Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017

[Lesserstore]

Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

I decided to another evolution series this time on Craftsman screwdrivers, Butyrate handles onward. Part I is going to cover pre Western Forge production, Part II will cover Western Forge and Part III will cover Pratt-Read. Part IV will cover BF code screwdrivers by Fuller/KTC. Part V covers ratcheting bit screwdrivers and Part VI covers magnetic and multi bit screwdrivers. Any corrections or recommendations please post.

Part I: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zJXnaI6A0xvTBBPeQPuvgJX4-4tzY5DvXSi1zLdEZxU/edit?usp=sharing

Part II: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gdWcf0PC9LNSjA7jo1QO8DnoKIHdea6KXfJ8CcJgdFY/edit?usp=sharing

Part III: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_j77j71WGINycLJ3ZmuUUx1XP46z1sFhvAqO3rwsm-s/edit?usp=sharing

Part IV:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DnJ-cy81pQWrHX86cYHk3cCn9bapIJDk68JaAm0SiUs/edit?usp=drivesdk

Part V:

Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 Part V

Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 Part V: Ratcheting Bit Screwdrivers c.1989-2017 Codes WF and variants: c.1989-2017 Hollow Handle: c.1989- mid-late 2000s This basic ratcheting screwdriver was introduced in approximately 1989, and had a hollow handle which could hold between probably 4-...

docs.google.com

Part VI:

Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 Part VI

Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 Part VI: Magnetic & Multi Bit Screwdrivers 1948-2017 Codes Circle I: Parker- 1948-1953 CP: Magna?- 1969-1970 PD: unknown- 1970-1971 WF and Variants: 1970-2017 GK: McCalla Company/ Ovation Group- 2000s Magnetic Bit Screwdrivers Standard Hollow Handle...

docs.google.com

Appendix A Western Forge Codes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pn8JSrWtMXX_T_Hn2n76yy8Xoz8g542jn6BuOty2zCs/edit?usp=drivesdk

Appendix B: Screwdriver Color Codes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1297t7moXfakDfDux9xlB-H1FPU81Y8w41xeM94mZmvM/edit?usp=drivesdk

 

[Draftpick1]

Awesome job, keep it up. I love reading stuff like this

 

[Lesserstore]

Thanks!

Update: Appendix A added due to so many Western Forge Codes, 53 to be exact!

 

[Zeeman]

Nice write up. I like the old Craftsman stuff a lot.

 

[Lesserstore]

Nice write up. I like the old Craftsman stuff a lot.

Thanks!

Update: Part II: Western Forge Production Added

 

[Lesserstore]

Update: Appendix B: Screwdriver Color Codes added.

 

[Lesserstore]

Update: Part III: Pratt-Read Production added.

 

[Lesserstore]

Update: Yellow thumb rest color code added in Appendix B. Also info on ball end hex added to part III.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Awesome work man I hope to see some more about Craftsman soon I know you are a student so I can understand you are probably busy but when you get time I hope to see more I love Craftsman tools as a professional mechanic


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[Lesserstore]

Don't worry, a series on wrenches is coming soonish.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Don't worry, a series on wrenches is coming soonish.

That’s great I have lots of those too lol I am excited


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[Lesserstore]

Update- added Natural Grip screwdrivers to Part II.
Does anybody have a pic of one? I haven't been able to find any outside of the 1972-73 catalog.

 

[oak_park]

Here you go. I think they're better known for the Stainless name than the Natural Grip name. I'm guessing the 'Stainless' thing was kinda like a fad, they had Stainless wrenches, Stainless ratchets and screwdrivers that are rare and collectible, but not really that functional or reliable.

 

[Lesserstore]

Thanks! Pic added and changed the name to Stainless Steel.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Those are old too since the pointed A. I haven’t ever seen those before.


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[Lesserstore]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Those are old too since the pointed A. I haven’t ever seen those before.


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Could be a pointed A, but it could also be an optical illusion, especially because of the white print on a black background. Sometimes at first glance I'll think that a newer Craftsman screwdriver has pointed As but on closer inspection it's just an illusion.

Interestingly when you google "Craftsman Stainless Steel screwdrivers" you get a lot of a Pratt-Read stainless version from 2002-06. On the positive side, I found out about a new variant

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Could be a pointed A, but it could also be an optical illusion, especially because of the white print on a black background. Sometimes at first glance I'll think that a newer Craftsman screwdriver has pointed As but on closer inspection it's just an illusion.

Interestingly when you google "Craftsman Stainless Steel screwdrivers" you get a lot of a Pratt-Read stainless version from 2002-06. On the positive side, I found out about a new variant

Yeah I can see that now. I never knew that Pratt- Read made any stainless ones but I was also little when those were made too so I didn’t study tools then lol.


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[Lesserstore]

Update- PR stainless steel screwdrivers added to Part III.

 

[Lesserstore]

Update- I bit the bullet and bought a 1998-99 catalog in hopes that it would fill in some blanks and it did. In 1998 they replaced chrome plating on screwdrivers and adjustable wrenches with a cobalt coating. I think enloy is a typo and should be alloy, and the Co-200 is just marketing since there isn't an isotope of cobalt with 200 or 20 at the end of it.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Great info.


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[Lesserstore]

Added note to Appendix A that says that the two letter date codes started on the first day of the fiscal year which is October 1st. I discovered this by buying a set of USA made Husky torx screwdrivers (which are made by Ideal) a week ago and I noticed that they had date codes AJ (2020) and AK (2021), and I wondered "2021? How could that be?" So after some thinking I remembered that fiscal years starting in the fall. I was surprised to see at my store that they still had individual screwdrivers dating back to 2014. And also of note, home depot also sells the Taiwanese made screwdrivers in the exact same style, but these don't seem to have date codes.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this sitting in one of my toolboxes recently. I forgot that I had it.
-Don

 

[Gear Wolf]

Very cool! Thanks for doing this!

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Good to know. I’ve always wondered how to read the two digit codes.


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[Lesserstore]

I found this sitting in one of my toolboxes recently. I forgot that I had it.
-Don

Is the plastic that's used for the handle acetate or is it a different plastic?

 

[Lesserstore]

Very cool! Thanks for doing this!

Thanks! Your ratchet series is what inspired me to do these series (sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers) and it also got me into tool collecting.

 

[Lesserstore]

Update 1/6/21: Added Miller's Falls Circle F code and picture to part I.

I have a hunch that either the Circle G, G, or both codes could belong to Great Neck because they would have been able to make them at the price that Sears wanted and also simply because of the letter G in the code.

 

[d42jeep]

Is the plastic that's used for the handle acetate or is it a different plastic?

I’m not sure how to tell. Maybe one of the resident Craftsman experts will know through catalog research.
-Don

 

[Lesserstore]

Update 4/16/21- I added a fourth part covering BF coded screwdrivers made by Fuller/KTC. The pictures maybe funny until I get to a computer to size them right.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Thanks for the update. I haven’t found a whole lot of used Craftsman screwdrivers recently I go to the pawn shop about once or twice a month and the selections have been very picked through. At all of them not just one.


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[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED


Found this screw holding flat head Craftsman screwdriver at the pawn shop on Friday. It doesn’t have a date code any idea when it could be from? It’s Western Forge made part number 41124. Never seen one before that was branded Craftsman except the older one you posted a picture of.


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[Lesserstore]

If it has VANADIUM on the handle and pointed A's it was made between 1966-70, if it doesn't it was made 1971- c.1989.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

If it has VANADIUM on the handle and pointed A's it was made between 1966-70, if it doesn't it was made 1971- c.1989.

Thanks for the info. It doesn’t say Vanadium so 1971-1989 for this one.


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[Lesserstore]

Update fixed the link for part IV.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Craftsman Screwdriver Evolution 1950-2017 PART III ADDED

Thanks for fixing it. I just got a BF code screwdriver today at an Estate Sale. Also got several Craftsman wartime tools too. Along with some modern ones that were cracked so I’m going to have those warrantied. There was also a lot of Companion USA wrenches in there too with a WF code and a couple Fuller wrenches as well. The screwdriver I got is the later one I’m guessing it says Craftsman, Forged BF, Vanadium doesn’t say USA anywhere on it.


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[Lesserstore]

Updated Part II. Added more precise dates for the craftsman professional and cushion grip drivers.

 

[A E Numan]

I've been collecting Craftsman screwdrivers for a while now and find more of the old yellow-blue handle survivors than the Supper Tough. Were the Supper Tuff's made for a shorter time ?

 

[Lesserstore]

Yes they were made between approximately 1950-58, it's a bit hazy because I'm just going by catalogs. After that, the ridges in the flutes were deleted and Super Tuff mark was replaced by Vanadium.

 

[Lesserstore]

Update: added a section on steels used to Part II above the section on stainless steel drivers.

 

[Lesserstore]

Update: two new parts added covering ratcheting bit and magnetic and multi it screwdrivers respectively.

If you are on mobile (or at least on Android) please click the back button and hit open with drive so the pictures will not look blurry.