not really sure if that's a match to my set or not. Others have referred to mine as black oxide. Are they the same?

I'm very interested in that socket if it is indeed what mine are and you are willing to part with it. Roy was kind enough to hook me up with a ratchet and the other AWOL socket from my set. Roy's ratchet is the only drive tool I have. I'll be watching for those elusive T-handles.

I truly appreciate the spirit and camaraderie of GJ.

Let me see I have any period correct ones. I will dig this weekend.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrench 3061

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Don (If I may), when you call that 13/16 a "steel" socket, I'm not really sure if that's a match to my set or not. Others have referred to mine as black oxide. Are they the same?

No. By "steel" or "plain steel" Don is referring to no finish whatsoever. Just naked, natural steel. Black oxide was a finish invented in late 1941 as one of many alternatives to chrome-plating, which was restricted. Cadmium was in use on economy lines tools (as a price point alternative to chrome-plating) before the war, and its use increased dramatically during the war. Other Mfgrs dabbled with other alternatives (such as zinc phosphate), but plain steel, black oxide, and cadmium are the three main wartime finishes.

Have you shown your set? What post is it? I went back a few pages but couldn't find it.

 

[d42jeep]

To expand a bit on Lugz informative reply (even though he failed to mention who came up with black oxide), cad plating and black oxide were not the most durable of finishes and in 2019 many of the wartime sockets have lost much of their original look and so in putting my set together I didn’t worry too much about finishes. I have put black oxide tools in evaporust and when they came out I ended up with pretty much plain steel tools. Lardy, you are welcome to my well used plain steel 13/16” socket if you want it or you can continue looking for one with the black oxide intact.
-Don

 

[outofbounds]

To expand a bit on Lugz informative reply (even though he failed to mention who came up with black oxide), cad plating and black oxide were not the most durable of finishes and in 2019 many of the wartime sockets have lost much of their original look and so in putting my set together I didn’t worry too much about finishes. I have put black oxide tools in evaporust and when they came out I ended up with pretty much plain steel tools. Lardy, you are welcome to my well used plain steel 13/16” socket if you want it or you can continue looking for one with the black oxide intact.
-Don

For clarity, you guys are speaking to tools which are marketed to the public, and not particularily "Mil Spec" or Military Issue" for GMTKs, right?

 

[d42jeep]

During WW2, the emphasis was on making tools for the war effort. Sales of hand tools to the general public, while not forbidden, was discouraged.
-Don

 

[outofbounds]

During WW2, the emphasis was on making tools for the war effort. Sales of hand tools to the general public, while not forbidden, was discouraged.
-Don

Very interesting. Great share, Don!

 

[lardy1]

Right back on track. And great pics, information and banter. Good stuff.

Some of this I did know but there is always so much more to know. I'm a veteran collector in another arena and I recognize my own ignorance in these forums.

OOB: Nice find. I think you appreciate this as much as I do.

Don: Thank you for you generosity. I think I will hold off, though. Much appreciated.

Roy: Thanks for sharing what you have and your further consideration. My eyes are open for your missing Plomb.

Lugz: As always, your wealth of historic and technical data has provided me with further knowledge. Many thanks.

And everyone else, you guys are all great. GJ has been a great addition.


Here's my set again:

 

[outofbounds]

Right back on track. And great pics, information and banter. Good stuff.

Lardy1,

Great pics. Your point is clearly illuminated therein. I need to find the right tricks for accurate and consistent photography.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

(even though he failed to mention who came up with black oxide)

Haha.

Lardy,
Hard to tell from pics sometimes, and I'm on a phone on top of it. Could be black oxide. Could be dark steel. Lots of 'unevenness' on your pieces and I can't tell if that's from box rot, patina or splotched original finish. In my experience, black oxide finish SK are unmistakable, and most of the pieces I have had the finish was very intact. But, they were midget drive, so, smaller and preserved in a metal case. I haven't collected much 1/2 dr SK to begin with, but of the pieces I have or have had, I don't think any of them were black oxide. The ratchet is steel.

 

[lardy1]

I can see rust scale on some of them. Yes, they are splotchy. My Cornwell ratchets have a very similar finish. The black oxide that I'm familiar with has a textured finish. I guess any oxidized finish would. But I don't really see that in the sockets. More like steel with traces of something worn through. Maybe I declined Don's offer too quickly.

 

[d42jeep]

I can see rust scale on some of them. Yes, they are splotchy. My Cornwell ratchets have a very similar finish. The black oxide that I'm familiar with has a textured finish. I guess any oxidized finish would. But I don't really see that in the sockets. More like steel with traces of something worn through. Maybe I declined Don's offer too quickly.

The offer still stands. Here is my absolute best darkest black oxide 1/4” drive set. Username has a very similar set. They must have been put away and never used since new.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's a nice one

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Pulled this out of a bin of vintage midget spinners yesterday. The satin finish on the shank could be cad or maybe not, just satin. EDIT: I have not seen the marking white before, and it has a little slant on it. I am guessing 50's.

 

[d42jeep]

I just happen to have some sets without spinners. What a coincidence.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Haha. What do you make of the marking, Don? Or are some of your sets postwar?

 

[d42jeep]

Haha. What do you make of the marking, Don? Or are some of your sets postwar?

I don’t have any with the white markings but I would assume postwar. They sold that part number right up to the S-K Wayne era. Actually the part number remained the same but the Wayne handles are solid green. I have some postwar sets that it would be appropriate for.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's what I was thinking, too. I will put it aside for you.

 

[lardy1]

I haven't seen that spinner. I don't think I've seen anything pre-Wayne. Nice find Lugz.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some in my wartime sets.
-Don

 

[r_olson_06]

Pulled this out of a bin of vintage midget spinners yesterday. The satin finish on the shank could be cad or maybe not, just satin. EDIT: I have not seen the marking white before, and it has a little slant on it. I am guessing 50's.

I had one with white lettering. I am guessing most had white lettering but it wore off. Either way those diamond era spinners can be hard to find. Well done. And they have a whole bin of vintage spinners!?!


Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrench 3061

 

[lardy1]

Nice, Don. Very nice collection. That's a lot of nice old SK for a Barcalo guy.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I had thought about that (it wearing off) Roy, but the whole marking looks slightly slanted to me, too. I believe it was upright during the war. I moved my black oxide SK midget set on to another collector, so I don't have one to check. Perhaps Don can compare.