Going through my Grandfather's stuff...

[sdeeter19555]

I inherited all my Grandfather's tools when he passed nearly two years ago. He was an auto mechanic for 40ish years, but he let those tools go with his garage when he sold it. I got all his shop tools, which is still quite a bit but I don't think I have a complete set of any one thing...he was pretty rough on tools as a mechanic, probably picked up replacements at yard sales.

some have his name stamped in them from when he worked for someone else (before he started his business).

I got a smattering of a little bit of every old brand of wrench and socket you can imagine...I even have a couple Craftsman BE and a circle H and some Plomb with the "o".

The ones that are neat are the not so common...a Firestone socket, a Monroe box end wrench, and the specialty sockets.

I'm going through, cleaning, steel working everything...unfortunately the roof of his building leaked and some of it got wet.

Enough for now...more later, I have some questions.

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[PugetDude]

Glad you've taken an interest in his old stuff; thanks for sharing it with us. Looking forward to seeing some more.

 

[sdeeter19555]

His old stuff is better than most of the new stuff...I have my own tools, most is Craftsman. I have only recently started buying new tools to have one nice set and then garage tools, his set will be a set of spares or collectibles.

I should clarify what I said before, I have "complete" sets (and duplicates of most everything)...I just don't have sets in any one brand! I have a complete set of Proto metric open ends, probably because those would have been purchased later in his life and used little.

I think his four main brands were Proto, Mac, SK, and Craftsman with a little bit of everything else sprinkled in as needed.

Pictures speak for themselves...

It's a slow process, soak in gasoline for a couple days or soap solution (to loosen the dirt), then scrub brush, steel wool, and wipe it down with oil. Had I known I would be doing this, I would have bought a sonic cleaner.

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[Oldtuleguy]

Nice stuff. Your grandfather had good taste in tools.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some of the best stuff

 

[sdeeter19555]

The man liked his box ends...I have a complete set two or three times over.

That 1/4" Williams nut runner/extension is neat...the retaining ball is missing. Can the socket retaining balls be replaced?

He also has some of the V Craftsman with both the thin and thick handles.

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[woody 73]

Very nice collection every time you use them I hope you will think about your Grandfather.

 

[sdeeter19555]

Any idea of the manufacturer of that Monroe-branded wrench?

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[RubiconJK]

Any idea of the manufacturer of that Monroe-branded wrench?

That is the same logo as Monroe Auto Equipment Co who makes shocks. A quick google search shows they were formed in 1916. The brand is still in existence. I didn't know they ever made tools, but perhaps specifically purposed?
Edit: There is a reference to Monroe on the Lectrolite page in AA. Perhaps they were the mfg?

 

[sdeeter19555]

I figured it was a Monroe shock promotional...he was forever getting promotional things for shocks he sold.

I saw that AA thing, but it was vague...didn't know if someone had a set and had already searched these out. Then again, it might have been a single wrench (11/16 and 3/4 would have been a lot of different shock mounts).

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[d42jeep]

I really liked the design of those Craftsman DBE's. I had a fairly complete set. Unfortunately, they weren't strong enough. They would bend/twist right at the slight offset, and wouldn't work well after that. I got a set of similar Proto, and they've held up fine for approaching 30 years now.

Dave,
Take a look at this wrench. It demonstrates exactly what you’re talking about.
-Don

 

[Motorman55]

The Firestone socket and the Monroe wrench belong in a nice shadow box hung up on your garage wall.

 

[pchp]

Nice tools

 

[shadetreeokie]

really interested to see them divided out into corresponding sets to see what all you have.

 

[David99]

For cleaning you may want to try a 50/50 mix of DexronIII/Mercon ATF & WD-40, I've been happy with the results so far letting stuff sit for days (or longer!) and a brass wire brush.

I've used paint filters to get the crud out of the stuff before reuse or going back in a big mason jar for storage.