Post up your Thorsen tools!

[BFBOB]

In for a penny ....
The logical next step was the belt sander. I applied it very gingerly to the trademark stamped side of the handle, and was greatly relieved to find I could remove the large majority of the pitting without grinding through the stamping. Thus encouraged, I attacked all the flat faces and the edges - essentially everything I could reach with the belt sander. Started with 80, changed to 120, and finished up with 150 by hand. Then I went to the buffer with a hard cotton cloth wheel loaded up with "aggressive" metal polish and went after all the areas I'd sanded. An hour shined it up considerably, to my eye close to as shiny as the original chrome, and a good coat of Johnson's paste wax should keep it that way.

Did I save it or ruin it?

It's still usable, and I think it looks a lot better. Like new? No, but better. But, you know what they say about the beholder's eye.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Good save, for sure, Bob!

Several years ago I saved a complete set of WWII Williams Superiors in much the same condition. Instead of grinding or wire wheels, I hit them with a bead blaster with heavy medium. It sort of shallowed out the pitting and even removed owner's marks! Superiors were black enameled, with polished faces, and the enamel was the last layer of magic. If they weren't collectibles (Jeep wrenches), it wouldn't have been worth it.

I know how you feel about these VeeGee's so I am glad it worked out for you!

 

[Username already in use]

Wow! What a difference. Great job on that Thorsen. It’s the classic story of the ugly ducking. Great job!

 

[d42jeep]

Here are my Thorsen estate sale finds from yesterday. They were hooked together and both cleaned up well.
-Don

 

[Capt. Spaulding]

Just completed two Thorsen sets I will be posting soon.

 

[BFBOB]

Thanks to Username, the brand list for VeeGees has increased by one:

Action
Blue Grass
Caterpillar
Channellock
Dayton
KAL
Powr-Kraft
Snap-On
Thorsen
Troy Bilt
Westcraft <- still looking!
Wilde

He was kind enough to point me to a fleaBay listing for this Troy Bilt branded 3/4 combo. I checked it out and bought it. When it arrived I was surprised to see that it is a long pattern - mostly surprised I hadn't noticed that in the pictures. Here it is alongside a normal 3/4 for scale. The long guy is over a foot long: 12 3/4". And as a bonus, it's in really good condition- no wear and only a few specks of rust (though in truth I'd have bought it in any condition in which the brand was still legible!)

Thanks again, Username- I'd never have found it without the pointer.

 

[four.cycle]

Troy-Bilt ?!?!

who knew?

 

[Username already in use]

Thanks again, Username- I'd never have found it without the pointer.

You're welcome! I'll keep my eyes open for others.

 

[3baygarage]

Wow, never seen that one. A nice long wrench too.

 

[d42jeep]

Wow, never seen that one. A nice long wrench too.

I have quite a few Thorsen and PowrKraft Vees but I've never seen a long one either. I had no idea they even existed. Cool find.
-Don

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

So What is a set 8311RBS?

I can't even find reference to a set that starts with 8000 Seems like it would fit a small 3/8 or larger 1/4 set
I think it predates plastic inserts, pretty sure this is OEM cardboard. Box is a heavy quality unit, and marked Oakland cal. the divider is removable, and drops in little slots in the end wall.

I guess I need to reshoot that pic, darn LEDs.

Cf mtn found sockets in a box with the same divider
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5910149&postcount=69

And Dons first box
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5729710&postcount=23
seems to maybe have the same color and insert.

 

[d42jeep]

So What is a set 8311RBS?

I can't even find reference to a set that starts with 8000 Seems like it would fit a small 3/8 or larger 1/4 set
I think it predates plastic inserts, pretty sure this is OEM cardboard. Box is a heavy quality unit, and marked Oakland cal. the divider is removable, and drops in little slots in the end wall.

I guess I need to reshoot that pic, darn LEDs.

Cf mtn found sockets in a box with the same divider
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5910149&postcount=69

And Dons first box
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5729710&postcount=23
seems to maybe have the same color and insert.

Slew,
I’ve got nothing on that set number. My current red box set has different dividers.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Slew,
I found an Action 3/8” drive set at an estate sale yesterday with the same removable divider as your box. For some reason the bottom of the box and the tools inside were covered with a layer of wax. I believe that the former owner may have made candles at home. The ratchet was frozen solid with wax until my wife suggested using extremely hot water on the box and tools which freed up the ratchet immediately. Here are some before and after pictures.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Was it candle wax? Or paste wax applied as a preservative too thickly?

 

[d42jeep]

Was it candle wax? Or paste wax applied as a preservative too thickly?

It was candle wax. I found a shelf full of candle making material at the estate sale. I think the set must have just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was way harder to remove than cosmoline.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I bet! But it smelled better!

 

[BFBOB]

...and another VeeGee!:: Synthes

I don't have this, and probably won't because 1: They want $55 for it and 2: The brand name is not marked on the wrench.

It's on evilBay right now for anyone who'd like to see it. Item 292309057134
I can't manage to copy any of the pix

That brings the brand total for this pattern to 13.

 

[four.cycle]

Synthes is a manufacturer of surgical tools. I would assume the seller believes that the price is justified by that.
You could always shoot him an offer. He'll be sitting on that unit a long time before he sells it for $55.00.



I wondered whether it was made by Thorsen or Snap-on, but the sketchy chrome on the ends leaves little doubt as to its origin.



I'd just put it on watch list and sit and wait him out. In the meantime something else might show up.
I had a Giller 2226 on my watch list for almost 3 years - seller had it listed for $14.00 + $8.00 shipping. originally listed listed 04/09/16 19:38 PST ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/401103650612 )

I sent the seller at least a dozen offers on it, all declined.

About a week ago another seller listed two Giller pieces, one of them the 2226 I needed to complete this set. Got them both for $19 bucks including shipping. ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-GILLER-O...-2230-1-X-15-16-2226-7-8-X-13-16/283332196662 )

It doesn't seem to matter how oddball or obscure the item, sooner or later one will show up when you least expect it.
(It remains to be seen, of course, whether that holds true on the 39120-23 Walden Worcester 9/32" drive Spin-Tite handle needed to complete another set here.)

 

[d42jeep]

Here is the cover page of the listing. That is a crazy price.
-Don

 

[BFBOB]

Four, and Jeep -
How the heck did you copy those Synthes photos?? I couldn't do a thing with them!

 

[d42jeep]

I just do screenshots with my iPad then crop out the unwanted portions. I had similar shots to BK and deleted them after I saw his pictures. At least that wrench had better than average chrome for Thorsen.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

BFBOB-

either right click on the image and select "Save Picture As" and save the *.jpg (or *.png) image to a folder

OR

press "PrtSc" (print screen) on the top row of your keyboard and paste the image (which will be stored in the buffer) into Windows paint and save it as a *.jpg image.

doesn't matter WHAT sort of measures web designers put into place to try to stop you from stealing their photo images, "PrtSc" gets them every time.

easy peasy.


I generally crop the images to eliminate superfluous backgrounds with another application.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are my Thorsen estate sale finds from yesterday.
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

...aaaannnnddd Another!!

Cruising the pages of GJ, I spied a picture of one of the VS series Snap-On wrenches - one of those oddball 4-angle DOE's. But something didn't look right.
Magnifying the photo as much as I could, I could see a logo that clearly was not any of the brands of VeeGee wrenches I knew of. Reading further revealed that it is a Caterpillar! An unknown-to-me brand of these wrenches.
I immediately dashed off a PM to the author, Rusty65 asking whether he'd sell it. The answer was Yes, and now it's mine.
It's in extremely good condition with very few signs of use, and minimal toolbox rash.

That brings the known-to-me brand list to:

Action
Blue Grass
Caterpillar
Channellock
Dayton
KAL
Powr-Kraft
Snap-On
Thorsen
Westcraft
Wilde

Still searching for a Westcraft.
Thanks again, Rusty65!

Wow, that's quite a list of names there on the same wrenches.. and despite enjoying through reading the thread I've lost the plot of who else made them.. Could you help me out please? Were they all made by Thorsen, or just some of them? How about the Snap On ones? Some I have say made in Canada and some say made in USA, and some of my open end ones have that nasty thin flaky chrome like a genuine Thorsen!
And the ends of the 'v' are shaped differently on the DBE's to the ones on the DOE's, what's that about?

 

[crankshaftdan II]

If they were mfg. for "CAT" than maybe "INTERNATIONAL" and "JOHN DEERE" & "OLIVER" & J.I. CASE & "MASSEY FERGUSON & ????? They all had tools for there Tractors!!!

 

[d42jeep]

Wow, that's quite a list of names there on the same wrenches.. and despite enjoying through reading the thread I've lost the plot of who else made them.. Could you help me out please? Were they all made by Thorsen, or just some of them? How about the Snap On ones? Some I have say made in Canada and some say made in USA, and some of my open end ones have that nasty thin flaky chrome like a genuine Thorsen!
And the ends of the 'v' are shaped differently on the DBE's to the ones on the DOE's, what's that about?

In my opinion there should be two columns. I believe the Snap-on and Caterpillar wrenches were made at least a decade or more before all the rest of the brands that I believe were manufactured by Thorsen. Possibly Thorsen received permission from Snap-on to make such close copies.
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

In my opinion there should be two columns. I believe the Snap-on and Caterpillar wrenches were made at least a decade or more before all the rest of the brands that I believe were manufactured by Thorsen. Possibly Thorsen received permission from Snap-on to make such close copies.
-Don

Thanks for that Don.
I haven't checked all the Snap On catalogues, but wrenches like mine they were in the 1960 one.
J.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks for that Don.
I haven't checked all the Snap On catalogues, but wrenches like mine they were in the 1960 one.
J.

In checking the 1960 Snap-on catalog, there were specific styles offered that Thorsen never made. Snap-on never offered combination wrenches that are the most frequently seen Thorsen manufactured wrenches. Snap-on made DBE wrenches that Thorsen never offered. I think that the only style of wrench that they offered in common were the DOE wrenches.
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

Ladies and Gentlemen, the VeeGees!

I have now completed my set of the Thorsen V-Grooves and all its kin.

Posing for a family portrait are Papa Thorsen, Mama Blue Grass, little Action, the infant KAL, Uncle Powr-Kraft, brother Dayton, British sister Channel lock, and of course weird cousin Snappy.

There could be a long-lost batty aunt or two, but none heard from so far.
Maybe some day someone will drop me a postcard (electronically) and the family reunion will expand. Ya never know!

'British sister Channel Lock' ? What's that? I don't recall having seen any of those..

 

[Farmer J.]

In my opinion there should be two columns. I believe the Snap-on and Caterpillar wrenches were made at least a decade or more before all the rest of the brands that I believe were manufactured by Thorsen. Possibly Thorsen received permission from Snap-on to make such close copies.
-Don

Thanks Don.
I had a look at the catalogues on the Collecting Snap On website and it seems that the DBE wrenches were made from 1948 on but the DOE ones only started in 1960. My DBE ones are much nicer finish than my DOE's.
Snappy never did make any combination ones but did do those double ended flex head FH series and also the flare nut RXV series both with the same grooved style handle.
Did Thorsen make any other grooved handle ones like the FH's or RXV's ?

 

[d42jeep]

The only wrenches of the Vee style that I actively collect are Thorsen and Powr-Kraft. The ones I have are only combination and DOE wrenches. I haven’t personally seen any other types of Thorsen manufacturered wrenches. Even though Wards (Powr-Kraft) bought other styles of wrenches from Thorsen, all of my Powr-Kraft Vee combination wrenches are metric.
-Don

 

[Username already in use]

Don, I found you a 1/2" drive box today. There was only one socket in there when I found it. Also picked up a 15mm VeeGee combo. Let me know if you need that one.

And no, I didn't pay $19.29 for the box.

 

[d42jeep]

Don, I found you a 1/2" drive box today. There was only one socket in there when I found it. Also picked up a 15mm VeeGee combo. Let me know if you need that one.

And no, I didn't pay $19.29 for the box.

Looks like I’m missing that one along with the 11 and 19mm. Thanks!
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

The only wrenches of the Vee style that I actively collect are Thorsen and Powr-Kraft. The ones I have are only combination and DOE wrenches. I haven’t personally seen any other types of Thorsen manufacturered wrenches. Even though Wards (Powr-Kraft) bought other styles of wrenches from Thorsen, all of my Powr-Kraft Vee combination wrenches are metric.
-Don

Thanks for that Don, and pictures of your impressive collection. The metric DOE's do exist here but are so rare I have never seen one.

 

[BFBOB]

'British sister Channel Lock' ? What's that? I don't recall having seen any of those..

There's a picture of it in post 183.

Channellock -- and here I thought you Brits were big on wordplay - oranges and lemons and such like!

 

[Farmer J.]

There's a picture of it in post 183.

Channellock -- and here I thought you Brits were big on wordplay - oranges and lemons and such like!

Sorry BOB, I just didn't latch on to the wordplay.. Probably spent too much time in North America!

 

[mr natural]

Found these three for $29 after shipping.. couldn't find a picture of the insides of a 77jc so I thought I would do the world a service.. loving the tuff one and.. well the proto as well I have a newer looking 5249 and didn't know they had slightly different handles. (to answer the search.. what's inside a thorsen 77jc)

 

[jamesly]

New to this discussion. Thanks! Lots of cool stuff. I see there are a couple of SF Bay Area Thorsen lovers. I only have a couple of what you all call VEEGEE wrenches, but my 1/2" combo VEEGEE has been my goto 1/2" wrench for years. I just really like the feel of it, even over the smooth Snapon or the panel Craftsman - which has a similar feel.

I just started collecting Thorsen, I think due to the location being near my home. I like the style of the brand/logo and the vibe of it being a working mans "Oakland" tool.

Here is my Thorsen. I'm missing the Long Ratchet 77nr, (working on that with a Member) a 5/8" deep and an 1 1/16" deep, both with the hanging holes. The /32 sockets I'd like to get duplicates of 19/32 25/32 Really hard to find those.

514x I don't know what that is. The F18 I think is a 9/16th of some type.

Thanks Guys!

 

[d42jeep]

I checked my '56 price sheet and neither of your mystery numbers are shown. Nice board!
-Don
Edit... This '58 catalog page from Four.cycle may prove helpful as far as the X suffix.

 

[jamesly]

I checked my '56 price sheet and neither of your mystery numbers are shown. Nice board!
-Don
Edit... This '58 catalog page from Four.cycle may prove helpful as far as the X suffix.

Wow. Thanks! That is really helpful.

Question:
The really old sockets have a dimple in them... What was that for? OR why is it there?

I have some extra Thorsen 1/2" drive sockets if anyone is looking. Let me know what you need.