Post up your Thorsen tools!

[3baygarage]

I think they're imports.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Quite possible. Remains to be seen. Thorsen in their later days was outsourcing from everywhere, but almost ALL of the import Thorsen I've seen is marked with COO.

 

[bonneyman]

I only have found two of those. Definitely not common.
-Don

Do you think the one will have that "new wrench smell" if you open the plastic?

 

[d42jeep]

I spotted another one that Username posted in the Combination Wrench thread some time back. No idea of the COO.
-Don

 

[mapolus]

Hi y'all. My first post! I received a bunch of tools from my father-in-law and I'm just trying to learn about the Thorsens that are mixed in (thanks for the abundance of info!). I look forward to participating in this thread as I unpack the history in his (and his father's) tools. Side note: I saw this FB Marketplace post for some really cool Thorsen display boards if anyone is interested? If these are really common, I apologize.

 

[d42jeep]

Welcome to the GJ. Those boards are very cool and not common at all. I imagine that the plier board would be very difficult to complete. Please post pictures of your Thorsen tools as you go through them.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

^ Quite possible. Remains to be seen. Thorsen in their later days was outsourcing from everywhere, but almost ALL of the import Thorsen I've seen is marked with COO.

Why bother to put the COO on the tool when it is so prominently displayed on the packaging? Look at that HUGE font.
-Don

 

[mapolus]

Welcome to the GJ. Those boards are very cool and not common at all. I imagine that the plier board would be very difficult to complete. Please post pictures of your Thorsen tools as you go through them.
-Don

Thanks Don! Your depth of knowledge is not something I’ll be able to approach in this lifetime, so thank you to you and all contributors for cataloging these tools that built America, without your efforts, this history would too easily be forgotten. Cheers, Matt

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Picked up this nice Thorsen 1/2" drive #1215 15pc set off FB marketplace the other day. Great advertising inserts and even the original purchase receipt dated 1966. Sockets show very little use/ wear. The guy found it in a purchased storage unit.

 

[mapolus]

What a beautiful set! I believe the correct response is "you ****" right? Strange, but I can get on-board. Cheers, Matt

Picked up this nice Thorsen 1/2" drive #1215 15pc set off FB marketplace the other day. Great advertising inserts and even the original purchase receipt dated 1966. Sockets show very little use/ wear. The guy found it in a purchased storage unit.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

What a beautiful set! I believe the correct response is "you ****" right? Strange, but I can get on-board. Cheers, Matt

I just realized this set is for summer auto repair, now I'm gonna have to find another set for each season...wife ain't gonna be happy bout dat!

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Hey Don, look what I found:


Thorsen 1438RBS 20-pc "Red Box Special" box only w/label

After sorting through all of the Thorsen and getting "sets" cobbled together and into boxes, I ended up with this.
I suppose I could put all the pieces in there, but then I'd end up with more orphans, and I doubt I would be able to pull "period correct" stuff out of various sets to make it complete. I somehow ended up with two #90 adapters, but I honestly don't think either of them are "period correct" for this box.
I will have to defer to you in respect to the disposition of this item.

It will be more advantageous for both of us if I hold off until I've gotten all the way through the rest of the Walden, Craftsman, and S-K before sending this down to you.

In the meantime, I believe I have an old "D-I" Duro Chrome set that is in want of a 4550 breaker. The box looks to have all the sockets (I think... it's been a while since I looked.. all I remember for sure is the breaker.)

BK

* label is just a loose piece - not glued to the inside of the lid. amazing that it's survived. go figure!

* note the patented divider strip is painted the same color as the box here.

4cycle,

Just bought a 1438RBS off Ebays. Searched through ITCL and couldn't find a catalog with this model number so I'm figuring late 60s to early 70s? Mine has the 1/4" socket holder section in it but only has the side sticker for the model.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a set that isn’t red that came with a red box label. I think the contents are correct. I printed off some spare labels for my red box sets.
-Don

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Here is a set that isn’t red that came with a red box label. I think the contents are correct. I printed off some spare labels for my red box sets.
,-Don

Don, that's awesome! If ya can hook a fellow 1438 owner up with one of those copied labels I'll be happy to send some jingle your way! What an excellent idea. I'm gonna see what I've got with labels and take them down to the copy shop, make copies and have them laminated.

 

[d42jeep]

Not a problem. I’ll get one headed your way.
-Don
edit 4/15. Should go out today.

 

[four.cycle]

@Tom - you do know I have a glut of Thorsen here, right?

 

[Farmer Phill]

A few wrenches that I came across in my boss's collection. For the experts: Who would have manufactured these? Thorsen themselves?

 

[d42jeep]

My best guess would be Thorsen themselves, possibly in Dallas. Some earlier wrenches aren’t marked with a COO.
-Don

 

[Etchase]

Really like the switch on this Giller 77JC

 

[MR.X]

Thorsen

 

[RTM]

Thorsen

Looks like Mr Sushi or Benihana chef in first pic.

 

[MR.X]

Looks like Mr Sushi or Benihana chef in fist pic.

..or Hattori Hanzo about to show off the good steel.

 

[3baygarage]

Ok, what's Thor-X? Never heard of it.

 

[MR.X]

Ok, what's Thor-X? Never heard of it.

Right?! The speeder and DBE are both clearly vintage Thorsen made ...but under what circumstances?

 

[RTM]

Here is my teeny tiny haul from today , a tiny little Thorsen ratchet 77MO 77MC was just too cute to leave behind and it looks like it says MFG USA. Not sure if I have an appropriate set going together, but it can go in the general use pile.

edit: thanks to 4.c guidance, I was able to find it in the 1977 and newer catalogs. I have a 1420 set in progress from earlier, it will reside with them for the time being.

 

[four.cycle]

^ actually 77MC

the "M" suffix was 1/4" drive
the "C" suffix presumably was "closed head" (as opposed to the earlier 77M open-head design)

Nice unit. Nothing fancy, Just workhorse stuff.


@MR.X - I think that "Thor-X" is a first here.

 

[MR.X]

[USSR=68633]@MR.X[/USER] - I think that "Thor-X" is a first here.

Don't remember if I've ever posted one before...I see one was posted on the DBE thread like 10 years ago.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is my teeny tiny haul from today , a tiny little Thorsen ratchet 77MO 77MC was just too cute to leave behind and it looks like it says MFG USA. Not sure if I have an appropriate set going together, but it can go in the general use pile.

edit: thanks to 4.c guidance, I was able to find it in the 1977 and newer catalogs. I have a 1420 set in progress from earlier, it will reside with them for the time being.

I have one but I don’t think it ended up in an appropriate set. My control is a different shape
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ The selector knob on those was different on some models. I have/had at least a dozen Thorsen 1/4" drive sets here. Some had the selector knob like Don's example, a few had the one with @RTM's handle. I've seen both Giller and Thorsen 3/8" ratchets with that goofy "splined" selector knob like @Etchase's (post #1659) but never on a 1/4" drive mode

I think I've seen 77MC specimens with BLACK selector knobs as well. (Not thinking quite straight at the moment.)

 

[WisJim]

Sorting through stuff and found a pair of Thosen SJ-6 pliers. I'm not sure if I have anything else Thorsen. These were in a miscellaneous dollar box from a rainy sale awhile ago, hence some surface rust.

 

[d42jeep]

Thorsen tools aren’t exactly known for the excellence of their chrome plating. My two pairs don’t look like new, that’s for sure.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ no... definitely not one of their stronger suits....

decent tools as long as the plating stays on.

 

[MR.X]

Before Thorsen …. Dudes at San Francisco’s Potrero Point Shipyards would just make their own wrenches.

1/2” U.S.S. (7/8” AF) Union Iron Works (Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp.) shop wrenches.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Ok, what's Thor-X?

Stormbreaker. Mjolnir was the hammer.

 

[Mintgrun]

Here's a small-blade NO. K 60 feeler gauge, based on the sizes, I'm guessing it's for setting points and spark plug gaps.



It was a little cRusty, but cleaned up okay. Another scrap-bin rescue tool.

 

[3baygarage]

Stormbreaker. Mjolnir was the hammer.

Had to look that up. I know the hammer but not the axe.. That may have been the first Marvel figure I got brand new (Marvel Super Heroes by Toy Biz, 1991). I remember opening the package! Thor figure throws the hammer.

 

[Provincial]

I named my 20 lb. sledge hammer Mjolnir.

 

[stormking]

Found an unusual Thorsen item at an estate sale Saturday. It was the last day of the sale and this had been flung around. Had to figure out what it was and what tools were included.

 

[d42jeep]

Nice find! I posted mine upthread.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

This Giller 1/4” drive set arrived in the mail yesterday. It seems to just be missing the 1/4” socket and perhaps a spinner.
-Don