Let's see your Herbrand!

[bluebolt]

I was surprised there was not a Herbrand thread already. Let's see them! I don't collect them but I do acquire them occasionally. Here's my stuff from the infamous milk jug.

 

[d42jeep]

My wife picked up the first ones because it was “her” brand. She still has a few in her household toolset. I’m guilty of picking them for absolutely no reason. Here are mine.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here is an ignition wrench set and some small pliers

 

[Username already in use]

I've got a few to share. Here's some pics that I already had handy.

It took me a while to assemble this wartime set of ignition wrenches. Of course, the leatherette was the most difficult piece to acquire.

This blue T-handled drive is now living in Colorado, but I saved a pic from when I found it. Pretty neat and those Herbrand blue handles are unique for the era.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That t handle is cool!

 

[bonneyman]

Here's my Herbrand tools: a blue screwdriver and a pair of pearhead rats. Got the 1/2" gifted to me - after cleaning and lubing I knew I had to get the 3/8" version. Finally did.

The absolute smoothest action I've felt - and there's not that many teeth on the gear!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Very stylish tools

 

[davethorik]

Here is the only Herbrand I have. Van-Chrome S-8 "Ratch-A-Daptor" in 1/2 drive, marked PAT. PEND. It came from the bay, as I strangely have yet to see any in the wild, here in Ohio

I also like how the selector works, you rotate the knurled ring with the stamping about 1/8 of a revolution in the direction you want to go. A solid, well built and smooth mechanism despite only 20 teeth.

 

[Jim C.]

I don't have many Herbrand tools, just these four obstruction wrenches. I believe the set consisted of seven wrenches. I'm still looking for the 7/16, 1/2, and 11/16 sizes.

Jim C.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was surprised there was not a Herbrand thread already. Let's see them!

Good idea, bb!

My wife picked up the first ones because it was “her” brand.

I never get tired of hearing that story.

Here is an ignition wrench set and some small pliers

Almost certainly wartime, Otg. Nice set.

Here is the only Herbrand I have. Van-Chrome S-8 "Ratch-A-Daptor" in 1/2 drive, marked PAT. PEND. It came from the bay, as I strangely have yet to see any in the wild, here in Ohio

If you're going to live in Ohio and only have one Herbrand tool, dave, I guess it's fitting that it's a rare bird.

I don't have many Herbrand tools, just these four obstruction wrenches.

That's a nice set you have going there, Jim. In my experience, obstruction or angle wrenches are uncommon to begin with, in any brand. Combined with the rarity of seeing vintage Herbrand tools in the wild, you're doing very well on that set.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Like most of you, I don't see too much of it, and I don't have too many examples. I've shown some of these before in 'type of tool' subject threads, and that's how I store them, too, by type (i.e., not in a Herbrand drawer or box), but I got them out for a family reunion and photo opp.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here are some closer-ups..

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The military tool roll is a near-complete set of Triangle era ratcheting snap-overs. The roll is marked Triangle, but the wrenches are marked HERBRAND with the triangle mark. This set, found at a flea market a couple years ago, is way outside my collecting timeframe, but it's military, and it's Herbrand, and it was so near-complete I couldn't let it sit there.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The leatherette roll-up is a compete c. 1940 H-80 tappet set.

 

[Jim C.]

.......That's a nice set you have going there, Jim. In my experience, obstruction or angle wrenches are uncommon to begin with, in any brand. Combined with the rarity of seeing vintage Herbrand tools in the wild, you're doing very well on that set.

Thanks Lug. You’re absolutely right about obstruction wrenches. They’re tough to find. I initially started collecting Williams obstruction wrenches. That morphed into collecting Indestro/Duro Chrome obstruction wrenches, which somehow branched off to Herbrand obstruction wrenches too. So, now I have four sets of obstruction wrenches going and none of them are complete. I only need one more to complete the Indestro set. As for the Williams set, well, I don’t expect to ever complete that one. I believe there’s more than 30 of those. I see them occasionally but not too often. I have a long way to go on that set.

Jim C.

 

[snapmom]

J9. I think this is one of the best looking rats ever made.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That is nice

 

[Username already in use]

That is nice

very cool!

 

[RubiconJK]

J9. I think this is one of the best looking rats ever made.

Agreed! I wonder if they made the ones I've seen for Craftsman?

I found this little guy during the sale rounds this weekend. Sweet little 1/4" 22000 fine tooth ratchet.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

... and those Herbrand blue handles are unique for the era.

What era were they made?

J9.

3/8-inch drive with that model number prefix, correct? When do we think that was made? This is what their speed ratchets looked like in 1942. None listed in 1948.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I believe the set consisted of seven wrenches. I'm still looking for the 7/16, 1/2, and 11/16 sizes.

I've got some good news, Jim. The blue handled tools and snapmom's speedratchet prompted me to go to the catalogs. According to the 1937 and 1942 catalogs, there were only six (6) wrenches in the "Obstructo" set. No 11/16". Looks like you only need the 1823 (7/16") and 1825 (1/2").

Our discussion prompted me to go dig out my angle wrenches, where, to my surprise, I found an 1827! That's the issue with storing tools by type. I've got a lot of my tools stored by brand, but just as many stored by type, mainly the onesie-twosies that I don't have enough of to store by brand. Starting to bother me, especially since I don't really devote any time to maintaining a written or computerized inventory. I probably have more Herbrand around her somewhere.

 

[Jim C.]

I've got some good news, Jim. The blue handled tools and snapmom's speedratchet prompted me to go to the catalogs. According to the 1937 and 1942 catalogs, there were only six (6) wrenches in the "Obstructo" set. No 11/16". Looks like you only need the 1823 (7/16") and 1825 (1/2").

Our discussion prompted me to go dig out my angle wrenches, where, to my surprise, I found an 1827! That's the issue with storing tools by type. I've got a lot of my tools stored by brand, but just as many stored by type, mainly the onesie-twosies that I don't have enough of to store by brand. Starting to bother me, especially since I don't really devote any time to maintaining a written or computerized inventory. I probably have more Herbrand around her somewhere.

Thanks Lugs. For some reason, I got it in my head that the Herbrand set had seven wrenches. Maybe it’s because the Indestro/Duro Chrome sets have seven wrenches. Who knows. Thanks again for the heads up!

Jim C.

 

[Username already in use]

What era were they made?

I'm not 100% on the time frame, but I assume late 40s into the 50s. The bullet style selector on SnapMom's J9 speed ratchet supports that timeline.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you mean the button style selector with the concentric circles (one of the coolest designed direction selectors ever, in my opinion - and it's missing from my 18" S-11 wartime AISI "1340" marked ratchet! see pic), agreed, but there are no blue handles in the 1948 catalog. All the composite handles (screwdrivers, spinners, etc) are described as translucent amber and Pyralin.

 

[snapmom]

AA has a pic of one. says pat. date is about 50. There are two types of these, the handles are diff. Not sure if same model number.
http://alloy-artifacts.org/Photos/tools/herbrand_38dr_j9_speedratchet_cropped_inset.jpg

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I saw that, Design Patent D158,071, April 1, 1950, and it's also cited on Tool Archives with a handy link to the USPTO diagram and DATAMP's patent summary, here. Interesting that it's a design patent, with some British lineage.

I'm bad with color. Are the composite handles blue? Maybe we can use that to date the other composite blue handle tools showing up here. TA catalog coverage jumps from 1948 to 1966. (BTW, there are some really nice display boards in the back of the 1948 cat!) AA has a 1955 cat listed in their resources, but they don't provide open access, so we can't see it, unfortunately. No Herbrand catalogs anywhere in the public domain between 1948 and 1955 as far as I tell.

 

[snapmom]

More like an Aqua blue, and translucent. Tool archives has a 48 cat, but the J9 is not listed.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nope. The 1942 style speed ratchets aren't either. They were probably dropped during the war (almost certainly considered redundant by WPB L-216), and then went to the style you have when they picked them back up again in 1950.

I'm thinking the translucent aqua blue on your J-9 and the translucent aqua blue on the tools upthread are the same. Pretty cool. Early 50's apparently, right in the catalog gap.

 

[Mintgrun]

If you mean the button style selector with the concentric circles (one of the coolest designed direction selectors ever, in my opinion - and it's missing from my 18" S-11 wartime AISI "1340" marked ratchet! see pic), agreed, but there are no blue handles in the 1948 catalog. All the composite handles (screwdrivers, spinners, etc) are described as translucent amber and Pyralin.

That would be a fun little part to make on the lathe.
War time means plain steel would be fine... no plating needed, right?

Like this 1/4 incher, only bigger... right?
[/ATTACH]

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Your link's broke, Mintgrun, but there's a good photo of the selector upthread on snapmom's junior (3/8-inch drive ) J-9 rat, and elsewhere on the net (i.e., TA, AA, etc). Somebody can probably provide the exact diameter of the button on the standard (1/2-inch drive) S-10/S-11 rats. The back side would need something to engage the lever and hold the sliding button on the rat.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some pictures of mine that I previously posted on the ratchet thread.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

Sorry about the photos. I am not sure why that happened, but it was just a couple pics of my 1/4" example. I am not in need of a knob like yours and my suggestion was probably silly, considering the time involved; but it is a nice ratchet and restoring it would be very cool, impractical though it may be.

 

[bmwrd0]

Herbrand, huh, I think I have some:


Have a bunch of vintage 1/2 sockets, but not sure where they are right now

 

[woody 73]

If you are needing some more information an old post of mine:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=277900&highlight=herbrand

 

[Zrxrunner]

Here's a few that I have pics of. Got a double of this set, but ends are broken on 2 of them. Think I've got a few large double box ends too, I'll have to do some sortin.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice, Zrxrunner. Just as an FYI, they came in pairs. Set No. H-70 had four (4) wrenches: two each of the H-2 and H-3 wrenches. Set No. H-75 had six (6) wrenches, two each of the H-1, H-2, and H-3 wrenches. Set No. H-80 had eight (8) wrenches, two each of the H-1, H-2, H-3, and H-4 wrenches. You could buy them in a box or a leatherette roll-up.

See post #14, page 1, this thread, for a photo of a complete Set No. H-80.

You could buy them individually, as replacements, but all mfgrs sold them like that as sets.

 

[Jim C.]

Here's a few that I have pics of. Got a double of this set, but ends are broken on 2 of them. Think I've got a few large double box ends too, I'll have to do some sortin.

Nice set of wrenches! They really highlight that great Herbrand script style logo.
It’s probably my favorite vintage tool logo.

Jim C.

 

[Username already in use]

Herbrand, huh, I think I have some:

Have a bunch of vintage 1/2 sockets, but not sure where they are right now

That 3/4" ratchet is a monster. Nice lineup of ratchets!

 

[Username already in use]

Browsing my local Craigslist yesterday for various goods. Came across this complete Triangle era Herbrand 1/2" drive set. So, I went and rescued it.

Metal box has a woodgrain finish. Ugly as hell, but the tools are bright and only lightly used.

 

[bluebolt]

Herbrand Automatic Transmission Tools box.