Kraeuter

[d42jeep]

Re: Kraeuter

Here are a couple of Kraeuter tools that live in my Navy NAF toolbox.
-Don

 

[Jim C.]

.....I also bought a set of Kraeuter mini pliers numbered 81, 82, 83, and 85. The set consisted of five different models. I seem to be missing model number 84. Add that to my list of tools to hunt for.

Jim C.

I finally found a pretty nice pair of #84 pliers to complete the set!

Jim C.

 

[leg17]

Pretty SWEET.

 

[XxToolAholicxX]

Kraeuter was the economy line of S-K tools back in the days..

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found another one of these early Kraueter DOE wrenches this morning at the flea. A283 (31/32" OPENING 9/16" U.S.S. x 7/8" OPENING 1/2" U.S.S. 5/8" Hex Cap)



My entire collection to date...

 

[leg17]

Nice example of A2831. Note the often missing standard wrench number 33.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found two "S" wrenches this morning at the flea. See Pic 1. One of them is a dupe, but a PO obviously had the one I already had blasted or had it on a grinder, removing all the wonderful original finish and patina and leaving an ugly antiseptic shiny eyesore in comparison to the rest of the collection (see it in post #7), so I am discarding it in favor of this one. It could still use a little work. But now the three "S" wrenches I have all have a matching appearance. See Pic 2. These might be good candidates for restoration some day. Black japan shanks, polished faces, and polished markings.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Just rescued these mini lineman pliers (that have strippers built into the wire cutter)...

 

[Provincial]

Tumico (Tubular Micrometer Company) is a good brand. Nice picks!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Just rescued these mini lineman pliers (that have strippers built into the wire cutter...

Nice save, Dennis. Just in case you didn't already realize it, the "TL-13-A" nomenclature is US Army Signal Corps. The "-A" suffix designates the tiny mated notches (or "holes") in the jaws that you have correctly identified as an insulated wire-stripping function. The jaws of "TL-13" pliers will not have that feature.

 

[four.cycle]

finally remembered to post this....
Kraeuter 31054 1/4" drive spinner - previous owner obviously was having some difficulty.

postage and it's yours. I found a clean copy to complete a set. let me know.

 

[outofbounds]

Unearthed these Kraeuter 1923-8 Bent Nose Combination Pliers at a long running farm sale today at lunch. I would guess pretty contemporary to the catalog page from 1939. Very beefy set of pliers, that work impeccably. Hard to believe I found them laying in a pile of pliers that have clearly been picked over for a year. EDIT - Just noticed the large "US" seems a bit out of place. Military issue, perhaps?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Military issue, perhaps?

I'd have to say almost assuredly. Man, that deep blued finish they used was handsome.

 

[four.cycle]

wow... nice specimen. amazing that the teeth are still in such great condition.

 

[outofbounds]

wow... nice specimen. amazing that the teeth are still in such great condition.

Thanks! It was definitely a rose among thorns at this particular sale!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up these 360-6 combination slip-joint pliers and wire cutters this morning at the flea. I was worried about it being encrusted with rust, but it cleaned up presentably. The flip side is freer of box rot blemishes than the brand side, unfortunately. Those stylish art deco triple V markings are what caught my eye. I don't have any like that, and I don't recall seeing that before. Based on the looks, the branding on the inside of the handles, and screwdriver tip, I am guessing 1920's or 1930's, but no later. That triple V mark does not appear in the 1915 catalog or the 1942 catalog - and again, I wouldn't really expect that, anyway. I'll have to do more reading unless someone knows.

 

[Larr991]

Some of my Kraeuter tools, I do have the complete socket set, there scattered in my box someplace!

 

[Username already in use]

@Larr991 the (k) on the package of the wrenches could be telling no sure what Kraeuter actually made themselves but they seemed to contract with SK a whole lot.
nice sets!!

 

[Larr991]

Thank you for the info!

 

[genog]

My only Kraeuter tool

 

[MisterEd]

Kraeuter is a name most people seem to pass-by, as noted elsewhere in the thread. We've always liked their look and feel. Here's the Kraeuter & Company, 1821-7 1/2 Lineman’s Universal Combination Pliers that I figured must be 1930ish based on Alloy Artifact's evolution-of-features dating.

 

[MisterEd]

Kraeuter Industrial 1771-7

 

[MisterEd]

And, finally: Kraeuter 2601-6 6 Inch Diagonal Cutters, 1924 - late 1930s

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found another checknut wrench (C1316) at the flea this morning. Oddly, it's not the fancy K type. Clearly close in production era, either just before or just after, I am guessing, since the rest of the wrench, other than the stylish forged-in markings, is very similar in size, shape, construction, and finish to the fancy K type checknut wrench (C1214) I have. Shown together in Pic 6.

I adore these wrenches.

 

[Mintgrun]

This box is for sale on FB marketplace and helped me to (finally) identify the one I have.
($100 with no tray... good luck!)



Mine is missing the label.



But, it does have the tray. (sorry for all the clutter in the box)





There is a larger box in post #30 of this thread that has the same label placement.

Here's a photo of a fresher looking one (stolen from a Worthpoint page).



The smaller socket set boxes seem more common, based on the lack of larger box images available online.

I was thinking it might be an S-K box, but the color wasn't right.



The tray is even the same.



The color is close on this S-K Wayne box, but the Kraeuter is non-metallic paint.



Tom

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I added another engineer's wrench to the 1920's fancy forged K-Diamond collection (shown in Pic 5) this morning. This one is an A1922 (11/16" Opening / 3/8" U.S.S. x 19/32" Opening / 5/16" U.S.S.). It has owners' marks, but they're the kind that I don't mind so much due to their placement (tidy, well done, and not obscuring/ruining factory markings) and the use of a handsome serif font punch.

I wasn't sure whether I had it already or not, so I am going to keep my updated list right here for easy access at the flea for next time.

"S" wrench
B1214
B2022
B2428
B2832

Engineers
A1416
A1618
A1922
A2428
A2831

Checknut
C1214
C2428

Tappet
O1416

 

[Jim C.]

Some Kraeuter pliers I’ve collected.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Added a B2428 to the "S" wrench wing of my Diamond K collection this morning at the flea. I swear, these wrenches are works of art.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's a pretty wrench

 

[d42jeep]

I think that I’ve posted most of my S-K made Kraeuter tools in the S-K thread but I could just as well have posted them here. This partial 1/4”/3/8” drive set arrived in the mail today. Unfortunately, three of the tools were Craftsman and I removed those. It will add a little to the challenge of completing the set. I may have some of the missing tools in the Bay Area.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

These were bent when I found them so I put them in a vise and tapped on them with a brass hammer to straighten the tips and heard a tiny little "tick" that turned out to be a crack at the corner of the cutter section. Bummer. I've straightened a lot of pliers, but this is the first pair I've broken. In my defense, they were pretty useless as found. I'll be more careful next time.






I sure like this grip pattern.

 

[d42jeep]

I think that I’ve posted most of my S-K made Kraeuter tools in the S-K thread but I could just as well have posted them here. This partial 1/4”/3/8” drive set arrived in the mail today. Unfortunately, three of the tools were Craftsman and I removed those. It will add a little to the challenge of completing the set. I may have some of the missing tools in the Bay Area.
-Don

I was able to find three of the missing tools on eBay. These arrived today.
-Don
Only four pieces to go.

 

[d42jeep]

I wasn’t happy with the somewhat abused spinner in the set but I found this much nicer one on eBay.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Couple of extra sockets I have. If anybody needs them to complete a set, let me know - not collecting this brand (hmm, at least not yet)
33340 1 1/4
33332 1
33320 5/8
33316 1/2

 

[d42jeep]

I’ve posted most of my Kraeuter sets in the S-K thread since they were manufactured by S-K but I will add them here.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

A few more Kraeuter sets
-Don
Only three pieces missing from this set after filling some missing slots.

 

[Username already in use]

I don’t typically see a lot of Kraeuter out my way. But today I seemed to have come across a mess of sockets. Almost a complete set of metric 3/8 drive.

 

[four.cycle]

missing the 9mm, but those aren't good for anything anyway.
might want to pick up an 18 though, in case you have to work on Fords.

 

[thefraze_1020]

Kraeuter Industrial 1771-7

I just picked up a pair of these as well. Different font for the "Kraeuter" lettering. Also stamped "606" on the other side, not sure what that means. The handles are painted red. Don't know if that's original, but I liked it so I left it when I was cleaning these.

 

[d42jeep]

I like those markings and handle patterns. Very cool. The longnoses I picked up on Friday have much more conventional markings.
-Don