Kastar/Lang versus ARP tools for thread chasing

[Mohawk Dave]

I'm pretty sure Jawco is the manufacturer

Just a couple weeks ago I bought sets of LEFT HAND outside thread chasers from McMaster Carr and they are stamped Jawco in Jawco packaging....I'm not certain, but I tend to agree they are the manufacturer as well....same exact design as Lang/CMan/SO/ETC, and first time I've actually seen them stamped.

 

[promethean-in-fl]

From the Jawco website: "Jaw Mfg. invented the nut-sized rethreading dies in 1951 and the low-cost rethreading taps a few years later."

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I have the Nes Tools model 1A outside thread repair tool. It is not cheap, until you consider it does SAE and metric. The 1A does 5/32" -> 3/4" and M4 -> M19. It self-adjusts to each size thread and does a great job. Their inside thread repair tools are a bit more expensive and each one covers a narrower range of thread sizes, so for now I just use a tap for inside threads.

Agreed. I have the NES 1A & 2A, and I bought the larger kit for internal threads on a good Zoro sale, the NES 1008. Highly recommend.

Amazon Warehouse is also a good place to look for NES.

And NES is rebranded under a couple names, including Ruko, UTR, Knipex, and Chase'em Back.... That was a whole night a researching and googling learning that.

Another good one to have in the arsenal is split die chasers... I have USA sets made by Four Star.
the dies are split in half and held together with a small spring. You open them up and put them on a threaded item and then place a socket or wrench on them and back them off to repair the damaged threads at the end of the shaft or bolt. They are great and have saved my bacon more than a handful of times.

And while we're at it... Thread files are awesome... The 8 sided ones that come in the CMan/Lang/SO kits, plus I have one for other thread pitches including NPT..... Then get the Jawco/CTA flat flie that has a 60 degree V for threads... That's invaluable if you only have access to a couple damaged threads and can't get a die or NES outside chaser on it.

 

[1982fxr]

From the Jawco website: "Jaw Mfg. invented the nut-sized rethreading dies in 1951 and the low-cost rethreading taps a few years later."

I can't believe nobody invented those until the 50's.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I can't believe nobody invented those until the 50's.

I'm with ya.. industrial revolution in the 1800s.. millions of threaded items throughout the world at that time. I'm guessing there was a lot of cross threading going on.

 

[1982fxr]

That and I mean, we were not too far from landing on the moon and had already figured out how to blow ourselves up and nobody cut slots in a bolt or nut to clean and repair threads?!

 

[promethean-in-fl]

That and I mean, we were not too far from landing on the moon and had already figured out how to blow ourselves up and nobody cut slots in a bolt or nut to clean and repair threads?!

Given the number of people right now, with chasers available, who say they do a lot of this work and just use a thread cutting tap for cleaning threads, I can believe that no one did a tool dedicated to thread cleaning until the 1950s. It's also possible that people did cut bolts for this prior to the 1950s, but no one manufactured and marketed such a product, and possibly patented it, until the 1950s. Just speculating.

 

[M6erfan]

OK, so I got some clarification today...

This thread prompted me to get some of my lost or worn out C'man branded rethreading dies/taps replaced, so I figured I'd go to the original source... Jawco. So I emailed Jawco with some questions on sizes/packaging late last week and instead of a return email, Jim Williamson (owner and founder's son) gave me a call (How's that for service?!).

Anyway, we had a good conversation and he let me know that Jawco was not the OEM of my late 90's C'man rethreading set. Turns out that Jawco was the supplier to Snap-on until 1986 when S-o decided to make their own rethreading dies/taps. S-o eventually gave up their in-house endeavor and now A&E/Lang/Kastar (All the same co.) supply Snap-on and most other private label brands.

Jawco's the original, and if you want them order from their website.

http://www.jawco.com/index.html

 

[Tallpilot]

OK, so I got some clarification today...

This thread prompted me to get some of my lost or worn out C'man branded rethreading dies/taps replaced, so I figured I'd go to the original source... Jawco. So I emailed Jawco with some questions on sizes/packaging late last week and instead of a return email, Jim Williamson (owner and founder's son) gave me a call (How's that for service?!).

Anyway, we had a good conversation and he let me know that Jawco was not the OEM of my late 90's C'man rethreading set. Turns out that Jawco was the supplier to Snap-on until 1986 when S-o decided to make their own rethreading dies/taps. S-o eventually gave up their in-house endeavor and now A&E/Lang/Kastar (All the same co.) supply Snap-on and most other private label brands.

Jawco's the original, and if you want them order from their website.

http://www.jawco.com/index.html

Great information! Thank you for sharing. That explains the 54 piece set Jawco sells having a few more pieces than any of the rebranded Langs.

Guys that hate buying fractional tools should note Jawco's metric only set is far more complete than the metric only Lang.

 

[M6erfan]

Great information! Thank you for sharing. That explains the 54 piece set Jawco sells having a few more pieces than any of the rebranded Langs.

Guys that hate buying fractional tools should note Jawco's metric only set is far more complete than the metric only Lang.

Yup, the Jawco sets are much more complete. Only bummer is that they dont offer a fitted case for the metric only sets, which would be awesome! (They used to but they lost their supplier for those cases)

I ordered some individual rethreading taps/dies this afternoon along with a new metric thread file. Apparently the Jawco files are milled which sets them apart from their stamped (?) competition. I'm looking forward to comparing the Jawco items to my C'man (Lang).

 

[promethean-in-fl]

I bought Lang 2581 - 26-PC. THREAD RESTORER TAP AND DIE SET, which is SAE only. So far, I've used it on the head bolt threads on one side of the engine block. Seems to be working great.

 

[promethean-in-fl]

What about cleaning out NPT threads?

On my cast iron exhaust manifold, a nylon elbow threads into a 3/4 NPT hole in the manifold. I don't know anybody who has gotten one to unscrew. Like others I've spoken to with this marine exhaust manifold, I cut off the elbow, used a hack saw blade to weaken the part with longitudinal cuts, and then broke the part out of the hole.

The nylon fitting had been in that hole, subjected to heat, for 26 years. I think there is residue of the nylon fitting and any sealant down in the cast iron threads. Need to clean it out.

 

[Jake_J.]

I have the Lang Tools # 2584 15 piece metric thread chaser set, and it's a great tool. I bought the metric only set since I generally don't work on very old American cars, and it's much cheaper than the full SAE/Metric set. It also comes with a thread file which works great to fix messed up lug stud threads.

 

[DFB]

Craftsman rebadge kit here too..and at least 20 years or more. Plus a Dorman axle thread kit sold under the Craftsman name thru the old catalog.

Don't overthink or over pay.

 

[anndel]

I have the Lang set for a couple of years and unfortunately, when I did need it, the set didn't have the right size so I used the tap and Die set to clean threads.