Stanley Handyman tool line.

[woody 73]

Sometime in the very late 40's up till the very early 70's, (possible 1950-1970??), Stanley produced the Handyman line of tools; much like the Defiance line of tools (see my other post) were to be used by the Farmers, the Handyman line were for the average man just needing to make a few home repairs; etc. DIYer

The handyman line of tools were for the budget minded that did not need to be used 24/7 , not like the building trades at the time that needed the heavy duty tools. please note for the antique people that like to sell them at full retail these were the lower line of tools not the other way around.

Stanley gets a bad rap for going the chinese route, but even 50 years ago they made tools as cheap as they could to sell to the general population; along with these lines they also had a better quality line for the general contractor.

A few links to look over, (as I find a few more links I will add them from time to time).

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/51203

http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears Tools/Stanley Axes.html

http://eaiainfo.org/2014/11/02/stanley-handyman-h104-ready-edge-smoothing-plane/

 

[woody 73]

One more set of pictures:

 

[pendragon1998]

Neat. I knew about Handyman planes but I didn't know how extensive the line was.

 

[lbgradwell]

Sometime in the very late 40's up till the very early 70's, (possible 1950-1970??), Stanley produced the Handyman line of tools; much like the Defiance line of tools (see my other post) were to be used by the Farmers, the Handyman line were for the average man just needing to make a few home repairs; etc. DIYer

"Handyman" was a name that came with the acquisition of North Bros. in 1946 along with the "Yankee" brand. For a number of years after that acquisition, the North Bros. name was retained on advertisements with copy that read "Yankee Tools now part of Stanley - The Toolbox of the World", but by 1953 the North Bros. name had disappeared.

Stanley had their own line of DIY tools well prior to the North Bros. acquisition; the Stanley "Four-Square" line dated back to 1924 at least.

Stanley used the Handyman name at least until 1979...

 

[woody 73]

Good job on the date range, I had a devil of a time trying to find information on the web, I found a 1950's ad for Handyman tools, but nothing from the 1940's; and only what I found talked about ending in the early 1970's so thanks for the timeline.

 

[4xdog]

I've got a Handyman Yankee drill found at an estate sale twenty years ago and used regularly. Plastic handle and cap, but pretty high quality plastics. I wish it were the all-metal Stanley version, but I'm happy with it nonetheless.

I'll bet I could find a few other items, too. A blue-painted wooden-handled screwdriver, like those you show, Woody. ISTR a hacksaw, coping saw, or crosscut saw, too.

 

[lbgradwell]

1936 ad showing "Handyman" in use by North Bros.:

1979:

 

[Dave455]

In the U.K. Stanley continued producing their "Handyman" line well into the 1980's!

It shows how far Stanley have declined, when the prospect of a Stanley tool, made to an even lower price, is now quite a mind boggling concept!

 

[Cope]

Several years ago I bought a Handyman metal miter box on eBay for $19.00. it was used, but in good condition and came in the box. I wish I had kept the box, but I bought it to use.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

I know I have a few.. I'll keep my eyes peeled over the next few days and snap picts / posts as I recall/find them...

 

[damon18]

Stanley Handyman 891 woodworking tool set.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/shops/item/3136386526397714

Sent from my SM-G973U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Handyman half hatchet I found last year.
-Don

 

[11b30b4]

Fairly certain this was my uncle’s Stanley Handyman H1250 Brace.







I have two auger bits with it. One is a Milwaukee Tool 9/16, Japan, 48-13-5560



The other is marked with 10.

 

[TailGunner3000]

That brace is a perfect example of my experiences with Handyman tools. Some, like that tool, are of nearly the same quality as mainstream Stanley tools. Others are cheap imitations, replacing things like solid metal with pressed steel, or brass knobs with plastic.

I believe Stanley determined it was more cost effective to rebrand certain tools (after perhaps making minor modifications to lower cost or to differentiate them from other lines) and take less profit in order to offer a full line of tools to buyers who would not likely purchase regular Stanley.

 

[bonneyman]

I think that logo and script is on some tools that I have, one is a spiral screwdriver. I'll have to dig around and see what others I can find.

 

[JR 42]

So I saw this thread pop up a few days ago and went looking for my trusty household hammer- which turned out to be a Jobmaster.

I saw the spiral screwdriver thread and went looking for my British-zone post WWII German one, and found a Yankee Handyman instead (I don't remember buying it, but it looks like something I'd pick up on the cheap, and it's in great shape).

Gave up entirely, then remembered today I have a Handyman eggbeater drill, so I capitulated and took a crummy photo.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a square I found in 2016 and some Handyman eggbeaters
-Don

 

[4xdog]

This Stanley Handyman line level has been around our family forever -- longer than I can recall, which likely puts it prior to early 1960s.

Interesting that the box reads Handyman and model number 1287. The line level itself reads Sands-Stevens and Model 555. I dunno why... Maybe levels got switched over the years? That would be my guess.