Herbrand?

[DFB]

So I got this deepwall 1/2 drive impact socket from another flea mkt vendor for $5.00 today. Never been used. Obvious it pretty recent with the style of markings. No other stamping like a COO

A little net searching seems to show the name Herbrand goes back quite a ways. Curious to know something more about this piece though who maybe sold it or where it was actually made? Was it an auto part store tool brand :

Its very thin wall compared to the Cro-Mo import sockets on either side of it a 34mm and 36mm.

Has a current home in my tool box right now anyhow

 

[Jaysreal]

Nice find!
http://alloy-artifacts.org/herbrand-van-chrome.html#history

Herbrand was a part of Utica tools division under Kelsey-Hayes the whole group was sold to Triangle Corp. Triangle was then sold to Cooper Industries. Cooper merged with Danaher to create Apex tool group. Apex tool group was later sold to Bain Capital.

Not sure as to where they were sold, but it appears they were shut down after Cooper acquired Triangle.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[royesses]

Herbrand was sold on trucks, just like Snap-On. My uncle owned a Herbrand franchise in the 1960's. They were very high quality tools.

Roy

 

[Mechanical Noise]

Is that an impact socket or a hand tool socket with a black oxide finish? Seems very thin for a Cr-V impact socket.

 

[DFB]

Is that an impact socket or a hand tool socket with a black oxide finish? Seems very thin for a Cr-V impact socket.

That is a good question but does have the pin holes impacts normally have.
I was bit surpised at the wall thickness myself when I set on the bench next to the others after I came home with it tonight


I have had no luck matching to that exact part# yet though there very similar Herbrand socket listed as impact on Ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HERBRAND-6-...844012?hash=item3ae956346c:g:D5AAAOSwFJBZWDn4

 

[6PTsocket]

Nice find!
http://alloy-artifacts.org/herbrand-van-chrome.html#history

Herbrand was a part of Utica tools division under Kelsey-Hayes the whole group was sold to Triangle Corp. Triangle was then sold to Cooper Industries. Cooper merged with Danaher to create Apex tool group. Apex tool group was later sold to Bain Capital.

Not sure as to where they were sold, but it appears they were shut down after Cooper acquired Triangle.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Great historical info. One point. Danaher spun off most of it's tool divisions as its contribution to Apex but they have other interests and are still in business. Didn't they later unload Matco? I always wondered whether all of Cooper went into the deal or they still exist separately.

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[vssjim]

That sure looks like a name only Herbrand tool, just like Thoreson where the USA made tools stop and the name lives on through one importer after another as they come and go.

 

[Fedwrench]

The Herbrand of old isn't the same as the Herbrand impact socket you have. As someone else mentioned, it's an old once established tool brand that no longer exists. In the 1990s-2000s Herbrand reappeared this time as a Chinese made shell of its former self. I've only seen examples online on Ebay, in closeout type places, and in those traveling tool disposal truck load sales but, nothing recently.

 

[American Locomotive]

Herbrand went downhill well before the 90s. Production was offshored when
Triangle owned them during the late 70s early 80s.

 

[Mechanical Noise]

That is a good question but does have the pin holes impacts normally have.
I was bit surpised at the wall thickness myself when I set on the bench next to the others after I came home with it tonight


I have had no luck matching to that exact part# yet though there very similar Herbrand socket listed as impact on Ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HERBRAND-6-...844012?hash=item3ae956346c:g:D5AAAOSwFJBZWDn4

Alot of the old school hand tool sockets used a hole rather than internal dimples for the retainer.

I think Cornwell chrome sockets are still like that.

 

[DFB]

Thks for all these responses. I really didn't figure it had any real special value and was more interested to where this branding of the name went. Though as thin as it, is I do believe it is an impact grade socket, though pretty much it purpose was for axle nuts I would guess.

Maybe it was part of set one time too...like something similar to what HF offers now.

I do find the brand discussion interesting. I had few minutes off from my own tool sales tent today and went to look a bit closer to what other pieces this vendor may have had..
So there was a box full off loose wrenches, Black Hawk, Proto, a Snappy or two most DBE and combo and bunch were also Herbrand stamped but all of those were the double ended angled offset open wrenches there was just about a whole set there as I fished around plus some duplicates but in metric sizing only.

Nice smooth full polish finish on them though, all looked brand new and they had a decent feel to them. Slightly thick IMO. (It was weird as discussion quickly ensued between me the vendor and third guy that turned to talking about thin tappet style open end wrenches for certain applications )

Anyways was a 11mm 13mm 14mm, 15mm 17mm, 18mm 19mm but didn't seem to locate 12mm or a 10mm in the box. They were all singly priced at $3.00 a piece.

I didn't take any nor did I find time to get back to it today either. Don't know if I see the guy again this year as not usually there, only once or twice a season at best

Same guy had sh*t load of CalHawk branded stuff too.

 

[Mikeske]

Thks for all these responses. I really didn't figure it had any real special value and was more interested to where this branding of the name went. Though as thin as it, is I do believe it is an impact grade socket, though pretty much it purpose was for axle nuts I would guess.

Maybe it was part of set one time too...like something similar to what HF offers now.

I do find the brand discussion interesting. I had few minutes off from my own tool sales tent today and went to look a bit closer to what other pieces this vendor may have had..
So there was a box full off loose wrenches, Black Hawk, Proto, a Snappy or two most DBE and combo and bunch were also Herbrand stamped but all of those were the double ended angled offset open wrenches there was just about a whole set there as I fished around plus some duplicates but in metric sizing only.

Nice smooth full polish finish on them though, all looked brand new and they had a decent feel to them. Slightly thick IMO. (It was weird as discussion quickly ensued between me the vendor and third guy that turned to talking about thin tappet style open end wrenches for certain applications )

Anyways was a 11mm 13mm 14mm, 15mm 17mm, 18mm 19mm but didn't seem to locate 12mm or a 10mm in the box. They were all singly priced at $3.00 a piece.

I didn't take any nor did I find time to get back to it today either. Don't know if I see the guy again this year as not usually there, only once or twice a season at best

Same guy had sh*t load of CalHawk branded stuff too.

Utica had there own brand of tools mainly pliers and wrenches, Herbrand was the high quality pro series tools in the automotive secter and they also had Bonney which was more direct to the aviation mechanics and aerospace companies like Boeing, McDonald-Douglas, Lockheed and North American. The three brands were all good tools in the days and made in the United States. I have several of the old Herbrand tools and they look almost to be a replica of the Bonney full polish line that came out in the late 1970's. I have a almost complete set of Bonney SAE tools that I used for over 30 years as I was aviation mechanic before I retired.

 

[Dieselclunker]

Set of open end wrenches N.O.S. sharp !