Artisan Tools sold by Gambles

[Provincial]

Artisan was a brand used by Gamble's and SK supplied the ratchets, drive tools, extensions, and sockets. The question is, who supplied the rest of the product line? I've seen hammers and pliers mentioned, and I recently ran into a feeler gauge set and now a double open end wrench.

Almost all the previous discussion has been on the Vintage S-K Tools thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-s-k-tools.278177/

Almost all of the discussion as about the ratchets and sockets. I am starting this thread so there will be an Artisan thread to show up on a search.

Keep posting S-K related discussion on that thread. I am thinking that this one should center on non-socket tools.

 

[Provincial]

In August of 2020 I found an Artisan feeler gauge/spark plug gapper. It is nicely made. Perhaps by K-Star, perhaps someone else.

 

[Provincial]

Recently, I picked up a DOE wrench, thinking it was made by Vlchek. I was surprised to find it marked Artisan! It has openings of 7/16 and 1/2.


Here is the Artisan next to a WWII-era Vlchek.

I couldn't get my hands on a Vlchek of the same size, but the resemblance is clear. Does anyone know if Vlchek is indeed the source for Artisan wrenches?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Wards would jump around a bit. They did usually use quality suppliers so vlchek would not surprise me.

 

[d42jeep]

This Artisan combo has an S-K or Lectrolite look about it. I‘m not sure who made the pliers and adjustable wrench.
-Don

 

[WisJim]

My Artisan bit brace is the same as those made by Ruger.

 

[senlow]

Wow!!! I must have been living under a rock for most of my life. I had no idea that Artisan was a Gamble's brand.

I don't have any Artisan hand tools but I do have a Gamble's lawnmower. It came with the house that I bought 25 years ago. I bought a new mower when I bought the house because SWMBO "requested" (required) it. She does the lawn work, so I buy anything she wants for the lawn. Since I didn't need the Gambles mower, I gave it to a friend when he bought his first house. Fast forward a few years and my friend upgraded to a newer mower and brought the Gamble's mower back to my house. Perfect timing! I needed a weed mower. I cleaned it up, replaced the muffler and welded a block off plate over the discharge chute. I still use it for weeds and other rough mowing tasks. My new Honda mower is reserved for easy mowing tasks only. Since their quality has been going downhill, I'm afraid to allow it to do anything more than the lawn.

 

[pdstoltman]

Artisan was a brand used by Gamble's and SK supplied the ratchets, drive tools, extensions, and sockets. The question is, who supplied the rest of the product line? I've seen hammers and pliers mentioned, and I recently ran into a feeler gauge set and now a double open end wrench.

Almost all the previous discussion has been on the Vintage S-K Tools thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-s-k-tools.278177/

Almost all of the discussion as about the ratchets and sockets. I am starting this thread so there will be an Artisan thread to show up on a search.

Keep posting S-K related discussion on that thread. I am thinking that this one should center on non-socket tools.

Hi There,
My name is Paul and I just registered with your site.
Your website was the first hit in a search I did using these words..."Gambles Artisan Pocket Stone ". Apparently they sold this pocket sharpening stone.
I was the only son in my family. Had 5 older sisters so my Dad (who could and did fix anything and everything) finally had a boy, which he taught everything I knew.
And naturally, being the only son, I got all of his tools, So many tools he'd acquired over a lifetime of building, repairing; there was never a repairman (or woman)in our house.
I've got more than a dozen tool boxes just for the things that are very old, unique ...all the way to plain odd. And not a single one of those, (some yet even truly looked into) would I ever part with.
I never had children of my own but all of my sisters did, so recently, my nieces and nephews started receiving packages here and there...because I I wish I had been able to ask him about many of these things.
But learning plumbing, electrical, HVAC,etc ... and a **** ton of other various and sundry jobs that he thought important for me to learn, I didn't have the time, nor would I have been willing to choose "where did you get this " over "how do I do this "?
I'm a 62 year old man who, as I said never had children, I've chosen and been able to hand things down now, many with a good story attached, while I'm still here and see how moved they are that I would give them the very things I myself consider priceless.
If your site allows me to post the back side of the photo I posted, I'll do it right now.
Anything anyone has some knowledge of or guesses about would be greatly appreciated
I also hope to be able to contribute back to a site that actually does something worthwhile out there.
Bravo!!!.
P. D.Stoltman

Thanks you in advance for even reading my post.

 

[Provincial]

Welcome, and thanks for adding the pocket stone to the list of Artisan tools!

 

[Mintgrun]

I’m pretty sure I only have one ARTISAN tool and it’s this DBE marked #1. In this case, I believe it is number one of a set; (based on seeing some that Don recently acquired). It looks like it was made by Vlchek.

 

[d42jeep]

I don’t know who manufactured them but they look pretty much the same as my early S-K DBE wrenches right down to the numbers indicating the size. These were made earlier than their association with Lectrolite.
-Don
Artisan marked
Like you say, probably made by Vlchek.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I received this pair of pliers today which I added to my other Artisan tools in the Artisan carry box. I like the pattern on the handles.
-Don

 

[WisJim]

Here's my Artisan bit brace. Probably made by Ruger.

 

[bmwrd0]

I forgot that I ever had this:



Traded it off to an SK collector, who was very happy to have it. Not common at all.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's the only other one I have seen

 

[PowderKeg]

Not much in the way of Artisan, have a triple play of the ratchets (disassembled to clean up) and a dbl box wrench that I can't find at the moment. Neatest find was this box (first and only Artisan I've personally seen to date) that was fairly full of 1/2" drive Stanley metric sockets, misc drive tools, and another Artisan 1/2" ratchet.

 

[Provincial]

Yesterday I found a pair of Artisan cutters at a garage sale. I know 3bay garage found a pair that he reported on the garage sale thread. Any others out there? Any ideas on who supplied them to Gambles?

 

[d42jeep]

Diamond and Champion deArment (Channellock) come to mind as possibilities. Here is a Diamond pair.
No 337 are from the Channellock catalog.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

The handles are absolutely smooth, with no gripping texture. Is the Diamond like that?

The Channellock pair I bought at the same sale has this for a texture:

 

[d42jeep]

That’s true. The tools with handle patterns were gradually phased out. Any #420 and similar groove joint pliers marked with the 1953 Canadian patent have smooth handles. By 1969 many of the other style pliers were transitioning to smooth handles with plastic handles offered as an option, which obviously eventually proved very popular.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some artisan wrenches

 

[d42jeep]

They certainly have an S-K or Lectrolite look about them, don’t they?
-Don

 

[corinnelouie]

I forgot that I ever had this:



Traded it off to an SK collector, who was very happy to have it. Not common at all.

Just scored this same Artisan tool box along with a Craftsman wheeled tool chest for $15 at a yard sale. Spotted them both while walking my dog.

 

[d42jeep]

I fou this Artisan DBE wrench in a storage box today. It has a bit of a Vlchek look about it and includes an asterisk.
-Don