Post up your Thorsen tools!

[berzerker]

This was my Grampa's set. He never claimed to be mechanically inclined by any means. So amongst his 6 hammers, 20 flathead screwdrivers, and 7 adjustable wrenches (7 wrenches but only 3 sizes 4" 6" and 8") finding a ratchet set blew me away. Looking closely, I discovered the set is near mint condition. Looks like ⅜, ½, and 9/16 have been used, once. I would assume there was a bicycle with a flat tire that needed replacing. pretty neat find, I'd like to think anyway.

 

[d42jeep]

Welcome to the GJ. Beautiful and meaningful set.
-Don

 

[mritchie77]

With the acquisition of some almost-NOS Speed-Hed wrenches, I am not only missing two to have a complete set and create a fantasy tool board with that period era ad I picked up about a year ago.

 

[bonneyman]

^ Never saw that many Speed-Heds gathered together in one shot before. I've seen one or two sizes, always the same ones. I figured that's all they made of that style.

Good luck on finding the final two!

 

[four.cycle]

1951 Popular Mechanics Thorsen Speed-Hed ad pp 225

 

[d42jeep]

I have the larger ones but am missing the small examples. I’ve passed a few along as I generally pick them up at sales when I see them.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Found some Thorsen tools this morning at estate sales. Some I cleaned up, others are spending the night in the evaporust.
Cleaned up wrenches and an extension

-Don

 

[Ksem89]

My random thorsen tools. Tool box auction buy.

54j
53j
374
376
616j
619j
416j
418j
33j

K

 

[d42jeep]

Found some Thorsen tools this morning at estate sales. Some I cleaned up, others are spending the night in the evaporust.
Cleaned up wrenches and an extension

These came out of the Evaporust today and look quite a bit better.
-Don

 

[3baygarage]

Picked up a stout little Thorsen 1/2” drive drag link socket last week. 15/16 blade but only abiut 1-1/16” tall.

Possible remnants of a part number beneath the detent hole, as the sides look a bit ground on. Usually the tips are ground down.

 

[four.cycle]

I got an inquiry from @Tom "Python" Aycock about some ACTION stuff, which required me to sort all the Thorsen from the Action from the Giller from the other oddballs that managed to find their way into those boxes and by the time I was done it was dark so I can't offer any decent photos at the moment but... anybody looking for any wrenches?

 

[four.cycle]

Time for a little Action...



ACTION 1415A 15 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set in original box

this set contains:

6MA 3/16" 6 point
7MA 7/32" "
8MA 1/4" "
9MA 9/32" "
10MA 5/6" "
11MA 11/32" "
12MA 3/8" "
14MA 7/16" "

8MSA 1/4" 8 point
10MSA 5/16" 8 point
12MSA 3/8" 8 point

18MA 6 inch flex handle (breaker)
53MA 6 inch extension
77MA open-gear ratchet

- metal box

* I have not yet been able to determine exactly what patent 3096877 applies to.

 

[four.cycle]

ACTION 17 piece 3/8" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set

ACTION 3/8" drive "set" (all items one each except as noted *)

312XA 3/8" 6 point std. socket
314XA 7/16" "
316XA 1/2" "
318A 9/16" 12 point std. socket
320A 5/8" "
322A 11/16" "
324A 3/4" "
328A 7/8" "

626JRA 13/16" 6-point Spark Plug Socket w/insert (two each *)

33MA universal joint
51JA 2-1/2" extension
53JA 4-3/4" extension (two each *)
12JA 7-inch flex handle (breaker)
77JA 7-1/2" open-gear ratchet
77JCA 7-1/2" RHFT ratchet

 

[four.cycle]

ACTION 3/8" drive METRIC 6-point Socket Wrench Set w/plastic tray:

this set contains:

7MM 7mm 6-point std. socket
8MM 8mm "
9MM 9mm "
10MM 10mm "
11MM 11mm "
12MM 12mm "
13MM 13mm "
14MM 14mm "
15MM 15mm "
16MM 16mm "
17MM 17mm "
18MM 18mm "
19MM 19mm "

 

[four.cycle]

ACTION 3/8" drive 6-point Metric Sockets

one each except as noted:

9MMA 9mm 6 point std. socket
10MMA 10mm "
11MMA 11mm "
13MMA 13mm "
17MMA 17mm "
19MMA 19mm 6 point std. socket (two each *)

 

[four.cycle]

ACTION 1/4" drive miscellaneous:

7MA 7/32" 6-point std. socket
8MA 1/4" "
80MA 6-inch Spinner Handle (yellow handle)
80MA 6-inch Spinner Handle (orange handle w/purple cap)

 

[four.cycle]

ACTION 1/2" drive miscellaneous:

626RA 13/16" 6-point Spark Plug Socket w/insert
520A 5/8" 12-point std. socket

 

[four.cycle]

THORSEN 22 piece 3/8" drive SAE Socket Wrench and Tool Set

this set contains:

308X 1/4" 6-point std. socket marked THORSEN MFD. U.S.A.
310X 5/16" "
312X 3/8" "
314X 7/16" "
316 1/2" 12-point st. socket marked THORSEN MFD. U.S.A.
318 9/16" "
320 5/8" "
322 11/16" "
324 3/4" "
326 13/16" "
328 7/8" "

626JR 13/16" 6-point Spark Plug socket w/insert marked THORSEN MFD. U.S.A.
51J 2-1/2" extension marked THORSEN MFD. U.S.A.
89J RHFT push-button quick-release ratchet w/thumbwheel marked THORSEN USA PATENT 3815451

SJ6AL 6-inch Slip-Joint pliers marked "TAT" Korea
- 6-inch adjustable wrench
54012 3/8" Combination wrench marked TATOOLS FORGED INDIA
54014 7/16" Combination wrench marked TATOOLS FORGED INDIA
54016 1/2" Combination wrench marked TATOOLS FORGED INDIA
54018 9/16" Combination wrench marked THORSEN DROP FORGED TAIWAN
- P2 x 4-inch Phillips screwdriver marked MADE IN TAIWAN
- 1/4" X 4-inch slotted screwdriver marked MADE IN TAIWAN
- plastic blow-mold box

 

[RTM]

* I have not yet been able to determine exactly what patent 3096877 applies to.

Packages and methods of packaging

US3096877A - Packages and methods of packaging - Google Patents

Too early in the morning to read the fine print aT that link, but it looks like your “display and shrink wrap to prevent pilferage.”

Gotta get going to walk dogs before work and rain arrive.

Edit: added the link I missed the first time

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

Packages and methods of packaging

US3096877A - Packages and methods of packaging - Google Patents

Too early in the morning to read the fine print aT that link, but it looks like your “display and shrink wrap to prevent pilferage.”

Gotta get going to walk dogs before work and rain arrive.

Wonder how far back the plastic goes back? Hmmm.

 

[d42jeep]

Time for a little Action...



ACTION 1415A 15 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set in original box

this set contains:

6MA 3/16" 6 point
7MA 7/32" "
8MA 1/4" "
9MA 9/32" "
10MA 5/6" "
11MA 11/32" "
12MA 3/8" "
14MA 7/16" "

8MSA 1/4" 8 point
10MSA 5/16" 8 point
12MSA 3/8" 8 point

18MA 6 inch flex handle (breaker)
53MA 6 inch extension
77MA open-gear ratchet

- metal box

* I have not yet been able to determine exactly what patent 3096877 applies to.

It looks like having the little removable divider to wall off the sockets was part of the patent.
Thorsen was so cost conscious that they used the red painted divider from the Thorsen red box sets on the Action sets with boxes that were a different color.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ Yes. The removable divider in that Action 1415A set (post #1412) is painted red and the box is a light metallic blue. Looking briefly at the patent document it appears that the "shrink wrap" and the divider are both included in the patent.
(Obviously I'll have to re-read it later when I can focus on it.)

 

[four.cycle]

Thorsen 60-piece 1/2" drive 12-point SAE socket set with Steel Box

manufactured by Thorsen Tool Company, Oakland California.

all items are one each unless marked *

77C 10-inch RHFT Ratchet (* three each)
77 10-inch open-gear Ratchet
77NR 14-inch open-gear extra long Ratchet
16 13-inch flex handle (breaker)
16 15-inch flex handle (breaker)
42 sliding "T" handle
57 10-inch extension
53 5-inch extension (* three each )
33 universal joint (* four each )

626R 13/16" 6-point Spark Plug Socket w/insert (two each)

416 1/2" 12-point Universal Joint Socket
418 9/16" "
420 5/8" "
422 11/16" "
424 3/4" "

512 3/8" 12-point standard socket
514 7/16" " (* four each )
516 1/2" " (* three each )
518 9/16" " (* three each )
520 5/8" " (* two each )
522 11/16" " (* two each )
524 3/4" "
525 25/32" "
526 13/16" " (* two each )
528 7/8" " (* two each )
530 15/16" " (* three each )
531 31/32" "
532 1" "
534 1-1/16" "
536 1-1/8" "

618 9/16" 12-point deep-well socket
624 3/4" " (* two each )
626 13/16" "
628 7/8" "
630 15/16" "
632 1" "
634 1-1/16" "
636 1-1/8" "

--- 20-inch Steel Box

 

[d42jeep]

Pretty good Thorsen day yesterday. First are these tools from yesterday’s estate sale.
These came in a care package from Albany to Albany.
-Don

 

[Unk]

This is my Dad's socket set. I think he purchased this around the time I was born in the early 1960s. I remember using it on my bicycle in the mid 60s when I was a little guy, and I am retired now. I remember he added the short extension sometime in the 1970s. We lost the divider sometime in the 1970s when I was in High School, and so I made one out of galvanized sheet metal back then. It was my dad's only socket set until probably the late 1990s, so I grew up using it. This was used on bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, tractors, and everything in between. How we made it through all those years without losing a socket is beyond me, as this was used A LOT! He had put his initials on the spark plug socket. After he retired in 2000 he bought all new Craftsman tools, so this set didn't get much use after that. Mom gave the set to me after he passed away in 2014. It had almost no paint left on the case, and I debated on cleaning it up or leaving it, but I noticed it was getting some pitting from rust (some extensive on the bottom), so I decided I had no choice but to clean it up. Cleaned down to bare metal, then primer and paint, and polished up the sockets a little. Good for another 60 years. I will pass this on to my son.

 

[four.cycle]

whaddaya think, Don?
Should he paint that divider blue?

 

[d42jeep]

I think it calls for Chrome plating! I could print off a copy of the cardboard insert from my set.
-Don

 

[Unk]

whaddaya think, Don?
Should he paint that divider blue?

Hey, I did scrub 50 years of crust off of it with steel wool and WD-40!

 

[d42jeep]

It looks great. PM me your address if you’d like a copy of my cardboard insert.
-Don

 

[Unk]

I think it calls for Chrome plating! I could print off a copy of the cardboard insert from my set.
-Don

Thanks for the kind offer. But I think mine is a set number 3810 (3/8 drive, 10 pieces). It's interesting that yours is a set number 8311. I wonder why they reversed the numbers on some sets?

 

[four.cycle]

^ probably a promotional item - they'd use a different part number on some. (note the "special" on the label. they also made a "Red Box Special" that had a different label.) the model 3810 was their standard, basic 3/8" drive set:


Thorsen 3810 10-pc 3/8" drive SAE socket set 1955 Thorsen catalog No. 121555SS pp 2

Thorsen 3810 10-pc 3/8" drive SAE socket set 1975 Thorsen catalog No. 3-75 pp S-2

 

[Unk]

Well, Four.cycle and D42Jeep, I think you guys are absolutely correct. I think I have a 8311. I went out to "Internet Archive", and looked at the catalogs from the 50s and 60s, even up to the 1970s, and none of the 3810 or 3811 sets include the 626JR spark plug socket like mine does. The original set - as I remember it - has the exact same pieces as the 8311 you show. Dad bought the short extension separately later on when we needed it for something we were working on. Of course, I don't remember the original label or the part number. I was just assuming it was a 3810 as it was so common.
In that case Don, I will take you up on your kind offer - I would love to have a copy of the cardboard insert.

 

[d42jeep]

The label lists the contents of the set.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ most all of those Thorsen catalogs at ITCL came from me.
Just a wild guess, but I'd bet the contents of the "Red Box Special" aren't much different, are they, Don?
I have a "Red Box Special" box with label, but it's empty. I have to cobble a set together.
I have not seen the "Red Box Special" on a flyer either, unless I missed it going through files here.

 

[d42jeep]

I may have a slight fixation with the “Red Box Special” for some reason.
From Oily Rascal
Not really red
Some sets in red boxes.
The set on the upper left is as close as I could come to my Christmas Red Box Special set.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

I'll have to go dig through mine again.
re: "RBS1438" - one might mistakenly assume (based on the pattern of other Thorsen set part numbers) that set would contain 38 pieces.
Or maybe "1438" is 1/4" and 3/8" in the same box?

 

[d42jeep]

Well, it’s not Thorsen but I threw a bid at it and apparently nobody else wanted it. It’s missing the cover over the teeth or maybe it didn’t come with one Who knows?
Cleaned it up a little.

-Don

 

[bonneyman]

Nice grab, Don!

 

[MR.X]

6211 would be a P&C #

 

[d42jeep]

You very well could be right about the manufacturer. There was a snap ring on the ratchet that I hadn’t noticed on Thorsen ratchets before. Thanks for the info!
-Don