Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2024

[Lesserstore]

Maybe, but for now I am content with what I have. Another thing is that it doesn't seem as exciting when buying something online as opposed to going to a garage/estate sale or antique store and finding the gem you have been looking for especially if it is really cheap.

 

[Shelbylex]

Agree on that! I also feel extra happy when I find a tool which is in relatively poor shape (rust usually) and can bring it back to life and looking good.

 

[d42jeep]

As everyone else has said, Lesserstore, this is pretty cool that you have done all this research. I too am a high school senior and it is awesome to know that I am not the only young guy out there that is into this kind of stuff.

Maybe I am missing something simple, but several of you guys have said that Craftsman sockets seem to be the best up through the 50's, with the ones from the 60's being slightly less. My understanding from this thread is that the standard sockets stayed the same from 1949 to 1968ish when they changed from =v= to -v-. So I guess my question is how do you tell the 1950's =v= sockets from the 1960's =v= sockets?

If you can find complete or fairly compete sets, the contents can be roughly dated from the when the boxes they are in were offered.
-Don

 

[Lesserstore]

Update: Info and pics on Taiwanese EE sockets added to part III.

 

[Lesserstore]

If you can find complete or fairly compete sets, the contents can be roughly dated from the when the boxes they are in were offered.
-Don

I've done that before too, but with a craftsman sabre saw, judging by the case it was from 1956-58. Very good way to tell when a tool(s) was made.

 

[Lesserstore]

Thanks! I am noticing it only seems to have Fall/Spring catalogs, instead of hand/power tool catalogs. Still going to grab quite a few.

Edit: I keep getting a file not found on any of them. Anyone else having this issue?

Is it when you first click on the catalog number or are you viewing the catalog and it says that when you type in a page number.

 

[Cruzan80]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Trying to browse individual records, and not getting to any catalog.

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[Lesserstore]

Is this where you are?

 

[Cruzan80]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Yeah, but when I click on the Calatog link, it says page not found for any year I put in. Created an account, signed in, and still getting an error

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[Cruzan80]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Here is a screenshot

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[Lesserstore]

At first I thought it could be maintenance or something, but I looked at a catalog just fine a minute ago. Don't know what it could be.

 

[c1504]

If you can find complete or fairly compete sets, the contents can be roughly dated from the when the boxes they are in were offered.
-Don

Thanks Don. That would be a good way to tell. I just have a few sets without boxes so that won't really work for me.

 

[Jbullfrog]

Great work young man. Craftsman Tools have always been loved more by us the users then by Sears.

What ever became of the Craftsman cd project that Dave did 10-15 years ago? I have the 4 cd's he finished. It's amazing how much new information is still out there on a subject we think we are familiar with.

 

[Lesserstore]

Thanks for the compliment! Are those CDs still available? If they are where would I buy them?

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a set of metric G series 3/8” drive sockets with knurling.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a set of metric EE 3/8” drive sockets without knurling. I think Rileysan or JoCo may be able to help with info on the CDs.
-Don

 

[Lesserstore]

Here is a set of metric EE 3/8” drive sockets without knurling. I think Rileysan or JoCo may be able to help with info on the CDs.
-Don

Thanks for the info.

 

[Old Radar]

Really great research & compilation Lesserstore!! We may have to rename you Lugz Jr.

 

[Lesserstore]

Thanks!

 

[Cruzan80]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Yeah, but when I click on the Calatog link, it says page not found for any year I put in. Created an account, signed in, and still getting an error

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So now I have fixed the error portion, but it is now asking me to sign up for a membership to get access. Do you have an ancestry.com paid account, or are you able to still access for free?

 

[Lesserstore]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

So now I have fixed the error portion, but it is now asking me to sign up for a membership to get access. Do you have an ancestry.com paid account, or are you able to still access for free?

I was using my dad's account, which I thought was free, but I asked him today and he said it was $99. Sorry about that. I edited my previous comment too.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Nice to know more about the EE ones I have some USA EE and some Taiwan EE they are a lot thicker than the rest of the other letter ones. That’s cool I seen you were a senior in high school I just graduated this year so I am kinda close to you in age except i was last in school in March till they closed for the rest of the year because of the virus.


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[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Also I have seen the regular and upside down G series but I have one socket only one that the G is in a different font than the other ones it’s right side up but I have never seen another one like it anybody know about it I can try to post a picture later maybe if it’s needed


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[Lesserstore]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Also I have seen the regular and upside down G series but I have one socket only one that the G is in a different font than the other ones it’s right side up but I have never seen another one like it anybody know about it I can try to post a picture later maybe if it’s needed


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Is it in an angular font? I have updated part II to include different fonts on GK sockets which have regular and angular fonts, but I've never seen G sockets with different fonts. Post a pic, I'm intrigued.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Is it in an angular font? I have updated part II to include different fonts on GK sockets which have regular and angular fonts, but I've never seen G sockets with different fonts. Post a pic, I'm intrigued.

I will post one later today when I get home I am excited to know lol because I asked some Craftsman experts and even they didn’t know it’s a more squared off kind of G almost


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[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

Here is the pictures it shows the difference of the G fonts it’s the only one of the different ones I have seen I don’t know if it’s a different manufacturer or what but I hope we can find more information on it.


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[DadsTools]

Notice the 3s are different too. Were I to make a "blind" guess, I'd say that the simpler they are the newer they are, based in the tendency of modern mfg. Which would mean the serif G is earlier. If I had to draw a line based on available information, I'd say the serif G was Easco circa 1986 or earlier.

While it is often said that Danaher took over Easco in 1990, that's not the only delineator. Wiki reports: In 1985, Easco Corporation was acquired via a hostile takeover by Equity Group Holdings, controlled by the investment brothers Steven Rales and Mitchell Rales and taken private. In 1990, the hand tool company was acquired by the brothers' Danaher Corporation. So the "Danaher Brothers" actually took over in 1985. The 1990 acquisition by Danaher was just a paper-shuffling deal. So the brothers controlled Easco back in 1985.

The brothers made some tool changes as early as 1986. Two examples are the elimination of the single-V code and the final elimination of the oil port on the 1/4" teardrop ratchets (the larger drives were changed back around 1978).

Another indication as to chronological order is that (IIRC) the later upside down G and the numbered G (G1, G2) are all the rounder, non-serif font.

So I'd bet the serif G is pre-brothers.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Notice the 3s are different too. Were I to make a "blind" guess, I'd say that the simpler they are the newer they are, based in the tendency of modern mfg. Which would mean the serif G is earlier. If I had to draw a line based on available information, I'd say the serif G was Easco circa 1986 or earlier.

While it is often said that Danaher took over Easco in 1990, that's not the only delineator. Wiki reports: In 1985, Easco Corporation was acquired via a hostile takeover by Equity Group Holdings, controlled by the investment brothers Steven Rales and Mitchell Rales and taken private. In 1990, the hand tool company was acquired by the brothers' Danaher Corporation. So the "Danaher Brothers" actually took over in 1985. The 1990 acquisition by Danaher was just a paper-shuffling deal. So the brothers controlled Easco back in 1985.

The brothers made some tool changes as early as 1986. Two examples are the elimination of the single-V code and the final elimination of the oil port on the 1/4" teardrop ratchets (the larger drives were changed back around 1978).

Another indication as to chronological order is that (IIRC) the later upside down G and the numbered G (G1, G2) are all the rounder, non-serif font.

So I'd bet the serif G is pre-brothers.

That’s good information I wasn’t too sure on this history of the G code really until reading this article you could be right and since it’s early that’s probably the reason that’s the only one I have seen like that because many of them people probably still have or there wasn’t many made.


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[Lesserstore]

Dadstools: Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you. I have a double detent (late) GK series socket with an angular font and round three, so I believe his socket is late production. But thanks for the info on when Easco was bought in 85.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Dadstools: Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you. I have a double detent (late) GK series socket with an angular font and round three, so I believe his socket is late production. But thanks for the info on when Easco was bought in 85.

Interesting and mine is the single detent I know they made the double detent later in production up until they went to China I talked to my neighbor who has a lot of Craftsman tools and he said he has never seen one like that until now I have a couple GK ones in both the early and late fonts and have a CG one with the early more rounded font so it’s interesting I wish we knew more about it


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[DadsTools]

Dadstools: Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you. I have a double detent (late) GK series socket with an angular font and round three, so I believe his socket is late production. But thanks for the info on when Easco was bought in 85.

Hmmm....not the same G. The example being discussed has a narrow G with a serif. So, while it's true your example is not rounded, it certainly is distinctly different than the narrow serif G. I'm looking at all the geometric features of the character, not just one. The case is still open.

 

[Lesserstore]

Hmmm....not the same G. The example being discussed has a narrow G with a serif. So, while it's true your example is not rounded, it certainly is distinctly different than the narrow serif G. I'm looking at all the geometric features of the character, not just one. The case is still open.

Opps, I should have emphasized that I was talking about the three on my socket being similar to Blake's, and you are right, the Gs are definitely not the same.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Opps, I should have emphasized that I was talking about the three on my socket being similar to Blake's, and you are right, the Gs are definitely not the same.

I have been looking for more info on this I found one of my mechanic friends has the exact same one as me he remembered buying it at the pawn shop it’s the exact same size too 9/16 and 12 point single detent he never really paid attention to it until now


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[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Re: Part III ADDED Craftsman Socket Evolution 1948-2011

And his came in a set with a bunch of the regular right side up G it was a new set just bought at the pawn shop so I don’t know if the socket was left over or what and just got added with the set


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[Lesserstore]

Update 8/18/20: updated laser etched sockets information in Part II to include the 2006-07 version.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Update 8/18/20: updated laser etched sockets information in Part II to include the 2006-07 version.

Just wondering have you found anymore info on the G we we’re talking about the more squared off one? I can’t wait to read about the laser etched ones as I don’t know anything about them. Also are you planning on doing the ones with the indentions at the bottom around the round part not in the drive but around the circumference of them?


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[Lesserstore]

Just wondering have you found anymore info on the G we we’re talking about the more squared off one? I can’t wait to read about the laser etched ones as I don’t know anything about them. Also are you planning on doing the ones with the indentions at the bottom around the round part not in the drive but around the circumference of them?


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Do you mean this?

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Do you mean this?

No that’s not it I will see if I can dig one of mine out and post a picture it’s around the outer edge some of them have the indentions around that part


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[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Do you mean this?

Here you go this is what I mean this is a V double line socket pointed A and it has those indentions around the circumference of the socket. Have you found anything about that model yet because I have some like that which don’t have it but I have a few that have it.



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[Lesserstore]

Hmm. Never seen anything like that before, sure it's not custom?