Show your vintage hex key sets

[d42jeep]

I went through some of my vintage hex key sets today looking for a brand that had recently been discussed. After taking some pictures of the sets, I was surprised to find that there was no thread specifically about them. I posted some a while back in RTM’s thread about Rolls, Roll ups and Pouches but that didn’t include sets in metal boxes. Here are some of my hex key sets and feel free to post up yours.
Unbrako sets.
Allen wrench sets.
Holo-Chrome sets
Parker-Kalon set.
K-D sets
more to follow…..
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

A General set.
Some Craftsman sets.
An Upland Forge set.
Powr-Kraft.
Bristol.

Xcelite.
I know I have some more which I have stashed in various locations.
-Don

 

[RoninB4]

-Nice collection of sets. I strongly suspect that not all were made by the brand itself. A simple change of stamp in the die creates many different brand names, it's called "House Branding" and is fairly common with a lot of manufactured goods. The "Cold Forged" text for the Parker-Kalon set made me chuckle. Thanks for posting the photos, haven't seen many of the sets in decades.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks. I was surprised that there wasn’t already a hex key thread. Here are a couple of Snap-on sets and a D-I set sent to me by four_cycle.
Early Snap-on
Later Snap-on.
Duro-Indestro set.

Indestro set.
-Don

 

[Beerhippie]

Wow! I can't believe all of those are complete!

The only reason I have any complete hex key sets is that I hide them from my coworkers.

 

[RoninB4]

Thanks. I was surprised that there wasn’t already a hex key thread.

-There are actually at least 3-4 different threads on hex keys discussing various brands in detail if you use the search function.

 

[d42jeep]

I used the search thoroughly in the vintage forum but didn’t want to put multiple brands in a specific brand’s thread.
-Don

 

[senlow]

Here are my Allen forged T-handle sets. The set in the front is SAE from 3/32" to 5/8" and the set in the back is metric from 2.5mm to 10mm.

 

[KnurledNut]

Here are my Allen forged T-handle sets. The set in the front is SAE from 3/32" to 5/8" and the set in the back is metric from 2.5mm to 10mm.

I have a few of those. That was such a good design to have a set screw retaining the blade allowing for easy replacement. I have used the 1/4" with a quick change bit holding extension. They can be on the heavy side. Nice sets you have there.

 

[four.cycle]

Allen 603 hex key set

I have a couple of those snazzy "Holo-Krome" boxes out in the living room, but neither of them have any contents.

Previous to my purchasing a "Tekton" set in that fancy plastic case, all of my hex keys were in a quart-sized zip-lock. I finally got tired of spending 20 minutes every time trying to find the right size and broke down and bought a set.
I found these here somewhere a couple weeks ago. I think they came in a box of stuff. They are already in the "Don" box - thought there might be a possibility this was a plastic-pouched set of tools he didn't already own:


Upland Forge 1960 (?) 7 pc hex key set

Was I right?

PIcked up a little incomplete cheapie Taiwan made set yesterday up in Sequim. I actually got it for the little clamshell - figured I should put a set of these in the "road kit" box.

How do you get sharpie marker off of a plastic box? Acetone?

 

[four.cycle]

Holo-Krome 17-pc SAE hex key set in an ingeniously designed steel box

 

[RTM]

How do you get sharpie marker off of a plastic box?

Isopropyl alcohol will do it too.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Tried that. It removed the purple marks, but not the black ones.

 

[d42jeep]

I use brake cleaner but it sometimes melts plastic. Works well on metal though.
-Don

 

[Beerhippie]

How do you get sharpie marker off of a plastic box? Acetone?

Ethanol. Everclear or the equivalent should do it. Sometimes it benefits from a good soak. Sometimes, the dye is so deep in the plastic nothing will do it.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Here are a couple Hex key sets that haven't been posted yet. The first is from Upland Industries Inc in Upland Pennsylvanian. Probably associated with upland forge. I believe the name was changed in 1967 to Upland Corp so at least that old. The second set is a Mac-It set from a fastener company in Lancaster PA. This key set may be the only tools they made. They are still in business, and you can get basically the same set but in a plastic roll. A couple pics of each. Ed.

 

[cowades206]

Can't be sure how vintage, but here is a not un-interesting set. Made in western Germany, so that sort of makes it vintage. This set ranges from 1.5mm to 19mm. The few sizes that come close to "Amerikanische" are dual labeled like the 19mm I've shown. Rarely use them, but they look really cool in my tool box.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Powr-Kraft set I was happy to find at an estate sale today. They needed a little cleanup.
Before.
After.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some Craftsman sets I’ve gathered.
-Don

 

[INSP380]

Got this set from my Grandfather in 1977…. Still in my working box and like the day I got it..

Steve

 

[bonneyman]

Nice stuff, guys!

I really like those forged metal handled ones. I've managed to find 3 of them, and they were in the three common sizes that I used for work.

 

[RTM]

This one might be on the edge of vintage. It appears in the 1974 and 1989 Eklind catalogs. Might be earlier, because most of the other tools in the garage were vintage as well. This is a massive M15 metric 5 key folder set, with 4-10, skipping 7& 9. Little bit if rust on the up side, but otherwise just grimy.

 

[d42jeep]

Although it isn’t a hex key set, it is certainly related. An assortment of hex set screws, bolts and related items.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I spotted these in a Proto drawer today.
-Don

 

[RTM]

Here is a box I discovered in a toolbox drawer at work. Not sure how long it's been here, but this group had some tools before I joined.
Unbrako
Hex Key Kit
No 53
15 hex Keys
Metric Sizes:
0.7mm thru 17mm

 

[four.cycle]

^ that looks like exactly the same box as the one my "Holo-Krome" set is in. There is a portion of it that folds up for the smaller sizes, right?

 

[RTM]

^ that looks like exactly the same box as the one my "Holo-Krome" set is in. There is a portion of it that folds up for the smaller sizes, right?

Yup, exactly like that.

 

[four.cycle]

So.... Unbrako and Holo-Krome were buying their boxes from the same outfit then... or so it would appear.
It is a very cool box. I didn't realize at first that thing was hinged until I dove into it to clean out the grease.

 

[d42jeep]

bmwrd0 gave me this Dunlap set which was a huge improvement over the one in the Dunlap box.
I added a replacement hex key for the one that was missing and took some comparison pictures with my cracked one.
-Don

 

[1whocares]

I have 2 local online auctions that end weekly and they tend to have old tools turn up quite often, they start out pretty low, I got 2 lots and brought them home, and these 2 hex sets were in the bottom of 1 of the boxes with the other tools, I have at least 10 other sets but none like these, I like to buy these lots clean them up, it is like a treasure hunt for me, I must not be alone?

 

[d42jeep]

You are not alone.
-Don

 

[Ultradog MN]

A thread about lowly hex wrenches...
Nice
Grok says Eklind moved to Franklin Park in 1996 so at most 30 years old. They are still selling these sets but
I doubt with a metal base. More likely plastic nowdays.
I got these in a box of other junk for $2 at an auction. It was missing one wrench but I was able to buy just that one on Amazon.
I used these a LOT this winter doing a refurb on my old metal lathe. These are not ball end but I have other Eklinds that are.

 

[d42jeep]

This Crown set was really oily and incomplete when I found it at a recent estate sale. I cleaned it up and added the missing Craftsman -v- marked hex keys.
-Don

 

[INSP380]

Picked up a set of these recently and they came with almost another full set… missing two out of it… here is the full set. Eklind T-Handles…

Steve

 

[Ultradog MN]

Picked up a set of these recently and they came with almost another full set… missing two out of it… here is the full set. Eklind T-Handles…

Steve

Scroll up thread for my Eklinds. Your base looks rather pristine. Nice.

 

[INSP380]

I have a newer plastic base for the T-Handles like yours I modified 20 years ago. I cut off the mounting ears and use it to hold my 90 degree hex wrenches… pic to follow later. My second incomplete set has a base thats just a bit worse for wear… Now to wait it out till I find those pieces… lol.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I have a newer plastic base for the T-Handles like yours I modified 20 years ago. I cut off the mounting ears and use it to hold my 90 degree hex wrenches… pic to follow later. My second incomplete set has a base thats just a bit worse for wear… Now to wait it out till I find those pieces… lol.

If you want to hurry up the find, amazon has them individually. If you want them to match cut the rubber off the handle.
I bought a single 3/16 this winter to keep on my lathe rack - for the clamping screws on tool blocks .

 

[lilredex]

A couple more of those Allen boxed sets.

 

[INSP380]

Heres a newer Eklind made for T’s but loaded with my hex wrenches inside my chest…

Heres the second partial Eklind and another base but in Blue.. much worse condition. I may paint that one and try to save the decal…

 

[d42jeep]

I needed a small hex key to tighten the knob on my deadbolt and ended up using the one in this Craftsman set.
While I was in the drawer I pulled out some Eklind sets for a picture.
A Snap-on promotional set I’ve had for years.
-Don