Kraeuter

[Private Lugnutz]

No other manufacturer I know of had that deep blue color.

I think of it as bright, not deep, but I agree it was unique. Later, too, though, not exactly vintage era, when its eye blinding almost neon vividness would have stood out even more. In the vintage era, the boxes New Britain put their Precision-Bilt line in was pretty blue. Closer to cornflower, though.

 

[four.cycle]

^ both JC Penney and Precision Bilt were using a metallic medium blue shade. Kraeuter was more a "baby blue" - not metallic.

I don't know of any manufacturer that put 1/4" socket sets in dark blue boxes, other than the Walden specimen Don recently acquired - which may well be a repaint job - and some Japanese manufacturers (I have a couple here in dark blue boxes.)
Union 76 used a "Royal Blue" box, but it's plastic, not steel. (I haven't taken photos of that one yet.)

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some various blue boxes. The cornwell looks closest to the kraeuter

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Some various blue boxes.

On the off topic, the "(Champion)" embossed box is the truest blue, to my eye. All the others are too bright for me, closer to baby or cerulean or super sky. It seems to have been a craze in that era.

Off off topic, WTH is that "(Champion") embossed box, OTG?! I don't recognize that set. I'm looking and salivating over the handsome well-made hex-drive pieces in the open lid pics and I still can't figure it out. I searched on the midget drive thread and it's not coming up. If you've shown it in a topically more appropriate thread before, just link me to it rather than further tangent this one.

 

[d42jeep]

@d42jeep - your 30115 set does not appear to contain a 6-inch extension. Correct? I can assume that's "complete"? I absent-mindedly forgot to include the spinner in the photos of the top set, which I believe to be complete.

The missing pieces for the other set may well be around here.... not sure about a box, but I am discovering a lot of odd boxes.

It looks like I’m missing an 8 point 1/4” socket. It has the short extension that’s called for.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some pics. No country of origin, sockets marked chrome vanadium. Set is well used, bar for sliding t is gone. Bit of an oddball.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I'd think Japan - early 60s (?)

I have a couple Japan-made sets - they liked that color blue.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I like it.

 

[Coop66]

 

[Coop66]

My latest find

 

[four.cycle]

1954 Hardware Age Kraeuter ad pp 233

 

[BrandonV]

I use these pliers all the time. My father used them and his father used them.

https://imgur.com/9Dfi2RQ

 

[ScottTheSculptor]

Kraeuter 356-10 mid 1920s to 1933 according to Alloy Artifacts. Art Deco pliers.

 

[driftpin]

That is interesting detail, yes, art deco.

 

[Ayrhead]

I just picked up this Adjustable Alligator Wrench. The patent shows 1903. It looks similar to my Elgin model

 

[Coop66]

I just acquired the same wrench last week! Very nice piece.

 

[leg17]

KRAEUTER (“Kroyter”) Miscellany 1

I suspect that these wrenches pre-date the usual embellished design normally encountered.
The blanks are fairly generic and lettering is stamped in the wrench which must have worked out to be a quicker and/or cheaper way to ’test the waters’. The sizes are marked with the ‘matured’ bolt-sized system that arose around the end of the Great War.

 

[leg17]

KRAEUTER (“Kroyter”) Miscellany 2

This wrench is relatively plain and has simple raised markings as opposed to the fancy die work seen most often from that era. The old sizes have been superseded with simple opening sizes. And the wrench is marked ‘CHROME VANADIUM’.
Probably they made a foray into the advanced (for the day) alloy steels and needed to retool. The fancy work was dropped but a bit of the ‘chevron’ design at the head ends was retained.

 

[leg17]

KRAEUTER (“Kroyter”) Miscellany 3

Box wrenches have been found that seem to be rather uncommon. Note the Single-Offset example.
These patterns look familiar but I have not yet compared them to other round-shank box wrench makers to try to determine if they were jobbed out allowing entry into the market without the tooling investment.

Anyone encountered these ?

Do they seem to be possibly made by someone else?

 

[leg17]

KRAEUTER (“Kroyter”) Paper Weight

This paper weight is rather nice.
The front is marked “FORGED BY KRAEUTER & CO”.
That is a pretty spectacular forging with a lot of depth to the fine detail.
I initially suspected a casting, but it is marked forged, and the wide flash removal witness is confirmation that it is indeed a forging.

An excellent way to extol the skill of KRAEUTER.

 

[Provincial]

KRAEUTER (“Kroyter”) Paper Weight

This paper weight is rather nice.
The front is marked “FORGED BY KRAEUTER & CO”.
That is a pretty spectacular forging with a lot of depth to the fine detail.
I initially suspected a casting, but it is marked forged, and the wide flash removal witness is confirmation that it is indeed a forging.

An excellent way to extol the skill of KRAEUTER.

A great way to showcase their capabilities.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I suspect that these wrenches pre-date the usual embellished design normally encountered.

This wrench is relatively plain and has simple raised markings as opposed to the fancy die work seen most often from that era.

If you mean the fancy Diamond-K wrenches, I agree. It's like they're denuded versions.

The fancy work was dropped but a bit of the ‘chevron’ design at the head ends was retained.

Like an echo of the Diamond-K.

This paper weight is rather nice.

Puts the PEXTO I just found and posted to shame! Interestingly, same shape, and actually says the 'Compliments' part I inferred of the Pexto version. I guess it was a standard industry practice.

 

[Mintgrun]

These patterns look familiar but I have not yet compared them to other round-shank box wrench makers

Those are cool. They're similar to this Blue Point wrench. Here's an X20 (5/8") example I found.

 

[leg17]

.....
Puts the PEXTO I just found and posted to shame! Interestingly, same shape, and actually says the 'Compliments' part I inferred of the Pexto version. I guess it was a standard industry practice.

Lugz that's what prompted me. I saw your Pexto item, (never saw one before), and it reminded me of the Kraeuter one. Got the camera out and then opened the Kraeuter box and went ahead and captured the other items while I was in there.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Picked up these Bell System Kraeuter pliers yesterday.

 

[four.cycle]

Kraeuter 14 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box A

manufactured by S-K Tool Division of Dresser Industries, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

31106 3/16" 6 pt std socket
31107 7/32" "
31108 1/4" "
31109 9/32" "
31110 5/16" "
31111 11/32" "
31112 3/8" "
31114 7/16" "
31116 1/2" "

32031 3/8" m x 1/4" f Drive Adapter
31054 6 inch Spinner Handle
31061 2 inch Extension
31070 RHFT Reversible Ratchet

Steel Box w/plastic insert

Set A

 

[four.cycle]

Kraeuter 7-inch "Victor" pliers

This was one of Kraeuter's best sellers for decades

 

[four.cycle]

Kraeuter 10 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set

* see post #146 above for part numbers. this set is missing the extension and spinner handle

 

[leg17]

I came across a Kraeuter tappet wrench. First one I have and that now makes only three that I know of. AA has one and Private Lugnutz has one. Usual proportions. Hex throat and long slim profile.

Interestingly, this one has pretty clear markings. Note the part number prefix is clearly a D rather than the previously stated O.
Kinda makes sense. The other series are A, B, and C.

Lugz, perhaps you can double check yours and see if it looks to actually be a D.

The example at AA is also a bit weak on the stamp. It also looks like an O, but it could also be a D.
(How do I contact AA to suggest a closer examination and an edit?)

The hunt continues.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Interestingly, this one has pretty clear markings.

And finish! And the intricate forgings (such as the famous diamond K) are not worn.

Note the part number prefix is clearly a D rather than the previously stated O.

Indeed.

Kinda makes sense. The other series are A, B, and C.

Perfect.

Lugz, perhaps you can double check yours and see if it looks to actually be a D.

It is undoubtedly a D. The left side is worn away but you can see the flat part at top and bottom. See thumbnail below.

The example at AA is also a bit weak on the stamp. It also looks like an O, but it could also be a D.
(How do I contact AA to suggest a closer examination and an edit?)

@four.cycle has his email address.

 

[Mintgrun]

It was a treat to find these buried in the screwdriver bin at Habitat yesterday. KRAEUTER 5601 - 4 1/2 side cutters.

 

[Provincial]

Cute!

 

[GarageHobbyist]

My small collection.
I haven’t seen many of the small sets of the Victors around the Interweb.

 

[four.cycle]

1924 Hardware Buyers Catalog Kraeuter ad pp 505

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was elated to find these very early (1910-1919) linesman pliers at the flea market this morning.



They have the dimple-diamond grip pattern...



...the [FORGED STEEL] insets...



...and the money shot, a very cool marking, with the abbreviated name of the customer - Western Union Telegraph Company - above their early branding on the pivot!

 

[Cruzan80]

Just got this off eBay. Shallow 7-19 set, and 10-14, 17, 19 deeps. Outside of the box needs sanded/re-painted, but inside looks good. Have a spare ratchet and breaker bar, will 3d print a new insert. Currently added a SK 15mm as a filler.
The short extension is Vi-Chrome (?) and a random 1/4" SAE socket in there as well.

Anyone know if they made Kraueter 16/18mm deeps? The only backer-plates in sets like this I found said 13shallow/8deep (works out to what I have, with the added 15mm deep), along with a 3" extension and ratchet (no breaker oddly). Realized the shallows go in reverse (19mm at top right), so they clear the mid-deeps easier.

 

[Fred Knox]

Here is my Kraeuter "THE VICTOR" adjustable alligator wrench. It’s marked with the patent date of May 26, 1903, which was #728,842 patented by C.S. Bonney and licensed to Kraeuter. AA notes the Kraeuter manufacturing dates as ca. 1904-1910.

This alligator wrench is often confused with a similar looking, and earlier patented model, the Elgin adjustable alligator wrench, which I included in the last three photos. It has an earlier patent date - # 584,019, issued and marked June 8, 1897, and was evidently manufactured in the late 1890s - early 1900s.

 

[four.cycle]

^ The "Elgin" was manufactured by Star Mfg. Co.

 

[Fred Knox]

The Elgin Tool & Socket Company was founded in 1895 in Elgin, Illinois and was best known as the original maker of the "Elgin" adjustable alligator wrench. I believe it was only in 1899 that production of the Elgin wrench was assumed by the Star Manufacturing Company.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here is my Kraeuter "THE VICTOR"

That's a beautiful example, Fred, with a lot of nickel plating remaining. I posted mine - not nearly as nice, and oddly with no Kraeuter stamping on the dynamic jaw, in the Bonney thread a few years ago, linked here.

This alligator wrench is often confused with a similar looking, and earlier patented model, the Elgin adjustable alligator wrench, which I included in the last three photos. It has an earlier patent date - # 584,019, issued and marked June 8, 1897, and was evidently manufactured in the late 1890s - early 1900s.

The earliest Elgin had a loop handle. Your model actually shows the type of handle that was later ingeniously provisioned with a round die holder for inserting dies for using the same tool as a die stock, which was patented (809,905) on June 9, 1906. @Ayrhead has a terrific Elgin set, with the extra dies, not in the wooden box, but in the even rarer leatherette pouch, linked here.

I've mentioned this before on other threads, but I'll say it again here. The Elgin and THE VICTOR are an interesting exemplar and microcosm of the nascent mechanical hand tools industry. I love the Bonney brand, and its founder and namesake, who moved the company into other hands for the majority of its lifespan, was a notable inventor in his own right, but it's fairly obvious he copied the Elgin to a tee and the USPTO deemed the change in the type of worm gear and movement of the adjusting nut from the perimeter to the middle to be sufficiently novel.

THE VICTOR wasn't the only Elgin also-ran, by the way! Henry Martin, assignor for Whitman & Barnes, patented (670,681 / Mar. 26, 1901) an adjustable alligator in the same shape in which both jaws were dynamic, with a crude mechanism and adjuster in the middle, that W&B marketed as The Bulldog.