Post up your Thorsen tools!

[four.cycle]

In response to the "tappet wrench" thread, I dug these out.
I found it interesting that in both the 1933 and the 1938 catalogs, Thorsen was outsourcing their wrenches - first from Old Forge, and then from Herbrand.

1933 Thorsen catalog No. 3334 pp 30-31 - Lodi Valve Lifter - Old Forge open end wrench - tappet wrench

1938 Thorsen catalog No. 38-39 pp 50-51 - feeler gauge - Herbrand Van-Chrome tappet wrench

 

[MR.X]

In response to the "tappet wrench" thread, I dug these out.
I found it interesting that in both the 1933 and the 1938 catalogs, Thorsen was outsourcing their wrenches - first from Old Forge, and then from Herbrand.

1933 Thorsen catalog No. 3334 pp 30-31 - Lodi Valve Lifter - Old Forge open end wrench - tappet wrench

1938 Thorsen catalog No. 38-39 pp 50-51 - feeler gauge - Herbrand Van-Chrome tappet wrench

It is interesting that Thorsen wasn't big into producing their own open end wrenches back then but on the other hand, the older catalogs were FILLED with other companies offerings. Ned Boyd favored the General Tool of Portland, tool distributor / retailer style operation. Also, as you know, Old Forge's parent company had a deeper distribution business relationship with Thorsen. I think I've posted somewhere on the GJ an Old Forge catalog pic with Thorsen's Bush St. San Francisco "Western Warehouse and Sales office printed on the front.

 

[Provincial]

It is interesting that Thorsen wasn't big into producing their own open end wrenches back then but on the other hand, the older catalogs were FILLED with other companies offerings. Ned Boyd favored the General Tool of Portland, tool distributor / retailer style operation. Also, as you know, Old Forge's parent company had a deeper distribution business relationship with Thorsen. I think I've posted somewhere on the GJ an Old Forge catalog pic with Thorsen's Bush St. San Francisco "Western Warehouse and Sales office printed on the front.

And during that time General Tool was a Herbrand dealer. I have one of their catalogs featuring Herbrand.

 

[Provincial]

Thorsen sockets from last week.

I think the 15/16 is early.
The spark plug socket is unusual, in my experience. Few 1/2 drive versions.

Thorsen 1/2 dr. 12-pt. 630 unplated deep
Thorsen 1/2 dr. 6-pt. 626R spark plug (first 1/2 dr. spark plug socket I've seen)
Thorsen 1/2 dr. 12-pt. 528 7/8
Thorsen 1/2 dr. 12-pt. 526 13/16
Thorsen 1/2 dr. 12-pt. 524 3/4
Thorsen 1/2 dr. 12-pt. 522 11/16
Thorsen 3/8 dr. 12-pt. 622J 11/16 deep

 

[OilyRascal]

^ Ohhhhh... not that screwy Thorsen catalog again! GAH!!! Didn't we have a discussion about the date on that thing over at papaws?
I'd be really surprised to find out that any of those larger sizes ever went into production - by the time that catalog went to print (.... err.... what year was that again?) they were outsourcing most of their line out of Taiwan and Spain.

I have Thorsen catalog 1008-8 in my hands. It shipped with the attached price list as an insert (along with "mini-Thorsen" display demonstrations). Both on Wallace Murry paper , as is the back of the catalog noted Wallace Murray. The price list is noted as effective December, 1978. You will see I. The second attachment the back of the price list demonstrates the very "Thorsen II" tools shown in the 1008-8 catalog. Not to throw a huge wrench in the 1988 thinking or anything.

 

[OilyRascal]

More "early" Thorsen tappet wrenches.

 

[four.cycle]

I have Thorsen catalog 1008-8 in my hands.

I'm curious as to whether you know if the price list that was included with the catalog was applicable to that particular catalog.

I've purchased many catalogs online - some of which included price lists - where the date of the catalog and the date of the price list were off by several years. (Indestro catalog No. 20 comes to mind.)

I have screen shots here from Thorsen's catalog 1008-10, and it is supposedly a 1983 catalog - that would have been about the same time we were carrying the line.

Looking in my files, I have a *.pdf copy of 1008-8, and the date noted on the filename is 1988. Unfortunately, Thorsen didn't print the dates anywhere in the catalogs.

It would certainly answer some questions if the actual dates of those catalogs could be definitively established.

The only thing that's known for certain is that the patent on Thorsen's model 89J ratchet (4261233) was issued April 14, 1981.

 

[OilyRascal]

I have no understanding of how or when the price list was inserted into said catalog.. I have another copy of the same catalog that did not include the price list or the display inserts. I have seen this catalog dated more often as 1988 than 1983.
I am not inclined to speculate when it was produced. I have as yet to see anything that would have me standing any ground on its date..

Another tid-bit - The catalog boast of the new "positive eject" ratchet. Popular Mechanics wrote an article on the same "new" ratchet in December of 1980.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Thanks. That makes perfect sense - they probably saw it at a trade show or something while Thorsen was waiting for the patent to be approved. Or Thorsen sent them some sort of "press release" about their amazing new whiz-bang ratchet.
One of those catalogs - and I cannot recall which of them - announces the 89J as "new" - I'd have to go back and dig up the thread on papawswrench.com to untangle it.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Those ratchets came out before the patent I think

 

[four.cycle]

^ They certainly did. Hence the confusion about the dates of the catalogs. The only thing one can reference any date to in the 1008-8 catalog is that ratchet, which is announced as "new".

 

[four.cycle]

The 89J ratchet does not appear on either the June 15 1977 or the May 1 1978 price list

 

[four.cycle]

The 89J ratchet is shown in Thorsen catalog 1008-8 as "new" and also state "patented AND patent pending."

 

[OilyRascal]

Patent records for "Socket Shooter" (application 73276203) note first commercial use as August 14, 1980.

 

[OilyRascal]

Advertising on March 4, 1981 in the Ortonville MN Independent for "Socket Shooter"

 

[d42jeep]

There is definitely some weirdness about the ejector patent vs catalog dating. Here are my ejector ratchet pictures and some other closed ratchets.
-Don

I’m really enjoying this! We may finally get it narrowed down.
-Don

 

[OilyRascal]

The first I saw of this 77JC I thought someone had pulled off a unique head repair. Then came 2 others. I have no idea what year they were produced or why the change. Maybe it was the first of JC series???

You must have examples if you are to study them. These are loose 3/8" ratchets not otherwise in a set.

Just an FYI- the nos socket shooter in the packaging provides no clues that I can see.

 

[d42jeep]

Looks like Wright made a similar selector for Wards.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

OilyRascal - this is pure speculation on my part, but I think that odd round knurled selector knob on the 77JC was earlier production stuff. Later they went to the straight selector, like your other examples. Those changed as well - from chrome plated to plain black steel - but I have no idea as to the "when".
I looked at several of the "Socket Shooter" kits listed on Ebay over the last few years, and none of them offer any indication as to date.

d42jeep - I agree fully with you. The "What year was the Thorsen catalog published?" question has gone unanswered too long.

I'll see what else I can dig out.

 

[OilyRascal]

Here are a couple of catalogs. My guess on the date is 1955. I will scan them, and others from that time frame, at some point so the quality is there.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks for posting those pictures. At some point I might dig out some sets and match the contents to the catalog images. With some of my Thorsen collection, I’m pretty casual about accuracy.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

OilyRascal - I would agree with you on the date on those promotional flyers above: "Catalog No. 12155SS" - most likely "Dec. 1, 1955 Socket Sets", based on the sort of alpha-numeric catalog numbers Thorsen was assigning to their various promotional fly sheets.

 

[four.cycle]

I'm posting this image from a recent ebay listing because I have never seen this graphic before.

Thorsen Tool 5321 Horton St. Emeryville, Calif. U.S.A. K3000 wrench set roll-up vinyl pouch "Speed-Hed" wrenches

 

[four.cycle]

I'm taking the liberty of posting this in this thread as well, to assure this gets the maximum exposure possible.

Meridian Tool in Oklahoma City was recently acquired by a new owner. Some of you will recall that the previous owner of Meridian Tool would not do any online sales, nor would he ship any product.
The new owner is listing items on Ebay. I have been in communication with him.

Today, he put this nice little set on sale:
THORSEN (US made) 11559 9-pc 3/8" drive 6-point SAE deep-well socket set w/steel box
3/8" - 13/16"
brand new - NOS
$21.99 incl. shipping "buy now"

Thorsen 9PC 3/8" Drive SAE Deep Socket Set 11559 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Thorsen 9PC 3/8" Drive SAE Deep Socket Set 11559 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I put it on my "watch list".
A few hours ago, he shot me an offer for $20 bucks.

As I recall, he also has a boatload of those Thorsen "V-groove" wrenches in sets - all NOS. The prices he's got them listed for on Ebay were a bit steep for me to consider listing them in the "Ebay Hot Deals" thread, although I believe there were a couple items of his that I did list that looked like fairly good deals.

He's also got a lot of NOS Duro-Indestro.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

He's got some nice stuff. Here is a giller set I thought was cool looking.

 

[four.cycle]

^ if I ever manage to get the mess here straightened out, I believe I have a couple "grab bags" of oddball Giller sockets somewhere, OTG.
the 14M is kind of difficult to find looking for onesie-twosies, as I recall.

 

[OilyRascal]

I'm posting this image from a recent ebay listing because I have never seen this graphic before.

Thorsen Tool 5321 Horton St. Emeryville, Calif. U.S.A. K3000 wrench set roll-up vinyl pouch "Speed-Hed" wrenches

I saw that myself, and hadn't seen it before either.

 

[OilyRascal]

I'm taking the liberty of posting this in this thread as well, to assure this gets the maximum exposure possible.

Meridian Tool in Oklahoma City was recently acquired......

Thank you for passing that along. I have been watching "whatchamacallit" for a few weeks now. I had surmised he was simply somebody in the OKC area that had figured out he could buy at the store and sell on Ebay. YES - SOME of the prices he has been asking is way up there. Must be careful for he has USA and Foreign made Thorsen listed. Most of the USA product he has represents Thorsen USA production's end. Very good to see those USA being listed on Ebay.

 

[OilyRascal]

Thanks for posting those pictures. At some point I might dig out some sets and match the contents to the catalog images. With some of my Thorsen collection, I’m pretty casual about accuracy.
-Don

Nice sets! I like the idea of matching a display set to the 50's catalog. I made a feeble attempt years ago .... long before having any illustrations.

 

[OilyRascal]

This is the "Do-All" set. Not rare, but not common either.

 

[OilyRascal]

Another "first" for me. My understanding was that these wrenches were all produced outside the USA.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I'd bet good money those ratcheting wrenches were stamped out by Kastar (subsequently Lang, now A&E Tool) - they make/made private-label stuff for everybody - including some guys who peddle stuff out of white trucks.
Patent 2500835 is Lang's original patent from 1950.

What's the story on the "Do-All" ? Private label brand for somebody?

Sorry forgot to mention above: be careful when perusing through the Ebay listings I mentioned above (whatchamacallit) - a lot of that "Thorsen II" stuff was outsourced offshore - mostly from Taiwan - If it doesn't say "U.S.A." on the package, it wasn't made in the U.S.A..

 

[OilyRascal]

What's the story on the "Do-All" ? Private label brand for somebody?

I wish I knew. This is the only "DoAll" reference I have ever seen.

 

[OilyRascal]

This is the 1958 Thorsen "mechanics price list"

 

[OilyRascal]

"Speed-Hed" was the subject of this 1951 article published in Popular Mechanics

 

[d42jeep]

I’ve seen Speed-Hed in Thorsen and Craftsman. I wouldn’t say that they were a roaring success. Here is my price list from ‘56
-Don

 

[OilyRascal]

This recently appeared on Ebay. I have a "JC Penny" branded ratchet that appears identical minus the Thorsen gear head. Did someone pull off a stunt with a replacement head, or is this Thorsen production?

 

[OilyRascal]

...
Meridian Tool in Oklahoma City was recently acquired by a new owner.

He also has a website up. Although on foreign products are listed

Thorsen

Great Tools from brand name or off brand name we carry a great selection on tools, we always have low prices in compare with the big guys. Tools, accessories,

whatchamacallit-tools.shoplightspeed.com

 

[four.cycle]

I wish I knew. This is the only "DoAll" reference I have ever seen.

I have to wonder if it's just a vinyl roll-up pouch somebody stuffed a Thorsen set into.


Thorsen SAE combination wrench set - vinyl pouch has no markings anywhere.

 

[four.cycle]

I pay 10.5% state sales tax on ebay purchases, so mine came in a bit higher:


Don - I only need the 4708 out of that Plomb lot. BK