S-K Question

[thefraze_1020]

I have a bunch of S-K stuff, with the various names: S-K, Lectrolite, S-K/Lectrolite, S-K Wayne, S-K Tools.

I am trying to figure out the timeline of the use of these names. I know that S-K/Lectrolite was used from about 1953-64, then S-K Wayne from 64-69. My question is, after the Wayne name was dropped at the end of the 1960's, did they go back to just "S-K" on the tools, or immediately switch to "S-K Tools"?

Attached is a picture of a box-end wrench that is marked just "S-K", and I'm trying to figure out if it was made before or after the Wayne name was used.

Thanks!

 

[sk farmer]

some things were marked "s-k tool" after s-k wayne, some time into the 70's they dropped the "tools" part of the marking.

 

[r_olson_06]

Order of names
"s-k chrome"
"S-K" diamond and knurled
S-K Wayne
S-K Tools
S-K

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[d42jeep]

I believe that your wrench was likely made shortly after WW2 and before the S-K Lectrolite period. Prior to the sale to Wayne. The newer post-Wayne DBE wrenches are quite different in appearance.
-Don

 

[thefraze_1020]

OK great, I was hoping that was the case. I love this wrench, it's very smooth and I can easily tell that it is very well made.

Is it safe to assume then that tools after 1969 were marked "S-K Tools" for many years?

 

[d42jeep]

OK great, I was hoping that was the case. I love this wrench, it's very smooth and I can easily tell that it is very well made.

Is it safe to assume then that tools after 1969 were marked "S-K Tools" for many years?

Although I haven’t done any research, based on my found examples I don’t think they were marked “S-K Tools” for all that long before they went back to just S-K with the more widely separated grooves. The earlier S-K sockets had the grooves closer together. These are 3/8” drive.
-Don

 

[thefraze_1020]

I have been going through tons of tools I've gotten from my grandfather's estate, and I keep coming across oddballs. He was a self-employed mechanic so he had lots of specialty tools.

One such oddball I found is this S-K 4488 oil pressure sender(?) socket. It looks closer to the later sockets you just showed, Don.
Any idea when this socket was first offered? I imagine this would have been a later addition to their product line.

 

[d42jeep]

I checked the ‘69 and ‘77 catalogs on Archive.org and didn’t see the oil pressure switch socket listed in those. I have one in my S-K box but have no idea where or when I picked it up. Those sockets were made by several manufacturers and I used them to change lots of leaky senders back in the day.
-Don

 

[bonneyman]

Yeah, that sender socket is a bit of an oddity. Didn't know SK made that.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

That sensor socket is probably not too old. That is for GM mostly in the Silverado and Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon where the sending unit is on the back next to the firewall which I believe didn’t come out until the 90s so I don’t think it is that old. I’ve never seen an SK one though I’ve got several mostly KD but no SK ones.


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[d42jeep]

That sensor socket is probably not too old. That is for GM mostly in the Silverado and Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon where the sending unit is on the back next to the firewall which I believe didn’t come out until the 90s so I don’t think it is that old. I’ve never seen an SK one though I’ve got several mostly KD but no SK ones.


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From personal experience, I’ve changed oil pressure switches on GM vehicles made from the early ‘60s on. Different car manufacturers commonly made their switches in two different sizes so the tool manufacturers came up with the stepped socket design to cover both common sizes. This one is from my NOS stash for my ‘60s cars.
-Don

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

From personal experience, I’ve changed oil pressure switches on GM vehicles made from the early ‘60s on. Different car manufacturers commonly made their switches in two different sizes so the tool manufacturers came up with the stepped socket design to cover both common sizes. This one is from my NOS stash for my ‘60s cars.

-Don

Oh ok. The ones I have a stepped as well. 1 inch and 1 1/16 too. Also have many different lengths, deep, semi deep stuff like that.


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[Provincial]

They fit the old hydraulic brake light switches, too.

 

[thefraze_1020]

If it helps narrow down the dates at all, the socket was my grandfather's. He retired in 2008 and did not buy any new tools after that. And it seems like around 2000 or so, he started going cheap-o (Harbor Freight). So I'm thinking 90's or older, and after 1977 apparently. If anyone has an S-K catalog from the 80's or 90's, that would be very helpful.

 

[humber2]

I have been going through tons of tools I've gotten from my grandfather's estate, and I keep coming across oddballs. He was a self-employed mechanic so he had lots of specialty tools.

One such oddball I found is this S-K 4488 oil pressure sender(?) socket. It looks closer to the later sockets you just showed, Don.
Any idea when this socket was first offered? I imagine this would have been a later addition to their product line.

I see it on page 51 of the SK 1995 Catalog but no doubt it was introduced much earlier.

 

[MShaw]

I have a stepped one I got when I worked for New Britain in the early 1970s

 

[StillTooManyHobbies]

The 4488 2 in 1 socket is on page 47 of my 1993 catalog.

 

[d42jeep]

I found my Blackhawk oil switch socket today. Here it is next to the S-K socket. I found it in a Blackhawk/New Britain catalog printed after the introduction of Zip Codes in 1963. My guess is that I bought it around ‘68 or ‘69.
-Don