So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet thread

chad s · Feb 8, 2008

So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet thread

Ok, I'll start off. This is a fairly rare Snap On ratchet. This is the very first "Midget" series Snap On Ratchet, which was introduced in 1932. This one is date coded 1932. It is of course 9/32 drive (1/4 came around in the mid 1940's), and measures only 3-5/16" long.

Lets see some other cool ratchets!

le6920 · Feb 8, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Nice older Snap-On!

Up top is an Indestro and the bottom a New Britain. Both extremely smooth working ratchets.

le6920 · Feb 8, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

These Easco ratchets are the smoothest operating 3/8 drive I have ever tried. Easily my favorite ratchets to work with.

chad s · Feb 8, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Have you found a way to date these ratchets?

Here is the entire 9/32 set that the M70 ratchet came from. Everything in the box is date coded from 1930-1932 (Except the small extension is 1935). Notice the wood handled driver, I thought that was pretty cool!

lbgradwell · Feb 8, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Craftsman BE 1/4" New Britain-made ratchet from somewhere between 1934-44.

lbgradwell · Feb 8, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

1940 Snap-on 3/8" F-70N "Ferret" Ratchet

Uncle Buck · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Man I wish I could take pictures of my old stuff to add to these! I have quite a bit of cool old stuff too!

Uncle Buck · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

le6920 said:
These Easco ratchets are the smoothest operating 3/8 drive I have ever tried. Easily my favorite ratchets to work with.

I have the Cman version of that in the three popular drive sizes. I have never had one take a dump on me, and to me that is the best designed ratchet Sears has ever sold! :pimpflash

dxdexter · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Heres a few Gray and Gray-Bonney. One from the late 30's to 40's????, one from the late 70's and one present day.

The second photo is a 1946 ferret and a present day ratchet.

The third photo hows a 1/4" drive GM-70-M and has no date code. I emailed Snap-on Canada and they say based on the logo that it is from the late 30's to early 40's. It has a different logo font than I have ever seen.

wrenchr · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Have a extra new gray 3/8 you wanna get rid of??

dxdexter · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

wrenchr said:
Have a extra new gray 3/8 you wanna get rid of??

Those are 1/2" drive and I never get rid of tools I just keep them coming.

lbgradwell · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

dxdexter said:
Heres a few Gray and Gray-Bonney. One from the late 30's to 40's????, one from the late 70's and one present day.

The second photo is a 1946 ferret and a present day ratchet.

The third photo hows a 1/4" drive GM-70-M and has no date code. I emailed Snap-on Canada and they say based on the logo that it is from the late 30's to early 40's. It has a different logo font than I have ever seen.

Very cool! I've never seen one of those Gray-Bonneys apart from in a catalogue.

I'd guess 1937-40 for that old GM-70-M. And did you know that 1/4" ratchet was produced specifically to accept the sockets from other companies, while Snap-on focused on the 9/32" drive themselves?! (This info comes from a site hosted by Frank Murch devoted to collecting vintage Snap-on pieces.) It's odd that the Snap-on logo is on the "wrong" side of the handle!

krusty the clown · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

here's a link to frank murch's site

http://collectingsnapon.com/Site/Home-1.html

dxdexter · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

lbgradwell said:
I'd guess 1937-40 for that old GM-70-M. And did you know that 1/4" ratchet was produced specifically to accept the sockets from other companies, while Snap-on focused on the 9/32" drive themselves?! (This info comes from a site hosted by Frank Murch devoted to collecting vintage Snap-on pieces.) It's odd that the Snap-on logo is on the "wrong" side of the handle!

krusty the clown said:
here's a link to frank murch's site

http://collectingsnapon.com/Site/Home-1.html

Thanks guys thats great to know this is one of the first models of 1/4" drive ratchets produced by Snap-on.

This quote is from the collecting Snap-on website.

"1/4inch drive
The Midget ¼ drive. Snap on really focused on the 9/32 inch drive until 1946, but ¼ drives were available and Snap On knew it. They produced a ratchet to accept sockets for other companies Called the GM-70M (1937) and the GM70-L (1941 – 1945?). "

chad s · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

lbgradwell said:
Very cool! I've never seen one of those Gray-Bonneys apart from in a catalogue.

I'd guess 1937-40 for that old GM-70-M. And did you know that 1/4" ratchet was produced specifically to accept the sockets from other companies, while Snap-on focused on the 9/32" drive themselves?! (This info comes from a site hosted by Frank Murch devoted to collecting vintage Snap-on pieces.) It's odd that the Snap-on logo is on the "wrong" side of the handle!

Id say more like 1940-50, but I'll check it out with my Snap On expert. Frank Murch's site isnt nearly as accurate as http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/index.html, and while it covers 9/32, I cant seem to find 1/4 info on there.

dxdexter · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

chad s said:
Id say more like 1940-50, but I'll check it out with my Snap On expert. Frank Murch's site isnt nearly as accurate as http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/index.html, and while it covers 9/32, I cant seem to find 1/4 info on there.

The first inaccuracy I noticed on the Collectingsnapon site is the claim that Snap-on invented the "snap on socket". I don't believe this is true and technology existed prior to the Snap-On Tool Company.

I have been on both sites and the "Snap-on" script/font is totally different than any thing on either site. My camera cannot get close enough to show it clearly. the S has no "ears" at the ends of the letter and the letters are spaced out more than normal. This ratchet was from a complete set (according to my uncle) that my grandfather owned, but is the only piece that is left.
The line below the logo is split by the letter P.

chad s · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

dxdexter said:
The first inaccuracy I noticed on the Collectingsnapon site is the claim that Snap-on invented the "snap on socket". I don't believe this is true and technology existed prior to the Snap-On Tool Company.

Yup, that comment along shows you the guy hasnt done enough homework. Companies like Frank Mossenberg and Starrett had interchangeable socket sets at least 8-9 years before Snap On, and they even had ratchets, snap On didnt until around 1926 I think, and the Mossenberg was even reversable!

lbgradwell · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

chad s said:
Id say more like 1940-50, but I'll check it out with my Snap On expert. Frank Murch's site isnt nearly as accurate as http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/index.html, and while it covers 9/32, I cant seem to find 1/4 info on there.

Hmm. Yes, on closer inspection, it does appear to be 1940 or later judging from the logo... And Alloy Artifacts is definitely the Gold Standard for vintage tool reference!

dxdexter said:
The first inaccuracy I noticed on the Collectingsnapon site is the claim that Snap-on invented the "snap on socket". I don't believe this is true and technology existed prior to the Snap-On Tool Company.

Snap-on didn't invent the concept (though they'd like you to think they did!). Note, though, that they claim only to have "pioneered" the idea on their website...

dxdexter said:
I have been on both sites and the "Snap-on" script/font is totally different than any thing on either site. My camera cannot get close enough to show it clearly. the S has no "ears" at the ends of the letter and the letters are spaced out more than normal. This ratchet was from a complete set (according to my uncle) that my grandfather owned, but is the only piece that is left.

Yes, I can see the difference in the logo. If Frank Murch and your uncle are both right, it would seem to point to a post-1946 date - that is, a complete set would have been unlikely (if not impossible) until after the demise of the 9/32" drive...

dxdexter · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

lbgradwell said:
Yes, I can see the difference in the logo. If Frank Murch and your uncle are both right, it would seem to point to a post-1946 date - that is, a complete set would have been unlikely (if not impossible) until after the demise of the 9/32" drive...

I was thinking that the reason the rest of the set is no longer around is because of the fact it may have been 9/32" and obsolete over the years. Is it possible there was an adapter: 1/4" to 9/32" ?

russlaferrera · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Some are old, others are older. I started collecting tools in 1957. All Made in USA!

chad s · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

russlaferrera said:
Some are old, others are older. I started collecting tools in 1957. All Made in USA!

Who made the scissor style ratchet? Never seen anything like that!

eschoendorff · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

chad s said:
Who made the scissor style ratchet? Never seen anything like that!

I have something like that out in the garage (but mine is a Chaiwanese copy). Kind of gimmicky. I never use it.

Uncle Buck · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

lbgradwell said:
Very cool! I've never seen one of those Gray-Bonneys apart from in a catalogue.

I'd guess 1937-40 for that old GM-70-M. And did you know that 1/4" ratchet was produced specifically to accept the sockets from other companies, while Snap-on focused on the 9/32" drive themselves?! (This info comes from a site hosted by Frank Murch devoted to collecting vintage Snap-on pieces.) It's odd that the Snap-on logo is on the "wrong" side of the handle!

Perhaps I understood your statement above incorrectly, but Snap-On was not the only tool manufacturer to build ratchets in the 9/32 drive size, Plomb did too. Also, I think the reason for that drive size was more of a military thing. But then again I make mistakes so I am sure someone else will be happy to tell me where I am wrong with this!

chad s · Feb 9, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

hholmberg said:
Perhaps I understood your statement above incorrectly, but Snap-On was not the only tool manufacturer to build ratchets in the 9/32 drive size, Plomb did too. Also, I think the reason for that drive size was more of a military thing. But then again I make mistakes so I am sure someone else will be happy to tell me where I am wrong with this!

9/32 drive was introduced as Snap On's standard line of "midget" sockets and drivers around 1925. Other companies certainly did make 9/32 drive tools as well. Now snap on DID introduce a 1/4 ratchet around 1935 (Only known in the catalog, no examples have been found), but no sockets for it until around 1945. I would assume, as mentioned above, that very early snap on 1/4 ratchet was sold for use with other brands sockets.

lbgradwell · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

hholmberg said:
Perhaps I understood your statement above incorrectly, but Snap-On was not the only tool manufacturer to build ratchets in the 9/32 drive size, Plomb did too. Also, I think the reason for that drive size was more of a military thing. But then again I make mistakes so I am sure someone else will be happy to tell me where I am wrong with this!

Yes, as Chad mentions above, I didn't mean to imply that Snap-on was the exclusive manufacturer of 9/32"-drive tools, merely that they chose to devote their attention to that size (along with others).

And, I too have read elsewhere that the 9/32 thing was a military request to prevent 1/4" size tools from "disappearing" from the workplace!

Uncle Buck · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

chad s said:
Have you found a way to date these ratchets?

Here is the entire 9/32 set that the M70 ratchet came from. Everything in the box is date coded from 1930-1932 (Except the small extension is 1935). Notice the wood handled driver, I thought that was pretty cool!

[/QUOTE

I was surprised to see you post this set of tools, a few months back I bought a set that was identical in every way except it was missing that black handled wooden driver and the ratchet. I was delighted at the opportunity to get mine even if it is missing those key elements.

chad s · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

hholmberg said:
chad s said:

Have you found a way to date these ratchets?

Here is the entire 9/32 set that the M70 ratchet came from. Everything in the box is date coded from 1930-1932 (Except the small extension is 1935). Notice the wood handled driver, I thought that was pretty cool!

[/QUOTE

I was surprised to see you post this set of tools, a few months back I bought a set that was identical in every way except it was missing that black handled wooden driver and the ratchet. I was delighted at the opportunity to get mine even if it is missing those key elements.

Click to expand...

Well, it may not be missing them, it may have never had them from the start. First off, what color is the box, black or grey? Also, are any of the tools date coded? Do the sockets have diamond knurling midway on the sides, or straight lines at the base?

The very early sets only has a T handle and sliding T bar and sockets.

Uncle Buck · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

chad s said:
hholmberg said:

Well, it may not be missing them, it may have never had them from the start. First off, what color is the box, black or grey? Also, are any of the tools date coded? Do the sockets have diamond knurling midway on the sides, or straight lines at the base?

The very early sets only has a T handle and sliding T bar and sockets.

Click to expand...

When I said identical I meant in color of the box and virtually every other respect with regard to contents of the box to include the layout internally, the t handle with speed handle, sliding t, extension , mixture of the point style of sockets, the whole schmere. As to date coding all the contents of my set have the war time G instead of the normal year date code insignias. I did get a small hanfull of ignition type wrenches of varying brands and a small set of pliers that came along for the ride with my set, good stuff indeed!

caper · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Here is one of my old gray ratchets with removable drive to reverse rotation

caper · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Here is a better pic,unsure of the age but it still works excellent.In fact i find it much smother to operate than the newer gray ratchets.

lbgradwell · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

Cool! I didn't know Gray ever made that removable-drive style. 1930s?

Thumper · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

chad s said:
Who made the scissor style ratchet? Never seen anything like that!

Many years ago a local tool truck sold those around here.. They were called "Clicket". I don't know who actually made those but needless to say I didn't buy one. Years later it makes for a hellofa conversation piece during a ******** session with your buds.

russlaferrera · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

chad s said:
Who made the scissor style ratchet? Never seen anything like that!

The name is Click-it, made in Davinport , Iowa. Circa 1970s I tried to take a better photo...but

Uncle Buck · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

caper said:
Here is one of my old gray ratchets with removable drive to reverse rotation

I have an old Bonney that looks to be of roughly the same vintage in 1/2" drive that does the same thing.

caper · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

This one is 1/2" drive as well.I know the model # is still on the ratchet but I work away and its home in the garage so no idea of the vintage.

dxdexter · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

lbgradwell said:
Cool! I didn't know Gray ever made that removable-drive style. 1930s?

These would be a model 603 and were made well into the 1950's.

Any chance you will sell it. I will pickup.

caper · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

russlaferrera said:
Some are old, others are older. I started collecting tools in 1957. All Made in USA!

So who makes those old torque wrenches in the pic?I have two old snap ons that look identical.

lbgradwell · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

dxdexter said:
These would be a model 603 and were made well into the 1950's.

No kidding? The only ratchets I've seen like that were the old New Britain-made Craftsmans, and I believe they went out of production ~1944.

wrenchr · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

click it or ticket???

chad s · Feb 10, 2008

Re: So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet th

hholmberg said:
chad s said:

When I said identical I meant in color of the box and virtually every other respect with regard to contents of the box to include the layout internally, the t handle with speed handle, sliding t, extension , mixture of the point style of sockets, the whole schmere. As to date coding all the contents of my set have the war time G instead of the normal year date code insignias. I did get a small hanfull of ignition type wrenches of varying brands and a small set of pliers that came along for the ride with my set, good stuff indeed!

Click to expand...

"G" is 1945. Sounds like you may have a 1930's black case with mid 40's tools in it.

So we have the "show your vintage wrench" thread. Lets start a vintage ratchet thread

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