Spezial Werkzeugfabrik Feuerbach D.R.P. Socket Sets

Private Lugnutz · Jul 13, 2018

As first reported on the 2018 Garage Sale thread, one of the regular house liquidators at my early bird flea market showed up with a large trailer load of vintage garage tools and equipment this morning. I came home with a bunch of stuff, including a few socket sets.

This one, closer to antique than vintage judging by the technology, has immediately gone to #2 on my All-Time Favorites list.

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With its 5/8-inch male hex drive tangs and its machined (not forged) construction, I would call this set unique, except for the fact that it is very similar to the design and construction of the #1 All-Time Favorite set in my collection - the Eastern Machine Screw Corporation H&G wrench set.

There are seven (7) sockets in the set, measured (with calipers) at 5/16”, 7/16”, 1/2”, 9/16”, 11/16”, 7/8”, and 1”. (See Photo 1 below.) There are a few empty storage holes in the box and it seems pretty obvious that there is at least one socket missing between the 7/8” socket and the 11/16” socket.

The set also includes a screwdriver bit (7/16” diameter slot blade), what appears to be a 1/2-inch square drive adaptor, and an extension.

Driving the sockets is an ingenious ratchet head permanently affixed to the end of a long hollow handle with a drilled hole at the end for a tommy bar. The ratchet head is hinged, with three positions - 0*, 45*, and 90* - by depressing that brass button, releasing a large bent split pin. The on/off direction is selected by twisting that knurled ring recessed elegantly in the head, left or right. (See Photos 2, 3, 4, & 5 below.)

The other ratcheting mechanism is an offset. It also has the knurled selector.

Both ratcheting mechanisms are coarse (4-teeth) and can be used alone or in combination with each other and the extension to turn the sockets, the adaptor, or the screwdriver bit.

The main ratchet wrench has a COO marking, which reads, verbatim, “Made in Germany”, and it also has what appears to be a logo or trademark. (See Photos 6 & 7.)

Private Lugnutz · Jul 13, 2018

While I personally love the look of the OD canvas straps as hinges on the box, I have my doubts about them being original. (See Photos 1, 2, & 3 below.)

Some zooms:

Photo 4 is the COO marking.
Photo 5 is the logo.
Photo 6 is the logo upside down (because I'm not sure which way it goes.)

If anyone has any ideas about the manufacturer, or any leads on German early 20th century tool manufacturers around the time of the advent of detachable machined sockets (I am postulating 1910 to 1930 on this set), please post. Unfortunately, I have more questions than answers. Did Elora, Stahlwille or Hazet make early detachable socket sets? Were there more obscure manufacturers in Germany (a la Eastern Machine here in the US) making alternative forays? If so, were they welded, forged, or, like these, machined? Was this for export? I just don’t know enough about the history of German automotive tool makers and tools to even begin to muddle my way through this one.

3baygarage · Jul 13, 2018

Cool find.

After a closer glance in the GS thread I was able to figure out what you have there.

Here is an old thread where Monte provided some info:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216349

Private Lugnutz · Jul 13, 2018

Thank goodness for your memory, 3bay! Very difficult to search on without a name. That explains a few things. I thought the "D.R.P." may have been owner's marks, for example!

And the logo on mine is badly worn compared to the logo on wrenchguy's and madison069's, so that's good to have those for research.

It seems as if the maker has not yet been identified - which is my primary curiosity.

EDIT: I'm going to pull madison069's crisper logo up into this thread in case any of the guys in the "Tools from the Old World" thread come this way at my request.

3baygarage · Jul 13, 2018

There was a set on ebay the other day. Turns out the auction ended now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-German-Socket-Ratchet-Set-Dovetail-Wood-Case-SWF-/223052551469?nma=true&si=m73cKGt%252FP%252BOGzc7RkF8lWJX7QDc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Ebay has gotten stupid with their ended listings recently, making them tricky to view.

a couple of the pics from the listing, the box says AEG on it, but not sure if that is a company or what:

Private Lugnutz · Jul 13, 2018

AEG is Allgemeine Elektricitätz-Gesellschaft (i.e., like General Electric here), so maybe they made hand tools before power tools. That set is a little different (fewer sockets, fewer attachments). It has the tommy bar, though, and I see that my ratchet wrench is missing a button for the brass plunger pin for the hinge.

4xdog · Jul 13, 2018

I'm guessing your logo stamp in photo #5 needs to be rotated 90º clockwise. It seems to read "M".

Private Lugnutz · Jul 13, 2018

You could be right. I posted it in the same orientation as the COO, and flipped 180. It might very well be meant to be viewed with the shank held vertically, as you said. "M" or "W". EDIT: Although when you flip it that way, it looks like there is a small I in front of the W and perhaps an E growing out of the last leg of the W. W could be Werk/en (company).

4xdog · Jul 13, 2018

True -- it could go the other way, too. Both "M" and "W" are pretty common in German company names.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 13, 2018

I'm hoping the Europeans chime in.

notlob · Jul 14, 2018

http://i2fg.org/member/iwf-institute-for-machine-tools-and-factory-management/

notlob · Jul 14, 2018

Beautiful tools - congrats Lugz!

wrenchguy · Jul 14, 2018

3baygarage said:
Cool find.

After a closer glance in the GS thread I was able to figure out what you have there.

Here is an old thread where Monte provided some info:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216349

i been looking 4 that posting some time now.... how da hell can u just whip it up so easy? thanks.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 14, 2018

notlob said:
Beautiful tools - congrats Lugz!

Thank you, notlob.

I mentioned their similarity to Eastern Machine Screw Corporation's H&G wrench set in terms of style and construction and there’s no doubt that similarity was part of the attraction for me. See thumbnails for comparison. The H&G set uses an interesting and much different connection system. I haven't shown and described my H&G set in detail as part of my "Roaring 20's" collection yet, linked here, but I will get to it soon.

You could be on to something with that Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Fabrikbetrieb (IWF) link. Please tell me more, if you can. Did you actually recognize the logo? Or did you put 2 and 2 together with your Goggle-fu from the speculating I was doing about the "I" and the "W" and the "F" growing out of the last leg of the "W" prompted by 4xdog's 90* twist suggestion? Europe had a history of elevated work-study and vocational-technical manufacturing cooperatives, so I wonder how old IWF is and if this may have been part of their curriculum. It could also just be a coincidence. I have already emailed the POC. We'll see what comes back.

wrenchguy: If you don't mind, please measure the service openings in the sockets in your set. Some of mine are missing. Between your set, morgan069's, and mine we should be able to figure out what was originally included.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 14, 2018

My email to the IWF POC in that website bounced back undeliverable. Square one.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 15, 2018

Update:

Apparently that's a fancified "S", not an "I", in front the of the merged "W/F". Someone on the "Tools from the Old World" thread identified the logo as belonging to Spezial Werkzeugfabrik Feuerbach, established in 1923.

elidas · Jul 15, 2018

Here's the label:

Private Lugnutz · Jul 15, 2018

Fantastic! Thanks for the confirmation and the elaboration, Elidas! :thumbup:

Do you know anything else about the set?

It's hard to read the label from here. I can see that items 7 through 17 are the ten (10) sockets. And I can see that item 18 is the screwdriver bit.

What is item 6? The adaptor?

The ratchet, offset ratchet, and extension have to be three of the five items illustrated in items 1 through 5. What are the other two items?

Also, back on the subject of the sockets, can you please measure the openings in the sockets and tell me which sizes I am missing?

I'm obviously trying to determine what I am missing.

Also, what is the name at the top? The "ALL-INCH Wrench"?

notlob · Jul 15, 2018

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/porsche-356-vw-split-bus-bug-factory-SWF-accessory-enamel-sign-/291607328492?hash=item43e526b6ec&nma=true&si=iZvX5UtmXRAL0gV38l8VxATmqsg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

wrenchguy · Jul 15, 2018

Private Lugnutz said:
Thank you, notlob.
wrenchguy: If you don't mind, please measure the service openings in the sockets in your set. Some of mine are missing. Between your set, morgan069's, and mine we should be able to figure out what was originally included.

ok, if i can find the set. can u understand why the 5 position swivel head? i can deal with 3 positions... but 5?

Private Lugnutz · Jul 15, 2018

wrenchguy said:
ok, if i can find the set.

If it's buried somewhere you may want to wait a bit. Elidas has a set (see post #17), it has all ten (10) sockets, and I asked him to inventory their sizes.

wrenchguy said:
can u understand why the 5 position swivel head? i can deal with 3 positions... but 5?

Notice that I referred to it as a 3-position hinge head, because putting it into the 135* and the 180* position is superfluous and redundant to putting it into the 45* and 90* position and simply turning the ratchet over. I think it's just an implicit artefact of the hinge. Standard hinge handles ("breaker bars") have a similar redundancy.

elidas · Jul 15, 2018

My set has the "Tommy Bar" Here are the across the flats measurements of the ten sockets: 1.020,.972,.885,.815,.790,.735,.655,.575,.520,.445. The .575 looks like it has been sleeved. I do not have a 5/16 (8mm) socket or the hex to square adapter (plug socket?). There seems to be too big a gap between All-Inch and wrench. #6 points to the offset ratchet.

humber2 · Jul 16, 2018

wrenchguy said:
ok, if i can find the set. can u understand why the 5 position swivel head? i can deal with 3 positions... but 5?

Maybe it's user friendly for a left handed wrencher too?

wrenchguy · Jul 16, 2018

Private Lugnutz said:
Notice that I referred to it as a 3-position hinge head, because putting it into the 135* and the 180* position is superfluous and redundant to putting it into the 45* and 90* position and simply turning the ratchet over. I think it's just an implicit artefact of the hinge. Standard hinge handles ("breaker bars") have a similar redundancy.

ease of machining rather than keeping a closed end 4 h-d strength.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 16, 2018

elidas said:
My set has the "Tommy Bar" Here are the across the flats measurements of the ten sockets: 1.020,.972,.885,.815,.790,.735,.655,.575,.520,.445. The .575 looks like it has been sleeved. I do not have a 5/16 (8mm) socket or the hex to square adapter (plug socket?). There seems to be too big a gap between All-Inch and wrench. #6 points to the offset ratchet.

Thanks for the rundown, Elidas.

I see the shape of the offset now. Interesting that it was apparently an earlier design they abandoned, but they continued to use the old label on sets with the newer design. Wrenchguy's set has this style offset ratchet head. It's literally a steel rod bent into a curved 90* angle and terminating with the 5/8-inch hex drive stud. On your set and mine the drive tang on the offset ratchet head is a straight rod affixed at a squared 90* angle to the ratchet head. So there is at least two generations of the set. Humber, in a PM to me, noticed various marking distinctions (some with "ang." following the "D.R.P.", some without; some with an illegible term under the "Made in Germany" marking; etc). I'm not sure those were accompanied by actual physical distinctions in the tools, though, which, other than the two different offset ratchet head designs, seem to be very consistent across all of our sets.

Looks like the eleven (11) sockets (I missed one on the label!) are: 5/16, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 11/16, 3/4, 25/32, 13/16, 7/8, 31/32, and 1. ??

Please excuse me for being peculiar about this, but I am still not understanding the diagram on the label. Please confirm, complete and correct!

(1) Ratchet
(2) ???
(3) Extension
(4) Tommy Bar
(5) Hex-Square Adaptor
(6) Offset ratchet head
(7) - (18) Sockets ---- but it looks like they skipped #17
(19) Screwdriver bit

Which would make 18 pieces. But 6 handles/attachments + 11 sockets makes 17 pieces.

Did they skip #2 or another number on the diagram in addition to skipping #17?

wrenchguy said:
ease of machining rather than keeping a closed end 4 h-d strength.

'Zackly.

wrenchguy · Jul 16, 2018

measured across flats. 3 on right extras to trade for missing sockets.
thanks.

wrenchguy · Jul 16, 2018

3baygarage said:
There was a set on ebay the other day. Turns out the auction ended now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-German-Socket-Ratchet-Set-Dovetail-Wood-Case-SWF-/223052551469?nma=true&si=m73cKGt%252FP%252BOGzc7RkF8lWJX7QDc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Ebay has gotten stupid with their ended listings recently, making them tricky to view.

a couple of the pics from the listing, the box says AEG on it, but not sure if that is a company or what:

hmmm, 2 ratchets and only 5 sockets. somebody had extra components, this orphaned stuff must be out there. :thumbup:

Private Lugnutz · Jul 16, 2018

With help from you and Elidas, I think I finally got my sockets sorted. See Photos 1 & 2.

wrenchguy said:
3 on right extras to trade for missing sockets.
thanks.

I need the 3/4" and the 13/16"! I have an extra 1/2" socket (See Photo 3), which I see you need. I would trade it straight up for the 3/4". And I would gladly buy the 13/16" from you. Lemme know.

wrenchguy · Jul 16, 2018

i'll give u both 13, and 3/4 for the 1/2. my extra 3/4 ain't that good... maybe ok till u find better. pm address if ok. maybe guys here can keep the eye out for weirdo tools/sockets we're looking for?

Private Lugnutz · Jul 16, 2018

Thanks. Very kind of you. PM on its way.

elidas · Jul 16, 2018

Wish I could. I can't read it either. The text mentions that #18 is for spark plugs. It also mentions a bolt as #20. I'll stare at this a little longer and maybe try to clean some of it. It seems to be a little delicate-something I'm not- so I'm gonna take it slow.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 16, 2018

elidas said:
...and maybe try to clean some of it..

Don't risk ruining it on my account!! It's an important artifact for us right now since nobody else seems to have one. We need to preserve it! Check your PM please.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 19, 2018

UPDATE:

If you recall, 3Bay had tipped the thread off to an SWF set that had just ended at auction on fleaBay back on page 1 in post #5 linked here. At that time I noted that it was different than all the other sets we had seen, having only five (5) sockets.

I decided to contact the seller, asked him to re-list as a Buy It Now, and I did.

My goal was to pillage the cross bar (missing from my set), use one or both of the ratchets as parts ratchets (for the missing button on my hinge release, for starters), and hope that one or more of the sockets might be the sockets I need (11/16" and 15/16"), leaving a few extra sockets that might fill holes in wrenchguy's set.

Now I'm not so sure.

First of all, I was wrong about the set just being smaller (with fewer sockets). The two largest sockets in this set (at 1-1/16" and 1-1/4") are actually larger than the largest socket in the other sets (1"). And, while it had one of the sockets I need, all of the sockets have a much different darker industrial rust-proofing finish.

Secondly, both ratchets not only have their hinge buttons, but better, crisper logo markings than mine.

I may just keep this second set intact, as is. I have an orphan cross bar that will fit the cross drilled hole (3/8") for the ratchet in the first set. And I can use the extra ratchet as a back-up/parts ratchet in case one of the others goes kablooey in the future.

3baygarage · Jul 20, 2018

That’s a strange socket size lineup.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 20, 2018

Right? From that small to that big with only 3 sockets in between!? But they sure look like they belong to the box and to each other. Very weird. And the slide-on lid is exactly the same lid as on Elidas' box, with the little thumb pull indent.

Provincial · Jul 20, 2018

That socket lineup would fit close enough to work on 14, 17, 19, 27, and 32 MM. Try measuring the hex openings and see if they just changed the size markings to match fractional inches.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 20, 2018

As noted upthread, no markings. All sizes as measured. Some are a little mushy, some are gnat's ***. Elidas thinks they are metric. I respectfully disagree. The label is in English, the COO marking (also in English) is for export purposes, and the name of the set is The All-Inches Wrench Set (as if they did make a metric version for home-country use). But, they could've went for nominal. Some of the sockets are sleeved, which Elidas noted, as if a blank was broached smooth and a 6 point sleeve stuck in. That approach would be conducive for metric and imperial on the production line. He was going to do some imperial amd metric nut tests on his set. Edit: I'll do the same eventually.

wrenchguy · Jul 21, 2018

some machinist at this engine show i'm at are shaking their heads about the 3/4 socket i have (soon to be mailed out) that still has broaching debris mashed in the bottom of the socket. all say weird. i showed them the others and all said that socket missed the last machineing step to clean it out. comments too were made about"made for export"? as germany was metric.

Private Lugnutz · Jul 21, 2018

Elidas kindly mailed me the lid to his box so that I could examine and study the decal more closely. See Photos 1 & 2.

As I noted above, it's a hingeless sliding lid, similar in design though smaller than the sliding lid on my second set.

The decal is awesome. Due to the staining and deterioration, it's really hard to read.

Below is a transcription, verbatim, incorrect spelling included, of the "Direction for use.". Feel free to look over the decal and see if I missed anything. Collectively, we may also be able to fill in the missing words. I got a kick out of some of the translation. "Lengthening piece" for Extension, for example, and "Right angle bent lengthening piece" for what I have been calling an offset.

"The wrench consists of the shank and the head-piece 2 and jointes
for the shank. In the head-joint piece 2 a _old_ _ _heel is _ _ _ __ _
of which the headpiece 1 can be adjusted in certain angles _ _ _ _ _ .
The headpiece contains a ratchet appliance, which can be adjusted by the
adjusting ring for turning to the _ _ _ _ _ right side _ _ _ ing by hexagon
hole _ _ _ _ _ _ _ pieces _ _ _ _ to take up all the socket-pieces 7 - 17 the
lengthening inches 3 and 6 as well as the srewdriver and to use them.
In order to get to places which _ _ _ _ _ _ of pieces the straight_ _ _
_ thening piece 19 and the right angle bent lengthening piece _ _ _ the left _
hand. The lengthening pieces are also suitable to take _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
A special socket is Nr. 18 which is intende for mounting _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ for motor-cars. The plug-socket is put into the shank of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
and held fast in the shank. Here the right angled _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
The bolt enclosed (20) is used as lever _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _"

Private Lugnutz · Jul 21, 2018

I also made a reproduction of the decal for my first set. See Photos 1 & 2 below.

I scanned the decal on a high resolution scanner. I saved it as a JPEG. I enhanced it with some photo editing techniques to make it a little brighter and more legible, and I re-sized it for my lid. I printed it on standard paper, cut it out, and distressed some of the edges. I diluted some PVA glue with water and brushed it on the lid with a paintbrush. I stuck the reproduction decal on the diluted glue. Not entirely liking how light it was, I wiped a rag dabbed in some mahogany stain on it. Then I brushed more diluted glue over the top of that.

I don't normally like to doctor collectibles. It's against my principles. In 10 years this is maybe the third or fourth piece that I have ever had the urge. Feel free to disagree (it won't offend me), but I think it turned out great, and it feels much more complete to me. I wanted it to look authentic and match the piece and I think I achieved that. If I had never known about the decal, I would've been fine with it as is, but I'm glad I did this.

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