Show your "Long C" Craftsman!

[Old Radar]

I picked these up a few days ago. They were part of an eclectic group of vintage tools in a very rusty Craftsman Crown tool box.
The full underline wrenches are CI and everything else is BE. The extension is Cad plated.

 

[Gear Wolf]

I would certainly not be surprised...Sears played fast and loose with catalog illustrations vs. what was actually offered. Cant wait to see the findings

While I'm not ready to reveal the sources quite yet, I found the vanadium ratchet sets directly depicted and described. How, where, and when they were shown helps solidify my working theory about them quite a bit.

Finding them was a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, cracking the case helped me find information on other tools. On the other hand, it was tedious and expensive.

 

[TexTJ209]

Here's a fun set I just got. A (presumably) transitional Long C 1/2" drive socket set. It has the Long C decal paired with the greenish gray textured finish usually seen on the 45+ Heritage badged units.





As far as I can find, only shows up in the catalogs in 45+, and only with the Heritage badge.


Posted this on the Craftsman Collector fb group, but been meaning to be more active here.

 

[Smokeshow69]

While I'm not ready to reveal the sources quite yet, I found the vanadium ratchet sets directly depicted and described. How, where, and when they were shown helps solidify my working theory about them quite a bit.

Finding them was a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, cracking the case helped me find information on other tools. On the other hand, it was tedious and expensive.

That certainly sounds interesting! Plus I would imagine, while you solved some mysteries, you probably also created some more for yourself .

 

[Gear Wolf]

Here's my complete amber handle long C set.

Here's a fun set I just got. A (presumably) transitional Long C 1/2" drive socket set. It has the Long C decal paired with the greenish gray textured finish usually seen on the 45+ Heritage badged units.





As far as I can find, only shows up in the catalogs in 45+, and only with the Heritage badge.


Posted this on the Craftsman Collector fb group, but been meaning to be more active here.

Hey, that is a pretty nice find! I'm happy for you!

 

[TexTJ209]

Hey, that is a pretty nice find! I'm happy for you!

Thanks! Still has the BLO coating on the sockets too, looks barely used.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Thanks! Still has the BLO coating on the sockets too, looks barely used.

Yeah, that is realy a nice set! Not real common with that paint/logo scheme for sure

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Nice "Hey what era are we in" set! Unique and a great find.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As first report in the Garage Sale thread, I snatched up this Reed-made pipe threader set at the flea this morning. These are BEFORE pics. Everything is caked with grime and the box is full of swarf. I broke it down and all the pieces are soaking in SG. 'Bout to tend to the box. I'll post AFTER pics later.

I know there are a few of the later Long C versions (where the single diestock handle doubles as the handle for a metal carrier), including one I own, but I don't recall one of these wood-box kits. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Username already in use]

As first report in the Garage Sale thread, I snatched up this Reed-made pipe threader set at the flea this morning. These are BEFORE pics.

Real subtle there Lugz. With the ****-o-meter in the background.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Real subtle there Lugz. With the ****-o-meter in the background.

Haha. That's where I keep it. Honest. It's always sneaking into pics. Kind of like my red die. You just haven't noticed it before. Look what it's pointing to. Less than "Meh".

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It cleaned up well. I'm going to post a bunch of close-ups over on the Tap & Die thread.

 

[Username already in use]

@Private Lugnutz that looks a whole lot like the Armstrong threader that you found a few years back.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very similar. And nothing like the later Long C Craftsman also made by Reed, which takes solid dies. Or the other Reed (not Craftsman branded) I have. Perhaps Armstrong made it for Reed.

 

[Mintgrun]

Nice set, Lugz. I posted some that I found in post #1606 of this thread. The No.2A I have appears to be the same size as yours, but with the variable (aperture) style pipe guide. The wrench in your photo looked familiar and I just found one in my lathe tools drawer. Now I know which tool it belongs with! Tom

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Tom. I remember now. You made a wooden holder with cubbies for the dies. And glad I could help jog your memory on the wrench!

 

[TexTJ209]

I've got that identical set in a wooden box in pretty fantastic condition, I'll have to dig up some pics.

 

[saukit]

A few items I picked up in trade lately, particularly like the little DBE!

 

[Clasik]

Seems the only Long C Craftsman I own are these 2 speeder handle wrenches. A 3/8" and 1/2" Circle-U.
Also, a bit off topic, besides Ebay, are there any places to sell/trade old tools? I have a lot of spare =v= sockets that I don't really need to hang on to haha.

 

[Outlawmws]

Classifieds right here...

 

[four.cycle]

"...a lot of spare =v= sockets..."

As Outlaw said, post them in the "Classifieds" forum. They'll be gone in short order if the price is right.

 

[RTM]

Here are my contributions to the Long C Craftsman Socket Haul of Fame. Apologies for the poor cropping, too lazy to redo the picture. It took way to long to get them together for a family portrait, and there is always one who doesn't want to cooperate.

15” flex head, ≈8” ELL, both circle H, 1/2” drive,
1-1/8” socket, 1/2” drive,
3/8” drive 11-16” socket,
1/4” drive 7/32”, 1/4”, 11/32”, 3/8”, 7/16”

Couple of these were very dicey, the tool box I found them in had been full of water at one point it appears.



Also, just discovered a moment ago, one of today's chisel finds was a Long C Craftsman, so guess I'll sneak it into the same post. It's a fat 1/4", shy of 5/16" (0.290), which is odd. Looks a lot like your basic Stanley chisel (#720), except for the plated surfaces. I have a couple of planes from this era with plated blades. The garage I found it in was dark, so couldn't see any ID, but the shape was a safe one so i grabbed it. You can barely see the imprint on the handle, and the blade takes a bit of light and magnification to find.

 

[Outlawmws]

RTM, A trick I use for long pieces is to lay them diagonally first, then arrange the rest.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

A 3/8 BE set with the handlock patent on it. Sockets are the early ones with the dash in the size

 

[Cruzan80]

Nice! I didn't know they came in a holder like that, thought it was only the 1/4" midget set. Another thing to keep an eye out for.

 

[saukit]

Nice OTG! That is so cool!

 

[Outlawmws]

Neat find! It looks like it can hold something else as we?? A ratchet, or a stack of combos?

 

[Cruzan80]

If you are referring to the top knurled nut, on the 1/4" midget it holds the cross ar for the breaker.

 

[Outlawmws]

That would make sense.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yes top thumb screw is for crossbar on midget and 3/8.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here is a vanadium speeder

 

[d42jeep]

I found this Vanadium DBE wrench at an estate sale yesterday.
-Don

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Found several surprises at an estate sale this morning and by surprises I mean items that were not in any of the estate sale pics. This Craftsman 1/4" socket set is in great condition as was everything I bought today. The former owner really took care of his stuff. Absolutely no rust to be found on this set and it was in his garage/shop. I'm guessing they don't build garages like they used to. I hesitated at the asking price of $20 but was all over it at $15. Nice to get a price break on the first day of an estate sale. I get along well with the garage guy at this ES company. In posting my morning haul in the Garage Sale thread, I mentioned the brown film/finish on every piece except the ratchet and Lugz said the prevailing thought was BLO. That kind of makes sense.

Anyway, all the pieces are Long C Craftsman and all are Circle-H except for 3 pieces (9/32 & 7/32 6-pt sockets and the sliding T-handle) which are marked BE.

The currently 14-pc set pieces are as follows, 6-pt sockets: 7/16, 3/8, 11/32, 5/16, 9/32, 1/4 & 7/32; 8-pt sockets: 5/16 & 1/4; 1/4" ratchet, 5" breaker bar, 3" & 6" extension and sliding T-handle. Is the set complete? The only part I'm wondering about is if there was a crossbar for the hole at the end of the breaker bar? If it is missing I expect this is nearly impossible to replace with an original crossbar. Correct?

I searched for Craftsman Tools on Internet Archive. 1939 was the earliest Craftsman catalog I found there. The ratchets look like they are from a later period than the ratchet in this set which has the ratcheting mechanism exposed versus enclosed for the ratchets in the 1939 catalog. Does anyone know what period this set would date to or have a catalog link to this set? Thanks!

 

[Gear Wolf]

Found several surprises at an estate sale this morning and by surprises I mean items that were not in any of the estate sale pics. This Craftsman 1/4" socket set is in great condition as was everything I bought today. The former owner really took care of his stuff. Absolutely no rust to be found on this set and it was in his garage/shop. I'm guessing they don't build garages like they used to. I hesitated at the asking price of $20 but was all over it at $15. Nice to get a price break on the first day of an estate sale. I get along well with the garage guy at this ES company. In posting my morning haul in the Garage Sale thread, I mentioned the brown film/finish on every piece except the ratchet and Lugz said the prevailing thought was BLO. That kind of makes sense.

Anyway, all the pieces are Long C Craftsman and all are Circle-H except for 3 pieces (9/32 & 7/32 6-pt sockets and the sliding T-handle) which are marked BE.

The currently 14-pc set pieces are as follows, 6-pt sockets: 7/16, 3/8, 11/32, 5/16, 9/32, 1/4 & 7/32; 8-pt sockets: 5/16 & 1/4; 1/4" ratchet, 5" breaker bar, 3" & 6" extension and sliding T-handle. Is the set complete? The only part I'm wondering about is if there was a crossbar for the hole at the end of the breaker bar? If it is missing I expect this is nearly impossible to replace with an original crossbar. Correct?

I searched for Craftsman Tools on Internet Archive. 1939 was the earliest Craftsman catalog I found there. The ratchets look like they are from a later period than the ratchet in this set which has the ratcheting mechanism exposed versus enclosed for the ratchets in the 1939 catalog. Does anyone know what period this set would date to or have a catalog link to this set? Thanks!

You are on the right track! That ratchet is from that era!

The BE mark came nearly a decade before the Cirlce H did. Your Circle H open gear ratchet specifically would be from the mid-1940s, as the hand-off between the "BE" mark and "Circle H" occurred sometime then. I wasn't uncommon then as it is now to find hybridized kits that feature both marks to help deplete remaining stocks of sockets, ratchets, etc.

This ratchet is only 1 of 3 historically that sports an open gear philosophy style within the Craftsman brand.

To find the cross bar you are missing, seek out Craftsman 1/4" tool kits that feature the "Pear Head" style ratchet head from the late-1940s to mid-1950s. From my experience, those pieces were readily included within the aforementioned kits, and the cross bars are a direct replacement for kits that need parts like yours. Since the appropriate pieces is essentially an unremarkable pieces of cylindrical steel, who's fit, finish, and design remained the same for quite a while! ^__^

 

[d42jeep]

I took this picture of my Circle H set last Saturday when comparing it to a Moore Drop Forge set I found recently.
-Don

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Don, looks like this set does have a crossbar for the breaker bar. Which socket is this set missing? Do you think the BE pieces in my set are original or replacements? Thanks for posting the pic!

Edit: I am only now reading earlier comments and see Gear Wolf addressed my mixed BE and Circle-H in sets.

Gear Wolf, thanks for commenting. I'll take a look at some catalogs to figure out the pear headed ratchet sets you mention.

All, Is Internet Archive the best website to find old Craftsman catalogs? My search there yesterday was rather disappointing in terms of what catalogs it turned up.

 

[ed4banger]

Couple Long-C sets I'm generally just looking for ratchets/sets and vises, but sets like these are pretty hard to pass up.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

ed4 That is one heckuva nice set of Craftsman wrenches! Congrats!

 

[d42jeep]

Don, looks like this set does have a crossbar for the breaker bar. Which socket is this set missing? Do you think the BE pieces in my set are original or replacements? Thanks for posting the pic!

All, Is Internet Archive the best website to find old Craftsman catalogs? My search there yesterday was rather disappointing in terms of what catalogs it turned up.

My set is complete. The sockets had just slid to one end of the tray. The picture below shows the sizes. I see no reason that you shouldn’t consider your set original, Sears frequently sold slightly mixed sets.
There are a few GJ members that have most all of the known Craftsman catalogs on disc and JoCo is always helpful by consulting those catalogs and educating those of us less knowledgeable about Craftsman such as myself.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Tex,

Look at page 10 of the 1942 catalog. That's your set with an open ratchet, granted, in the rectangular style box, and also with a flex spinner.

Now look on page 5 of the 1948 catalog. Middle of page to the right. That's your set, still shown in the rectangular style box, with a different ratchet, and no flex spinner. But if you look around in that 1948 catalog, you'll find it to be very revealing of what what was happening with Craftsman at that time, coming off the war, and shifting gears with respect to their approach (from many to one) to contracting. You'll see a mix of rectangular boxes and so-called clamshell boxes. You'll see 35- and 45-pc socket sets with the NB ratchets, including open style midget ratchets, but also a 90-pc socket set with all new MDF pieces.

I've gathered Christmastime Sears catalogs from a free site in the wartime years to try to fill that free open source gap between 1942 and 1948, but they only have a few pages of tools, and none of them shows a midget set.

But it's sort of a fool's errand anyway. Your set is definitely from that transitional late 40's era and I agree with Don on the confidence level you should have on it being complete and original minus the crossbar. It sure looks like they dropped the flex spinner, took mainly Circle-H pieces, added some BE pieces, and put them in the clamshell box that in a few years would be the exclusive home of All-MDF =V= midget pieces.

As for your other question, IA/ITCL is only as good as its contributors. That 1939 is the oldest catalog they currently have, and they have the 50's covered. Unlike Plomb, Williams, Bonney and many of the other mfgrs from the vintage era that have thankfully ended up on IA/ITCL free library, or Snap-on on collectingsnapon.com (1925 to 1982, complete, and free, from generous providers!), scans of early Craftsman catalogs were monetized and no other copies have yet shown up in the hands of anyone willing to send them to IA/ITCL.