Snap On Engraver And Durable Socket Set

[Ayrhead]

Hi Everyone. My 2 Latest Finds. I was Curious as to what year the Socket Set came out.

 

[four.cycle]

Rather difficult to ascertain any certain date. Best guess is late 1920s to mid-1930s, but that's without knowing anything about it.
I've never heard of "Durable".
Looks like you've got a New Britain ratchet in there, and what appears to be possibly a Hinsdale ratchet.
It would be nice to see photos of both sides of both ratchets and the sides of the sockets which might show markings/symbols/knurling patterns.

I am curious about the rotary valve grinder in the box in the background.

I don't know anything at all about Snap-on.

 

[Ayrhead]

Here are some more pictures as requested. There are no visible markings on the one ratchet. The other is a husky h1383. The rotary grinder is there as well I took some pictures of it for you. The side of the socket has knurling and an X and then the socket size. Thanks for the prompt response

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Odes (in Newfoundland) posted one a few years ago. Made in Canada if I remember correctly. And Ayrhead is in Canada. (Durable Plating was the name of a company my dad's older brothers started in Cleveland, so I was a little jealous. It would be neat to find one.)

EDIT:

Found it.

New to me socket set

I picked this set up today with some other gray sockets it says durable made in Canada has anybody seen one like this I can't find anything on google about it and it included a mossberg ratchet

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Ayrhead]

I came across a 2nd one but the box has rounded corners and is missing quite a few pieces. I can post some pictures if you want to see it

 

[four.cycle]

The valve grinding tool was made by Albertson & Co., Sioux City, IA and was marketed as the "Sioux"
the first patent date of April 13 1909 applies to patent 918049 (https://www.datamp.org//patents/displayPatent.php?number=918,049&type=) issued to one Robert H. Hazeltine. The second date of May 21, 1912 applies to the reissue of that same patent to Mr. Hazeltine: RE13421 (https://www.datamp.org//patents/displayPatent.php?number=13,421&type=RE)
Interestingly, the first patent was the subject of a lawsuit.
There are no photos of an existing specimen for those patent numbers. No doubt Mr. Schulz would appreciate a good image over at datamp.
I think you might have an early version of one of Albertson's products.

 

[four.cycle]

I've looked at all of your and Ode's photos several times. I have to agree with the other member in the Odes thread - those pieces scream "Duro/Indestro", particularly the ratchet, which is a dead-on match for the Indestro model 655 (or Duro-Chrome model 672). The Hinsdale model H-1 uses a rivet with a solid head. (see http://alloy-artifacts.org/hinsdale-hindsight.html#early-sq)
I'm puzzled, however, in that the lid is clearly marked "Made in Canada".

 

[humber2]

Durable sets are to be found in NewZealand from time to time.

They lack bling and I’ve passed them by.

I guess favourable import licensing tariffs from Canada being a British Commonwealth country led to their importation.

 

[JjKk40]

Hi Everyone. My 2 Latest Finds. I was Curious as to what year the Socket Set came out.

I just ran across that same socket set for sale on FB out around Northern Michigan/Canada area.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm puzzled, however, in that the lid is clearly marked "Made in Canada"

Really only three options. Either Duro-Indestro had a relationship with a Canadian outfit (similar to Bonney and Gray) that we didn't know about, a Canadian outfit was making knockoffs with a rather boldly suggestive name that we didn't know about, or the rocker rat and sockets are more innocent lookalikes of a legit Canadian outfit, in the same way that Indestro and Hinsdale aren't commonly distinguishable by many. I'm going with the latter.

 

[LukeOresk]

I have several durable brand wrenches at are the same pattern as gray wrenches. I think in the earlier years they left socket and ratchet manufacturing to other companies. I have a gray socket set that is just a resold mossberg.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Could it be a Gray sub brand?

 

[Ayrhead]

The valve grinding tool was made by Albertson & Co., Sioux City, IA and was marketed as the "Sioux"
the first patent date of April 13 1909 applies to patent 918049 (https://www.datamp.org//patents/displayPatent.php?number=918,049&type=) issued to one Robert H. Hazeltine. The second date of May 21, 1912 applies to the reissue of that same patent to Mr. Hazeltine: RE13421 (https://www.datamp.org//patents/displayPatent.php?number=13,421&type=RE)
Interestingly, the first patent was the subject of a lawsuit.
There are no photos of an existing specimen for those patent numbers. No doubt Mr. Schulz would appreciate a good image over at datamp.
I think you might have an early version of one of Albertson's products.

I’m sorry but I don’t know a Mr. Schulz or dataamp. I can take some better pictures of it. I just don’t know where you want me to send them to. Thanks for all the information so far on the Durable Socket Set as well. Myself, I thought they resembled the Duro Brand as well but that’s all I know. They do seem to be a very sturdy set

 

[four.cycle]

There doesn't appear to be a dedicated "Albertson" thread or a "Sioux" thread that would be appropriate for that unit, but you could start a new thread and post them there - or post them here. We'll get them to Stan.
Something tells me you have a real oddball there.

I'm intriqued by Private Lugnutz's take on the "Durable" set. I will have to ponder on that one.

 

[Ayrhead]

There doesn't appear to be a dedicated "Albertson" thread or a "Sioux" thread that would be appropriate for that unit, but you could start a new thread and post them there - or post them here. We'll get them to Stan.
Something tells me you have a real oddball there.

I'm intriqued by Private Lugnutz's take on the "Durable" set. I will have to ponder on that one.

There doesn't appear to be a dedicated "Albertson" thread or a "Sioux" thread that would be appropriate for that unit, but you could start a new thread and post them there - or post them here. We'll get them to Stan.
Something tells me you have a real oddball there.

I'm intriqued by Private Lugnutz's take on the "Durable" set. I will have to ponder on that one.

I’ve always liked oddball stuff. But to have one and not even realize that it is an oddball item is the kicker for me... I’ll start a new Albertson thread and post some pictures of it there

 

[LukeOresk]

Could it be a Gray sub brand?

right now gray has dynamic, durable definitely was a sub brand. Dynamic is mostly off shore stuff, durable was a cheaper brand for sure, the finishes of the wrenches are not as nice as the gray brand wrenches.

So I would think they just had the sockets and ratchet supplied to them, or had permission to use the pattern, then used their own box.

 

[65ranchero]

I can date the SO engraver circa 1971
I have one and remember engraving my owners marks on tools

 

[Ayrhead]

I can date the SO engraver circa 1971
I have one and remember engraving my owners marks on tools

Thanks for giving on idea on the year of the engraver. I was thinking possibly the late 50,s early 60’s. I Iiked the look of it so I bought it....

 

[four.cycle]

So I would think they just had the sockets and ratchet supplied to them, or had permission to use the pattern, then used their own box.

Something along the lines of the Frank Mossberg-Syracuse Wrench Co. relationship? Syracuse apparently only made their own ratchets.

 

[LukeOresk]

Something along the lines of the Frank Mossberg-Syracuse Wrench Co. relationship? Syracuse apparently only made their own ratchets.

I think they just rebranded this as a cheap line. The durable socket set I have has no brand markings so i think they could have been made for multiple tool companies or whatever to resell as their own brand.

 

[four.cycle]

can we see some photos? I'd be interested in seeing the sides of the sockets (showing the markings/knurling) as well as "looking down the hole" to see what sort of broaching was done.

 

[LukeOresk]

 

[four.cycle]

I'm goin' with Duro/Indestro. Side-by-side of your "Durable" next to what I believe is a contemporaneous Indestro. Although my sample is a hex drive 6-point, I think there's some family resemblance there.

I did some prowling out in the garage, but wasn't able to find a set of the 1/2" square drive, cad finish sockets (such as your example above.)

 

[d42jeep]

Lots of family resemblance to Indestro, for sure.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

Thanks, Don. I dug around out there for over an hour and could not find a set of those old Indestro square drive sockets. (Did run into a couple Giller and Indestro 3/8" sets I had completely forgotten about, but that's for another day.)
I'm leaning toward something along the line of the Mossberg-Syracuse relationship, even if "Durable" was in fact only manufacturing the box. Maybe it was some deal they cooked up to get their product on the other side of the border.

 

[four.cycle]

Ayrhead:
Also check out Don's post HERE: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...-duro-chrome-tools.94937/page-48#post-9259025 - the photos images offer a better view of the sides of the sockets.

 

[Ayrhead]

Thanks for the link. I had a look at it.

 

[four.cycle]

The more I think about this, the more Occam's Razor tells me Duro/Indestro was the primary source. Just a wild-*** guess, but might there have been some reason involving money to cause them to market that set that way? Taxes? Somebody barred from doing business in Canada? Very intriguing set - wonder if we'll ever know the full story.

 

[Ayrhead]

Hi Everyone: Here are some more pics of the sides and ends of the sockets for comparison... this set started at 5/16 and goes up to 1”...

 

[Ayrhead]

I also have this 2nd set of Durable but the box has rounded corners and it’s not as complete. The sockets are similar but these ones are slightly taller and the font is larger that the other set... the lid is easier to read Made in Canada. I’m not sure which set is older the larger font or smaller font. The larger font ones do not seem to be in as good condition as the smaller font

 

[four.cycle]

^ what's the latch look like on the front of the box with the "rounded" corners?

 

[Ayrhead]

^ what's the latch look like on the front of the box with the "rounded" corners?

There’s 2 one on each side of the front of the box. One is there and the other is missing the locking spring loaded portion of the latch. The square rectangular box has no latches at all

 

[Coupes]

Would like to show the Durable Socket Set I picked up at a garage sake yesterday for 10 dollars
New Zealand which looks complete to me.
All the sockets resemble the sockets above and racket wrench the same and also the valve seating tool.
The sockets all have an X on them and then the size.