Show your "Long C" Craftsman!
- Thread starter Outlawmws
- Start date
406Rich
Well-known member
Honza, are those H series sockets, I picked a set couple years back with extension and breaker bar.
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
My long c amber handled 1/2 speeder. Now I just need to fire up the time machine and find the rest of the set, especially that 1/4 set!
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You know, I was looking at the catalog page up close on page 6 to see if the 1/4 ratchet had the amber handle, (apparently not) and noticed the lock on the box...
That lock is in the tray, and the lid halves close against the tray handle, and then the cam latches into the down turned lips of the lid halves. now THAT is unique! I don't think the vintage tool box thread has surfaced that particular box...
It does not look like that box configuration was sold separately...
That lock is in the tray, and the lid halves close against the tray handle, and then the cam latches into the down turned lips of the lid halves. now THAT is unique! I don't think the vintage tool box thread has surfaced that particular box...
It does not look like that box configuration was sold separately...
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
Thanks. I got it from rileysan so it was not a true , in the wild score but I was ecstatic none the less. I was thinking the same thing about that box. I have seen a lot of boxes but have never seen one of those. Does anybody here have one ? Does anybody have the complete set ?
FYI- there is a 1/4 ratchet on eBay right now for bin of $150 but I am not bidding on it
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I just rescued a couple of crusty old wrenches from the pawn shop's boneyard. Couldn't resist another Long C even in very poor condition. And the flat stamped wrench - well, I just liked it. 
A couple of hours in the e-tank did away with the rust, but there is so much deep pitting it didn't really leave them looking much better, except for the C_ logo which emerged really nice. On the flip side I was surprised to see the S in USA has the same angular shape as the one in Craftsman. Then there's this really modern-looking adjustable with similar lettering. Go figure.
The logo came out pretty well on the stamped wrench too. Anyone know these well enough to hazard a guess?? I hadn't a clue, never saw one of this brand in this type before. - nope, no pix until a few guesses have been made!
A couple of hours in the e-tank did away with the rust, but there is so much deep pitting it didn't really leave them looking much better, except for the C_ logo which emerged really nice. On the flip side I was surprised to see the S in USA has the same angular shape as the one in Craftsman. Then there's this really modern-looking adjustable with similar lettering. Go figure.
The logo came out pretty well on the stamped wrench too. Anyone know these well enough to hazard a guess?? I hadn't a clue, never saw one of this brand in this type before. - nope, no pix until a few guesses have been made!
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DD T/A
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Rileysan
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Your comments caused me to reexamine a Craigslist ad that's been posted for weeks. As it turns out, I now own that very box - although it's missing the tray (very unfortunate!). Still was worth the $15 I paid for it!
Forgive the terrible photos taken with my broken phone. I don't have a PC to upload photos from my real camera.
I present to you the "New type, hip roof tool box" (as stated by Sears), ca. 1939-1942. With two amber handled speed wrenches to complete the effect.
Brian
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Smokeshow69
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Excellent find! How many times did I pass that buy on Craigslist without a second thought. Glad to see it went to the best home old craftsman tools could ask for
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Private Lugnutz
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That particular box is one of my most haunting flea market miscues ever. The classic story. I saw it. It looked very unusual and interesting. Obviously vintage. It was coated in grime. I couldn't identify it. Finally, I rubbed a little off of what may have been a decal. Craftsman. I wasn't really collecting a lot of Craftsman at the time. Vendor, who I know and have bought from plenty before, wanted a little more than I wanted to pay - and he didn't even know what it was! I decided to circle around and come back at the end of my visit and make him an offer. Came back and it was gone. Of course.
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
Dang [emoji17] I have been more haunted over the years over a few items that I saw that I did not buy due to my indecisive/cheap nature. Sometimes the gambles pays off to wait it out and sometimes it does not. I once passed on a fully amd made craftsman heritage stack with a 10 drawer top chest and lower roller that was mint and full of tools. It was the last day of the swap meet and was marked down to $300. That combo is proving to be very hard to find. I hemmed and hawed and when I walked back, it was sold. If I had thought it out, I could have sold the =v= tools inside and gotten a free stack [emoji849]. Oh to be young and dumb again. Attached is an example but the one I passed was very nice.
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Glen Vassallo
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Point taken.Rileysan
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I use the words "craftsman vanadium". You'll typically get wrenches, knives, and pliers but almost all are from the long c era.
Brian
Rileysan
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See Riley, you gave it away!
I need others to start bidding. I've got too much stuff!
Rileysan
Well-known member
Speaking of eBay ...
This came to me by way of eBay auction. The final hammer was just shy of $70 which, even considering condition issues, was surprisingly low.
Craftsman BE 1/4" female drive, amber handle ratchets (x2)
The auction stated these were 1/4" and 3/8" drive ratchets but a quick glance at the photos shows that one actually has a 3/8" drive adapter welded in place. I won't know just how rough they are until I receive them. When that happens, I'll follow up.
Brian
This came to me by way of eBay auction. The final hammer was just shy of $70 which, even considering condition issues, was surprisingly low.
Craftsman BE 1/4" female drive, amber handle ratchets (x2)
The auction stated these were 1/4" and 3/8" drive ratchets but a quick glance at the photos shows that one actually has a 3/8" drive adapter welded in place. I won't know just how rough they are until I receive them. When that happens, I'll follow up.
Brian
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wrenchguy
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wrenchguy
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Picked at a sale weeks back. Like maybe 2-3 tiny specs of chrome or nickle plating left on the cover. Runs quite and smooth. Price ok 4 me when other bidders involved. Is that a build date on the rear tag? Looks 2b original cord but needs a shrinktube fix. I'll tig up a nice stainless quench tray 4 it easy-peasy. thanks 4 any help.
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
Picked at a sale weeks back. Like maybe 2-3 tiny specs of chrome or nickle plating left on the cover. Runs quite and smooth. Price ok 4 me when other bidders involved. Is that a build date on the rear tag? Looks 2b original cord but needs a shrinktube fix. I'll tig up a nice stainless quench tray 4 it easy-peasy. thanks 4 any help.
Yes, the 11/51 date is the year it was made. Craftsman usually dated their grinders and motors but did not date their machines for the most part! I would recommend putting a 3 wire tool replacement cord on it and tapping a threaded hole to properly ground it and also replace the wheels for safety! FYI - you **** for that price. That grinder is not common.
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d42jeep
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r_olson_06
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I may have that socket. Is it a 5/8 marking or the earlier 5-8 marking?
Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,
d42jeep
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The set has about a 50-50 mix. The sockets don’t have the additional groove of the later BE sockets though except for the plain finish 9/16” I added. Any 1/2” drive BE 5/8” socket would be appreciated. Thanks.
-Don
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wrenchguy
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Thanks 4 the info.... but the maybe/potential date code i ask about is "L1 51", maybe making it december 1 51. What do u think? The reason i ask because it kinda looks like a electric motor frame code, but its not labeled as such. thank u again.
That grinder is fantastic!! ...and it doesn't hurt that you stole it!
At the risk of going off the proper era, a funny thing happened out Christmas shopping with SWMBO. We went to an indoor flea market - some old, some new - shopping for our folks. As we strolled by one booth with a bunch of used tools, I spotted this pair of Flying V ratchets. I expained that I liked them because they have such style, and the only one I'd found in the wild was dented on the back. Mentally slapping myself on the wrist, I resumed shopping for others.
Fast forward to Christmas Eve when we open gifts, and there were the ratchets!! The little squirrel had managed to sneak around behind me and snag them without my noticing! And bless her heart, she couldn't resist bragging she had gotten them for $7 less than the guy told me!
And in a related matter, and sneaking back into the proper era, my Secret Santa gave me these nice Long C tappet wrenches. I'll probably "restore" them, at least to the original color on the handles!
At the risk of going off the proper era, a funny thing happened out Christmas shopping with SWMBO. We went to an indoor flea market - some old, some new - shopping for our folks. As we strolled by one booth with a bunch of used tools, I spotted this pair of Flying V ratchets. I expained that I liked them because they have such style, and the only one I'd found in the wild was dented on the back. Mentally slapping myself on the wrist, I resumed shopping for others.
Fast forward to Christmas Eve when we open gifts, and there were the ratchets!! The little squirrel had managed to sneak around behind me and snag them without my noticing! And bless her heart, she couldn't resist bragging she had gotten them for $7 less than the guy told me!
And in a related matter, and sneaking back into the proper era, my Secret Santa gave me these nice Long C tappet wrenches. I'll probably "restore" them, at least to the original color on the handles!
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Smokeshow69
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I am not very familiar with electrical motor codes but that sounds very plausible on the L1 date code. Maybe someone more informed can chime in ?
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Private Lugnutz
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Picked up this tiny critter at the flea market today. It's one of those forged-in "N4" variants that we have yet to figure out. I know they made a 1/4 x 5/16, because I have one in the DUNLAP brand, but I think this might be the smallest Craftsman 15* angle (no offset!) pattern DBE wrench I have in the Long C "CI" line. Nothing particular spectacular or noteworthy about it, per se, although I do love the look of the polished panel against the black finish on these wrenches.
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Rileysan
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You might want to thank your wife again, as your 1/2" Butterfly (Flying V) you have may be quite rare.
Does it have:
- Stainless Steel socket stud (it isn't painted black)
- Stainless Steel snap ring (only on the back)
- Frosted looking selector [yours has it!]
- A rounded Craftsman marque [yours has it!]
- An abnormal amount of rounding on the ratchet head and handle compared to other Butterfly (Flying V) ratchets you've seen?
If you can say yes to all of these, you've got a ratchet that is worth quite a bit for just that one piece.
Between myself and two other ******** Craftsman ratchet collectors, we've loosely been calling these variants the "Frost Butterfly" due to the finish of the selector and the stainless hardware. From my digging, I found that MDF only made these for <1 year. A lot of the stainless hardware was dumped for cost reasons after 1959.
If you can, send me a photo of the back of your ratchet. I'm not kidding when I say, that for every 50 ratchets in this family, I'm lucky to find 1 that is in garbage condition. Yours seems to be VERY nice. If I didn't have an awesome set already, I'd probably already be offering you >$100 for that one. You may have something to celebrate there! ^_^
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Brian, I saw that set as well. It is a tragedy that one has a very good condition amber handle and very good condition chrome/finish, but has a drill hole.
You paid a fair price. Considering the costs for superb amber handle ratchets, I think you did quite well!
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