Old Walden Worcester

[d42jeep]

Where does this fit in the Walden Worcester chronology. The knurled twisty knob seems like a step backward.

I would have to assume that the knurled knob adjuster came after this one shown in this 1948 catalog. The black US marked one may be wartime.
-Don

 

[MisterEd]

In general the ratchet has a well-made feel to it and maybe the knob was seen as being more substantial. Yours looks good in black.

 

[Arne73]

Found these 2 Stevens Spintites a #4 & #7 when I was at my dads the other day.

 

[RTM]

Hey gang, I just posted over in the Walden 3150 specific thread that I bought some 3-56 screws to fix my ratchet. If you need some screws, details there.

Walden 3150 1/4 drive ratchet

You might remember my asking recently about the faceplate screw size for this ratchet, to help in my restoration. A previous owner had used 4-48 screws with nuts to hold the faceplate on, but removing and examining the screws showed that they were probably not the right size. I tried fresh...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some chrome alloy ignition wrenches

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I could've sworn I saw another one of these rim tools here on GJ somewhere, but a search on this thread, the other Walden thread, and the forum turned up zilch. It has two brandings and two part numbers: "WALDEN-WORCESTER 1960" and "WHEEL TOOL CORP 60534". I'm thinking Walden is the OEM and the Wheel Tool Corporation is the end item customer. A quick search on Wheel Tool Corp yielded nothing, but I'll try harder later. The tee-handle - which is fixed, it does not swivel - has a pry blade on one end. The hex is 3/4".

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some NOS 3/8 drive stuff

 

[d42jeep]

I was watching that one but saw it was you bidding so I passed. Glad it went to a good home.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

1928 Stevens Walden Worcester catalog now available for download at International Tool Catalog Library

 

[RubiconJK]

I came across these three old 1/2" drive drag link sockets today while digging through some of my stuff. Walden Worcester #1129, 1130 and 1131. Thought I'd share pics here.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Complete and highly desirable WWII GMTK set! Without a doubt.

 

[RubiconJK]

Complete and highly desirable WWII GMTK set! Without a doubt.

These came out of some of my late Dad's stuff. There is no telling what number of tractors, trucks etc that he used these on! If tools could talk!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As a set they were very useful, covering passenger vehicles and several trucks from 1/4- to 2.5-ton. The makes I have had in my GMTK's have been either Walden and Snap-on, because they are the most practical to find. Not common, but they are out there. And there are Thorsen sets floating around with FSN's on the carboard box they came in, which are harder to find with or without the box. If you're curious I can save you the measurements. The 1129 is 47/64". The 1130 is 15/16". And the 1131 is 1-3/16".

I've posted this claim before, and I'd have to find that or double-check my notes to back myself up again, but the most interesting thing about the GMTK drag link bit set is that it doesn't appear as a set in many (if any!) catalogs that I can recall prior to WWII. The 1130 appears in Walden's 1940 catalog by itself, for example. They were making an 1129, but it was a screwdriver bit, not a smaller version of the 1130 socket. And no 1131. Similar situation with Snap-on as I recall.

In short, while I can't definitively prove it, I attribute those particular sizes showing up as sets to wartime Ordnance Dept specs.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Also, I am extremely jealous of the way the finish is so consistent across all three pieces in your set. Here is my current sad "set" - by contrast!

 

[RubiconJK]

As a set they were very useful, covering passenger vehicles and several trucks from 1/4- to 2.5-ton. The makes I have had in my GMTK's have been either Walden and Snap-on, because they are the most practical to find. Not common, but they are out there. And there are Thorsen sets floating around with FSN's on the carboard box they came in, which are harder to find with or without the box. If you're curious I can save you the measurements. The 1129 is 47/64". The 1130 is 15/16". And the 1131 is 1-3/16".

I've posted this claim before, and I'd have to find that or double-check my notes to back myself up again, but the most interesting thing about the GMTK drag link bit set is that it doesn't appear as a set in many (if any!) catalogs that I can recall prior to WWII. The 1130 appears in Walden's 1940 catalog by itself, for example. They were making an 1129, but it was a screwdriver bit, not a smaller version of the 1130 socket. And no 1131. Similar situation with Snap-on as I recall.

In short, while I can't definitively prove it, I attribute those particular sizes showing up as sets to wartime Ordnance Dept specs.

Thanks Lugz, good to know on the sizes. Also great info related to the GMTK connection.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you're pop was not a WWII vet (and if he was, I'm sorry I forgot!), he may very well have picked them up surplus shortly thereafter or somewhere along the way.

 

[RubiconJK]

If you're pop was not a WWII vet (and if he was, I'm sorry I forgot!), he may very well have picked them up surplus shortly thereafter or somewhere along the way.

He was indeed, but was medically discharged before deployment. He likely picked them up in surplus or who knows where. I have stories he passed on to me about several of his tools, but not these. He was a farmer/mechanic his entire life.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

He had great taste in tools!

 

[d42jeep]

I bought a repack set in cosmoline and I can’t say exactly what they look like because I won’t open the box. I’ve had quite a few others.
-Don

 

[JjKk40]

These 3 i have were cad plated. They came together, all 3 in the lot...

 

[JjKk40]

Cool set...

 

[four.cycle]

1133? am I reading that correctly? is that ratchet drive a separate piece in there?

 

[JjKk40]

1133? am I reading that correctly? is that ratchet drive a separate piece in there?

Yes thats the 1133 ratchet thing-a-ma-giggy! Lol! It actually works awesome. The sockets were Cad plated and came from another of the same model set which I put in here.

 

[c1504]

That is pretty cool JjKk40!

Here is a cad plated 1125 I picked up a while back

 

[Mintgrun]

Yes that's the 1133 ratchet thing-a-ma-giggy! Lol!

I have one of those, but the finish is totally gone. It's plain steel now. I must have posted it in a different Walden thread back when I found it. OTG said they're somewhat rare, since they only came in that spark plug kit. It is fun to finally see the kit. Nice one.



Tom

 

[JjKk40]

That is pretty cool JjKk40!

Here is a cad plated 1125 I picked up a while back

Sweet! I have the same except all the cadmium is gone so its down to raw steel!

 

[JjKk40]

I have one of those, but the finish is totally gone. It's plain steel now. I must have posted it in a different Walden thread back when I found it. OTG said they're somewhat rare, since they only came in that spark plug kit. It is fun to finally see the kit. Nice one.



Tom

Such a simple design but effective! I doubt I'd be able to use it this day and age on too much as I need 4 extentions and 2 swivels to get to most of the plugs on my vehicles! Lol!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

They made that goofy 1133 for awhile. Earlier sets had fewer but chunkier looking sockets

 

[LightzoutJ]

I found this one. Can anyone tell me anything about it. Thanks in advance

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks like a refrigeration ratchet

 

[d42jeep]

I found this one. Can anyone tell me anything about it. Thanks in advance

Your ratchet appears to be a 3/8” drive version of a Walden refrigeration ratchet as OTG points out above. I couldn’t find your exact ratchet in the available Walden catalogs although this #859 in the 1948 catalog is very close.
-Don
They are much more common in 1/4” drive as seen below.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm not sure why you guys are considering that 1133 so odd or goofy. It's basically a clutch type ratchet adaptor, which were fairly common and popular, permanently attached to the end of an offset handle, no? Mossberg put them in torque wrenches.

EDIT: I concede, atypical/unusual in spark plug sets, for sure. I guess it was their way of doing better than a tommy bar through a crossdrilled hole without a more expensive full up ratchet, which would be overkill.

 

[LightzoutJ]

Your ratchet appears to be a 3/8” drive version of a Walden refrigeration ratchet as OTG points out above. I couldn’t find your exact ratchet in the available Walden catalogs although this #859 in the 1948 catalog is very close.
-Don
They are much more common in 1/4” drive as seen below.

Thanks for the information

 

[four.cycle]

^ I went down that same rabbit hole on the 4059 last night, Don, and found nothing on it.

Lugnutz - I must not have been paying attention previously, but that's the first time I think I've seen that 1133 "ratchet", and thought it rather odd until I started poring through catalog pages and found it in several places.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's definitely unusual or atypical in a spark plug set. I retract my questioning of you guys on that. My bad.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I think they made them from 20s into late 40s. According to jks ad above they were used in thousands of service stations!

EDIT : Appears in 28 catalog as an option for sparkplug set but not pictured

 

[four.cycle]

earliest showing I have for the 1133 is 1941.
I have a lot of Walden material up to 1935, and then there's a gap through 1941.
latest showing I have is from the 1948 catalog, the same volume as the page posted above.
after 1948, any catalogs for Walden have been scarce.

(* edited 12/11/21 08:52 PST *)

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice ads! Aa says they have no catalog reference. The 1113 seems to be in some 20s ads. The 1133 appears to be same tool on a stick.

 

[four.cycle]

The 1113 seems to be in some 20s ads

I recently provided a copy of the 1928 Stevens-Walden catalog to ITCL which can be downloaded here

In addition to that, I currently have 227 files of "Walden" dating from 1906 to 1929 - mostly catalog pages from wholesale hardware distributors - none of which show the model 1133. (I spent well over an hour last night picking through them searching.)

After searching through those, I downloaded the 1924 Stowe Supply Co. catalog (175MB) and picked through all of the "Walden" listings and did not find the 1133 there either.

As to statements made by Alloy-Artifacts.org on their website:
Trust, but verify. His information is by no means 100% accurate. I am currently engaged in a discussion with him regarding his erroneous dating of some catalogs.

 

[four.cycle]

oops... I mis-read your post above.
I was looking for 1133, not 1113