DBE questions

[alton1911]

Got a couple of nice DBE wrenches recently. “Nice” is a relative term, I understand, but I do have some questions about these particular ones.
First: The True-Fit 3006 wrench has an octagonal handle and the other side is labeled Lectrolite. Is “Lectrolite” a description or a brand? I have another there that is just labeled “Lectrolite “. I assumed it was a brand name.
Next: The SnapOn with underline logo; XV-1820 USA 6, My question here is... Was this ever chrome plated? I have a similar wrench with lots of nice looking chrome model XV-1618-S USA 7.








Thanks in advance,
alton1911

 

[cgrutt]

Believe Lectrolite was a predecessor to S-K. I think I have a few of them somewhere. No clue about the Snap-on. Cool tools!

 

[RubiconJK]

Got a couple of nice DBE wrenches recently. “Nice” is a relative term, I understand, but I do have some questions about these particular ones.
First: The True-Fit 3006 wrench has an octagonal handle and the other side is labeled Lectrolite. Is “Lectrolite” a description or a brand? I have another there that is just labeled “Lectrolite “. I assumed it was a brand name.
Next: The SnapOn with underline logo; XV-1820 USA 6, My question here is... Was this ever chrome plated? I have a similar wrench with lots of nice looking chrome model XV-1618-S USA 7.








Thanks in advance,
alton1911

Lectrolite is the brand name and was an old company that manufactured in Defiance, OH. Their standard production was marked like your short wrench in the pic, some were marked Tru-Fit like your other wrench and were their economy line. FYI, some were also marked "Defiance O" and were a higher grade steel.

 

[four.cycle]

NO idea on timelines of when "Lectrolite" was a separate entity or when it became part of S-K or how "TruFit" fits in there (other than being able to say that "Trufit" was a Lectrolite trade name.)

see:

http://toolarchives.com/node/292

http://alloy-artifacts.org/lectrolite-corp.html

 

[DadsTools]

Lectrolite was the manufacturer, and also used its name for the brand. TruFit was their budget line introduced a few years after Lectrolite wrench production began.

There are many variations in their wrench designs prior to the war, some of it seems to have no rhyme nor reason and is even contradictory. Some are raised panel, some recessed, some forged lettering, some stamped, on and on. For example, the hexagonal shape shank was actually heavier duty and was used in their top-line 4000 series, but here we see the same premium shank being used in a 3000 series under the budget Tru-Fit name (????). It's that crazy.

The shorter 1930s DBE is actually the forerunner of what was to become the standard TruFit design after the war, so that the Top-tier 'Lectrolites' all had raised panels while the TruFit all had recessed. This began around 1947.

Lectrolite made a surprising number of contract wrenches during the 1950s in the TruFit design. I wrote about this at length in a previous thread. Once you learn to recognize them you can spot them anywhere (and just about everywhere!). The contract wrenches will have sequential letter codes (the meaning of which is still unknown), and will often have a forged-in LC for Lectrolite corporation.

The Sears Connection: Starting in the early 1950s, LC made all the recessed handle Dunlap end wrenches (you'll see the LC code on them). In the late 1950s, Sears dropped the Dunlap name on these and just marked them "SEARS" brand, but these continued to be made by LC up until the early 1960s at the Wayne buyout, after which production of these moved to Japan (these are the famously marked "BF JAPAN" tools).

The SK Connection: The relationship between SK and LC began in 1953. Lectrolite was not part of SK, nor did one buy out the other or merge. SK focused on making drive tools. LC was occupied making wrenches. The new raised panel design LC introduced about 1947 were marked Lectrolite until the agreement, after which the wrenches were dual-marked. The 1947 LC wrench is the SK wrench! No difference except for the dual marking. The relationship was essentially that SK would make all the drive tools, LC would make all the end wrenches, LC would benefit from the SK name, and they'd both sell their wares together under the same roof (so to speak). The arrangement was unique. BTW, LC made all the SK adjustable wrenches too.

In 1962, Wayne Industries purchased both the SK and LC companies. Manufacturing continued as before except that the Lectrolite name and brand were retired. The TruFit design was also retired, which is when presumably all the recessed handle contract wrenches ceased. I believe this is why Sears moved to the BF Japan supplier at just around that time.

The original LC 1947 raised panel wrench continued to be made in Defiance and continued to be the SK wrench right through the Wayne, Dresser, Facom, and management-owned years until they went bankrupt and were bought by Ideal, which marked the end of this era and the Defiance heritage.

 

[alton1911]

Thank you all for helping me sort through this. I love that history is so much richer even when I understand, how little I understand. It may be like understanding spaghetti. It does not all have to be sorted to be enjoyed. The blurred lines are part of the attraction.

I am speculating that the SnapOn wrench might be a war time production. Chrome in short supply.
Thank you all.
alton1911

 

[d42jeep]

Alton,
The 6 on your Snap-on Vee wrench is a 1956 date code.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I am speculating that the SnapOn wrench might be a war time production. Chrome in short supply.

Nope. That style wrench with that panel was not made until 1955, those are not wartime model numbers, that is not a wartime Snap-On font, which was straight up and down, and that "6" is a 1956 date code. (Incidentally, your other XV- wrench is probably 1957 and that -S suffix in its model number indicates a single (vs double) hex opening.)

Also, it's a faulty assumption to think that every wrench you find without plating is wartime. Many economy lines and industrial applications before and after the war used no finish. Lack of plating is a strong indicator, but you can't ignore style, brand, model numbers, etc. And when it comes to Snap-On, you can't ignore the date code.

Do you know about the Collecting Snap-On site?

With catalogs from the 1920's to the 1970's, it's an excellent resource for vintage Snap-On tool collectors. Link here.

If you're still stumped, there's a Snap-On thread where Snap-On SME's love to answer questions. Link here.

I'm too lazy to find all the Lectrolite threads, but there are probably other examples for you to compare and contrast with Dads' tutorial in mind on the DBE thread, linked here.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Sorry, Don. X-Posted. Again!

 

[DadsTools]

As an interesting aside to the SO Vee wrenches, Thorsen borrowed (ummm....pirated) this handle design many years later.

 

[DadsTools]

I always found Lectrolite to be a fascinating company. Alloy Artifacts conducted some excellent research in determining the founding of the company.

http://alloy-artifacts.org/lectrolite-corp.html#history

It's interesting that the merger of the three companies listed indicates the original intent was to reportedly produce "automotive parts, hardware, and water heaters." I found a 1938 LC patent for an oil sprayer, so they were indeed diverse. If you think about the Lectrolite name, one must admit it's a very odd label for a tool company, but would make a super tag for home appliances including water heaters. This awkward tool name seems to me to have something to do with why tool collectors tend to view LC as an 'also-ran' or the child of a lesser god when compared to the more prestigious brands.

Based on the name and the reported intent of the merger, it seems that Milwaukee Tool & Forge was valued primarily for its forging capability so that the new company would not have to contract out that part of their mfg business. In this context, the making of hand tools may have almost been a second thought, "Hey, there's no reason why we can't still make hand tools, is there?" It could be that this viewpoint of tools being a subsidiary line for the company resulted in the Lectrolite Lottery of all the crazy 1930s variations. Perhaps were it not for the SK collaboration, LC might be viewed today as the poor stepchild or "We have all these great US tool companies, but then there were those other guys" in the trade. Funny how what may have been a secondary product line for them turned out to be the lasting icon of their company while everything else they produced has been long forgotten.

Viva Lectrolite!

 

[alton1911]

I love buying SnapOn tools when I get the chance. I particularly like 1/4 inch drive socket and drivers. Almost every pawn shop owner and almost anyone else who possesses SnapOn recognises their value. I guess thats why I buy the ones I do. I seldom find anything SO where I shop. When I do, I usually have some kind of question. I am a little puzzled about the poor condition of this wrench.
Thanks again,
alton1911

 

[four.cycle]

"...it's a faulty assumption to think that every wrench you find without plating is wartime..."

^ This is an all-too-common error made by sellers in Ebay listings, assuming that anything lacking a brightly polished chrome surface must be "WWII vintage". I see it every day.

DadsTools - Thanks very much for the run-down on Lectrolite - it answered a lot of questions for me!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I am a little puzzled about the poor condition of this wrench.

?? Looks fine to me. Straight, and no major burrs. What's wrong with it?

 

[alton1911]

I really do appreciate the time. In regards to the poor condition, I guess technically poor would indicate abused. But per my original observation, I was noticing the difference between the now dated 1956 wrench top and the 1957 wrench bottom. Top wrench looks free of pitting, but it has been rusty and tarnished... but not badly worn. The now dated 1957 wrench has a very nice shiny coating of chrome. 1956 wrench does not appear to have “worn through” chrome, I see that a lot, it just looks like it may never have been chromed. That’s why I asked the question in the first place. Perhaps there was no known reason for the difference, or the dark appearance. But I was just curious how two wrenches closely dated, with similar wear, would look so different. My original question was whether the 1956 wrench had ever been chrome.


Thanks again, I love this stuff and have gained a new appreciation for the details surrounding some of my favorite artifacts.

 

[d42jeep]

I always found Lectrolite to be a fascinating company. Alloy Artifacts conducted some excellent research in determining the founding of the company.

http://alloy-artifacts.org/lectrolite-corp.html#history

It's interesting that the merger of the three companies listed indicates the original intent was to reportedly produce "automotive parts, hardware, and water heaters." I found a 1938 LC patent for an oil sprayer, so they were indeed diverse. If you think about the Lectrolite name, one must admit it's a very odd label for a tool company, but would make a super tag for home appliances including water heaters. This awkward tool name seems to me to have something to do with why tool collectors tend to view LC as an 'also-ran' or the child of a lesser god when compared to the more prestigious brands. I

Based on the name and the reported intent of the merger, it seems that Milwaukee Tool & Forge was valued primarily for its forging capability so that the new company would not have to contract out that part of their mfg business. In this context, the making of hand tools may have almost been a second thought, "Hey, there's no reason why we can't still make hand tools, is there?" It could be that this viewpoint of tools being a subsidiary line for the company resulted in the Lectrolite Lottery of all the crazy 1930s variations. Perhaps were it not for the SK collaboration, LC might be viewed today as the poor stepchild or "We have all these great US tool companies, but then there were those other guys" in the trade. Funny how what may have been a secondary product line for them turned out to be the lasting icon of their company while everything else they produced has been long forgotten.

Viva Lectrolite!

I took this picture today for DadsTools!
-Don

 

[DadsTools]

I took this picture today for DadsTools!
-Don

Oooooh Yeeeeaaaaahhhh!

 

[d42jeep]

As an interesting aside to the SO Vee wrenches, Thorsen borrowed (ummm....pirated) this handle design many years later.

Not only did Thorsen copy the Snap-on design, then they sold them to everybody else. Here are some metric ones that they sold to Montgomery Wards with the PowrKraft branding.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

In regards to the poor condition, I guess technically poor would indicate abused...

Or that it just didn't age so well, or got used right, but hard, and is bent or burred to some degree, or that it's badly oxidized or marred in appearance, or both. Your 1956 XV wrench is none of those. It shows no sign of rust, it's straight, the handle is smooth, and the broachings in the box ends are fine. In short, it looks great and could still be put in service. In fact, judging by its condition, I'd say it was treated very well its whole life. Cleaned, oiled and perhaps waxed. Or at least kept dry. Chrome plating prevents rust and is also considered attractive by most people, but plenty of wrenches were made without it.

I was just curious how two wrenches closely dated, with similar wear, would look so different.

They could've been in the same year and still looked different if one was chrome-plated and polished (satin finish in the recesses) as the catalog states, and the other was a contract wrench or special order, made without plating intentionally for economical reasons.

 

[crankshaftdan II]

Not only did Thorsen copy the Snap-on design, then they sold them to everybody else. Here are some metric ones that they sold to Montgomery Wards with the PowrKraft branding.
-Don

Those wrenches are in excellent condition and must have been kept well oiled as most Thorsen wrenches in this area seemed to have thin plating and rusted terribly bad on the working ends and chrome lift/peel.
very nice set and the only ones I have seen with the Powrkraft name!

 

[four.cycle]

^ There's another thread here in which another member was trying to compile a list and collect examples of every different brand that was stamped on those Thorsen "V-shank" wrenches. Powr Kraft was one of many. I can't even remember them all.

 

[d42jeep]

^ There's another thread here in which another member was trying to compile a list and collect examples of every different brand that was stamped on those Thorsen "V-shank" wrenches. Powr Kraft was one of many. I can't even remember them all.

Member BFBOB posted a list of those brands here. There were a lot of them!

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=328024&page=10

-Don

 

[DadsTools]

Keep in mind that the Snap-on Vee has subtle differences in the way the v-grooves terminate at the heads and raised panels compared with the Thorsen et. al. variety. They're not an exact copy.