Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools

[d42jeep]

I’ve run across some of the ignition wrenches with just numbers but I mostly just have E and G series Duro sets.
-Don
7 wrench E series set
G series sets

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My g series are black oxide finished, could that be the difference?

No. Plenty of E series wrenches are black oxide, too. And I have had some of both through the years where it's hard to tell if they were black oxide and worn off or just plain dark steel. There are some G series that appear to be japanned. Don showed one above. They actually smack of postwar to me, as I have mentioned many times before, here and on G503.com, only because I have postwar wrenches from several mfgrs that have that heavier black finish. For me it only adds to the late war deduction. EDIT: Also adding to the deduction, as mentioned many times before, are the pouches. I don't think I have ever had or seen E series show up in canvas. Only G, and that was a very late (April 1945) Ord Dept spec change. Maybe Don or UNAIU or someone could double check my own analysis from years ago on that. /EDIT.

^ curiouser and curioser.

What part? To be honest, I didn't expect me posting a few innocuous 800 series ignition wrenches that I collect like curiosities, almost out of boredom with collecting E's and G's for so many years, to prompt a review of E's and G's, but there is zero doubt they're both wartime, and not much doubt about the sequence, since they go from 1761-69 in the 1935 catalog to E-61 to E-69 in the 1938, 1939, and 1940 catalogs, and then to 61-69, no prefix, in 1947. Note again that you won't find the G stamped DOEs and DBEs in the prewar catalogs or the 1947 catalog, either, as far as I recall, but there is little to no doubt they are also wartime, and probably late war.

would be real nice to have an Indestro catalog covering at least a bit of 1937-1948

I'm assuming you mean to help nail down the 800 series production?

 

[four.cycle]

^ Exactly. It's the INDESTRO part of it that I find somewhat confusing. You guys seem to have the Duro side of it fairly well sussed out.
Your point about the black finish wearing off to the point where it looks like "plain steel" may well be part of what makes it a bit puzzling.

 

[d42jeep]

It’s pretty common for the black oxide finish to have worn off.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ I guess the part of it I find puzzling is that while Duro-Chrome was offering these in a full range of sizes (61-69), in (apparently) different finishes - in two different styles (60 and 75 degree offset heads), Indestro started with only a few sizes at first. Again, a catalog somewhere between 1937 and 1948 would certainly help to make things a bit more clear.

 

[Ricky Joe]

My Duro ignition wrenches:

 

[LesserSon]

Last week (Wednesday), I chanced upon a Cross Country DBE, but was uncertain if it was a dupe to me, or not. I could not find any notes on my phone about ones I KNEW I owned. I put it with some Bonney and Craftsman tappet wrenches and offered half her asking price. The lady selling listened to my story about the CC, and counteroffered to toss it in with the others (at her price) as a bonus, which I accepted.
Got back to my stash this morning, and it is NOT a dupe. It seems I have not previously posted these on this thread, so here:

Chrome Vanadium Steel DBEs
- straight 25/32x11/16
- offset 7/16x3/8, 9/16x1/2, 11/16x5/8, 7/8x13/16
- moon 5/8x9/16

 

[john.k]

I had one of the WW2 tool kit forged flat reversible 1/2" ratchet drives for years ......no identification at all ..........I found a tiny patent no. on it,that ID s it as a Duro.........Grey finish ,may be zinc ,or zinc paint..........never seen another duro tool here .

 

[d42jeep]

Even though the patent was a Duro patent, the unbranded ratchets are actually very likely to be Indestro ratchets later marked No.3202R. They are slightly shorter than the Duro-Chrome marked version. During WW2 the separation of Indestro and Duro was not particularly followed with examples of both brands appearing together in sets.


-Don

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

I'm probably the only one in the world collecting these 800 series versions of the wartime Duro ignition wrenches, but I probably have enough to put a couple sets together by now. And I never leave the pliers behind. These CHROMIUM VANADIUM are not branded, but I am thinking Duro.

You are putting together a nice set. I love the pliers and the wrenches. Your going to make me go dig through my stuff

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Added a 2104 3/8 set to my indestro stuff

 

[john.k]

My ratchet has no mark except the patent..........not even 'oil' ,but the hole is there ...........probably the rest of the set was there ,as I would have assumed the unbranded sockets were cheap stuff........The tools were from a deceased estate ,I never knew the owner.

 

[d42jeep]

The ratchet in my Indestro marked D-I set matches yours with just the patent number.
Here is a print out of the patent drawing.
-Don

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Ok duro indestro guys. Take a look at this farm fresh set. No markings on box or sockets. Only the rachet is marked. Sockets look very wrong for the box to me. Does the box look like anything for which your familiar?

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Ok duro indestro guys. Take a look at this farm fresh set. No markings on box or sockets. Only the rachet is marked. Sockets look very wrong for the box to me. Does the box look like anything for which your familiar?

 

[d42jeep]

Those sockets are earlier than ones I collect. All of my early and wartime Indestro and Duro 1/2” drive boxes have rounded corners. Four.cycle may have more information on the really early Indestro tools.
-Don

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Those sockets are earlier than ones I collect. All of my early and wartime Indestro and Duro 1/2” drive boxes have rounded corners. Four.cycle may have more information on the really early Indestro tools.
-Don

The bottom boxes, are they duro?

 

[d42jeep]

Yes, wartime Duro D-I sets. There are a couple currently listed on eBay.


-Don

 

[d42jeep]

This lot is a recent arrival from an eBay seller. The sockets and ratchet look to be from a postwar refrigeration set. I anticipate that the missing items may be hard to find.
The tools may have come in the 4518RS set below.

-Don

 

[four.cycle]

Mr. Eubanks -
What you have there is Indestro's "Heavy" ratchet, a unit I have never been able to find a part number for. It was listed as being included in their early model 1536 "Master" series socket set (photo below). The sockets were a "Carbon Steel" composition - fairly low-grade stuff by current standards, but certainly usable. The ratchet has been something of an enigma - the only place it shows up is in catalog listings for that #1536 set.

Neither the sockets or the box are Duro / Indestro, and I can't even hazard a wild guess.

The box in which that "Heavy" ratchet originally came would have looked like the two in Don's first photo just above (post #3176) with the roundie corners.

 

[burnin53]

Ok duro indestro guys. Take a look at this farm fresh set. No markings on box or sockets. Only the rachet is marked. Sockets look very wrong for the box to me. Does the box look like anything for which your familiar?

I think your box might be for a D-I set.
I picked this D-I set a few weeks ago and your box looks like it could be its bigger brother.
I would put a set of war-time D-I sockets I'm there if I had it,at least until it could be proven to be for something else.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The squared corner boxes are probably postwar

 

[burnin53]

That's what I was thinking,too,OTG.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

The squared corner boxes are probably postwar

One day your going to get tired of looking at that cross country set and I’ll be there to help

 

[d42jeep]

I found this early Indestro ratchet at a yard sale today. It was frozen up but I sprayed it with WD40 and it freed up. It’s going to need some more cleaning.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

It’s going to need some more cleaning.

Don't eat that cadmium.

 

[outofbounds]

"The ratchets like yours are getting a little hard to find"......

Is that because you have them all already?

 

[d42jeep]

I take turns with another collector in TN whenever one becomes available so it takes twice as long to complete sets.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Don't eat that cadmium.

I’m always quite careful with Cadmium. Here it is cleaned up and working.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I saw this Indestro flex head 3/8” drive ratchet on eBay and thought that it would be a nice upgrade for my user toolbox. It will replace the Craftsman flex head ratchet.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

Don my first swivel head many decades ago was an Indestro, but with the paddle handle (top in the pic) - its sil my "go to" almost always, even over the longer SO.

 

[RTM]

Here is another item from the Shop Clean out, round 2.

Duro Chrome No 281 - USA wrench. 8-3/4" long, 1-1/2# 2" opening Drain Plug Wrench for Ford V8-85 and Mercury A full forged steel 2" 12 Point Box type Wrench heat treated, tempered, triple plated with polished ends. Fits Ford "V8-85" and Mercury Cars. $2 in 1939 catalog.

Slight bend up into the picture at the start of the shaft / ring transition. More obvious in the catalog.
Per another site: Ford Model 48 (V8-85) (1935-1940)

Don't imagine this will see too much work around here, so if someone needs it for your Ford drain plug, gimme a holler.


Catalog cut here

Duro Tools of Progress : Catalog 39M : Duro Metal Products Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

100 p., illus., 21.3 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Macduf]

Second day pickup for a dollar. Just needed cleaning and relaxing. Suprised no one picked it before me. In great shape

 

[saukit]

So I've got an old Duro 3/8" rat that's all locked up. I've soaked it in Kroil for days but I think the pawl might be jammed or something. The selector lever won't move and neither will the anvil. It looks like I'd have to pry the selector lever off to get the thing open but I'm worried that I'll damage the lever/and or not be able to reset it. Any advice? I know this isn't a repair thread but I figured someone must have taken one of these apart before...thanks!

 

[Outlawmws]

Sealed unit. Soak it in acetone for a while to disolve grease, If that does not free it, try evaporust.

 

[d42jeep]

They are usually quite reliable if kept clean and oiled. I have never seen one taken apart. I don’t really think that it’s possible due to the design.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

You might also chuck the drive lug in a vise and rock the ratchet back and forth.

 

[saukit]

It’s been in the Evaporust bath two or three times now…plus the Kroil, also put it in the vise to free the anvil, and finally tried to gently hammer the selector switch loose. It’s locked up solid. Maybe I’ll just have to force it a bit in the vise but I’m gonna be pissed at myself if I break it!

Appreciate the info, thanks Outlaw and Don

 

[matthew]

Was it really rusty before going in the Evapo rust?

If it was rusty before I’d assume rust inside, and maybe try hot ATF. Reheat periodically and just let soak. In my view heat cycles are far far better than penetrants on their own.

If you guess it’s grease and such rather than rust, I’d try the acetone first. I’d be tempted to start with acetone anyways. Lots of people swear by acetone+atf

 

[saukit]

Was it really rusty before going in the Evapo rust?

If it was rusty before I’d assume rust inside, and maybe try hot ATF. Reheat periodically and just let soak. In my view heat cycles are far far better than penetrants on their own.

If you guess it’s grease and such rather than rust, I’d try the acetone first. I’d be tempted to start with acetone anyways. Lots of people swear by acetone+atf

Appreciate the info! Yeah it was a total rust bucket, so that’s gotta be the issue I would think. I’ll look into the ATF thing.