The vintage Blackhawk Thread

[Username already in use]

On Sunday, I picked up this freewheeling ratchet. Looked a bit worse for wear, but it cleaned up well.

The problem that I'm having is that it wants to just change direction instead of 'freewheeling'. It's not seized and I can get it to freewheel in both directions by spinning the back side of the mechanism. So, something in there is just gunked up. I'm soaking it now in penetrating oil, and if that doesn't work, I'll give the ATF/Acetone a go.

The ratchet is dated -7.

Before/after

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The problem that I'm having is that it wants to just change direction instead of 'freewheeling'.

I'm trying to picture what it's doing. When it's set for righty-tighty, it should grab turning to the right. Then it should freewheel (gearlessly, instead of ratcheting) on the backswing to the left, until you turn the handle to the right again, when it should grab again. And so on. When it's set for lefty-loosey, everything is the same but the opposite.

So, is it grabbing to the right? And if so, what happens when you turn to the left? Is it grabbing that way, too? Or is it not grabbing in either direction?

I guess I can't picture what "it wants to change direction instead of freewheeling" means it's doing.

 

[RTM]

I've had one ratchet where that happened. As I would freewheel it backwards, the shifter would change from drive to reverse. When I disassembled it I saw nothing grossly amiss, just dry and crud filled, but a good clean and lube, and the problem disappeared. Mine was a Craftsman 44975 1/2" drive.

 

[Username already in use]

I'm trying to picture what it's doing.

I'm sure I'm not explaining it well. So, there's no lever to change the direction (on/off). When it's working property, you have to use two hands to change the direction. One hand on the 1/2" drive end and a thumb on the other side. Then you twist the 1/2" drive side and it'll click into the other direction.
In a perfect world, after you changed the direction, it will freewheel on the back stroke and engage a fastener on the forward stroke. In this case, you can engage the fastener in either direction just fine, but on the freewheel stroke, it will just change direction. From off to on or verse vica. Something is gummed up.

It's starting to work a bit better. We'll see.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hmm. I have two. They look just like yours. I've never seen one without a button to change direction. What does the thing that looks like it's the button do? Nothing?

EDIT: If that button is not disengaging, that is the culprit. Yeah, you have to twist the drive stud in the direction you want to switch to, but you can't do that without pushing the button. If you can twist your drive stud either way, without the button, it's not engaging and disengaging properly.

 

[Username already in use]

The ‘button’ that’s not a button just centers the drive wheel into the head of the ratchet.

maybe I’m missing something?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Trust me, it's a button on mine. Unless there's some version of a Blackhawk freewheeler I don't know about, I'd bet it's a button on yours, too. If I don't push the button in and hold it in, I can't twist the drive stud into the new direction. If it's already freewheeling in that direction, how would a twist in the same direction make it grab? It has to disengage first.

They actually take some getting used to, even when the button IS working. I've seen several guys think theirs wasn't working when it was.

In your case, I think your button is not working and it's not disengaging properly.

EDIT:

Disregard. The bullet handle on yours made me look in a later catalog where it says it reverses "with a flick of the wrist." Maybe you're not flicking correctly. Just kidding. Something is gummed up. Now I wish I had one to try to figure out how the heck it reverses without a button to disengage it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Ya know what... However foolhardy it may be... I'm going to retract my DISREGARD and double down on the button.

I just looked through the 1939, 1943, 1948, and 1953 catalogs. Not a single one says anything about pushing a button. They all say "instant reverse" or "instantly reversible without removing socket" or "can be reversed with only one hand" or "a flick of the wrist" and yet they are all shown with a button, and I sure as hell can't reverse mine without pushing the button.

Here it is in 1953. If that's not a button begging to be pushed, I don't know what is!

 

[Username already in use]

Thanks Lugz. My only other experience is with the ‘bald face’ ratchet.
Sure looks like a button. That mechanism on my ratchet is not sitting ‘proud’ of the face on the ratchet. So it’s likely jammed in.
Damn

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I can totally see how you would never suspect it was a button the way it's flush.

 

[thehorse13]

I bet that a nice 3 day ATF soak will cure it. I had a flea market find that looked just like yours with the same issue. The button is also my top suspect here. It probably has decades of crud build up in there.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

And if that doesn't work, I myself would be inclined to hold it, or block it up in something where it was on its back but with the button free to travel, and giving the drive stud a good whack or two with a rubber or wooden mallet. I'm no tool beater, but that thing has been beat on the opposite side.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

(And BTW, you **** - and I don't mean that the nice way. DD T/A informed me that your PM beat my PM for the Bonney V22! )

 

[Username already in use]

(And BTW, you **** - and I don't mean that the nice way. DD T/A informed me that your PM beat my PM for the Bonney V22! )

 

[bmwrd0]

(And BTW, you **** - and I don't mean that the nice way. DD T/A informed me that your PM beat my PM for the Bonney V22! )

And I. At least I posted in the thread, like a good little tool collector!

 

[Username already in use]

And I. At least I posted in the thread, like a good little tool collector!

Sorry bout that!
One time on eBay I had submitted a best offer on a nice pouch of wartime Bonney wrenches.
Well, the seller accepted my best offer, but I didn’t see the email for about an hour.
During that time. Here comes Lugz and pays the BIN price.
I was miffed for a half a minute, but that’s the game right?
P.S. I’m not holding a grudge!

 

[don long]

I just won this Blackhawk tool board and would like some help identifying the tools that go with the board

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Very nice. I see those occasionally but usually in poor condition.

 

[don long]

Very nice. I see those occasionally but usually in poor condition.

Now I need to find the tools that go on this board.

 

[Ricky Joe]

I know I have the Chevrolet wrenches, possibly others.

 

[four.cycle]

1920s Blackhawk promotional brochure for A-1 Display Board

 

[four.cycle]

Blackhawk #490 Display Board for tools for Chevrolet Cars
1924 Union Hardware & Metal Co. catalog pp 516

Mr. Long -
These are the only images I have that are applicable to that particular board. They also made similar boards "For Ford Cars".
If you would like copies of the original *.jpg images, please feel free to contact me via P/M here.
Hope these help.
BK

 

[don long]

I know I have the Chevrolet wrenches, possibly others.

Thanks RJ
That's great I will PM you

1920s Blackhawk promotional brochure for A-1 Display Board

Blackhawk #490 Display Board for tools for Chevrolet Cars
1924 Union Hardware & Metal Co. catalog pp 516

Mr. Long -
These are the only images I have that are applicable to that particular board. They also made similar boards "For Ford Cars".
If you would like copies of the original *.jpg images, please feel free to contact me via P/M here.
Hope these help.
BK

Thank you BK
That is so helpful. It will give me exactly what I need to get this board filled.

You guys are great !!!

 

[don long]

I have also found this 50B nugget tool box and it is missing the lower tray




Are the side moldings on the lid cover chromed? Mine are solid brass. Why is there a pull handle on the lower piece of the box if it is stationary?

 

[Shelbylex]

Nice find, Don Long! Please add it to the Blackhawk/Caterpillar box thread

Blackhawk Tool Chests and Tool Rollers (Caterpillar by Blackhawk are welcomed as well!)

There is a lot of interest in Blackhawk tools and toolboxes. We already have a general thread and tool box thread. Let's start Blackhawk specific thread! Caterpillar boxes welcomed! Not as pristine, but this is what I have!

www.garagejournal.com

... and then add a picture after you make it look new : )

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The handle on lower piece is for the lock. I have two of them and moldings are not chromed. Here is pic of tray.

 

[don long]

I got the tool board hung last night and have found 3 tools for it so far

 

[thehorse13]

That Hudson neon has me far more distracted than your Blackhawk hoard. lol

 

[Ricky Joe]

That Hudson neon has me far more distracted than your Blackhawk hoard. lol

There is a town about thirty miles north of me that has that Hudson sign still on the building, or it did last time I was there. Newcastle, Virginia. Maybe 3000 people in the whole county.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...and have found 3 tools for it so far

Which three? I was going to going through my stash today to see if I have any you need.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

I got the tool board hung last night and have found 3 tools for it so far

Is there an image of what tools would have originally been intended to hang from that Blackhawk board? By the way, your shop looks awesome!

Edit: Never mind. I see four.cycle's post.

 

[don long]

Which three? I was going to going through my stash today to see if I have any you need.

So far I have coming from Ebay #'s 3116, 4218, and 6126
Any help finding tools will be very much appreciated.
I found this picture of the tool board in an old hardware store.
Pretty cool!!

 

[leg17]

DL
That photo is not hard to find but it sure is a dandy.
I love those carry boxes down in front. Lots of cool stuff in that photo.

 

[don long]

DL
That photo is not hard to find but it sure is a dandy.
I love those carry boxes down in front. Lots of cool stuff in that photo.

There are a lot of cool things in that photo that help my imagination on displaying stuff.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Those were the dang days!

 

[four.cycle]

Love the copper head gaskets hanging from nails in the background. I remember the first time I dropped one of those while re-stocking stuff, which resulted in a serious reprimand from one of the senior counter guys.

 

[MShaw]

I am bringing this set back again as I am more unsure of it's significance. I got it when I worked for New Britain in the early 1970's and they were cleaning out an old warehouse area. All but the smallest one are stamped Blackhawk. The smallest one is stamped New Britain. They are not stamped Hexite on the reverse. The style is similar to the Hexite design but noticeably different. Alloy Artifacts has nothing under Blackhawk or New Britain that are exactly like these. I suspect they were a transition design when New Britain bought Blackhawk. Anyone else have thoughts?

 

[thehorse13]

I am bringing this set back again as I am more unsure of it's significance. I got it when I worked for New Britain in the early 1970's and they were cleaning out an old warehouse area. All but the smallest one are stamped Blackhawk. The smallest one is stamped New Britain. They are not stamped Hexite on the reverse. The style is similar to the Hexite design but noticeably different. Alloy Artifacts has nothing under Blackhawk or New Britain that are exactly like these. I suspect they were a transition design when New Britain bought Blackhawk. Anyone else have thoughts?

I'm sure that you've seen this Blackhawk transition catalog, number 185, which has a wrench that still sports the Blackhawk name in the old font. If I had to guess, your wrenches are post 1956. They have the non stylized font and look more like the branded New Britain tools of that era.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

So far I have coming from Ebay #'s 3116, 4218, and 6126

I don't see a 6126 on that board, Don. That would be a 13/16" speeder with a rotating doorknob.

Any help finding tools will be very much appreciated.

I pulled out my old Blackhawk this afternoon to see if I had any matches. I have three (3) pieces you need. I was actually disappointed, When I saw your board and I thought about what I had accumulated (hoping to one day run into a board or two myself in the wild...)...



...I thought it would be much more than three (3)!

The long series offset (loop handle) is a 3122 (11/16") whereas you need a short series 1116 (1/2").

The tool at the bottom also looked promising for the 4928, but mine is a 4230.

Those short speeders are a 5020 (5/8", rotating handle) and 5120 (5/8", rotating handle and grip), whereas you need 5124 (3/4"). I actually have a bunch of those 5120's caked in cosmoline since their Interwar years in the Army. Too bad you don't need a 5120!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here are the three (3) that you need. But it looks like you already bought the 3116 (1/2") Long Tee.

PM if you're interested in the speed wrenches. That is a 6124 (3/4") and a 6118 (9/16").