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Harry J Epstein Day 2026

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Squankum

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I opened the drawer where punches and chisels and pry bars live, preparing to fight the forces of temptation! Yes! I don't need that 6 pc. Wilde roll pin punch set, I apparently already got these four from HJE in the past! And for a fair price, I'm sure.
IMG_0350.jpeg


IMG_0349.jpeg

So now I can resist that purchase. Started shopping for the sizes I don't have, and ....

1785366275483.png


Dangit! Now I have to resist that! And Koken ratchets. And Council axes.
 
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Ohio Andy

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Squankum said:
I opened the drawer where punches and chisels and pry bars live, preparing to fight the forces of temptation! Yes! I don't need that 6 pc. Wilde roll pin punch set, I apparently already got these four from HJE in the past! And for a fair price, I'm sure.
IMG_0350.jpeg


IMG_0349.jpeg

So now I can resist that purchase. Started shopping for the sizes I don't have, and ....

1785366275483.png


Dangit! Now I have to resist that! And Koken ratchets. And Council axes.
Click to expand...
Yeah, you should resist that like I did not. :cool:
 
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four.cycle

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Squankum said:
Wait, this this thing 5/8" all over?
Click to expand...
errrr... it is a Craftsman. marked " 5/8 " on the shank. too long to fit into a gallon zip-lock - I'm guessing at the length.
The nose of it tapers down to about 1/4", but it was buggered up bad and I had to dress it up on a wheel, so now maybe a bit smaller at the tip.
Picked it up in a package deal, cleaned it up. I think it's in the box for my buddy - not sure.
 
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NoahG

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I’ve got a thing for old square stock Craftsman punches. Everyone makes them from hex stock these days but square is more comfortable in the hand.
 
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Squankum

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four.cycle said:
errrr... it is a Craftsman. marked " 5/8 " on the shank. too long to fit into a gallon zip-lock - I'm guessing at the length.
The nose of it tapers down to about 1/4", but it was buggered up bad and I had to dress it up on a wheel, so now maybe a bit smaller at the tip.
Picked it up in a package deal, cleaned it up. I think it's in the box for my buddy - not sure.
Click to expand...

Like this, which I see at ebay?

1785391911465.png
 
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Squankum

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Had to run to the Underground Lair and check. Found this! 5/8" hex it is. But it is a line up tool. It is not a punch. Sears says so.



IMG_0387.jpeg


IMG_0388.jpeg


IMG_0389.jpeg


IMG_0390.jpeg

My fingers detect a subtle burring on the big end, so at some point since 1988, I have hit this with a hammer. As a line up tool, I bet.

The hunt continues... tried HJE, no luck so far.

I'm sure this long line up tool was part of the kit of 20+ I bought at Sears in the late 80's, plastic clamshell, put it on my new Sears card, and was thinking, "Do I really need all these? Was this a wise decision?" The credit card, no. But in the long run, I never knew what a deal that whole package was. Punches, chisels, line up tools, small pry bar with a line-up tip on the other end. A fantastic value. HJE has sold similar assortments in a tool roll lately.
 
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Squankum

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Here's a Mayhew punch set that I do not see at the HJE website. Would it sell? I really can't tell. But they are neat. Rather than use a half or less of the small round tip of your punch to knock a bearing race out of a drum, rotor, or differential housing, this is a punch with a wide tip for more contact.

Image.png
 
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RTM

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Squankum said:
Had to run to the Underground Lair and check. Found this! 5/8" hex it is. But it is a line up tool. It is not a punch. Sears says so.
Click to expand...
I have two, one bought back in 1982 or so, used it as a line up tool for a clutch install. Bought another on last year at a GS. They have been used for light tapping, but never hit with a .BFH. Great tool
 
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Ohio Andy

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Found out that part of my order was cancelled because Kennedy was not responsive. 😭

buykennedy.com

20" 2-Drawer Portable Tool Chest - Kennedy Manufacturing

20" 2-Drawer Portable Tool Chest All Sales Final, No Returns
buykennedy.com

HJE had the brown one. I really want the green one, but the green one carries over $100 premium because it's considered a premium color. I don't think a premium color is worth a 42% increase in cost.

I think I can use the Kennedy 220 series two-drawer portable tool chest to combine two carry chests that I have into one. I Hope that It doesn't make it too heavy to carry.
 
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mikeinri

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Squankum said:
Had to run to the Underground Lair and check. Found this! 5/8" hex it is. But it is a line up tool. It is not a punch. Sears says so.



IMG_0387.jpeg


IMG_0388.jpeg


IMG_0389.jpeg


IMG_0390.jpeg

My fingers detect a subtle burring on the big end, so at some point since 1988, I have hit this with a hammer. As a line up tool, I bet.

The hunt continues... tried HJE, no luck so far.

I'm sure this long line up tool was part of the kit of 20+ I bought at Sears in the late 80's, plastic clamshell, put it on my new Sears card, and was thinking, "Do I really need all these? Was this a wise decision?" The credit card, no. But in the long run, I never knew what a deal that whole package was. Punches, chisels, line up tools, small pry bar with a line-up tip on the other end. A fantastic value. HJE has sold similar assortments in a tool roll lately.
Click to expand...


Got any pics or part number for that kit? In case Jori comes across a pallet full of NOS ones!

I've got a 2000s Craftsman "alignment" tool that certainly looks and acts like a punch when necessary, LOL.

Mike
 
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four.cycle

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Squankum said:
Had to run to the Underground Lair and check. Found this! 5/8" hex it is. But it is a line up tool. It is not a punch. Sears says so.
Click to expand...
Well, we'll just have to take their word for it, I guess.
Mine's not marked that way, and wasn't made by Western Forge (as your example above) and it has a square shank.
And it's only 12 inches long, not 14 (as I had guessed above.)
I probably took at least a quarter of an inch off the business end to get it squared up (it had been sharpened to a cutting tip.) Top end was mushroomed out too.
 

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mikeinri

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Squankum said:
Uh... 1988 was a long time ago.

Much like this, but I think mine came with a 16" ish pry bar on one end, alignment tool tip on the other end of the tool, too.

Image.png
Click to expand...

Gotcha. I read "clamshell" in your post, but pictured a reusable case in my head, LOL.

Mike
 
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mikeinri

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Exactly. Except, they're probably the only ones who don't care when they slice their hands open while trying to open one...

Mike
 
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Squankum

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Here's something I didn't get on HJE Day order...s. I had already amassed a full lineup of Torxdrivers in recent years. Wee ones, small old acetate-handled Craftsmans from HJE, a few Wiha I had picked up along the way, and then a hot steamin' deal on some "Craftsman" FACOM Torxdrivers from FRONCE in the aftermath of The Great V Series Attempt at Pearls Before Lowe's Swine.

But if I hadn't recently completed that line up, boy, would this Vessel set have tempted me.


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Knurling!
 
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four.cycle

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^ I have a "Martin" 1/2" drive breaker bar. Primo quality. It doesn't get better. Hopefully they'll get in some of Martin's service wrenches (Industry Gold Standard) and the sockets and drive tools. (y)

Excellent work, Jori. (y)

(Martin is the outfit that bought up all of Fairmount's tooling when they shut down.)
 
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T444e

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Squankum said:
Here's a Mayhew punch set that I do not see at the HJE website. Would it sell? I really can't tell. But they are neat. Rather than use a half or less of the small round tip of your punch to knock a bearing race out of a drum, rotor, or differential housing, this is a punch with a wide tip for more contact.

Image.png
Click to expand...
I've made them before from chisels. Then I end up regrinding a chisel point as I don't carry multiple chisels.
 
H

heybret

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Apr 28, 2011
Messages
12
Squankum said:
Here's something i didn't get on HJE Day order...s. I had already amassed a full lineup of Torxdrivers in recent years. Wee ones, small old acetate-handled Craftsmans from HJE, a few Wiha I had picked up along the way, and then a hot steamin' deal on some "Craftsman" FACOM Torxdrivers from FRONCE in the aftermath of The Great V Series Attempt at Pearls Before Lowe's Swine.

But if I hadn't recently completed that line up, boy, would this Vessel set have tempted me.


1785450546436.png

Knurling!
Click to expand...
These have become my goto's, really nice!
 
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four.cycle

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Martin forges their own service wrenches.
They are the de facto industry gold standard on that product. Full stop.
They are the company that bought the tooling from Fairmount:

Fairmount / Fairmount Tool & Forging Co., 10611 Quincy Ave., Cleveland, OH / patent 1362014 Dec 14 1920 Gottfrid C. Lawson / http://alloy-artifacts.org/fairmount-tool-forging.html / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/fairmount-tools.461049/ / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...ol-forging-co-monster-auto-body-board.444930/ /

Martin / Martin Sprocket & Gear Inc., 3100 Sprocket Drive, PO Box 91588, Arlington, TX 76015 / http://www.martinsprocket.com/ /

You never heard of them because they never even bothered with the "consumer" or the "professional mechanic" trade. They deal with those guys working on oil rigs in Texas and out in the Gulf - serious industrial stuff. So: no shiny plating, no fancy-schmantzy catalogs, just plain-Jane tools that hold up.

I've been carrying this gem around in the Ranger for a few years - this is part of the "road kit". They don't get any better than this:

Martin SF41 1.2 dr 16 in flex handle 073126.jpg
Martin SF41 1/2" drive 16 inch flex handle 07/31/26
 
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