NR circle Socket - Who is this?

[jgromada]

I just acquired this today at a local Habitat store.

I tried going to Alloy Artifacts & online but haven't found a reference for this.

1/2 drive, 12 point, Standard size , photos below

We have a lot of knowledgeable people here so someone will know!

 

[r_olson_06]

It's NB for None Better.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrench 3061

 

[jgromada]

LOL that didn't take very long at all! 3 minutes... is that a record or something?

I thought that was NR but sure enough NB it is.
Never heard of them!

 

[jgromada]

OK with that information it seems "None Better" trademark registered 03/10/1925 (Alloy Artifacts)

Wonder how long they used that? Just trying to find a date for this socket

 

[four.cycle]

it's a stylized "NB" - "New Britain / None Better".

OLD.

probably 1930s

 

[jgromada]

it's a stylized "NB" - "New Britain / None Better".

OLD.

probably 1930s

Cool I guess it was worth it then. They had this bag of sockets for $7. I couldn't see what was in there but figured i would take a flier. When i opened the bag at home I was a bit bummed. There were lots of random Taiwan and Japan no brand name sockets. A big assortment but nothing great save this & a deep well Thorsen (US) socket.

I also got a bag of wrenches too and they are pretty good including a long pattern Mac 11/16 , Long C Craftsman and an assortment of old Perens wrenches. Also $7 .

 

[jgromada]

If you like old, weird mark sockets, I'd love to have you come buy them from me. Unfortunately, you're a long ways away. I throw dozens, and sometimes hundreds of these a year into my scrap iron, or sometimes donate them to the Salvation Army thrift store. Every tool assortment I get has a few, some have a lot. I have a few dozen New Britain (NB) tools I've been sorting to the side the past few days. Quite a few Bonney. Circle H Craftsman. Indestro. Tiger. Thorsen. Giller. Mustang. And, like your assortment, an endless supply of Chinese and Taiwan and old, cheap Japan tools before they upgraded their quality. And, an exhausting supply of Craftsman. Probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the tools in every assortment are Craftsman. I've had weeks where I was able to get rid of 100 craftsman, but then bought a toolbox and got 150 more.

thanks Dave, where do you sell? are you on eBay? on here?

 

[four.cycle]

"...Indestro. Tiger. Thorsen. Giller. Mustang..."

I thought I got all your excess Indestro already.

Not sure I need any more Thorsen or Giller. Let me get my mess here straightened out first and we'll go from there.

 

[jgromada]

Dave, so you sell on here? I have been upgrading my socket sets from old Craftsman G i mostly have. My personal preference is S-K & Proto although i do have a fair bit Williams as well. I'm not really a collector exactly. I don't mind my daily use socket rail having a variety of fine American brands. I am a completest in terms of i want all the sizes, but i don't mind a Proto & S-K being side by side which might drive some people crazy.

I should look over what i am looking for and we can talk. The thing to do is put em all in that small USPS shipper box. Its like maybe $8 to ship anywhere.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a page showing NB tools from 1951. Not really all that old.
-Don

 

[jgromada]

Here is a page showing NB tools from 1951. Not really all that old.
-Don

older than me!

I saw a catalog from late 40s as well on archive.org. At that point they had the whole thing spelled out, None Better. I get the impression from Alloy Artifacts that the earlier ones had the NB symbol like mine.

 

[leg17]

Dave what is your ebay seller name?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

jgromada:
I found a c.1930's Circle-NB set in its attache style case with sockets similar to the one you just bought, but they were marked CHROME, with no model numbers, or CHROME VANADIUM with C-series model numbers. I have never seen T-series model numbers before. I posted the set on the New Britain thread if you're interested. Click here, here, and here for photos, including close-ups, or just go to the New Britain thread (see Index in Sticky), page 26, and scroll down, you can’t miss it.

 

[outofbounds]

If you like old, weird mark sockets, I'd love to have you come buy them from me. Unfortunately, you're a long ways away. I throw dozens, and sometimes hundreds of these a year into my scrap iron, or sometimes donate them to the Salvation Army thrift store. Every tool assortment I get has a few, some have a lot. I have a few dozen New Britain (NB) tools I've been sorting to the side the past few days. Quite a few Bonney. Circle H Craftsman. Indestro. Tiger. Thorsen. Giller. Mustang. And, like your assortment, an endless supply of Chinese and Taiwan and old, cheap Japan tools before they upgraded their quality. And, an exhausting supply of Craftsman. Probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the tools in every assortment are Craftsman. I've had weeks where I was able to get rid of 100 craftsman, but then bought a toolbox and got 150 more.

SSdave,
I will pay you $0.15 per lb for all your SK and Billings sockets, and also pay $15 per USPS priority medium flat rate for each and every box it takes to mail them all. That's 3x scrap value, if that's where you say they're going.

Please PM me if you're interested in this. Thanks, Tom

 

[Oldtuleguy]

This is earliest none better set I have. Also labeled new britain

 

[four.cycle]

cherry set there, Oldtuleguy!

is that Japanning or just paint on the ratchet?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

These sets are not uncommon but never have logo, so just bought it because of the condition. Had not considered japanning. Good question. I will check it tonight. Here is a later 3/8 set. Missing 5/8, 9/16, and 1/2 sockets if anyone has extras.