Cool old sockets

[damnesia]

I bought a bunch of stuff at estate sales over the past two weeks and am just now getting around to posting. I bought a box that contained 18 old BlackHawk sockets ( 6 of them are 4 point ) and one 31/32 socket stamped with a "RAY" logo. It also contained 8 SnapOn sockets with the overstrike logo, 10 old but still usable SnapOn swivel sockets and a 6 or 7 other SnapOn sockets which part number starts with PHD. The picture of the box with the sockets in it is most of the ones I got, minus 9 of the swivel sockets which are in my tool box now.

From what I can find, the RAY socket is from Packer Auto Specialty Co. but I can find very little information about it. Still trying to date the BlackHawks, one of them has what I believe to be the arrowhead logo. Which I think is pretty cool because I've never heard of one until last night.

 

[eggs73]

Those are super cool!

 

[thehorse13]

That stuff looks like 1920s vintage to me. Snap-On overstrike stuff is for sure 1920s.

Nice haul.

 

[damnesia]

Yeah 10$ for the entire lot, no complaints here. I don't collect these brands but the Snap-On swivel sockets were worth 10$ and I will use those. The rest will probably sit on a shelf in my shop.

 

[KRB52]

31/32?! Really, someone went that fine?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Still trying to date the BlackHawks, one of them has what I believe to be the arrowhead logo.

If they're all numbered in 32nds with a D- prefix ("D" for double-hex), i.e., that D28 socket you're showing is 28/32 or 7/8, they're 1928-1940-ish. The arrowhead logo is older.

 

[woody 73]

Very nice.

Small favor to ask if you do end up putting the box and all the contents (minus the snap on sockets) in your man cave, be sure and take an old rag of some kind and put a little oil on it and wipe everything down; then every year or so just repeat the process.

In essence you will be saving the contents for the next generation to enjoy the contents of those old vintage sockets.

 

[Jp267]

Oh wow I have a bunch of Blackhawk sockets that were my Grandfather's. Super cool!

 

[Jp267]

31/32?! Really, someone went that fine?

I have several 31/32 sockets from the 40s and 50s mostly. SO, Craftsman, a no name. and New Britain. I almost started a thread the other day called "Socket Sizes You Don't See Everyday". 31/32 would be I'm there. I also have a few 31/32 box wrenches. Some car or something must have used that size at some point.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I almost started a thread the other day called "Socket Sizes You Don't See Everyday". 31/32 would be I'm there. I also have a few 31/32 box wrenches. Some car or something must have used that size at some point.

The subject has come up many times before and if you search on "odd sizes" or "/32nds" you're bound to find the old threads. The /32nd increments seen predominantly on pre-1950 wrenches and sockets corresponded to American Standard HEAVY bolts (i.e., U.S.S.), which had different size heads than American Standard LIGHT bolts (i.e., S.A.E.) of the same bolt diameter. Look at an old Machinery Handbook or wrench-to-bolt tables in old catalogs for details. I believe some of the odd sizes after that were for anti-tampering.

It can be a fun exercise to try to match them up to actual examples on vintage cars or machines. And many of those are cited in the old threads.