My Small But Growing 1/4" drive Socket Set Collection

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 13 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box G

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" 6-pt *
3110 5/16" 12-pt
3111 11/32" 12-pt *
3112 3/8" "
3114 7/16" "

3160 5/16" 8-pt
3161 3/8" 8-pt

3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet

Steel Box

* the 3109 and 3111 sockets have marks from a previous owner *

Set G

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 11 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box H

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt black
3107 7/32" "
3108 1/4" "
3109 9/32" 6-pt
3110 5/16" 12-pt
3111 11/32" 12-pt
3112 3/8" 6-pt
3114 7/16" 12-pt

3160 5/16" 8-pt
3161 3/8" 8-pt

3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet

Steel Box

Set H

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 26 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box J

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt
3107 7/32" 6-pt
3108 1/4" 6-pt
3109 9/32" 6-pt
3110 5/16" 12-pt
3111 11/32" 12-pt
3112 3/8" 12-pt
3114 7/16" 12-pt

3159 1/4 8-pt
3160 5/16" 8-pt
3161 3/8" 8-pt

3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle) w/bolster
3150 Pear-head Ratchet
---- Sliding "T" Handle

1912 3/16" Ignition/Magneto Wrench
1913 13/64" "
1914 7/32" "
1915 15/64" "
1916 1/4" "
1918 9/32" "
1920 5/16" "
1922 11/32" "
1924 3/8" "
1928 7/16" "

Steel Box

Set J

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 20 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box K

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

3106 3/16" 6-pt chrome
3107 7/32" 6-pt "
3108 1/4" 6-pt "
3109 9/32" 6-pt "
3110 5/16" 12-pt "
3111 11/32" 12-pt "
3112 3/8" 12-pt "
3114 7/16" 12-pt "
3116 1/2" 12-pt "

3159 1/4 8-pt chrome
3160 5/16" 8-pt "
3161 3/8" 8-pt "

3117 6 inch flex handle (breaker bar)
---- 7/32" x 4-1/2" cross bar
3118 6 inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle)(* marks on handle from previous owner)
3150 Pear-head Ratchet
3102 Universal Joint
3115 6 inch extension
---- Sliding "T" Handle (no markings)

Steel Box

this set had the odd distinction of having a rear-hinged box, as well as the inclusion of the cross bar, something not seen on later Walden sets.

Set K

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 26 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/ Steel Box L

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

1 ea 3108 1/4" 6-pt plain steel * owner marks
1 ea 3109 9/32" 6-pt chrome - clean
2 ea 3110 5/16" 12-pt chrome - good
1 ea 3110 5/16" 12-pt chrome * owner marks
1 ea 3114 7/16" 12-pt black finish

1 ea ---- 3/16" 4-point chrome
1 ea ---- 7/32" 4-point chrome

1 ea 3116 Sliding "T" Handle (w/detent groove at center)

1 ea 3178 1/4" 6-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3179 9/32" 6-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3180 5/16" 12-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3181 11/32 12-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3182 3/8" 12-pt chrome deep-well
1 ea 3184 7/16" 12-pt chrome deep-well

1 ea 3102 Universal Joint (* sloppy loose *)
1 ea 3155 Ratcheting Adapter
1 ea 3129 5/16" x 6-inch slotted screwdriver bit
1 ea 3174 P1 Phillips bit
1 ea 3175 P2 Phillips bit

1 ea ---- 1/4" f. x 3/8" m. drive adapter marked only "STW"

1 ea 1718 13/64" x 7/32" Ignition Wrench
1 ea 1719 13/64" x 1/4" "
1 ea 1720 9/32" x 11/32" "
1 ea 1721 5/16" x 3/8" "

Steel Box (* with reversed end hinge *)

* The hinge on this box is reversed from other similar Stevens-Walden boxes. The center divider was removed at some point by a previous owner.

Set L

 

[four.cycle]

Stevens Walden 3100-K10 10 piece 1/4" drive Hex Set Screw Wrench Set in Original Box N

manufactured by Stevens Walden Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts

this set contains:

8550 Reversible Ratchet

31K 55-5-64 5/64" hex bit
31K 56-3-32 3/32"
31K 58-1-8 1/8"
31K 60-5-32 5/32"
31K 60-5-32 5/32" *
31K 64-7-32 7/32"
31K 66-1-4 1/4"
31K 70-5-16 5/16"

Steel Box with Plastic Lid in Original Shipping Box

* Yes, there are two 5/32" bits.
* This set appears to be NOS.

Set N

 

[four.cycle]

It is worth noting at this point that the one common point among all Stevens Walden Worcester tools is a complete lack of consistency in the manner in which the tools are marked. Stevens Walden Worcester marked their products with a good number of different "brands", as well as expressing the sizes in different manners, alternating knurling and banding patterns, and sometimes just not bothering to mark items at all.
In addition, there also seem to have been variations in the colors used on their (very common) end-hinged boxes for their 1/4" drive sets.
They seem to have stuck with the same shade of green, but they clearly varied the blue and red tones they used.

Note the odd reverse-hinged model - the mottled one second down from top on the right.
The box with the blue "hammertone" paint is the rear-hinged model shown above in post # 2005


Stevens Walden Worcester 1/4" drive socket set box color comparison

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Craftsman =v= set. The uncommon thing about this set is that the plastic liner isn’t broken. Yet.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ I am sure it did not go unnoticed that out of all those Craftsman sets I posted above, only one still had that red plastic insert, and it had been glued back together at some point.
I have yet to see a U.S. manufactured plastic socket set insert that didn't go completely to hell after a time.
Oddly, I have a mid-1960s Japan-made "Mark I" set here and the very sturdy plastic insert is in great shape. The one in the Japan-made set I sold a few months ago was in great shape as well. And the one in the old German-made "Proxxon" set I have is in good shape.
How do Americans manage to fail at plastic?

btw: forgive the mess on the Craftsman sets. I had a whole bunch of tools and an assortment of boxes and just kind of made it up as I went along - it's all such a tangle I didn't even bother to look at any catalogs.

and what do you make of that number stenciled on the bottom of that one Walden green set? (post #2004)

 

[d42jeep]

That number was probably added sometime after WW2 by an industrial owner. That is an interesting set with the inclusion of those black oxide ignition style wrenches. Those wrenches look to likely be pre WW2. None of my black oxide sets have come with wrenches IIRC. I have another partial Craftsman set with a badly cracked red tray that was too ugly to photograph. The Permanex boxes that came later tended to break as well, particularly in the latch and hinge area. Built to a price point, I suppose.
-Don
The entire area below the sockets is broken out which may be an improvement. These are long gone.
Some Permanex boxes.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

1912 3/16" Ignition/Magneto Wrench
1913 13/64" "
1914 7/32" "
1915 15/64" "
1916 1/4" "
1918 9/32" "
1920 5/16" "
1922 11/32" "
1924 3/8" "
1928 7/16" "

Fantastic! I have found exactly a grand total of one (1) wrench in the wild with the large raised full name lettering like this as a grip pattern in 15 or so years.

 

[d42jeep]

I need to look through my Walden storage box to see if any of those may be hiding in there.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

and what do you make of that number stenciled on the bottom of that one Walden green set? (post #2004)

What's your best up close and in person guess at the first four digits that are slightly obscured?

 

[four.cycle]

What's your best up close and in person guess at the first four digits that are slightly obscured?

I can't even guess. Looks like the last one might be a zero.

Funny thing about these Walden sets: when I first started collecting, I was avoiding those with that FSN number stenciled on the top of the box, thinking that it was some sort of owner marking thing. This oddball is the only one I ever got with any numbers, which went unnoticed because they were on the bottom. I had no idea when I was amassing these that there was such a thing as "GMTK" - I just picked out that one because it had all those cute little wrenches in it!

 

[d42jeep]

That left them for me!
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 4913 13 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box

manufactured by S-K Tools, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

40954 6 inch Spinner Handle
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet

Steel Box w/original promotional insert

Set A

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 11 piece 1/4" drive METRIC Socket Wrench Set w/plastic box

manufactured by S-K Tool, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40702 5mm 6 pt std socket
40703 5.5mm 6 pt std socket
43704 6mm 12 pt std socket
43706 7mm 12 pt std socket
43707 8mm 12 pt std socket
43708 9mm 12 pt std socket
43709 10mm 12 pt std socket
43710 11mm 12 pt std socket
43711 12mm 12 pt std socket
43712 13mm 12 pt std socket
43713 14mm 12 pt std socket

Plastic box

Set B

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 11 piece 1/4" drive METRIC Socket Wrench Set w/plastic box

manufactured by S-K Tool, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

43702 5mm 12 pt std socket
43704 6mm 12 pt std socket
43706 7mm 12 pt std socket
43707 8mm 12 pt std socket
43708 9mm 12 pt std socket
43709 10mm 12 pt std socket
43710 11mm 12 pt std socket
43711 12mm 12 pt std socket
43712 13mm 12 pt std socket
43713 14mm 12 pt std socket

Steel Tray

Set C

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 14 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/ Box

manufactured by S-K Tools, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

40953 6 inch Flex Handle (Breaker Bar)
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet

Steel Box w/plastic insert (tools are in excellent shape. box - not so much)

Set D

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 8 piece 1/4" drive METRIC Deep-Well Socket Wrench Set

manufactured by S-K Tool, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

41701 6mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41703 7mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41704 8mm 6 pt deep-well socket (* see note below *)
41705 9mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41706 10mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41707 11mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41708 12mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41709 13mm 6 pt deep-well socket

* the 8mm socket in this set has some cosmetic issues with the chrome. it's not peeling, it's not cracked. it's just weird.

Set E

 

[four.cycle]

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

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]

with a little help from Don, I was able to cobble together a few more sets...


S-K 23 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set (originally a model 4921 set)

manufactured by S-K Tools, Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

41908 1/4" 6-pt deep-well socket
41909 9/32" "
41910 5/16" "
41911 11/32" "
41912 3/8" "
41914 7/16" "
41916 1/2" "

40953 6 inch Steel Flex Handle (breaker bar) *
40954 6 inch Spinner Handle
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet
40990 Universal Joint

Steel Box

* the 40953 steel breaker is an add-on to the set. this model 4921 set did not originally include that piece.

Set G

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 15 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set F

manufactured by S-K Tools, Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

40953 6 inch Steel Flex Handle (breaker bar) (* add-on *)
40954 6 inch Spinner Handle
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet

Set F

 

[four.cycle]

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

manufactured by S-K Tools, Chicago, 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" "

31070 RHFT Reversible Ratchet

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

OK guys, need some help identifying this brand. Never seen it before it's a capital E inside a capital G. Model #280070 and it's a 1/4 drive u joint

 

[RTM]

OK guys, need some help identifying this brand. Never seen it before it's a capital E inside a capital G. Model #280070 and it's a 1/4 drive u joint

Genius tools

Genius Tools USA | Since 1975

www.geniustoolsusa.com

Just put the part number into google, add socket, hit go, 1st ten results at least.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Genius tools

Genius Tools USA | Since 1975

www.geniustoolsusa.com

Just put the part number into google, add socket, hit go, 1st ten results at least.

It worked...never worked before but it worked this time...thanks. Now I'm off to explore the Genius Tools thread, how have I not heard of these guys?

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Ah, USA company selling made overseas tools. No thanks, I only collect original USA sockets. This one gets donated to the Restore toolbox!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some armstrong armaloy

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's the cleanest Armstrong decal I have ever seen.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yup I think it's pretty much new. Not a mark on any of it.

 

[RTM]

Some armstrong armaloy

That's the cleanest Armstrong decal I have ever seen.

Yup I think it's pretty much new. Not a mark on any of it.

Should someone send a scan of that to a certain guy who recreates that type of thing, so the great unwashed masses who don’t **** nearly as much as OTG can pretend they have a NOS Armstrong set?

Just thinking into the keyboard here.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

This one is a good candidate for reproduction!

 

[Beerhippie]

I realize that two sets in not a collection, but here's what I have:



I just added the P&C set today.

Here's a better look:

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Is there a way to query this thread? I'm searching for a Billings M-13 set and donawanna search through all 51 pages...

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Billings M-13

 

[Private Lugnutz]

GJ has an excellent search feature. It's the magnifying glass icon, found in the upper right. Lots of options, including just a thread.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

GJ has an excellent search feature. It's the magnifying glass icon, found in the upper right. Lots of options, including just a thread.

Thanks, have used the search feature before bit never noticed the "search this thread" feature...alas, nothing turned up. I've searched ITCL but this model falls before the 1960 Lifetime catalog and after the 1949 Vitaloy catalog. Off to EBAy and see what may turn up there...

GJ has an excellent search feature. It's the magnifying glass icon, found in the upper right. Lots of options, including just a thread.

Thanks. I've used the search feature but didn't know that it would search "this thread"...alas nothing came up.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

 

[four.cycle]

^ not sure about part number, but OldTuleGuy has a fabulous Billings 1/4" set posted here.

(I just looked at those photos - that's all manufactured by Wright.)