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I got an old oil can with a squirt trigger. The can is pretty nice, but it’s got some vintage oil that is not so nice. It looks like a mixture of sand and sawdust where the oil has crystallized. It is not corroded metal, but rather the oil has separated into hard bits and liquid. Can anybody...

I got another rusty craftsman ratchet. It is 1/2 inch but it was apparently designed without a reverse switch at the top of the handle but rather has a reverse switch it the “normal “ spot for round head ratchets of other brands. It’s not in great condition, but it’s the only one I ever remember...

I have not been getting much time for hunting my favorite tools... the rusty kind, but I got a chance to clean this Snap-On 1” 12point 1/2” drive socket. It’s stamped on one side patent applied for, and the part number SW-320,1/2 between the stamps there is a single number “9”. What patent...

I was trying to remember the earliest pieces of furniture i built, because I want to give my grandkids something to do when they visit. I built shelves and a bench, using a brace and bit, and plane. I can remember that the brace was Stanley. It was chrome and was close to a foot long. The chuck...

I enjoy collecting sockets ratchets and wrenches. I have, a unique hunting ground that makes it possible for me to find massive numbers of tools that have been layered over years. I have been hunting this same place once or twice a week for over a year. Everyone knows me by first name, mainly...

One of the nice things about being a “bottom feeder” collector is that I find interesting things that apparently did not work out or was a transitional piece from a very rich history that has been forged in steel alloy. These were just interesting to me. Picking a brand name for a tool is part...

Limited room is forcing me to purge my little toolbox and bundle some of the latest finds for storage elsewhere. I try to keep a little box of wrenches close at hand to place my new junk in until I can clean and store it. If I have to store it long term, I wait several months then look at them...

I have no idea about this socket. It is marked cTc and is also marked with size and part number. Is this a common brand? I have seen a lot of sockets and these are not common where I hunt. Thanks in advance, alton1911

I think New Britain tool works met their end under Litton management. RIP. I have mixed emotions every time I see this little ratchet. It’s well made but in my opinion lacks the beauty of earlier designs. Thanks alton1911

I often dig around through massive quantities of vintage wrenches. I feel fortunate to have so much old stock to dig through, but I have noticed that not all wrenches are created equal. Some interesting pieces of history have never been shiny, but sometimes a jewel will glisten just right and I...

I bought this today. The fellow that runs the rusty tools section at my local pawn shop, had this waiting for me today. It is a circle “U”. Doesn’t appear to be damaged as much as just worn out. I have a few questions in relation to this ratchet. Parts? Are there any? Where should I look? How...

I have seen a number of “Fleet” brand sockets from Mexico and also from Canada. But I think this is a first for me finding a wrench marked Proto that is not domestic. Are they common? Thanks in advance, alton1911

I found what I assumed would be a Superrench yesterday but upon viewing the reverse side I found “VULCAN”. I like these wrenches, and I have similar wrenches in different configurations including DOE, DBE, combination. This is new to me to find Vulcan branding. When did this take place? Did...

I have been collecting all of these with equal enthusiasm but Plomb pebble wrenches seem like the obvious predecessor to the Proto L.A. wrenches with a pebble type panel with the size. But P&C wrenches seemed to have skipped the pebble all together. The overall shape and contours seem to match...

I do love finding things that are new to me. I dig through boxes of wrenches a couple times a week, so I'm never more than a couple days from a new question. I am way better at finding the answers now, but I'm not always sure where to look for the answer about this one. I have a long 11/16...

I bought a number of wrenches today, but this Craftsman wrench appeares to be unaltered but it’s missing a few details that I usually see on craftsman tools. Like size, part number. Any help would be appreciated. It’s not offset, looks to be a little more than an inch. Maybe 1-1/8 or 1-1/16...

I am a welder. I work in a metal shop where we use mostly high quality tools. Some of those tools are vintage Proto, JH Williams, Wilton, etc. But like the rest of the world we are undergoing changes. Recently our safety department has been on a kick to eliminate all tools that have any...

I know the Powr-Kraft brand has some loyal followers. I myself am just now starting to become interested in there 1/2” ratchets and sockets. So naturally it follows that I would be interested in who was making their ratchets and sockets and how to spot the different manufacturers if there are...

I have a habit of picking up those thin metal tool boxes from the past and I use them to store rows and rows of sockets as I collect a set. I found this box yesterday that only marked USA GEM. I thought I might like to fill it with as close to its original contents as possible. Any information...

I have not had a lot of time to post pics but I still find stuff I have questions about. I know this is certainly not the first time these wrenches have been discussed on garage journal. After reviewing these threads I have not seen any post that was more than guesses. I may have missed...