Post up your Thorsen tools!

[BFBOB]

It's been a long time coming--
But I've added one of the elusive ones to my VeeGee collection. This little 11mm 6 point combo is actually a surgical instrument. Branded Synthes, it's made for use installing/adjusting artificial knees, hips, etc. The logo, just barely visible, is a line drawing of a knee joint (I think - could be some other). It looks brand new, which is no surprise. As a surgical instrument, it could well have been used once and returned to the manufacturer, who then sells them on the open market, which is how I got it. There's also a capital Q right at the spearpoint on the box end, which may not show very well. No idea what it means, but it's forged in, not like the laser etched logo and part number.

Now I just need one more (as far as I know), a Westcraft, to complete the collection.
Hey, RossF, you paying attention?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Amazing how many brands those are found in

 

[Private Lugnutz]

One of the more unique collection ideas and goals on GJ, BFOB. The final photo will be quite something to see.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this set on eBay but some of the tools were the wrong brands. I went through my Thorsen extras and pretty much got it squared away. Does anybody recognize the flex spinner that it came with?
-Don

 

[zippi]

Upgrading my Homak tool chest to a much bigger one so now I'll have 13 drawers once the Riser and cabinet comes in from Lowes. Anyway....I dug out my old Thorsen tools I forgot I had. Got these from my brother back in the late 70's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice stuff, zippi. Always love to see those U.S. Steel logos on that era sets. (And I'm not even a Steelers fan. )

 

[Old Radar]

Found some 50's era Thorsen tools in great shape. Everything from the socket rail up is an almost complete Thorsen 1/2dr Set #1218--missing only the metal case and the 3/4" socket. The 3/4 position was held by a Blackhawk socket.

Thorsen didn't seem to be bothered enough to give their set boxes a number in their catalogs--unless the set number is the box number. Still they don't give the boxes a line number in their inventory lists. If anyone has a line on a box for this set, let me know!

Below the rail is another open pawl ratchet (77J) a later round head 77JC--both 3/8dr along with a 10" extension. At bottom right is a Thorsen 10M 1/4dr and 6" ext. At bottom left is a P&C 0251 hinge handle.

 

[d42jeep]

Nice Thorsen haul. I don’t think the crossbar is part of the Thorsen accumulation. I’ve never seen one shown in a set. I got this Action ratchet as a throw in in a miscellaneous eBay lot yesterday.
-Don

 

[Old Radar]

It doesn't fit into the 10M but it does fit perfectly in the P&C 0251 it's next to. Problem is I really don't think it is a crossbar at all--at least it does not have any kind of ball catch or other mechanism to keep it from falling out of the hole. I think it was just a rod that happened to be in the group, or possibly the PO used it as a crossbar lacking an OEM piece.

 

[hosspapa]

Nice old Thorsen 3/4" drive, 12 pt 1 5/16 socket.

Markings are as follows:
THORSEN
1 . 5/16 1242

Finish is fairly rough.

Any ideas as to how old? I was thinking 30's - early 40's. Thanks.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Any ideas as to how old? I was thinking 30's - early 40's. Thanks.

I agree.

 

[d42jeep]

This unusual USN marked tool and ratcheting combo arrived recently from Albany, Oregon to Albany, CA.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Love the little fixed offset socket wrench, Don, but the SPEED-HED may be even more intriguing to me.

First of all, I didn't know Thorsen made a ratcheting style wrench. I will have to add "Speed-Hed" to the running list - Williams "Ratcho" (Amborn) 1910, Peugoet "Surpans" 1924, Snap-on "Simplex" 1929, New Britain/Blackhawk "Nutmaster" (Diebold) 1954, etc.

What's even more interesting are the "PAT. APPL'D. FOR" and "OAKLAND" markings. When do you think that wrench was made? I noted that the raised forge mark near the head and the italicized branding seem to match regular ACTION combination wrenches.

EDIT: Hmm. This just got more interesting. A quick search revealed several snippet-only view trade mags referencing Thorsen Speed-Hed as early as 1950, which is earlier than the NB/Blackhawk version. I might have to explore this further.

 

[d42jeep]

Love the little fixed offset socket wrench, Don, but the SPEED-HED may be even more intriguing to me.

First of all, I didn't know Thorsen made a ratcheting style wrench. I will have to add "Speed-Hed" to the running list - Williams "Ratcho" (Amborn) 1910, Peugoet "Surpans" 1924, Snap-on "Simplex" 1929, New Britain/Blackhawk "Nutmaster" (Diebold) 1954, etc.

What's even more interesting are the "PAT. APPL'D. FOR" and "OAKLAND" markings. When do you think that wrench was made? I noted that the raised forge mark near the head and the italicized branding seem to match regular ACTION combination wrenches.

I believe that Thorsen didn’t make those themselves, but bought them from another vendor. The ratcheting combos are the only Thorsen tools marked “Oakland” as far as I know. Whoever they bought them from must have been told the company was in Oakland so they stamped them accordingly. Thorsen was less than upfront about their tools being made in Emeryville due to that town’s reputation for having so many gambling dens and whorehouses.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Could be. I found an ad in a 1952 Popular Mechanics (see Pic 1), but Mercury Tool Co seems to be a discount re-seller, not an OEM. I found a snippet only view notice in a 1948 trade mag (see Pic 2) that is a little vague. It could be taken to mean Thorsen is the seller and OEM or that Thorsen is the seller but not the OEM. Not sure. Either way, 1948 seems to be the year Thorsen introduced them.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm glad I didn't start digging too much harder. AA found the patent (2,652,735, Wilder, filed 1948, granted 1953) and attribute the production to Vlchek. I have no reason to argue with their reasoning based on the forge mark.

 

[3baygarage]

Interesting USN wrench find.


Link to Speed-Hed demo tool:

Speed-Hed

The shape really does jump out as Vlchek. The angle on the open end, and something aboit the look of the box end.

 

[bonneyman]

Yeah 3bay, I recall seeing that shape OE broach on a Vlchek. I think Craftsman had something similar as well in the 90's. "Ratcheting open end" or something?

 

[d42jeep]

Yeah, I have a couple of the Craftsman ones as well. I don’t think that they ever really caught on.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Quick Wrench. And later, Extreme Grip Quick Wrench. Craftsman had an early iteration as well in the 50's. There were many, many attempts at a ratcheting wrench. Snap-on adopted a US company (Simplex) licensing of a British patent called Fastnut in 1928 but that wasn't the first, not by a long shot. I am actually in the process of developing a study and timeline for the entire concept (affecting a ratchet action on a wrench with no moving parts and without having to remove the wrench from the nut) from the first (I think I have identified it) to the 70's, because that's as far as I am interested, and because that's when my examples run out, so I don't want to say too much. Ironically, I gave all my Peugeot Surpans away and I am trying to get just one back. And, I don't have a SPEED-HED.

 

[bonneyman]

I received another 3/8" open gear ratchet, and it was in nicer condition then my existing one. So, it goes into a new triple play, and the existing one gets put into the rotation. Here's the beauty set along with a wright open gear 1/2" I use instead of my pristine Thorsen.

 

[MR.X]

Attempting a link for 1949 article about Thorsen factory. Seems to imply that Speed Hed wrenches were made onsite, at the only 1500 sq. ft 15 employee Emeryville plant... at least initially. Click the page 24 link and scroll down to the bottom of the first column on page 25 to start the bit about the ratchet wrench. The page 25 link sends me to a page 25 of a different month of the periodical..

https://books.google.com/books?id=I...4ChDoATAHegQIDBAD#v=onepage&q=thorsen&f=false

 

[JjKk40]

Picked this set up rescently. Looks to be hardly ever used and it came in a Bell Systems D metal case too!

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a recent arrival from an eBay seller. The 3/8” drive deep set seems very lightly used.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Seems to imply that Speed Hed wrenches were made onsite, at the only 1500 sq. ft 15 employee Emeryville plant... at least initially.

Undoubtedly confirms it, I'd say. Interesting how an article about the plant's manufacturing machines and techniques, not its products, devoted 3 column inches to the Speed-Hed. It's the only product the article goes into any detail about. I'd infer they were trying to promote it.

 

[bonneyman]

Nice acquisitions, Jj and Don. I haven't seen pristine deep sockets like that in the wild.

 

[MR.X]

Undoubtedly confirms it, I'd say. Interesting how an article about the plant's manufacturing machines and techniques, not its products, devoted 3 column inches to the Speed-Hed. It's the only product the article goes into any detail about. I'd infer they were trying to promote it.

Hi. I wondered if anybody was going to bother to read that. I hardly pay any attention to post WW2 Thorsen ( other than use my socket set) but figured this was close enough when I saw there was some discussion about it.

 

[RTM]

I read it too, enough to notice that you downsized their factory (5000sqft) to a huge Emeryville cottage (1500sqft).

Great read, though I don't know what all the forging terms meant. Open on the PC to see the pics better during my next meeting.

 

[MR.X]

I read it too, enough to notice that you downsized their factory (5000sqft) to a huge Emeryville cottage (1500sqft).

Great read, though I don't know what all the forging terms meant. Open on the PC to see the pics better during my next meeting.

Man I messed that up... as if it wasn't small enough already without my help.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I love that insert, "verified value"

 

[MR.X]

quasi Thorsen related...Linesmans tool from an old Oakland company, this in in better shape than it looks. Every once in awhile an alligator wrench from this co. pops up. This style stripping "knife" is still marketed today but with a quick release attachment for the insulated pole instead of a screw. I have an early 30's catalog for this company that shows what looks like an old large Thorsen ( their neighbor) teardrop ratchet paired with a framing jack used to slip under large poles and lift them off the ground. Unfortunately I can't find my pic of that right now.

 

[MR.X]

Here's that what I believe is probably a Thorsen ratchet with the jack. The pic on the right seems to be a different ratchet. Looks like The Safety Live Line Tool Co. was located about where the parking lot is that's used for the Laney College flea market nowadays. About 3 miles walking to where Thorsen's Emeryville plant would have been.

 

[four.cycle]

A few Thorsen and Giller pieces

 

[RTM]

Looks like The Safety Live Line Tool Co. was located about where the parking lot is that's used for the Laney College flea market nowadays.

The first google result I got showed them on Fallen Avenue. Thought it was kinda appropriate. OCR error, as they were on Fallon.

I can never even get close to that corner, I usually end up across the channel the few times I go.

 

[MR.X]

"Felon"Ave. ..... Considering the amount of stolen bikes and power tools at Laney. But yeah, if you don't hit it early, parking is an issue.

 

[bmwrd0]

Isn't it right next to a BART station? Stop one stop up and hit that!

Although Laney isn't that great of a swap...

 

[RTM]

BART is terrifying with tools. Imagine getting on with a scythe, or a thirty pound tool box. I had a friend walk around the Alameda NAS Flea with a full sized scythe, bought fairly early in the day. Another time I think it was an axe. People gave him a wide berth those days. He told a story of Ruckering (I think) a toolbox on BART, don’t recall the details, but it went thru the Civic Center station en route home.

Laney has all the warm tools you could want, lots of cheap ****, and an occasional vintage tool, at least when I last went 3-4 years ago, hit the trifecta that day, including Alemany in the city, got a few goodies at each.

 

[bmwrd0]

Ehh, I was always a fan of Fridays at the OCO swap meet, and Sundays at Concord drive-in. Berkeley was always garbage for tools.

 

[d42jeep]

I’ve managed to avoid Laney and the Coliseum fleas. My Bay Area flea of choice has been Concord. That one just seems safer to me in my old age.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

An oddity I just came across on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265106546999

Seller has it listed as being 3/4", but something tells me that it's actually a model 10122 Thorsen "Ford cylinder head cap screw wrench", because I am not finding anything else that looks like this animal:





(* awaiting response from seller to confirm sizes of opening on unit. 04/03/21 18:53 PDT *)