Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, bonneyman. Funny. I never see Duro-Chrome anything except wrenches or socket drive tools and I just found these pliers at the flea market yesterday. Long flat nose. They were coated in rust - just came out of the bath okay. It's a mini-streak!

 

[Outlawmws]

Added a couple of Indestro Select Steel today -need a bath in Evaporust

 

[d42jeep]

They left the box wrenches off of the ends of the handles on this Indestro version of the battery pliers. Here are some other Indestro wrenches I’ve picked up lately. The evaporust really improved the DOE.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Maybe the 3414's had the box ends, Don. Duro did make regular battery pliers, No. 2415.

 

[d42jeep]

I’ll be looking for some of those.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some durochrome sets

 

[RubiconJK]

Lugz, this might look a bit familiar to you based on your previous post earlier this year when you found your De Luxe Refrigeration socket set. (link to post following)
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7727669&postcount=778

I recently found this ratchet which is unbranded, but sure looks to be Duro-Chrome. P/N 4489, 1/4" drive female. This one is a bit different that your 4490, but does have the opposite end of the ratchet handle with a 1/2" boxed end 12 point wrench opening with a 1/4" drive hole through the center. The "intermediate" hole (just inside the 1/2" box end) is somewhat smaller than 1/4". This one doesn't have a selector switch, and since it doesn't show up in the catalog info you included with yours, I'm wondering if it is earlier, perhaps 30's?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This one doesn't have a selector switch, and since it doesn't show up in the catalog info you included with yours, I'm wondering if it is earlier, perhaps 30's?

The No. 4489 was the non-reversible version of the No. 4490. It was available in 1951. At that time, it had three (3) square openings at the end of the handle, just like my No. 4490. They were 3/16", 1/4", and 5/16" (inside the 12-point 1/2" box end broaching). So, you were right about yours being earlier, but for a different reason. In 1940, the non-reversible No. 4489 and the reversible No. 4490 reefer rats came in multiple square female drive sizes and had only two (2) square openings at the end of the handle with the largest opening inside a 6-point box end broaching. Sometime between 1940 and 1951 they settled on a 1/4-inch square drive female ratchet head and the three (3) square openings I cited above. Unfortunately, I don't have any Duro catalogs in between 1940 and 1951.

In both the 1940 and the 1951 catalogs the ratchet is chrome-plated with the black face plate. Perhaps your black beauty was contract.

Nice find!

 

[RubiconJK]

The No. 4489 was the non-reversible version of the No. 4490. It was available in 1951. At that time, it had three (3) square openings at the end of the handle, just like my No. 4490. They were 3/16", 1/4", and 5/16" (inside the 12-point 1/2" box end broaching). So, you were right about yours being earlier, but for a different reason. In 1940, the non-reversible No. 4489 and the reversible No. 4490 reefer rats came in multiple square female drive sizes and had only two (2) square openings at the end of the handle with the largest opening inside a 6-point box end broaching. Sometime between 1940 and 1951 they settled on a 1/4-inch square drive female ratchet head and the three (3) square openings I cited above. Unfortunately, I don't have any Duro catalogs in between 1940 and 1951.

In both the 1940 and the 1951 catalogs the ratchet is chrome-plated with the black face plate. Perhaps your black beauty was contract.

Nice find!

Thanks very much. The ratchet action is like new. Really a well made little ratchet!

 

[Provincial]

In both the 1940 and the 1951 catalogs the ratchet is chrome-plated with the black face plate. Perhaps your black beauty was contract.

Nice find!

Or perhaps wartime (no plating) production.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yes it is hard to tell if that is a black finish or just plain steel

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If it's natural steel, it's the darkest natural steel I have ever seen. But to qualify, my comment about it being contract production had more to do with the lack of a brand name on it. It may very well have been wartime, but Duro-Chrome generally marked their in-house wrenches, wartime or not.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is another version I found back in May. It’s a reversible 4491 in a chrome finish. While Duro generally marked their wartime ratchets most of the Indestro versions didn’t have Indestro marked on them. Duro and Indestro used a different numbering system, however.
-Don

 

[RubiconJK]

Guys, I'll try to take another picture this evening under different light. I think it is just natural steel finish and my lighting in my shop made it look darker.

Don, that is another cool version!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

They used some dark steel. I have lots of dark "-D-I-". But they used black oxide, too. Sometimes it's hard to tell, especially when the process permeated well. But it's generally also 'dustier' than steel. I trust your judgement. Again, it would be the blackest steel I have ever seen. Very nice.

EDIT: Don would know best, of course, at close distance, but from here, for example, in Pic 3 of his shooting gallery pics, it looks to me like the first ratchet on the far right is dark steel, and the third ratchet from the right is black oxide.

 

[CRTDI]

Some durochrome sets

Nice sets...

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Model 3222 unbranded breaker bar with male end. Picked this up yesterday at the flea market.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RubiconJK]

Guys, I'll try to take another picture this evening under different light. I think it is just natural steel finish and my lighting in my shop made it look darker.

Well I got distracted and didn't get a better picture taken this evening. I'll try to get one in natural light later.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I also found this cool, unusual tool - a combination of Battery Pliers and a Double Box End Wrench. Model No. 2114. Patented in 1940 (See Pic 4). I love the way they worked the Streamlined "Dart" into the design. As fond as I am of Duro, and as much as I admire efficiency in engineering, I don't mind if someone wants to put it in the 'gimmick' category. Everything up to the box ends is just like their regular battery pliers (No. 2115). I don't see how this would be comfortable to use as a wrench. With it open, you'd have to grab it by the open jaws, and keep the handles from pivoting as you turn a fastener. It can be used closed, but one or the other box ends might be in the way.

CRTDI posted one in 2016. I haven't seen another once since, and this is the first one I have seen in the wild.

Are these related to the belden battery pliers I see? They look very similar.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice sets...

Thanks crtdi. I always enjoy finding stuff with original documents.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Are these related to the belden battery pliers I see? They look very similar.

I'm not sure I understand your post, Otg, and I've never heard of Belden. If it's a company of some kind, and the pliers you posted a photo of are marked "Belden", I would suspect that Duro made them for Belden. They look like the Duro pliers to me and Duro owned the patent.

 

[d42jeep]

I'm not sure I understand your post, Otg, and I've never heard of Belden. If it's a company of some kind, and the pliers you posted a photo of are marked "Belden", I would suspect that Duro made them for Belden. They look like the Duro pliers to me and Duro owned the patent.

Belden was a wire manufacturer like Delco Packard, Whittaker and many others. It very likely that they were buying tools from the major tool manufacturers for use with their products.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Then as I suspected almost certainly made by Duro for them. Thanks, Don.

 

[RubiconJK]

Pic of ratchet in natural light this a.m. Actually doesn't look all that different from the original pictures posted. Lugz, you may well be right about the finish. Note, that I haven't cleaned, buffed or touched the finish from the time I got it, nor do I plan to.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks pretty dark in that picture. Here are some closeups of the beldens.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugz, you may well be right about the finish.

Yeah, it still looks like black oxide to me. Duro loved dark steel, as did Barcalo. But that is really black. Doesn't really matter. It's a beautiful ratchet!

Here are some closeups of the beldens.

Not that I had any doubt, but the Duro-Chrome owned design patent number on the flip side confirms it, Otg.

Welcome to the club!

 

[493mike]

My Indestro set was purchased new in 1969 for me by my dad. I needed a set for the Auto Service course I was enrolled in at Ferris State in Big Rapids, MI. I used them professionally for 7 years and every day since!
Mike

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's awesome you still have them all!

 

[d42jeep]

I was finally able to unite the G series ignition tools with the roll I bought for them over the summer. The screwdriver is an Indestro due to the difficulty in finding an intact Duro version. This roll is now in my GMTK.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

If the great Indestro Ell experiment doesn’t work out, I have a couple of Duro Ells to spare.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The last time you guys saw this Duro 4518RS reefer set, first shown and discussed on this thread back in February, linked here, it only had 17 of the 18 pieces. Thanks to d42jeep, who tipped me off to a 4533 extension being sold on eBay, it is now complete. It's good to have sharp-eyed eBay shopping friends looking out for you! Thanks again, Don!

 

[d42jeep]

The last time you guys saw this Duro 4518RS reefer set, first shown and discussed on this thread back in February, linked here, it only had 17 of the 18 pieces. Thanks to d42jeep, who tipped me off to a 4533 extension being sold on eBay, it is now complete. It's good to have sharp-eyed eBay shopping friends looking out for you! Thanks again, Don!

Lugz, you’re very welcome. I’m afraid it goes to show that I spend a little too much time checking eBay.
-Don

 

[PaulRex]

Came across this Idestro Super 2736, flexing head ratchet in my toolbox. Picked it up years ago or a goodwill.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice ratchet. Hard to find now.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’m afraid it goes to show that I spend a little too much time checking eBay.

Nonsense! Keep up the good work! No, seriously, there are worse things you can do with your time in retirement.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Keep up the good work don! Like a lot of members here I owe you some stuff so lmk if you need anything.

 

[Outlawmws]

Came across this Idestro Super 2736, flexing head ratchet in my toolbox. Picked it up years ago or a goodwill.

One like that has been my go-to swivel head for decades now...

 

[d42jeep]

I picked up this empty Duro socket set box at an Oakland hills estate sale today. It was pure masochism on my part. The box is rusty, dented and bent and I know just what tools go in it, because I already have three complete and one mostly complete sets. Sometimes I have to wonder why I do these things?
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That one is a bit rough. Still, you can never have too many!

 

[RubiconJK]

I picked up this empty Duro socket set box at an Oakland hills estate sale today. It was pure masochism on my part. The box is rusty, dented and bent and I know just what tools go in it, because I already have three complete and one mostly complete sets. Sometimes I have to wonder why I do these things?
-Don

Lol, because it is what we do! And hey, there is some decal there!