Belzer sockets?

[Karl_B]

I just picked up a small tool box with various tools in it. Maybe a third of it was decent quality stuff, but all in bad shape. One of the two big, rusty sockets was labeled Belzer and looks to be a 41mm with 3/4" drive. There is a pin in the retainer/detent hole that is flush and doesn't seem to want to move. Is it broken or is supposed to be sprung and move?

I can't say I recall seeing this brand before. Does anyone know more about Belzer sockets?

 

[Karl_B]

I feel like I should amend my post to say that only two of the tools, both large sockets, looked like this. Most of the rest wiped clean with rags.

 

[Champo]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think:

1) Belzer was a west German manufactured that merged with dowidat in 1975 to make belzer dowidat.
2) Bahco bought belzer dowidat in 1988, tools were sold under bahco-belzer.
3) Sandvik bought bahco in 1991, and with it came belzer dowidat. Tools were sold as sandvik-belzer. Not sure if bahco tools were sold during this period?
4) snap on bought the tools and saws business area from sandvik in 1999, and named it the bahco group.

Belzer sockets are equal with hazet/stahlwille in quality. Very good stuff.

 

[Karl_B]

It looks pretty stout, so I'll keep it around, provided I can figure out the retention method...

 

[autonaut]

Well, the old style Belzer if the best you can get. Used in aviation alot, but also in smaller industry and even clock making. They were the first to use Chrome Vanadium steel.

Some of the old tools have Vanadium Extra written on them. To my knowledge this means the amount of vanadium in the tool is very high. Which would explain why they are so tough.

I love their leverage/breaker bar, 1/2 ratchet, Super Block wrenches, red screwdrivers and much more stuff from them. Cant say i have lots of experience with their sockets though but i dont see why they shouldnt be good.

Belzer is above Hazet. And definitely on par with stahlwille. In my opinion better. Stahlwille has THE BEST wrenches on this planet though. The "Open Box 13" i believe they're called. Light. Tough. Easy to clean. Often used in medicine production facilities because of these things i have noticed.

Often times Belzer tools are quite heavy for their size.

And to answer your question:
That pin there on your picture is supposed to be able to move. Soak it in WD40

 

[notlob]

Looks like Belzer is now yet another of Apex's brands:

http://www.apextoolgroup.com/content/belzer

 

[Karl_B]

Hmm, it says Vanadium Extra, with the extra being in a more elaborate font. I guess this is an oldie, which the rust would suggest. I bet it was left in a bucket of water or out in a field for a while.

I'm going to the guess the pin moves outward when a ball hits it? Or is supposed to move into a hole on the drive of the tool turning it?

Edit: I just noticed what looks like a ramp for a detent ball, so I'm going to assume the pin moves outward unless I read otherwise.

 

[markbugno]

Nicely played, notlob.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gigamel]

Belzer is great stuff - if you want fully polished tools from Germany Belzer was the answer. Love the red translucent handles

 

[Karl_B]

Here it is after a night in vinegar. Still working on that pin.

 

[brollona]

I'm just browsing ads in my country and I stumbled on this one

h_t_t_p_s://w_w_w.njuskalo.hr/rucni-alati/nasadni-kljucevi-belzer-7819j-vrhunska-kvaliteta-oglas-27443140

Pretty pricey for me and I'm not sure how are the prices of this tool, but maybe somebody is interested.