I found a Snap-On socket with the name ground off. It's got the "E" stamp on it from 1944 (I believe). Not a clue why it would have been ground off.Thanks Bimmer! Keep reading for another 4” adjustable suffix question!
Went to two sales today and got some interesting things despite missing out on a 3-1/2 inch Wilton bullet…
First stop, had an eclectic mix of brands but he definitely leaned toward Proto. Everything on the left side of the first pic is Proto (mostly LA) except the top two swivel sockets. The larger is Apex and the small one is unmarked.
It definitely was a day for swivel sockets. I had never seen the ball joint swivels before. The large stud extractor is something new for me, too. I’ll have to google how to use it.
Here is a question for the experts. The PO criminally defaced almost all his Snap-on sockets—see the first photo below—and therefore I passed on most of them. The group of three swivels at the bottom of the first photo all have the Proto name ground out. I distinctly recall reading about some company that was compelled to do that (I don’t recall which company or where I read it) but it may just be the PO’s penchant for defacing his tools. Maybe it was Plomb—can anyone recall that event?
Anyway, continuing. Snapped up a 6” S-K box with the biggest cotter pins I ever saw along with a couple of deep S-K sockets.
The group in the middle is all Snap-on, three of which are the only ones I found not defaced.
Two Wright swivels, one marked -45 and one 42+. Below them two Plomb swivels both with the arrows down/up.
Finally, I couldn’t pass up the cute little 6” Western Auto Supply pipe wrench. Forged on the reverse is MFD HB 2436—could HB be Herbrand?
Although the pricing started at $40, it ended at $25.
Second stop was a $7 mixed bag that included onesies and twosies from Proto, Barcalo, Indestro, couple of as-yet-unidentified wrenches, a New Britain socket, a very thin Indestro DOE, Vlchek, a Musselman Universal Bicycle Wrench, three Plomb WF pieces—9/32 rat & ext and 3/8 swivel—rat and swivel have the down/up arrows, Ford and Blackhawk.
Finally, another 4” adjustable—this time it’s marked with 704-S and the maker’s name has been ground off. Note the plain hanging hole with the N.3.6 code. Reverse has only Forged Alloy Steel. Plomb or Proto? PO defacing or manufacture?
![]()



Sent from my SM-G973U using The Garage Journal mobile app































