Chapman Midget Set No. CM-1400

[Outlawmws]

Very cool Lugz! I'd love to have found ONE set you have found TWO!

 

[Outlawmws]

So did Chapman ever do the 80th anniversary set?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

So did Chapman ever do the 80th anniversary set?

Good question. If they did, I didn't get the one they promised me for free, I can tell you that! I know they were having trouble finding a good source for the vintage eyeglass cases. EDIT: I could be missing it, but I don't see one on the site. Sounds like it was one of those good ideas that was a stretch for them to pull off.

 

[Outlawmws]

Well there is always the 85th!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

HAHA. That's the spirit.

 

[tym]

I learned about their website a few years ago and have been buying replacement bits and other sundries periodically. With prices being so low for their stuff, to justify $4 shipping, I usually throw in another CM-13 ratchet or two. I have them everywhere around my place, now.

My Dad has a set from the 1970s that's been in one of his toolboxes forever.

 

[B17E1943]

Good stuff!

I missed this the first time around; never heard of this company.

Great that they still make everything in the good old USA. I love these companies that say "designed in America and built to our standards in China."

I think I need to order some of their tools.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My Dad has a set from the 1970s that's been in one of his toolboxes forever.

That's a very typical testimonial, Tym. I would describe them as having a loyal, small-to-medium sized hand-me-down and word-of-mouth type following.

I think I need to order some of their tools.

When you're there, check out the '59 Chevy Apache (hit the "History" button and scroll down).

What I admire is how they stuck to what they had, which they had the confidence in knowing was a good thing, through thick and also some very thin times. The fact that there have been very few changes made to the tools and the way they are made and finished since 1936 speaks for itself. The eyeglass case is long gone, replaced with wood and then plastic, but the ratchet and bits are basically the same.

 

[bmwrd0]

Since I picked up a partial early set this weekend, I thought it was a good time to drag all my Chapman sets out and take some group pictures.

The eyeglass cases:

On the left we have a mostly complete early set, the two Phillips are later. Center is a set I put together myself, and on the right is the set I found yesterday.


My newer sets, the red cased stays with the machining tools, while the yellow, a gift from my wife goes to my airgun set.

But, with the partial set I found yesterday, I am putting all the bits from the homemade one into the case, and using the other case for my glasses!

 

[Outlawmws]

Nice sets!

I have both the "newer" Sets, I bought the gunsmith set in the red tin box new back in the day. It still lives in my range box; an old briefcase sized Anvil case that also holds cleaning gear, my spotting scope, an stand, stapler adn tape, etc...

 

[RTM]

These were soooo tempting at Epstein’s on Friday. Decided to wait til later.

 

[bmwrd0]

I keep a Brownells Magna set along with my Grace hollow drivers in my gunsmithing selection here at the house. But it sure is nice having the Chapman set when out and about.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I think I have a set somewhere. It was in an eyeglass case if I remember. Replaced it 20 years ago with a snapon set because I wanted metric hex keys. But was still working fine. Probably at the shop somewhere.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Good stuff, guys!

Other than the two I found, which were wartime, those are the most 'eyeglass case era' kits I have ever seen in one place, Beemer.

According to the people in the front office at Chapman, they don't know their source for the eyeglass cases, or when they discontinued using them in favor of wood and eventually plastic. But, like me, they figured they were an early make-shift solution only, and they were shocked by this photo of a Snap-on set (recent eBay sale) I sent them recently...



...because they didn't know that any of their third party production was being sent out in those cases. (Snap-on sets did not include the Chapman CM-13 ratchet, only the bits; Snap-on stuck their own 5/16" x 1/4" hex ratchet inside and users ignored the 5/16" end! HAHA). And they were as surprised as me to discover that they appear in 1962-1965 Snap-on catalogs.

You can find more photos of this set and some further discussion on page 75 of the Snap-on thread.

Would you please post close-ups of the ratchet and bits on one of the older sets?

If they actually put sets in eyeglass cases for that long, the pieces might start to help provide clues on how to date the sets that no longer have any labels inside the lids. Best comparison photos for the markings on a WWII era set is page 1, but scroll down to my second set. Post #35.

 

[Outlawmws]

Wow, did SO use the rack, ever? That SO case is the same eye glass case BMW just emptied -

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't know. Frankly, that's the only Snap-on set I have ever seen, and I ran into by accident. The catalogs don't show a case until 1970. That case (part number GA-168A) is metal and rectangular. In 1960 there is no bag or case listed. Just the bits and the Snap-on R-810 ratcheting Boxocket. In 1962 it says the bits come in a "C-10 kit bag." In 1965 it cites a "plastic packet C-24 and a GA-168 metal case." It is odd that it has no bits holder. In conversations with Chapman, they are under the impression they were making those and inserting them into commercially sourced eyeglass cases. Note the way the Snap-on set has their local Pittsburgh dealer decal under the lid. I highly doubt that was applied at the factory in Kenosha. Is it possible this is something the dealer in Pittsburgh was doing on its own? I don't know.

I stopped bidding at $50, by the way, and it went for something like $75 if I recall.

 

[Terry D]

I have had my Chapman 7331 set for 25 years. Over the years I lost the #1 phillips and the middle slotted has the corner broke. This thread inspired me to go to their website. Was able to order the 2 replacement bits. With shipping was $8.00. The part numbers are still the same

 

[bmwrd0]

Here is a shot of most of mine. I didn't include my misc. as they are just duplicates.

The two oldest, on the bottom, are distinguishable by the case-hardening colors and that they have no marking on the opposite sides. The three newest, on top, show "A Chapman Tool" in an oval, are marked stainless, and have markings on reverse.

I have a few more that I have picked up, which are the same as the pictured, with one exception:

An early case hardened example, with one difference, as it is marked Bridgeport on the reverse.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Beemer. Guessing the heat treated rats were in the eye glass cases, and they are marked just like the rat in my wartime set, so, that doesn't lend itself to my aim. How about the bits? Do they look like mine?

 

[MisterEd]

I picked up this complete late 1930's or 1940's vintage "Chapman Midget Units" ratchet and bit set at the early bird today.

We spent the morning today being estate sale vultures and found several things.

The first thing I began looking into was this Glasses Case that, not surprisingly, has appeared on Garage Journal several times and has nothing to do with glasses. It's not as old or in as good condition at the first on e in this thread, but it was irresistible.

Belonged to an 89 year old USN vet whose daughter is insisting he relocate from FLA to AZ because "she doesn't want me on the roof anymore".

Appreciate all the subsequent information posted about the set.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The first thing I began looking into was this Glasses Case that...[ ]... has nothing to do with glasses.

HAHA! It is definitely the coolest thing about these old sets.

It's not as old or in as good condition at the first one in this thread, but it was irresistible...[ ]...Appreciate all the subsequent information posted about the set.

My pleasure, congrats, and let me give you a hearty welcome to the Chapman Eyeglass Case Set club! "The first one on this thread" actually resides in a little front office museum at Chapman, which is still family run, but I found another one a few years ago (post #35).

As for the condition, whatever your preferred de-rusting method (electrolysis, Evaporust, or penetrating oil and elbow grease), I bet those bits clean up nicely. The case has seen better days, but still quite attractive in the 'worn but charming' category.

Nice find, Mr. Ed!

 

[MisterEd]

Nice find, Mr. Ed!

I appreciate the kudos, but you know that the Sig O, as always was the true finder.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...but you know that the Sig O, as always was the true finder.

She has a great eye!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

UNAIU is reading The White Ghost, by James R. Benn, a book in his Billy Boyle WWII detective series, and he just sent me this snippet. (I have never heard of Benn, but any author astute enough to incorporate a reference to Chapman Mfg into a novel is all the recommendation I need!)

 

[ChapmanMFG]

Wow, just read this while thread and I'm sorry I didn't discover it back in 2015! The OPA label is pretty cool, isn't it? We're getting traffic to our website from the links people posted, so I was able to trace it back to here.

Full confession, James Benn (author of "The White Ghost") and the Billy Boyle series is my Uncle. He's always looking for historical tidbits to incorporate into his book, so when we showed him some of the old WWII era tools he was psyched and wanted to write about them. In fact my grandparents life-long friends were in a Japanese internment camp in Utah and he used that in a story line as well.

Anyway, thanks for all the love about our tools. As you probably know we're a small shop and pretty much all of our new sales come from word of mouth, so I appreciate all the nice things you guys had to say.

I've done many group buys with forums if anyone is interested in organizing one. Also, I'm running a bunch of Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday deals so now is the time to buy if you need a set!

Thanks again!
Joel

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Full confession, James Benn (author of "The White Ghost") and the Billy Boyle series is my Uncle.

Very cool.

 

[Username already in use]

Full confession, James Benn (author of "The White Ghost") and the Billy Boyle series is my Uncle. He's always looking for historical tidbits to incorporate into his book, so when we showed him some of the old WWII era tools he was psyched and wanted to write about them. In fact my grandparents life-long friends were in a Japanese internment camp in Utah and he used that in a story line as well.

What!?! That’s crazy. Only on the GJ.
Well, next time you speak to your uncle, please tell him that I enjoy reading this series.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Cross-linking a set in a very unusual leatherette snap pouch that OTG has acquired and posted in the Tiny Tools thread here.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you follow that link in the post above you'll find that the discussion on the Tiny Tools thread surrounding the question of the production era for OTG's leatherette-pouched Chapman set continues, but I am moving the rest of it here, along with his photos, below.

I contacted Chapman to inquire if they knew anything about it.

"A collector acquaintance of mine just acquired a Chapman set in a leatherette snap pouch. I was wondering if you could shed some light on when it may have been produced? We have never seen one before. I was thinking the line went from eyeglass cases to vinyl pouches or metal cases and eventually plastic. Could the pouch be older (1936-1941) than the eyeglass cases? Or was there a time in the 1950's that you were using them?

Industrially, with other tools, leatherette was typically phased out by the 1960's. I have several ignition sets and carb kits and punch sets etc for example from Duro, K-D, Snap-on, Carter and many others and they are all either 1940's or 1950's. So, seeing the classic Chapman set in a leatherette pouch was a bit of a headscratcher."

Their reply:

"I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but I’ve been here 10 years and I’ve never seen a Chapman set in a leatherette pouch either. None of the old ads I have show leatherette pouches. Could it be a home made pouch?"

My reply:

"On the homemade notion, possible, but unlikely, in my opinion. For one thing, it's really well made, smacking more of factory than garage or basement shop. For another, and this is really the key for me, note that it has perfect separate pockets for every bit in the set to fit, including the ratchet."

Their reply:

"I’ll post the photos on social media and see if anyone has one or knows anything about it."

By which they mean their blog, I think. Stay tuned.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'd guess precursor to the metal boxes and the vinyl (mostly yellow?) folding pouches,

 

[four.cycle]

It is possible that's a one-off home-made deal there. somebody might have had a really good seamstress for a wife.
I told her "Can you just put something together that will hold all of them so they don't fall out? Nothing fancy - just use an old pair of my jeans."

Just sayin'....

Really curious to see what the outcome of the inquiry on their "blog" is.

 

[Skyman]

That set in the leatherette pouch is very cool. Thumbs up on that one.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found this set this morning. Me likey.

 

[Outlawmws]

I have at least one of those Allen sets. Agree, nice to have

I need to go through my Chapman stuff and organize it better so the dupe sets are where they do he most good...

 

[JunkNstuf]

Chapman Tiger-Lock Adjustable. I don't think these got to be too popular but I like them.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't think these got to be too popular but I like them.

They have a small, rabid, cultish following of guys who swear by them, but that's not the same Chapman.

 

[JunkNstuf]

They have a small, rabid, cultish following of guys who swear by them, but that's not the same Chapman.

Thanks for the info, I was unaware that it was a different company. I do have 2 sets of the Chapman Midgets, one I've used enough that the case is toast. I really liked the first set, so i bought another shortly after that & haven't needed to use it forty or so years later.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I do have 2 sets of the Chapman Midgets

Very high quality. They were Snap-on's supplier for decades.

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

Have had my eye out for one of these for a while and got one this week! Think I’ll use it to store Chapman slotted bits.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice!