Old Walden Worcester

[RedVise]

Thanks for the informative thread. Helped me ID a Model 1453 Walden Worcester 4 way speed wrench.
No data on the one in front yet.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was over the moon to find this roll-up at the flea market this morning. I am fairly positive it's a No. T-52 SPINTITE set, which W-W called a Deluxe Electrical, Ignition, and Radio Set.







It's fairly complete. Includes the #3801 Universal Handle, seven (7) nutdriver bits (#3806, 38078, 3610, 3611, 3612, and 3614), and what they call an insulated Neutralizing and Alignment Combination Screwdriver Wrench, which is that black two-part tubular piece. It's missing three screwdriver bits (#3803, #3804, and #3805), a Reamawl bit (#3802), the Longnose Pliers (#1781 ), and the Diagonals (#4601).

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The roll-up will need some surgery, and the marking is not strong, but legible. Here're also some close-ups of that tubular piece.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Catalog references showing the missing pieces.

 

[Old Radar]

an insulated Neutralizing and Alignment Combination Screwdriver Wrench

If I'm not mistaken, that's what Luke was using on C3PO in the first Star Wars movie.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Snort! Or Dr. Emmett Brown on the flux capacitor!

 

[d42jeep]

These are in the Bay Area and aren’t part of any set.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Fantastic, Don. I need the three screwdrivers and the Reamawl! I think I am holding a few things for you but I can't remember what they are!

What do you know about the pliers? I have to admit, I don't recall ever seeing W-W branded pliers.

 

[d42jeep]

I’ve never seen any of the pliers.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Right. And you're the biggest W-W collector I know. Me either. So please sanity check my thinking here, because I don't want to be accused of cutting inconvenient corners.

I looked through hundreds of period general hardware store type catalog cuts in BK's zip file, and I looked through the 1923, 1941, and 1954 catalogs.

Their earliest detachable SPINTITE sets (20's-30's), did not even come with pliers.



They never offered any pliers, not even in their "Other" "Sundries" "Accessories" back pages. They did offer other tools in that category (i.e., screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches, etc), separately, none of which they were known for making in-house. Meaning, other than the dykes and long nose pliers that came in this set - the name of which they had shortened to the simpler "Repairman's Set" by 1954, I can find no record of them offering those or any other pliers whatsoever.

My conclusion, therefore, is that they were clearly 3rd party, and I don't think it's a stretch to suspect they may not have even been branded Walden-Worcester.

The 1954 catalog offers a better view of them, by the way.

Looking kinda Utica to me, but I'm interested in hearing other opinions.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

BTW, I'm thinking my set - with dark blue or black liner inside a leatherette roll-up, but arranged exactly like this vinyl roll-up with red liner, may be from the 40's.

And OR will be happy to see they shortened the name of the tubular tool.

 

[bmwrd0]

Don, those two long, thin drivers with different plating are also used in the '20s hex drive set, and if Lugz doesn't need them, they are on my search list, and I would be very interested in them.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...those two long, thin drivers with different plating are also used in the '20s hex drive set, and if Lugz doesn't need them, they are on my search list, and I would be very interested in them.

That's cadmium and the markings look wartime to me, Beemer. Where did you post your set? Are the other pieces cad-plated? Here's the thing. I DO need all three screwdriver bits, including those two. My set is not cad-plated and those two will look odd next to my other pieces, but not too odd, since I suspect mine is either prewar or immediate postwar. But I would rather have them looking a little odd in my set than yours. As I am sure you'd understand. That is, unless your set is cad-plated. If that were the case, I would, in the spirit of collecting brotherhood, give up those two to you and keep looking.

 

[d42jeep]

What would King Solomon do? Obviously I should cut each of them in half. I’ll check what I have more thoroughly when I head down the hill in a couple of weeks.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

No, my set is plain steel. And you spoke first, so, you got that going for you, which is nice.

They don't perfectly fit either set, but as I spoke too late, I don't get the worm.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's a cool set! If I find plated ones I'll send you these. If I find plain steel, I'll send you those.

 

[d42jeep]

The Yankee driver bits are a perfect fit as well. Walden mentioned that in one of the catalogs, I believe.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yep. The 1941.

 

[Fred Knox]

I have been trying to track the vintage of this old Walden Worcester 10” adjustable wrench. The hang hole looks more robust than the one in the late 1940s catalog. In any case, this is the only one I’ve encountered and I don’t see a like one here on GJ.

 

[mgmlvks]

As my Fav Store goes out of business - they let me go "behind the counter" on my own to rummage through 50+ years of hand tools!

This was there - so nice it was way tucked away and unmolested for a LONG time!

 

[four.cycle]

Walden Worcester 14-piece 5/16" hex drive SAE socket set

This rather unusual set, as near as I am able to determine, is similar to the model 68 set shown in the 1932 Walden catalog on page 10, with the exception of this set being 5/16" hex drive (about which the catalog description makes no mention) and the sockets are 12-points in the set (as opposed to the "hex sockets" shown in the catalog description, from which one might assume they were talking about 6-points.)

There are no markings on the sockets, six of which are 12-points and two of which are square 4-points.
The screwdriver attachments are stamped "Walden Worcester Made in USA" and are also stamped with part numbers 3803 and 3804, respectively. The "Spin-Tite" driver handle is stamped "Walden Worcester 3801" and still has 99% of its original black paint on the handle. None of the other pieces show any markings.
Based on the description from the 1932 catalog, I would posit the set is complete, although I believe it to be of earlier vintage than 1932.
I have no empirical evidence of such other than visual comparisons with other like sets. (see OTG's set on GJ in the Walden thread.)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have to admit, I had no idea Stevens-Walden was in business for so long. I picked up this 3/8-drive "Hamerench" impact driver yesterday at the flea, thinking maybe late 50's or 60's, and I was shocked to discover, based on ads, that it's apparently no earlier than 1989.

 

[RTM]

I have to admit, I had no idea Stevens-Walden was in business for so long. I picked up this 3/8-drive "Hamerench" impact driver yesterday at the flea, thinking maybe late 50's or 60's, and I was shocked to discover, based on ads, that it's apparently no earlier than 1989.

What drives you down that path? I found mine, with some 1973 literature, back here Did you find features in the ad? Curious

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Good to see! No, nothing that sophisticated. My google fu simply did not reveal any older than '89 ads. I only searched Books, not regular.

 

[four.cycle]

Not too many references on the net to this, found it in a 1973 Lafayette catalog, and a couple of Worthpoint listings. There was a Thor No. 603 Pneumatic Hammer Wrench in 1935-37, but I guess they didn't trademark it.

You're not getting it confused with THIS Thor, are you?

I have seen many of those Walden impact drivers on ebay but never bought one. They appear to be a pretty well-made unit. Amazing so many of them are still in service.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You're not getting it confused with THIS Thor, are you?

He was referring to the "Hamerench" name only. The Independent Pneumatic Tool Company (much like several other companies with a brand with a bigger name than the company, they changed it to Thor in 1953) "Hamerench" was pneumatic, not mechanical.

There was a Thor No. 603 Pneumatic Hammer Wrench in 1935-37, but I guess they didn't trademark it.

Yes, they did. In 1937, claiming first use in 1936.



Which certainly raises interesting questions about Stevens-Walden later use of the same name! Unlike utility patents, TM's don't expire. Maybe Stevens-Walden bought the rights. Note that I cannot find any separate record of them TM'ing the same name.

Back on the Walden history...

with some 1973 literature

Where did you find the "Lafayette" catalog with the name highlighted in blue? EDIT: Disregard. I found it.

 

[four.cycle]

^ stupid question, but one M or two on the Walden unit?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...one M or two on the Walden unit?

Seems like it should be two, like Hammerench, but it's one, like Hamerench.

 

[bmwrd0]

Speaking of Thor Tool company, if you have ever walked into a new bookstore, and seen the piles of new books that are deeply discounted, usually last years best seller, books like that? That is thanks to the Thor Tool company!

Apparently, they tried to devalue their assets, but sell them at full cost. Well, Uncle Sam didn't like this, and made them sell at a discount if they devalued. Hence, mark downs and clearance items.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found this Ell handle at the flea this morning being used to turn a set of Long C SPW's.

 

[ararat]

Walden Worcester 3/4" drive set. I scraped all the layers of paint and rust off the box and hit it with the rustoleum. It all went in the evaporust. The smaller extension looks like it could be original to the sockets. I think the longer one is newer. The ratchet is P&C. The original paint layer was light gray I think.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The No. 7404 3/8"F-to-1/49/32"M adaptor is one of the coolest Walden pieces I have found in these boxes. Also no knurling or grooves. Seems like it might also fall late 40s or 50s. See Pics 4, 5, 6 & 7.

I am reviving and correcting this post from 2022 thanks to a prompt from @misterbill. He found one recently, discovered that the male end was 9/32-drive, and asked me to check mine. I had found it with 1/4-drive pieces, all with the same classic Walden black oxide finish, and I never bothered to measure it, assuming it was also a 1/4-drive piece. In fact, I have been keeping it this whole time with a 1/4-drive black ox set. Now I am wondering what this piece went with. Other than the prewar Navy set I got from 4.c, I have never seen any other Walden 9/32-drive, let alone black ox. I am guessing postwar. But what set? And what the heck am I going to do with it now?! Functionally, fits the prewar Navy set, but looks odd. Looks best with the 1/4-drive black ox tools, but won't drive or be driven by anything in that box. Decisions, decisions.

 

[leg17]

..... And what the heck am I going to do with it now?! ......

Hey, you could always get out the disc grinder and ..... Nah, never mind.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Snerk.

 

[d42jeep]

They aren’t that easy to tell apart.
-Don

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

So I found a speed socket brace the other day which I know is a Walden. And the double socket wrench which is marked. But I need help from Lugz if he isn't still mad at me with this no mark T handle speed brace. It looks like the same family but without the marks, I am not sure. But if anyone needs any of these for a set, maybe we can trade?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

But I need help from Lugz if he isn't still mad at me with this no mark T handle speed brace.

?? You either have the wrong person, or you're going to have to re-fresh my memory. What thread? What was the topic? If I got "mad" at you, I don't recall. As for the tool, looks kind of Snappy or MTF to me. It is not Blackhawk, which had a different rotating handle, or Walden, which were press fit in that era. I am sure others will weigh in soon.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

So I found a speed socket brace the other day which I know is a Walden. And the double socket wrench which is marked. But I need help from Lugz if he isn't still mad at me with this no mark T handle speed brace. It looks like the same family but without the marks, I am not sure. But if anyone needs any of these for a set, maybe we can trade?

Its not Snap-on. Being unmarked I assume it came from a kit and had no marks. ????

 

[four.cycle]

^ twertsy had an affinity for all things with "knurled sleeves", but he's not around often.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Its not Snap-on.

If you mean it's not marked "Snap-on", I assumed it wasn't marked at all. But it definitely has the features of Snap-on and MTF Tee handles with rotating grips. Why it's not marked I don't know, but it happens.