yatg
Well-known member
How unusual is this marking? =VV= with no catalog number.
Craftsman =VV=
- Thread starter yatg
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They are less common than the single V. They also appear occasionally after model numbers were introduced. I don't recall all the specifics, but Easco (acquired Moore Drop Forging in 1967) operated a factory in the south, I believe it was in Georgia (another member may recall exactly where). It has been concluded from the most recent research that at those times when the main Massachusetts factories could not handle the order volume, the slack was taken up by the Southern factory. The Main Northern factories bore the single V, the Southern production was coded with the double VV. The V still represented Easco whether in the single or double form. Since the main factories only occasionally needed the Southern facility to fill in, the VV is the less common mark.
Since the double line separator == was replaced by the single line separator -- when the model numbers were introduced circa 1969, the =VV= is far less common than the =V=, as the =V= was produced 1946-69 while the =VV= was only produced for a couple of years (1967-69), and only when the Southern factory had to make up the extra volume.
And so we have two factors at play: First is the main factory =V= mark (1946 to 1969) with the less common =VV= Southern factory mark under Easco (1967 to 1969). These are followed by the single line Easco main factory -V- mark with the occasional Southern plant -VV- mark, both which ran concurrently from 1969 to 1986 (IIRC). So the VV is always less common than the V, but the double line =VV= is much less common still because it was only produced in relatively small numbers for two years.
Nice find.
Since the double line separator == was replaced by the single line separator -- when the model numbers were introduced circa 1969, the =VV= is far less common than the =V=, as the =V= was produced 1946-69 while the =VV= was only produced for a couple of years (1967-69), and only when the Southern factory had to make up the extra volume.
And so we have two factors at play: First is the main factory =V= mark (1946 to 1969) with the less common =VV= Southern factory mark under Easco (1967 to 1969). These are followed by the single line Easco main factory -V- mark with the occasional Southern plant -VV- mark, both which ran concurrently from 1969 to 1986 (IIRC). So the VV is always less common than the V, but the double line =VV= is much less common still because it was only produced in relatively small numbers for two years.
Nice find.
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Another fact worth mentioning is that the double lines == and the single lines -- were never part of the manufacturer code. They were only design features used as separators or delineators between characters as part of the design layout. The addition of the model number used up additional space on the panel, and so the single line separator replaced the double line. There is no =V= or -V- manufacturer code; there is only V. We use the =V= and -V- symbololgy only as a convenient way to distinguish the two time periods.
There's still a number of folks who are not aware of what the VV represents, and because of its scarcity, some have4 never personally seen a double line, double V (=VV=). Of the many hundreds (perhaps over 1000) Craftsman raised panel end wrenches I've handled over the years, I've only personally encountered one =VV= (and I kept it!)
Provincial
Well-known member
On another note, I believe that the reason that wrench has no catalog number marking is merely lack of space. This was common on smaller wrenches.
With these period Craftsman raised panel end wrenches, before the decision was made in 1969 to add the model numbers on them, none of the end wrenches had model numbers no matter what the size, whether the tiny 1/4" or the big 1-1/4". When they made the decision to add the model numbers to the wrenches, all the wrenches, no matter what the size from the 1/4" the the 1-1/4" and beyond had the model numbers. They even started stamping the model numbers on the ignition wrenches! While some other brands may have omitted model numbers on their small wrenches, that was not the case with Craftsman. This relates to what I was saying about the double lines. In order to make room for the model numbers on the panel, they eliminated the double lines on the Made In USA side where the mfr code V was, and just had tiny single lines to the left and right of the code, giving us the single line -V- code. This was across the entire end wrench line.
I borrowed some fleabay photos to show: Fig 1 shows the front view of the same kind of 7/16 combo as OP in the same size. Figure 2 shows how they re-designed the rear panel to fit the model number in on all the wrench sizes including this smaller 7/16. They even did this on the smallest 1/4" (two sizes down from the 7/16"). as shown in Figs 3 & 4. And so, in the case of OP's Craftsman wrench, it's not missing the model number because of its 7/16" size, but because it was made prior the the 1969 design change.
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thefraze_1020
Well-known member
My understanding is the "VV" plant was in Springdale, Arkansas.
That could very well be! Sounds right. I seemed to recall it was in Georgia, but I also thought that this might be wrong, which is why I kept referring to it generically as the "Southern" plant. I suspected that another member would come along and square this detail away for us. Thanks much!
Well, looks like this is the thread I've been waiting for.
I ran across my first =VV= wrench about 2 years ago and have been actively trying to figure out how many there were since then. Just last month I finally got what I believe to be the last missing one to complete these three sets.
SAE Combination =VV= wrenches from 1/4" - 1"
SAE Double Box End =VV= wrenches from 1/4" to 1"
SAE Double Open End =VV= wrenches from 1/4" to 1-1/8"
In all my time seeking these out I have never seen a Metric =VV= so at this point I am going to assume that there are none. (plus, by publicly stating that I am almost sure to now run across a full set.)
I do agree with most everything that @DadsTools posted above, but I wonder the manufacture date on these is slightly narrower since they all have the rounded 'A' in Craftsman which didn't happen until about 1969. Since the part numbers were added around 1970, it would seem that the production on these was possibly more like 1969-70. Given their low numbers that may make sense.
In trying to make full sets of these I have accumulated quite a number of spares, so if anyone is interested, please let me know.
We’ve hoped to find a =VV= after reading @DadsTools, #2 above. Yesterday we did. No expectation of matching @piehammer .
