Need help identifying tools

[Jay H 237]

Here's the story,

My grandmother passed away last month and during the clean-up of the garage I inherited my grandfather's toolbox and what was still left in it*. My grandfather had passed away back in Dec of 97. There are some tools in here I can't figure out what they are used for or what to even call them and I'm wondering if anyone on here might know.

I'll post some pics of the other tools and the tool box itself for those of you curious. I'm not looking to sell anything, I'm keeping them to remember my grandfather. It is a mix of tools with some brands I've never heard of either. There's Craftsman, Snap-On, Blackhawk, Husky (pre Home Depot) and New Britain that I'm familiar with but there's also Lectrolite, Herbrand and Barcalo-Buffalo-USA that I've never heard of before. The toolbox itself is Craftsman and I'm guessing 1960s vintage.

* I mentioned what's still in it as my uncle has raided my grandfather's stuff since he passed 11 years ago and his tools were no exception. My uncle is one who doesn't take care of anything either so I'm quite sure that he's taken stuff and when done using it either left it at his house, someone elses or even in the bed of his pickup until it got bad enough to toss. He is one of those people. There was a lower unit that this toolbox sat on but it's long gone (along with whatever was in it too). I know all the 1/4" and 3/8" drive sockets, extensions and ratchets are missing as everything that's left is 1/2" drive.

OK, now onto the pics. I might have to attach these over several posts so give me a few minutes. These are of the overall toolbox, the 1/2" ratchets (New Britain and Blackhawk) and some of the wrenches.

Next post I'll start with the tools I'm trying to identify what they're for.

 

[old salvage]

Nice bunch of tools.!
Your grandfathers box is older than the 60's. Probably 1940's

Just re read your post and realize your grandfather passed only a month ago. My condolences and apologies for not wording my post better.

 

[Jay H 237]

Ok, the fist one appears to be a 1/2" drive extension but it's in a 90 degree angle and has a male fitting on both ends so you could attach a socket either way. There are 2 of these in the toolbox. I don't know what to call them or how they would be used.

The second looks like a scraper of some sort. The rods coming out of it are blunt at the end, not sharp at all.

The third is a red handled hammer of some sort? One end is a "T" shape.

 

[Jay H 237]

This next one I believe is a wheel cylinder hone, not sure though. By cranking the nut you can increase or decrease the width from about 1/2"-3/4".

The next is a pair of pliers of some sort. The jaws are flat and have no grooves or serations to help hold anything.

The last are some screwdrivers except if you viewed them by looking at the end they look like a figure 8. I've never seen any fastners like that before.


I will have to say that my grandfather only kept mechanics tools in the garage, all the regular house stuff was in the basement so I'm sure these are for automotive use only. I should also say my grandfather had owned many diesel trucks (mostly Ford but he did have Chevy/GMC too) for towing my grandparent's 35' Silver Streak. My grandparents were never rich or well off and my grandfather did most of the maintance and repairs to the vehicles to save money. All of the tools in this box show signs of use but are still serviceable. My grandfather never wasted money on tools just to look at them. While he did use them alot he never abused them either or tried to use something for something it wasn't intended to be used for.

 

[Jay H 237]

Nice bunch of tools.!
Your grandfathers box is older than the 60's. Probably 1940's

Just re read your post and realize your grandfather passed only a month ago. My condolences and apologies for not wording my post better.

Thanks. My grandfather had actually passed away back in December of 1997, it's my grandmother that passed away last month during Easter weekend.


1940s? Could very well be. I was guessing 60s atleast. The toolbox's finish is worn but it's the brown wrinkled finish. The 1/2" drive impact sockets (not shown) are from 1963 by the Snap On chart with the dates coresponding to the date character on them. That's where I was guessing the 1960s. If I had know I'd wind up with these tools I would have asked my grandfather years ago before he passed. I'd also then know what some of these tools were for.

I only got the box since my uncle could care less about most things. He was going to leave it out by the curb for someone to take before my mother said I might be intersted in it and had him put it in her car. I'm VERY happy to have these tools that were once my grandfather's. Too bad I couldn't have had the other box or the tools my uncle has lost, given away, or tossed over the years that used to belong to my grandfather.

 

[Elroy]

Your scraper is not a scraper. It's a "fin comb" used to straighten the fins on a heat exchanger coil. Typically a AC condenser coil or automotive radiator.

The hammer deal is not used as a hammer but is actually used by being struck with a hammer. It's used to remove a rusted muffler or tail pipe. It's like a cold chisel with a built in handle.

 

[Elroy]

You have some nice tools there.

 

[lbgradwell]

Ok, the fist one appears to be a 1/2" drive extension but it's in a 90 degree angle and has a male fitting on both ends so you could attach a socket either way. There are 2 of these in the toolbox. I don't know what to call them or how they would be used.

I'm not certain, but I'm guessing you would use them in much the same way as you would a hex key, only with a socket instead...

 

[64merc]

Sorry to hear about the loss of both grandparents. I'm sure you will cherish these tools as much I cherish the tools I inherited from my grandfather.

I believe those strange screwdrivers are what they call clutch drive. I inherited a couple from my grandfather as well so I asked others what they were too, since I have never seen a use for them. Unfortunately, most said that they hadn't used theirs in many years.

 

[Jay H 237]

I'm not certain, but I'm guessing you would use them in much the same way as you would a hex key, only with a socket instead...

I was guessing that by the looks of them and it makes sense what you said but why not just use a ratchet? Is there a benefit to them? I've never seen them before. One of them is Craftsman (the pictured one) and the other is Husky. I looked in the Craftsman tool catalog I have and didn't see them and don't ever recall seeing them in a Sears store either. They don't look like they are offered anymore.

I forgot to mention that the Craftsman tools in this box are older. They are the ones where the "C" in Craftsman extends under the "raft".

 

[Fast Orange]

The clutch tip screwdrivers were for the travel trailer-they were the first generation of power-installed screws,used extensively in the mobilehome and camping trailer industries.I believe that they have now been replaced by torx type fasteners.
As for the pliers,do the jaws open when the handles are squeezed together?Are there machined surfaces on the outside of the jaws? If yes to both questions,they can be either piston ring spreaders or removal/installation pliers for external snap rings that had no pin holes.

George

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The 1/2 drive ratchet and the long offset box ends are from the '40's for sure. Not sure about the rest.

Charles

 

[lbgradwell]

I think they date from the days when a socket set might not necessarily include a ratchet... I believe they were called L-Handle Breaker Bars.

I've seen early Mossberg & Hinsdale sets with such things, though they were sometimes hex-drive.

 

[wrenchr]

I like the old blackhawk ratchet!! very cool tools!!! My Dads tools bring back alot of memories!!! I have a set of his Mac Metric sockets that he bought from a hock shop.
I was about 10 when he bought them, I'm 30 now and using them every chance I get!!!

 

[Uncle Buck]

The L shaped wrench with likely 1/2" square drives on either end were a standard item sold with the Craftsman socket sets, or available as an accessory during the 1940's I think. www.alloyartifacts.com has some references to them in the Craftsman section and as I recall they indicated that they are somewhat rare to find these days. I have found and bought (2) of them in the last few years. They are really nothing more than a cheap way of applying torque to a socket. Still unique and I like them.

Elroy said the red handled thing is a hand held cold chisel of sorts, and I agree with him. Elroy further stated that the thing with all the fingers was a radiator comb. I normally would be in agreement with most of Elroy's opinions however this time I disagree, I think it is a carbon scraper cause my 80yr old dad has one that looks identical that has been in his box as long as I can remember, so I would say look at the fingers and see if it looks like it was used to clean carbon off of pistons with.

The silver pliers with the flat tips are for installing piston rings, which I state to concur with Fast Oranges opinion.

Fast Orange nailed the clutch head drivers and their use. I would not hold my breath waiting to put those two rascals to work!


(BTW, very nice tools you have there and a damned shame you didn't get all of them , I agree.)

 

[Jbullfrog]

Based on the Craftsman Logo, the toolbox is from the 50ies or 60ies.

 

[billymade]

On those clutch type screwdrivers: a friend of mine restores mid to late 50's Chevys (Bel Aire etc.) and he was saying that the interiors of those cars use these type of fasteners too!

 

[wilbilt]

The fingered tool is indeed a carbon scraper. I have two of them. Mine have a band around the fingers that can be slid from the handle end toward the tips to increase the rigidity for scraping flat surfaces, or slid back to allow the fingers to follow contours.

My dad's '61 Chevy Impala had tons of clutch head screws in the dash and interior.

 

[Elroy]

Elroy further stated that the thing with all the fingers was a radiator comb. I normally would be in agreement with most of Elroy's opinions however this time I disagree

You don't have to be so polite but in this day and age it is refreshing. Yep Elroy is going to retract this statement.

(BTW, very nice tools you have there and a damned shame you didn't get all of them , I agree.)

Ditto

 

[T56 Impala]

Very nice set of tools you got there. Cherish them, protect them. I have very few of my Grandfather's tools and wish I had more. I am proud to have the ones I do though. Some are odd and some hand made. Like you, I may never know exactly what the intended use for them really was.

I really like that box. Can anyone nail down a model number or production date on it?

My condolences on the passing of both of your grandparents. I'm sure they are smiling with the knowledge that you are sharing something that inspires so many of us. Thanks for sharing.

 

[russlaferrera]

Ok, the fist one appears to be a 1/2" drive extension but it's in a 90 degree angle and has a male fitting on both ends so you could attach a socket either way. There are 2 of these in the toolbox. I don't know what to call them or how they would be used.

The second looks like a scraper of some sort. The rods coming out of it are blunt at the end, not sharp at all.

The third is a red handled hammer of some sort? One end is a "T" shape.

1st is a handle for sockets, 2nd is a scraper. there is a sliding piece that when slid down to the end makes the wires stiffer. 3rd ts a tailpipe/muffler cutting chisel. you cut the tailpipe out of a muffler.

 

[russlaferrera]

This next one I believe is a wheel cylinder hone, not sure though. By cranking the nut you can increase or decrease the width from about 1/2"-3/4".

The next is a pair of pliers of some sort. The jaws are flat and have no grooves or serations to help hold anything.

The last are some screwdrivers except if you viewed them by looking at the end they look like a figure 8. I've never seen any fastners like that before.


I will have to say that my grandfather only kept mechanics tools in the garage, all the regular house stuff was in the basement so I'm sure these are for automotive use only. I should also say my grandfather had owned many diesel trucks (mostly Ford but he did have Chevy/GMC too) for towing my grandparent's 35' Silver Streak. My grandparents were never rich or well off and my grandfather did most of the maintance and repairs to the vehicles to save money. All of the tools in this box show signs of use but are still serviceable. My grandfather never wasted money on tools just to look at them. While he did use them alot he never abused them either or tried to use something for something it wasn't intended to be used for.

The hone is for valve guides, the screwdrivers are figure 8 or butterfly screwdrivers used on GM vehicles in the 1950s. , the pliers are for C clips

 

[russlaferrera]

Your scraper is not a scraper. It's a "fin comb" used to straighten the fins on a heat exchanger coil. Typically a AC condenser coil or automotive radiator.

The hammer deal is not used as a hammer but is actually used by being struck with a hammer. It's used to remove a rusted muffler or tail pipe. It's like a cold chisel with a built in handle.

Elroy , I don't agree with you on a fin comb tool. Snap-on sold a scraper (which I own) which is a scraper.. My fin comb has teeth and looks like a comb, and has 4 different spacings for different widths, and is made out of nylon. I have never seen a metal fin comb.

 

[krusty the clown]

The hone is for valve guides, the screwdrivers are figure 8 or butterfly screwdrivers used on GM vehicles in the 1950s. , the pliers are for C clips

it looks like a valve guide tool but he states 1/2 to 3/4 inch

 

[Elroy]

Elroy , I don't agree with you on a fin comb tool. Snap-on sold a scraper (which I own) which is a scraper.. My fin comb has teeth and looks like a comb, and has 4 different spacings for different widths, and is made out of nylon. I have never seen a metal fin comb.

OK Russ, Elroy already retracted his statement above:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17355&showall=1

 

[Elroy]

And here is a metal fin comb.

[/IMG]

Very close to the tool originally posted. Maybe it is a fin comb after all

 

[Uncle Buck]

And here is a metal fin comb.

[/IMG]

Very close to the tool originally posted. Maybe it is a fin comb after all

Close but no cigar elroy!

 

[Elroy]

Close but no cigar elroy!

Oh no. It's a certified bond!

I have never seen a metal fin comb.

The picture Elroy posted is a metal fin comb. All Elroy is doing is showing Russ a "metal" fin comb. Just spreading correct information. No more, no less.

 

[Elroy]

And it does say "scrapping tool" so we are both correct. Everyone wins. What could be better?

 

[russlaferrera]

And here is a metal fin comb.

[/IMG]

Very close to the tool originally posted. Maybe it is a fin comb after all

Thanks Elroy, 1st one I have ever seen. I have to get out more!

 

[tsumetai-kokoro]

the chisel is a regular old cutting chisel welded onto a screwdriver hehe. i bet your grandfather has a few torch-bent specialty wrenches too

the scraper, if you slide the thing back and the tines spread, it's a fin comb, if you slide it back and they flex more, i guess it's a scraper