Anyone else a fan?. Picked up a lot from Cripe Distrbuting- the angled offset box ends continued where my Craftsman’s left off. The ratcheting wrenches are superb and I love the handles on the ratchets. The 6 point wrenches are nice to have as well. Between Armstrong and KD I have most sizes
Show your Armstrong tools
- Thread starter Fialaja
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JR 42
Well-known member
I am, but I don't have any pictures at the moment (short satin metric wrenches, metric swivel sockets, 6- point FP wrenches, lots of odds and ends, most of a set of adapters and universals, black oxide metric wrenches, etc- I'm short a piece or two for most of these "sets" so I'm still looking). Cripe was a great source and still has some stuff, though the prices have crept up a bit over the years.
(They've got a few 54-810 reversible 10mm ratcheting combos right now-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Armstrong-...ersible-USA-/392889222685?hash=item5b7a05c61d
if you need one).
(They've got a few 54-810 reversible 10mm ratcheting combos right now-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Armstrong-...ersible-USA-/392889222685?hash=item5b7a05c61d
if you need one).
jsmeece
Well-known member
I would be taking pictures all day if I had to list all of my Armstrong tools!
Mr Ratchet
Well-known member
There was another show your Armstrong Tools a couple of years ago. Here's mine which is still the same as it was back then.
mn700vforce
Well-known member
Love there tools, hated to see them put out of business. I Have 1/4”, 3/8” and 1/2” maxx locking flex head ratchets. Ratcheting wrenches, six point wrenches and various sockets. Excellent made in USA tools.
jgromada
Well-known member
i only have some random sockets and wrenches, no sets.
JR 42
Well-known member
Not a great pic-
adapter and universal assortment (1/2" uni has the later dark chrome, 3/8" male adapter in the center is an old Cman, 1/4" uni is NAPA USA). The adapters all have max torque ratings stamped on them, which is cool.
1/4" socket set with etched and stamped sizes (government contract, came in a black blow- molded case), plus some 12 points on the right (10mm is a Toptul oddball).
I'll try to get some more pics up tomorrow, there are a few more socket sets and some wrench sets I can get to, and some comparisons that would be interesting.
adapter and universal assortment (1/2" uni has the later dark chrome, 3/8" male adapter in the center is an old Cman, 1/4" uni is NAPA USA). The adapters all have max torque ratings stamped on them, which is cool.
1/4" socket set with etched and stamped sizes (government contract, came in a black blow- molded case), plus some 12 points on the right (10mm is a Toptul oddball).
I'll try to get some more pics up tomorrow, there are a few more socket sets and some wrench sets I can get to, and some comparisons that would be interesting.
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jabberwoki
Well-known member
JR 42
Well-known member
I think that thread would be better served with pics of old Armstrong stuff- Armaloy and Armstrong Bros and four- digit part numbers and whatnot- and this thread can handle the newer Danaher and Apex era stuff. I know some of the folks in the Vintage Forum have pretty strong opinions about what should be posted there, and probably wouldn't appreciate pics of ratcheting wrenches and dual- marked sockets.
(Which reminds me I have some older 3/4"- drive sockets I should post in that other thread...)
JR 42
Well-known member
Here's a small set of small wrenches- 4 - 9mm w/ 5.5, regular length, full polish, 6 point.
(I've gotten more interested in the parent company and product changes over the years, so I'll try to include that info when I have it- my note- taking/ packaging hoarding increased over the years as well.)
These were Apex, and for some reason the 8mm wrench is a 12-point, despite being stamped with the 6- point part number (12 point would be 52-108) and arriving in a bag with the 6-point part number. IIRC these were also described as government surplus by Cripe.
(I've gotten more interested in the parent company and product changes over the years, so I'll try to include that info when I have it- my note- taking/ packaging hoarding increased over the years as well.)
These were Apex, and for some reason the 8mm wrench is a 12-point, despite being stamped with the 6- point part number (12 point would be 52-108) and arriving in a bag with the 6-point part number. IIRC these were also described as government surplus by Cripe.
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Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
To me Armstrong wasn't best known or even admired for their tools. It was the tools that they made for everyone else like Matco, Napa, Craftsman, Allen, and others that were important.
That's why it such a hit to US tool production when they were shuttered.
JR 42
Well-known member
Indexmill
Well-known member
I have some very nice Armstrong C-clamps.
JR 42
Well-known member
To me Armstrong wasn't best known or even admired for their tools. It was the tools that they made for everyone else like Matco, Napa, Craftsman, Allen, and others that were important.
That's why it such a hit to US tool production when they were shuttered.
Yes, agreed! I don't think they were ever the best at anything, at least in my lifetime (maybe their lathe tooling was outstanding in 1925 or something, I don't know), but their product line (especially wrenches) was deep and broad, and their products were priced reasonably (more like Blackhawk or Williams, less than Proto as I remember, but with lots of cheap surplus stuff out there).
There just doesn't seem to be much interest in the recent Armstrong stuff, or even the old stuff (that other thread is short and doesn't get much traffic). I'm slowly trying to put together basic info about part numbers (they're confusing sometimes) and product lineup etc, but there's not much out there I can find. If anyone has images from Armstrong catalogs from the 70's up to Apex ownership (around 2011 IIRC), I'd greatly appreciate seeing them.
I agree about the overall effect of Armstong folding also- multiple brands vanished (though Apex had already run most into the dirt, or offshored, or both). It was like a slow- motion version of a company like Stanley or Snap-on + Industrial brands or ******* Apex itself failing.
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
Those seem to be in the top tier of quality pieces.
Yep. Its why I stopped buying Apex non-USA tools. Until they re-shore hand tool production.. I won't buy GearWrench branded stuff. Absolutely refuse to. For ratchets, I've made the decision to jump to MATCO since they have the same mechanism and retain USA made.
Which btw- I do have a few spare Armstrong 88T 3/8 drive rebuild kits kicking around. lol. Cripe sent the wrong ones so I got extra.
Which btw- I do have a few spare Armstrong 88T 3/8 drive rebuild kits kicking around. lol. Cripe sent the wrong ones so I got extra.
JR 42
Well-known member
Matco ratchets are still US- made? I honestly have no idea, just recall a minor implosion when Armstrong folded.
Apex can piss right off... and they'll never manufacture anything in the US again- their very last US plant flooded (or was it locusts, a plague, a curse on their firstborn, or a dude on a pale horse... I forget).
JR 42
Well-known member
JR 42
Well-known member
First pic- older Stahlwille 14, Cman Pro, satin 10mm Armstrong XL combo wrench S52410, Armstrong full polish long pattern six point.
2nd and 3rd pics are all Armstrong 10mm- the same XL satin, FP 6 point long, and FP and satin short.
2nd and 3rd pics are all Armstrong 10mm- the same XL satin, FP 6 point long, and FP and satin short.
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Yes, MATCO ratchets are now made by AJ Manufacturing in Illinois.
As for Apex ******* off.. Its vulture capitalists that can piss off. Bain Capital screwed Apex over and people keep buying into the GearWrench hype.. If people only knew a lot of their impacts and hand tools used to be made here in the USA. Then Bain/Mitt Romney shipped them overseas and pushed Gearwrench as a brand over Armstrong. Mitt Romney literally gave up on the USA.
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Agreed. I avoid GW on principle. I hate that when I search KD on eBay a lot of GW comes up. I have to specify USA, KD
Lprock
Active member
JR 42
Well-known member
Nice! I really like the shape of the older Armstrong combo wrenches- there's a knobby practical honesty to them, the box ends are nice and thin, and the heads are pretty thin too.
JR 42
Well-known member
JR 42
Well-known member
Satin short 11/16" combo with 80's Snap-on short- they're the same length, but the Armstrong is bigger in all other dimensions. The Snap-on feels like a precision tool, and the Armstrong feels like you could smack it with a three pound ball peen without worries.
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JR 42
Well-known member
Here2Learn
Well-known member
I have several sockets I bought from Sears around 2012. The Armstrong sockets were available in some sizes that Sears (Sears Craftsman) did not carry. I have purchase some stuff off ebay from Cripe and others. I really like them and have a Cripe order being processed now.
The 1/2" drive, 6 point larger metric sockets are my favorite Armstrong tools (27, 30 and 32).
The 1/2" drive, 6 point larger metric sockets are my favorite Armstrong tools (27, 30 and 32).
mn700vforce
Well-known member
Downwindtracker 2
Well-known member
I'm afraid my 'puter skills don't involve posting pictures. I have a couple of 3/8" socket rails, 12 pt metric and 12 pt imperial. I picked them up when our local tool store chain had them on clearance. It seems they were able to pick them up for scrap prices. I got some Blackhawk that way. I like the Armstrong , they are short, thin walled and deeply broached. My only compliant , the metric sockets are not knurled.
I knew Armstrong was a industrial brand, and had a good rep, but these weren't industrial style sockets. More like my old Craftsman.
I knew Armstrong was a industrial brand, and had a good rep, but these weren't industrial style sockets. More like my old Craftsman.
JR 42
Well-known member
Me too- these were both Apex production from Cripe, metric in in retail packaging, SAE some kind of government surplus with clips and a steel rail in a bag. They're both backup, so not used much yet.
Both sets have the darker chrome of the later production stuff (like Craftsman) and the double detents (like Craftsman) that some folks here don't like (I've never had a problem with the funky detents myself but I don't work fast).
The 21mm and 22mm I bought as singles and have brighter blue- ish chrome.
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JR 42
Well-known member
This is one of the 10mm reversible ratcheting wrenches from Cripe I linked upthread- I bought two (looking forward to losing one soon, you see), and this one looked crappier so it's the first user. The 12mm I bought on ebay years ago when random Armstrong closeouts were everywhere and cheap, and it looks just fine.
The extra stamp on the 10mm (date code? looks like a pencil drawing of a friendly extraterrestrial) and the date 04/26/2017 on the packaging are interesting- Armstrong didn't generally use extra markings on their stuff, and folded entirely a few months after that date IIRC.
The chrome looks lousy where it meets the ring (on the 10mm), on both sides, but it seems to work fine regardless. The other 10mm wrench looks fine (no pics). The transition from beam to open end also looks bad on the 10mm (I've got a set of FP Blackhawk with the same issue, it's just cosmetic but also indicative of how much finish work is happening).
Going to use the 10mm in the next month and see how it goes (ratcheting wrenches aren't a big thing for me).
The extra stamp on the 10mm (date code? looks like a pencil drawing of a friendly extraterrestrial) and the date 04/26/2017 on the packaging are interesting- Armstrong didn't generally use extra markings on their stuff, and folded entirely a few months after that date IIRC.
The chrome looks lousy where it meets the ring (on the 10mm), on both sides, but it seems to work fine regardless. The other 10mm wrench looks fine (no pics). The transition from beam to open end also looks bad on the 10mm (I've got a set of FP Blackhawk with the same issue, it's just cosmetic but also indicative of how much finish work is happening).
Going to use the 10mm in the next month and see how it goes (ratcheting wrenches aren't a big thing for me).
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JR 42
Well-known member
I got busy and fell behind- I'm going to try to finish posting my odds and ends in the next few days... maybe bumping the thread will inspire some other folks to post pics. 
Full polish long pattern 6 point combos, 7 - 10mm. A couple from Cripe, a couple from another ebay seller. Couldn't find a 6mm at the time.
The 3/8" drive ratchet gear dealie is a drive insert for Armstrong's pass- through socket set (called "Eliminator" hahaha; I don't have any of them, though). It's a handy socket spinner.
Full polish long pattern 6 point combos, 7 - 10mm. A couple from Cripe, a couple from another ebay seller. Couldn't find a 6mm at the time.
The 3/8" drive ratchet gear dealie is a drive insert for Armstrong's pass- through socket set (called "Eliminator" hahaha; I don't have any of them, though). It's a handy socket spinner.
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mikebaker1129
Well-known member
I got busy and fell behind- I'm going to try to finish posting my odds and ends in the next few days... maybe bumping the thread will inspire some other folks to post pics.
Full polish long pattern 6 point combos, 7 - 10mm. A couple from Cripe, a couple from another ebay seller. Couldn't find a 6mm at the time.
The 3/8" drive ratchet gear dealie is a drive insert for Armstrong's pass- through socket set (called "Eliminator" hahaha; I don't have any of them, though). It's a handy socket spinner.
Where did you locate that eliminator adapter?
I have been looking for 1 of those forever !
JR 42
Well-known member
IIRC, I bought it from a generic ebay closeout joint called "Wesaveyou$" around 2016 or so... they ran low starting bid auctions on a wide weird variety of Armstrong stuff and a bunch of other things (still do, maybe a good source for Keurig cups?), but they ran out of Armstrong stuff a long time ago. Do you have Eliminator tools?
It's useful, but I doubt my hack self needs it to get by, and I've got a loose ratchet drive gear or three to replace it. Send me a pm and we'll figure it out.
It's useful, but I doubt my hack self needs it to get by, and I've got a loose ratchet drive gear or three to replace it. Send me a pm and we'll figure it out.