The vintage Blackhawk Thread

[Old Radar]

Spotted this early 30s 3/8 set box on ebay. For 12$ I couldn't say no

You'd think that back in the day when companies were more attuned to presentation, they would have figured out that since their box's design left customers/owners in doubt as to which side should be uppermost before opening it, they would have spent the money on a durable and recognizable logo on the top of the box instead of embossing the word "Bottom" on the bottom.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Well that would make sense!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I recently got this 69998 3/4 in good condition. with a date code -1 which would be 1951?

Yes 51 would be the likely year for that one

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Hey guys. Just received this 911X ratchet. Such a nice classic beast.

Question, it had this 1/2" lug with it. The 911X on AA shows a T13 plug. My plug appears to have 911 X and the letter "H" on it. Any historical knowledge on this?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's the early fathead 911x. I think they made them out of leftover 911 parts

 

[Gebirgekind]

Nothing fancy but this humble 1/2” L-wrench from my great uncle’s old farm box.

 

[thehorse13]

Nothing fancy but this humble 1/2” L-wrench from my great uncle’s old farm box.

You wouldn't happen to be selling this T5 would you? I need one of these for my merchandiser.

 

[Blackhawkfan]

You wouldn't happen to be selling this T5 would you? I need one of these for my merchandiser.

Yes, me too. The T5 is the only thing I miss in my little blackhawk cabinet.

 

[930dreamer]

Wish I could see the tool brands better! Blackhawk box?

 

[y'sguy]

Wish I could see the tool brands better! Blackhawk box?

I saw that this morning as well and wondered the same thing.

It's not that much of a trip from my house, BUT I certainly don't need it! I'll also add that I don't think it is a Blackhawk, but has similar lines. The handles look different.
Anyone else think it is a Blackhawk?

 

[930dreamer]

I saw that this morning as well and wondered the same thing.

It's not that much of a trip from my house, BUT I certainly don't need it! I'll also add that I don't think it is a Blackhawk, but has similar lines. The handles look different.
Anyone else think it is a Blackhawk?

I asked about the tools, pending pickup now.

 

[y'sguy]

I asked about the tools, pending pickup now.

OK, I just
saved 50 bucks!

 

[930dreamer]

OK, I just
saved 50 bucks!

Not me though. That's a drive .

 

[thefraze_1020]

I picked up this 4731-A "Hexite" DOE a couple weeks ago. After looking at images of similar wrenches here, in catalogs, and on AA, I have yet to find one with markings just like this one. All the wrenches from the transition period in the '50's seem to have "Hexite" in the gap on the shank. Later wrenches from the '70's have the Blackhawk script on the shank.

 

[TexTJ209]

Another score.

1935 60B Wrench Display. Needs a little love but the graphics are pretty fantastic for being almost 90 years old.

 

[Madjik Man]

Where TH are you guys always finding this cool stuff?

 

[thehorse13]

Where TH are you guys always finding this cool stuff?

This one here has an auction tag on it. I suspect that the OP must have stumbled over it at a local auction in his area.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Another score.

1935 60B Wrench Display. Needs a little love but the graphics are pretty fantastic for being almost 90 years old.

That is a score. Congrats

 

[autobon7]

Have this 3/8" Blackhawk Torkflash. What size battery is supposed to go in it? A double a is too big. A triple a fits length wise but is close to half the diameter of the"holder". Any help with this will be much appreciated.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Wrap a triple a in some tape make it fit

 

[thehorse13]

Have this 3/8" Blackhawk Torkflash. What size battery is supposed to go in it? A double a is too big. A triple a fits length wise but is close to half the diameter of the"holder". Any help with this will be much appreciated.

There was a discussion about this though I can't recall if it's buried somewhere in this thread or a separate one. The size is no longer made so a few guys here just took a smaller battery and wrapped it in a few layers to make it fit. It works fine because I was one of those who did this. AAA wrapped a few times and you're in business.

 

[Blackhawkfan]

With my little wall cabinet I purchesed 3 catalogs from 1927. I will keep one so maybe two are for sale. They all are identical, except the rear cover (see last picture). Both have minor defects like oily areas, some light rips, little kinks or dirt and some pencil markings. The right has had some repairs but nothing wild. I am open to offers as long as you don´t mind waiting a little for shipping.
I could also include a digital copy of the extra price list that came with it.

 

[mritchie77]

With my little wall cabinet I purchesed 3 catalogs from 1927. I will keep one so maybe two are for sale. They all are identical, except the rear cover (see last picture). Both have minor defects like oily areas, some light rips, little kinks or dirt and some pencil markings. The right has had some repairs but nothing wild. I am open to offers as long as you don´t mind waiting a little for shipping.
I could also include a digital copy of the extra price list that came with it.

Blackhawk, these catalogs are not on the ITCL right now. I'll buy one off of you so that I can scan it and get it uploaded. Please PM me if your interested.

 

[Blackhawkfan]

I can scan my example also, but might not have the time yet. Its 44 pages without cover and such nice informations as to the pictured rest a foot pedal and blackhawk water pumps.
Pages itself are good in condition and some with great colors.
The first two reasonable offers will buy them, just pm me. But I really don't know what to charge...

 

[Blackhawkfan]

But I know what I need for my collections: an T5 handle and an early T4 with hexagonal head...

 

[thehorse13]

But I know what I need for my collections: an T5 handle and an early T4 with hexagonal head...

Welcome to the party. lol

A few of us are out scrounging for T5 handles along with a bunch of other stuff for the merchandiser cabinets. It's gotten a lot harder to turn up the early stuff since the COVID era.

 

[mritchie77]

I can scan my example also, but might not have the time yet. Its 44 pages without cover and such nice informations as to the pictured rest a foot pedal and blackhawk water pumps.
Pages itself are good in condition and some with great colors.
The first two reasonable offers will buy them, just pm me. But I really don't know what to charge...

PM'd

 

[four.cycle]

^ thanks mritchie77 !
I currently have over a dozen other catalogs on my "watch list".

 

[mritchie77]

^ thanks mritchie77 !
I currently have over a dozen other catalogs on my "watch list".

We should thank @Blackhawkfan! After looking at the going rate for some of these older Blackhawk catalogs I determined that I couldn't afford to pay the going rate and didn't want to low-ball him. However, he has agreed to scan the catalog himself so it's a win-win for everyone.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Mark and I try to stay under $20 bucks on any catalog. Now and then I'll make an exception. Most I ever paid was $50 bucks for the 1935 Indestro catalog, but that was because twertsy had to buy it for me because I was out of town that day and not able to place a bid on it.
Not many ebay sellers seem to be aware there's this thing with the United States Postal Service called "MEDIA RATE", which means you can send printed material dirt cheap.

 

[mritchie77]

^ Mark and I try to stay under $20 bucks on any catalog. Now and then I'll make an exception. Most I ever paid was $50 bucks for the 1935 Indestro catalog, but that was because twertsy had to buy it for me because I was out of town that day and not able to place a bid on it.
Not many ebay sellers seem to be aware there's this thing with the United States Postal Service called "MEDIA RATE", which means you can send printed material dirt cheap.

I stick to about $25 now but have been lucky a couple of times. Some of these catalogs are going for insane amounts. There have been a couple I really wanted to get scanned but they ended up selling for $70+.

Like this:

 

[Old Radar]

Have this 3/8" Blackhawk Torkflash. What size battery is supposed to go in it? A double a is too big. A triple a fits length wise but is close to half the diameter of the"holder". Any help with this will be much appreciated.

There was a discussion about this though I can't recall if it's buried somewhere in this thread or a separate one. The size is no longer made so a few guys here just took a smaller battery and wrapped it in a few layers to make it fit. It works fine because I was one of those who did this. AAA wrapped a few times and you're in business.

The discussion and solution was up-thread here -- with thanks to @CRTDI.

 

[Blackhawkfan]

Haha, yes I also made that experience. Most catalogs I hope to get for $30 max. But prices increased a lot. In selling, I try to be fair for both. But time speaks against us, as most cool stuff ends in private collections - uups thats me.

 

[four.cycle]

@Blackhawkfan - You need to understand that Mark Stansbury and I are of the same persuasion: We are very deliberately making our best efforts to DE-monetize the used catalog market by getting everything uploaded and posted at International Tool Catalog Library, where anybody with an internet connection can download them for free.
We work with limited budgets out of our own pockets.
Recouping the investment will pose challenges, because why would somebody want to PAY for the old stinky dog-eared hard copy when they can download it in *.pdf format for free?
(Of course, alternatively, one can argue there's nothing quite like the smell of musty old catalog pages that came out of old parts stores.)

YMMV

My hope is to be able to provide ALL of the material I have amassed in one neat little package, but I don't know if they make "flash drive" units big enough to hold it all. Currently size of my "tools" folder is just over 84GB (which includes a boatload of *.pdf files.)

edit:
Just got off the phone with Green PC - 128GB flash drive $22, 256GB flash drive $35 - so apparently what I want to do IS possible.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

@Blackhawkfan - You need to understand that Mark Stansbury and I are of the same persuasion: We are very deliberately making our best efforts to DE-monetize the used catalog market by getting everything uploaded and posted at International Tool Catalog Library, where anybody with an internet connection can download them for free.
We work with limited budgets out of our own pockets.
Recouping the investment will pose challenges, because why would somebody want to PAY for the old stinky dog-eared hard copy when they can download it in *.pdf format for free?
(Of course, alternatively, one can argue there's nothing quite like the smell of musty old catalog pages that came out of old parts stores.)

YMMV

My hope is to be able to provide ALL of the material I have amassed in one neat little package, but I don't know if they make "flash drive" units big enough to hold it all. Currently size of my "tools" folder is just over 84GB (which includes a boatload of *.pdf files.)

edit:
Just got off the phone with Green PC - 128GB flash drive $22, 256GB flash drive $35 - so apparently what I want to do IS possible.

4cycle,
Wow...I did not know that website existed so thanks for the hyperlink! And that plus the upload work y'all are doing is very valuable to me...send me your PayPal or VENMO info and I'll send ya some cash to help offset your costs. I ain't paying what they want on Ebayz for these catalogs, I never find them in old bookstores, the library has nilch so you just led me to an invaluable resource asset.

 

[four.cycle]

^ donations should be sent to archive.org, not me. they do need money to keep their servers up. click that little red "heart" thingie up at the top on their main page.

I'm just a volunteer, like all the rest of us. The catalogs and manuals are all donated to the site.

most recent uploads at International Tool Catalog Library

 

[TexTJ209]

A proper photo of my 60B display now that is has arrived. Should pair nicely with my other 1930s lock on display. Still haven't found one of those cool yellow cabinets several of y'all have though.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

A proper photo of my 60B display now that is has arrived. Should pair nicely with my other 1930s lock on display. Still haven't found one of those cool yellow cabinets several of y'all have though.

That is so cool to have. Can you start filling it?

 

[TexTJ209]

That is so cool to have. Can you start filling it?

I've got a couple from this era lol, long way to go!

 

[Ricky Joe]

I've got a couple from this era lol, long way to go!

I’ve got a few if you are interested.