Show your "Long C" Craftsman!

[bmwrd0]

Rose Tool had a good catalog library, with Craftsman going back into the 30's with power tools, and a good selection of 40's and 50s mechanics tools editions. They have been archived here with even more additional catalogs listed other than Sears

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I've been following along...some nice finds on here fellas. Ed, I find it interesting that there's at least two versions of that wrench case out there. Smooth interior and crinkled interior. I have one of each as well except that my "smooth inside" version is a much lighter blue on the inside.

OTG.. congrats on finding the 3/8d set in the Costello tray. That one is still eluding me.

Tex...you've gotten some solid advice on your midget set. Lugz summed it up well in that it's a fool's errand to try to pinpoint an exact date on immediate post war Craftsman stuff (which is what your midget set is). They were all high on kicking Hitler's **** and it was pretty much anything goes during that time.

I did do some looking and found a quirk in the post war midget sets that I hadn't noticed before. This clip is from 1949, the last year New Britain tools appeared in a Sears catalog (at least to my knowledge). Notice the Lone Ranger NB 7/16 socket in the drawings along with the round, knurled handle hinge handle, obviously NB. The other sockets as well as the rat are obviously the "new" MDF stuff. I thought the hinge handles might just be crappy drawings of MDF pieces but, looking at the 1950 images, the artist nailed the MDF look then.

Obviously, I'm not saying that every 1949 midget set had a NB 7/16 socket and hinge handle but I think this image does establish two things. One, Sears didn't care if they were mixing sets once they brought MDF on board. They shelled out the NB pieces until they ran out. Two, the artists caught more detail than we sometimes give them credit for. This guy (or gal), had a mixed midget set in front of him and that's what he drew.

Also of note, the "two-ended" socket tray in the clamshell. I think it was Don that posted two clams of this era, each with a different type of socket tray. The other type was a continuous "wall" from end to end. I can't find the wall type in any catalog images. Don't know what to make of that. 2 OEMs or the same OEM with two different hat tricks? Who knows.....

 

[d42jeep]

It’s kind of funny but I have a set that was complete and matched the tools in that listing (except for the socket).

Here are the slightly different clamshells side by side that I posted in the Heritage thread.
-Don

Here is my one long C find from yesterday’s sale.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

My circle u set came in that clam shell. I have been fiddling with some of the old amber handled BE stuff and decided to shrink wrap my cracked handles to preserve them.

 

[Provincial]

Smart idea!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very cool. How tight is the seal on something like that? I've never done it myself.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The longer you heat it the tighter it gets.

 

[bmwrd0]

As long as you don't use SW with mastic, you should be OK.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

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

Where can you get this Craftsman catalog archive?

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Lugz What is ITCL?

 

[Straightgrain]

My apologies if this has already been covered. I took off the plate to clean up my ratchet and found the plate was dual marked "Craftsman" and "None better".

 

[d42jeep]

Where can you get this Craftsman catalog archive?

Check out this thread. Quite the resource.

Looking for Craftsman catalogs on DVD

A number of years ago, someone compiled a complete collection of Craftsman catalogs that were converted to PDF and put on DVD. He sold it here as well as on eBay (see https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289723 ). There was a lot of whining about his price so he packed it in. I...

www.garagejournal.com

-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugz What is ITCL?

International Tool Catalog Library. It's the name for the section of the Internet Archive where you found the 1939 Craftsman Hand Tools catalog.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

As long as you don't use SW with mastic, you should be OK.

Yup that stuff is like glue. This is the stuff you would use to build a battery pack.

 

[Smokeshow69]

My circle u set came in that clam shell. I have been fiddling with some of the old amber handled BE stuff and decided to shrink wrap my cracked handles to preserve them.

Really good Idea OTG!

 

[Gear Wolf]

Hi, Lugz! I hope you have been well!

I am curious. Could you point me toward the source of the "Wishbook" or Christmas Sears catalogs you have found? I've been able to obtain quite a few of the early ones from the 1930s, but the 1940s have eluded me.

What is the IA/ITCL? If they would be willing to pay to ship catalogs, I could probably help them out. I'm ready to pass of of what I have on.

 

[Gear Wolf]

Really good Idea OTG!

You bet! After 80 years, those amber handled tools have lost all of their elastic properties. Whatever you can do to protect them is certainly worth it!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Could you point me toward the source of the "Wishbook" or Christmas Sears catalogs you have found?

I'm pretty sure this was my source...

The Catalogs!

WishbookWeb Catalog Navigation Clicking on any of the graphical catalog panels below will open up a new window containing the selected catalog navigation screen. Please enjoy the new format and if…

www.wishbookweb.com

What is the IA/ITCL? If they would be willing to pay to ship catalogs, I could probably help them out...

Internet Archive International Tool Catalog Library. The most extensive source of free, open source tools catalogs that I know of on the web. I have a link in the Sticky. The proprietor is occasional GJ member Mark Stansbury. Same username.

 

[Cruzan80]

Also this is another resource for the seasonals.

Catalogs & Wishbooks

A collection of US retail Seasonal Catalogs & Christmas Holiday Wishbooks

christmas.musetechnical.com

 

[mgmlvks]

Never ceases to amaze me what is randomly out there to be found. This H-Circle ratchet set was CHEAP - the booth owner said it had been in storage for years, and it needed to be gone - I said OK! I need to research the archives a bit on what should have been in it from the start - but the Craftsman pieces are all H-Circle except noted

• 1/2" Female Ratchet
• 1/2" drive Sockets 7/16" to 1-1/8" and 11/32", 1/2" is BE
• 1/2" drive - 3x extensions, 5" is New Britain NS24
• 1/2" Drive Speeder
• 1/2" Drive Slider marked "Craftsman" without other letters
• Extender Rod not marked

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a partial Circle H 1/2” drive set I found at an estate sale back in 2016. Although several parts were missing including the ratchet and some sockets, I believe that what remained were original to the set.
-Don

 

[mgmlvks]

Cleaned up the box and sockets. Still need to work on the long tools.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

I'm pretty sure this was my source...

The Catalogs!

WishbookWeb Catalog Navigation Clicking on any of the graphical catalog panels below will open up a new window containing the selected catalog navigation screen. Please enjoy the new format and if…

www.wishbookweb.com

Internet Archive International Tool Catalog Library. The most extensive source of free, open source tools catalogs that I know of on the web. I have a link in the Sticky. The proprietor is occasional GJ member Mark Stansbury. Same username.

Lugz Why haven't you ever told us about this sticky? Nah, I'm just messing with you. Thanks! I do need to give it a serious looksy though. :0)

 

[Shelbylex]

With all the scare about border patrol, etc, a little alien followed me home today
Sorry for double post with garagesale thread

 

[saukit]

A few long C pieces picked up over the last week or two, unsure if the hammer qualifies as the C only underlines the R. I probably should have cleaned off the little DOE to see if it has a date code, I'm unsure if this one is 30's or closer to wartime.

 

[Outlawmws]

Quite a few only underlined the R, but the oval also seals the deal. I'm guessing 30's for the hammer. Nice find!

 

[mgmlvks]

A moment of silence please for the suitcase that gave up its handle for the pseudo restore of the Single Latch Vintage Craftsman Socket/Ratchet set above. Handle is too long, but looks great. Suitcase is full of "really bad" bathroom cleaning products as "they" left the rental (not mine/ours).

 

[d42jeep]

Good find. I’ve learned to always check closets at estate sales, looking for old suitcases with appropriate toolbox handles.
Here is a rusty 3/8” drive socket I found last Friday that responded well to cleanup efforts.
-Don

 

[Macduf]

 

[Macduf]

Seems more like medium c

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a BE 3/8” drive ratchet. I’m hoping that it will respond to clean up efforts.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I guess it was the Year of the Craftsman Gasket Cutter for me. Back in May I found and posted one back on page 75, linked here. (Subsequently sent to Rileysan as my end of a trade deal.) I picked up this No. 3641 this morning at the flea. Even has the hex wrench for making adjustments on the sliding head, the center, and the cutter. The flame tempering on the steel is awesome.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I am not sure on the age. Neither the logo (could be 1930's) or the brand markings on the box (those don't strike me as that old...) are very helpful in that regard. The box maker's marking on the inside of the box could be very instructive though! (See Pic 2) The last patent listed (1,833,492) was granted in 1931. It seems unlikely that a box mfgr with that many patents was still using the same design or whatever patent the pending notice refers to in the 1950's.

 

[Old Radar]

I picked up this No. 3461 this morning at the flea. Even has the hex wrench for making adjustments on the sliding head, the center, and the cutter. The flame tempering on the steel is awesome.

Okay, I'm confused. You mention No. 3461 in your post but I think that's just your dyslexia coming into play. What's confusing me is that while 3641 is stamped on your center shaft, the box says No. 3640. The catalog page touts the No. 3640 as having a tapered square shank--which yours has--while the 3641 in the catalog has the "1/2-inch shaft for use in drill presses or electric drills" (which yours does NOT have) and is for cutting holes 2"-8" in diameter vs. the 1"-5-1/2" for the 3640. Understanding that the catalog depictions cannot be relied upon, the descriptions normally can and the 3641 description does not fit what you found in the box--nor, in this case, does it look like the depiction.

Do you have some sort of Frankenstein conglomeration, a mis-stamped shaft or a product that may belong to a different catalog year when Sears did a re-numbering?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Not sure, OR. I'll have to sort it all out at some point.

 

[ed4banger]

Snagged this box full of sockets I didn't want to get this blue crackle nut spinner set box. I don't see many of these old blue crackle boxes. Catalog pic is 1941.

 

[3jakes]

When I saw the box at the yard sale, I thought to myself, "how bad must your life **** that a "powerhouse of usefulness" like this would make it better".
And then, I bought it.
It still works, but sounds like something like a gear is worn. Maybe the bushings that are allegedly easy to replace.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That is an interesting gizmo 3jakes! Ed that is a nice box. I have one that was refinished, as well as a few other blue box sets. I really like the look of the sets from that time period.

 

[ed4banger]

That is an interesting gizmo 3jakes! Ed that is a nice box. I have one that was refinished, as well as a few other blue box sets. I really like the look of the sets from that time period.

Would love to find one of those old 3/4" sets, nice!

 

[wrenchguy]

Craftsman Viscosimeter, Maybe included in a spray painting set.