Blackhawk round display board

[don long]

I saw this display board on the blackhawk tool box thread and started looking for one.

Has anyone ever seen one like it or have a better picture of it?




I'd like to add one to my blackhawk collection!! I have all the nugget tools for it.

 

[jabberwoki]

I feel a build coming on?

 

[thehorse13]

I've never seen that one before but I have seen this one at Hershey years ago. I've never seen or heard of one since.

 

[y'sguy]

Piece a cake for you to make , Don.
heck, I bet it's almost done by now!

 

[JoCoSawdust]

That piece has gotta be a beauty. If anyone can find it, my money is on you Don.

 

[The Cobbler]

I smell a build thread coming along too .... fingers crossed!

 

[don long]

Well guys, yes but I need a little better picture to work from. I can't see the base well enough It is cool though and will go nicely into my collection

 

[Dave455]

What a stylish display. Totally typical of Blackhawk I have to say. I would absolutely love one as well, but I’d struggle to find the tools as the 7/16“ drive are very rare in the U.K.

The ad refers to “new” Nuggets 7/16” drive, which suggests it dates to around 1938, or not long after. This might suggest a wooden display, but you never know with Blackhawk. The spinner handle shown looks like the one with the white resin handle, which was very innovative for the time, and Blackhawk were not afraid to spend decent money on displays - remember the “totem pole” one?

DuPont introduced all manner of plastics in the 1920’s (including cellulose acetate in 1927 - which would be my choice for making a display like that today) so it could easily have been one if these.

Monitoring the responses for any more info. With one good picture we could scale everything off the tools!

 

[don long]

What a stylish display. Totally typical of Blackhawk I have to say. I would absolutely love one as well, but I’d struggle to find the tools as the 7/16“ drive are very rare in the U.K.

The ad refers to “new” Nuggets 7/16” drive, which suggests it dates to around 1938, or not long after. This might suggest a wooden display, but you never know with Blackhawk. The spinner handle shown looks like the one with the white resin handle, which was very innovative for the time, and Blackhawk were not afraid to spend decent money on displays - remember the “totem pole” one?

DuPont introduced all manner of plastics in the 1920’s (including cellulose acetate in 1927 - which would be my choice for making a display like that today) so it could easily have been one if these.

Monitoring the responses for any more info. With one good picture we could scale everything off the tools!

Dave
Those are my thoughts too. With a good picture, I think it could be recreated to scale using the tools for reference

You do know that I have a totem pole display right



.

 

[don long]

I've never seen that one before but I have seen this one at Hershey years ago. I've never seen or heard of one since.

Horse
I hope that you grabbed that display when you saw it!!!

 

[thehorse13]

Horse
I hope that you grabbed that display when you saw it!!!

Sadly, I did not. I've been kicking myself in the *** over it ever since.

 

[Dave455]

Dave
Those are my thoughts too. With a good picture, I think it could be recreated to scale using the tools for reference.


You do know that I have a totem pole display right.

I do now! Wow…!

If that round display was from 1938 (or maybe 39) they might not have made many before having to concentrate on ”lend - lease” orders or even U.S. war orders, which might explain why there are not many around?

Yes, one good picture and an indication of the material and we could go from there. The front block looks like it might be wooden, perhaps “L” shaped?

Do you think it was intended go be a free standing display? It looks like it.

 

[don long]

I've spent the last 3 evenings looking for this round display image and with no luck.
Does anybody have an idea of what the script says on the bottom?

 

[bmwrd0]

"Pick Nugget Tools * Quality in every ------"

Just a guess. But I defenately think the first letter is a P.

 

[don long]

Thanks bmwrd0
That's a great start even if it's not correct

 

[bmwrd0]

You know, if this is a recreation, there is nothing stopping you from painting "Pick Nugget tools * Don Longs Favorites!"

And if and when the actual words are found, repaint that part.

 

[The Cobbler]

there are magazines for sale on Ebay that are very close to the month that ad showed , I would contact the sellers and ask them if that specific ad is in the magazine ...

 

[thehorse13]

I'm surprised that nobody has an online archive of Automotive Digest. That was the premier publication for decades.

I tried looking at the display with a magnifying glass. I can't quite make out what the ad says but I'm pretty sure that the first word is only 3 letters. I have a few more tricks up my sleeve for sharpening images and if they pan out I will let you know what it says.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The ad refers to “new” Nuggets 7/16” drive, which suggests it dates to around 1938, or not long after.

Hi Dave. The ad is dated March 1939 on the top of the Automotive Digest page from which it was excerpted. Nuggets were introduced in early 1938, although they appear in print in late 1937 catalogs. The reference in the ad to them being "redesigned" confirms the page date. The first generation (1937-1938) Nuggets sockets were bulkier because they didn't have the last Lock-On patent (2,190,081), filed in 1938, issued in 1940, created exclusively for getting the push-button release into the smaller Nuggets. Blackhawk never made 3/8-drive Lock-On because of the same issue, which not even the patent (a sleeve insert) could overcome.

If that round display was from 1938 (or maybe 39) they might not have made many before having to concentrate on ”lend - lease” orders or even U.S. war orders, which might explain why there are not many around?

Nuggets were made from 1937 through 1941, and then again after the war through the 1950's. They were restricted by the WPB during WWII because they were considered redundant (and therefore steel wasteful) to 3/8- and 1/2-inch drive, ironically. (This has always interested me from the academic perspective. Theoretically, if Blackhawk had been truly successful in convincing industry that 7/16-inch drive could replace junior and standard drives, the "50% savings" principle that Blackhawk extolled in their marketing would have saved that much in steel as well as costs in hand tools during WWII.) They seem to have been popular, but I don't think anyone has attempted to quantify that. It is a fait accompli that it did not endure.

As for the round store display, I don't think any have ever been seen in the real world, only on that page. But I'm struggling to picture any other Nuggets displays, in any shape or form, either.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I could not find that or any other issue of Automotive Digest in free internet space. I could not find that ad or any other example of the round display board in other ads anywhere else in free internet space.

EDIT: Also, I examined any and all Nuggets advertising (especially slogans...) to see if we could identify the words on the bottom without actually discerning the exact lettering, on the rationale that slogans were typically agnostic to size and shape, without much luck.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I should've waited to gather all my thoughts before posting rather than leave a dreaded three-in-a-row!

Note also that the art for the roller - a 99DD - on the same page is identical to the 1939 catalog, and, more importantly, that the ad instructs readers to contact their jobber or write to Blackhawk Mfg for a copy of the 1939 catalog, No. 239. I have that catalog (available online at ITCL). The round display does not appear in it. And none of the Nuggets marketing text seems to match.

Lastly, I can see where Beemer sees the first upper case letter of the first word as possibly a "P". But I don't see a "k". In fact, I don't see any ascenders (in typography, lower case letters with a part that ascends the mean line or top of most lower case letters), - b, d, f, h, k, l, and t, or descenders (in typography, lower case letters with a part that descends the bottom of most lower case letters) - g, j, p, q, and y. For comparison, note that there is an ascender in the second word that very well could be the "t" in Nuggets, as Beemer suggested, and there are several ascenders and a couple descenders in the words to the right of the separator in the middle. But again, it sure looks like the three letters following the upper case letter in the very first word are lower case letters and not ascenders or descenders. That would rule out "Pick." But this is all speculative as they really are too fuzzy to make sure of anything.

 

[Dave455]

Hi Dave. The ad is dated March 1939 on the top of the Automotive Digest page from which it was excerpted. Nuggets were introduced in early 1938, although they appear in print in late 1937 catalogs. The reference in the ad to them being "redesigned" confirms the page date. The first generation (1937-1938) Nuggets sockets were bulkier because they didn't have the last Lock-On patent (2,190,081), filed in 1938, issued in 1940, created exclusively for getting the push-button release into the smaller Nuggets. Blackhawk never made 3/8-drive Lock-On because of the same issue, which not even the patent (a sleeve insert) could overcome.

Ahh, we were about right on the dates then. Looks like war orders could definitely account for so few of those displays being produced!

I didn’t know about the different “Lock On” patents. There is relatively little 7/16 drive Blackhawk in the U.K. and certainly not enough to compare different styles.

I see the idea for an “intermediate” size drive bubbles to the surface from time to time. Facom tried it with their “CDX” range, and the 1/2“ drive KoKen Z Series / Zeal is attempting to do the same thing. It all confirms my long held belief That Blackhawk were the original innovators of an awful lot that we see today.

 

[Dave455]

Nuggets were made from 1937 through 1941, and then again after the war through the 1950's. They were restricted by the WPB during WWII because they were considered redundant (and therefore steel wasteful) to 3/8- and 1/2-inch drive, ironically. (This has always interested me from the academic perspective. Theoretically, if Blackhawk had been truly successful in convincing industry that 7/16-inch drive could replace junior and standard drives, the "50% savings" principle that Blackhawk extolled in their marketing would have saved that much in steel as well as costs in hand tools during WWII.) They seem to have been popular, but I don't think anyone has attempted to quantify that. It is a fait accompli that it did not endure.

As for the round store display, I don't think any have ever been seen in the real world, only on that page. But I'm struggling to picture any other Nuggets displays, in any shape or form, either.

I have heard of the WPB restrictions. I seem to remember hearing that only one length of breaker bar was deemed essential, so only one was produced.

The U.K. had similar restrictions, with many goods being produced to “utility” or “austerity” patterns. With the exception of areas such as finishing (tools were generally not plated) the quality of many of these goods was remarkably high. I still have utility pattern chairs in my house (they were made till the ‘50’s) and although simple in design, the materials (solid beech) are perfectly good.

Many of the U.S. goods found in the U.K. from this era are post 1939 (therefore wartime by U.K. standards) but pre Dec 41 (therefore pre war by U.S. standards). This is why the quality tends to be so good, and also why there is so much of it around, as the U.K. was the biggest purchaser!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Looks like war orders could definitely account for so few of those displays being produced!

In all my reading on WPB Limitation Orders I have never seen anything about restrictions on hardware store display materials, Dave, and I have never noticed a particular shortage in wartime era hardware store displays of other OEMs, or even of other Blackhawk displays, which continued to also be featured in catalogs. While WPB Limitation Order L-190 had some effects on commercial production, that wasn't even established until 1943, and it was much less than people realize. Longer or shorter handles on the same size drive tool. 'Tweener socket sizes that overlapped drive sizes. Etc. They were mainly trying to eliminate redundancy. Even the vaunted 'steel drives' - rounding up old unused tools were voluntary and came late in the war, ironically, just before we started to realize we were probably going to win. I'm not trying to dissuade you from your conclusions on this. While this round Nuggets display is clearly something that hasn't popped up like other displays, and that may be because they just didn't make too many of them in 1939-ish, I don't think the eventual war or our meager pre-war efforts had anything to do with it.

 

[Dave455]

In all my reading on WPB Limitation Orders I have never seen anything about restrictions on hardware store display materials, Dave, and I have never noticed a particular shortage in wartime era hardware store displays of other OEMs, or even of other Blackhawk displays, which continued to also be featured in catalogs. While WPB Limitation Order L-190 had some effects on commercial production, that wasn't even established until 1943, and it was much less than people realize. Longer or shorter handles on the same size drive tool. 'Tweener socket sizes that overlapped drive sizes. Etc. They were mainly trying to eliminate redundancy. Even the vaunted 'steel drives' - rounding up old unused tools were voluntary and came late in the war, ironically, just before we started to realize we were probably going to win. I'm not trying to dissuade you from your conclusions on this. While this round Nuggets display is clearly something that hasn't popped up like other displays, and that may be because they just didn't make too many of them in 1939-ish, I don't think the eventual war or our meager pre-war efforts had anything to do with it.

I wasn’t thinking so much of legal restrictions, but rather the practicalities! If you have one customer (the United Kingdom) that will take everything you can make from 1939 onwards, what priority do you attach to having advertising materials made? Obviously they continued to advertise to a fair degree, which says much for their capabilities, but maybe this particular display was a bit of a speciality even then?

Could it have been that Blackhawk came up with a new display that emphasised the “redesigned” tools a bit more?

Incidentally, I don’t think the U.S, pre war production was that meagre! My understanding is that President Roosevelt believed war was inevitable, so used the time to put the U.S economy on a war footing, without actually being at war! The fact that I’m still using some, after 80 years, supports that view!!! Wish Grandfather had kept the Diamond T though…

 

[Private Lugnutz]

They were selling commercial sets in the UK, I have colleagues over there who have them. Including sets only available in the UK, called "OK" sets, that had economy line finishes. And they had early 1940 contracts with Treasury, which administered Lend-Lease. But we're talking about the hardware store Nuggets display itself. They would've had those made for their distributors. I don't see how anything happening in 1939 would've limited their orders of those displays.

 

[Dave455]

They were selling commercial sets in the UK, I have colleagues over there who have them. Including sets only available in the UK, called "OK" sets, that had economy line finishes. And they had early 1940 contracts with Treasury, which administered Lend-Lease. But we're talking about the hardware store Nuggets display itself. They would've had those made for their distributors. I don't see how anything happening in 1939 would've limited their orders of those displays.

Indeed they were!

I believe my Grandfathers Blackhawk was commercial, although I think we dated it to 39/40. All the tools are (heavily) plated, and it’s all Whitworth (except the square sockets).

Much confusion surrounds Lend Lease. It’s often thought that all the Lend Lease contracts were for “war finish” (to use a British term) items, but I can definitely say that this is not the case. Many Lend Lease items were made to pre war standard, and pre war finish.

It’s also sometimes thought that Lend Lease items went to Government Dept’s only, but this isn’t the case either. My Grandfathers slightly later Williams tools definitely were Lend Lease, but were available for sale to those who needed them.

I take your point re the displays. The U.K. was switching to a total war economy in 1939, and we tend to forget that in the U.S. things were continuing more normally, products were being advertised, and tools being bought.

I have never seen any Blackhawk shop displays in the U.K. which makes me all the more keen to own one! I know that my Grandfathers Blackhawk came from one of two shops, and now much regret that I didn’t make more of an effort to see what they had when they closed down!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I am familiar with the ok sets lugz. Being available for sale in UK were they likely a lend lease item as well?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't know. My reference doesn't have those kinds of details. But as far as I know those "OK" sets only show up in the UK catalogs ("tyre," "lorrie," lots of Whitworth, British distributorshio names on cover, etc) in the late 30's.

 

[thehorse13]

I tried all of my photo enhancing tricks. I know what it doesn't say but that does not lend to what it does say. I think the only way we're going to solve the mystery of the advertising slogan is if someone finds a March of 1939 Automotive Digest magazine. Even then, who knows if the image will be sharp enough to read.

 

[CRTDI]

Let's try this...

 

[Oldtuleguy]

New hexite steel double duty drive. So obvious!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice work, CRTDI.

 

[The Cobbler]

cool, once again, GJ shines!. Now, when does the build start Don? LOL

 

[don long]

CRTDI
You have made my day Thank you

Cobbler
I'm in the middle of restoring a Michelin man compressor So Right after it is done I'll start playing with ideas on how to recreate the display
I just picked up the last tool I needed to complete the list so it's a go for sure.

THank you everyone that came to the call for help

 

[bmwrd0]

So awesome!

 

[The Cobbler]

I'll be sure to follow your build thread, Don.

 

[Shelbylex]

CRDT, great job!
Don, now we are all eagerly waiting! Please document while you create another masterpiece!

 

[Farmer J.]

Looking forward to seeing this build Don, you always 'set the standard' on these projects! Great to know you have all the tools ready awaiting for it, and I guess they will be off to the chrome plating works for re finishing if it's required.

 

[CRTDI]

CRTDI
You have made my day Thank you

Happy to help out.

Might have a a pic here of what looks like a medallion between the written script. Plus, some bonus pics of inspiration for some possible future displays.