The vintage Blackhawk Thread

[autobon7]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1566638281...g07o7A2MfeibSdQ3c7BhM92a8=|tkp:Bk9SR4zesrakZQ

Not mine but thought some of you may be interested.

 

[don long]

Pick up only cuts me out of the deal but I already have one

 

[beatcad]

This has been my last 2 month pet project.
Blackhawk torkflash. I had 2 early ones. 50s? Probably.
The problem with these is the cool bakolite case was fragile and would Crack.
Worse is the "flash" part had a 9vt batt that guys would leave in the tool and in their tool box and 50 years later that batt corroded and ate up the flash tube...

 

[beatcad]

I decided I had to finally fix mine..

 

[beatcad]

I wish I took more pics.
I had to use one bottom and one top case to make a nice set. Not perfect but I'm happy. Wet sanded and buffed. Today I got a 60s? Unit I bought off ebay...the flash dial unit was almost perfect
Now I have a good looking complete piece that will show nicely in my old tool box

 

[thehorse13]

I wish I took more pics.
I had to use one bottom and one top case to make a nice set. Not perfect but I'm happy. Wet sanded and buffed. Today I got a 60s? Unit I bought off ebay...the flash dial unit was almost perfect
Now I have a good looking complete piece that will show nicely in my old tool box

Somewhere buried on this site you can find the AA battery conversion that you can use to power up the flash. I can confirm that it works as I tried it with mine a good while back.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

It's just a triple a battery

 

[thehorse13]

Yep, just a slight mod to make it work in the battery tube is all. I tried it one time just to see the wrench actually work like the advertisement touts. Pretty cool.

 

[neharr41]

Stumbled across this thread and I thought you guys would appreciate this.
This is my great-grandfather's almost-complete 1/2" drive 17-TD set with 1949(?) date codes.
He engraved all pieces with his initials and "C. G. + E" meaning Cincinnati Gas & Electric, which was where he worked as a supervisor back in the day.
From what I was told, when he passed a neighbor was given first dibs on his tool collection but somehow this box was left behind. It also included a 1935 Snap-on ratchet and a few other pieces from that era.
The set has Craftsman/Bonney sockets for the 3/4", 25/32", and 15/16" sizes, maybe you guys have extras of my missing pieces?

 

[Shelbylex]

Beautiful set, Nefarr41!!!

 

[thehorse13]

Stumbled across this thread and I thought you guys would appreciate this.
This is my great-grandfather's almost-complete 1/2" drive 17-TD set with 1949(?) date codes.
He engraved all pieces with his initials and "C. G. + E" meaning Cincinnati Gas & Electric, which was where he worked as a supervisor back in the day.
From what I was told, when he passed a neighbor was given first dibs on his tool collection but somehow this box was left behind. It also included a 1935 Snap-on ratchet and a few other pieces from that era.
The set has Craftsman/Bonney sockets for the 3/4", 25/32", and 15/16" sizes, maybe you guys have extras of my missing pieces?

Here is the complete set listing from the 1948 catalog. You might have the complete set because the 17TD doesn't have the complete series of tools that the larger sets have. Take a look at the chart below and you'll see.

Beautiful set that you don't see often.

 

[neharr41]

Here is the complete set listing from the 1948 catalog. You might have the complete set because the 17TD doesn't have the complete series of tools that the larger sets have. Take a look at the chart below and you'll see.

Beautiful set that you don't see often.

Very cool, thanks for posting that! Previously I had only seen a 1953 catalog which listed the 17T set rather than the 17TD with some differences so that helps clear up what was originally included.

So in that case I have everything except for the 3/4 and 15/16s, along with an added-in 1 1/4.

 

[thehorse13]

Very cool, thanks for posting that! Previously I had only seen a 1953 catalog which listed the 17T set rather than the 17TD with some differences so that helps clear up what was originally included.

So in that case I have everything except for the 3/4 and 15/16s, along with an added-in 1 1/4.

You'll be able to source the two missing sockets with relative ease. I see those sizes on Ebay all the time.

 

[bmwrd0]

Later tonight, I will look in my stash and see if I have extras.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

1949(?) date codes.

EDIT: Yes. No.

One of the cases where owner's marks are not only not frowned on, but actually accentuate the entire set! Love that even more authenticating 'Queen City Supply' marking, too. Just think about the days when the gas and electric company was buying their tools, made in the U.S.A., from a local supply house.

I have a 3-ring 15/16" orphan with all the same Lock-On patents, but it's early, with most of a black enamel coating. If you get desperate, hit me up. But I agree with Sonny that those won't be hard to find.

 

[neharr41]

Later tonight, I will look in my stash and see if I have extras.

That would be greatly appreciated! I'm hoping to find sockets also with the 1949 date code.

Yes.

One of the cases where owner's marks are not only not frowned on, but actually accentuate the entire set! Love that even more authenticating 'Queen City Supply' marking, too. Just think about the days when the gas and electric company was buying their tools, made in the U.S.A., from a local supply house.

I have a 3-ring 15/16" orphan with all the same Lock-On patents, but it's early, with most of a black enamel coating. If you get desperate, hit me up. But I agree with Sonny that those won't be hard to find.

I'll definitely let you know. I see some on eBay now but most seem to have a 2 or 0 date code.

 

[four.cycle]

1925 Blackhawk Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

[four.cycle]

1927 Blackhawk Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

[four.cycle]

1928 Blackhawk Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

[four.cycle]

1931 Blackhawk Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

[four.cycle]

1931 Blackhawk Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I see some on eBay now but most seem to have a 2 or 0 date code.

I think your set may be from 1939, not 1949. Please check your sockets. Is the 1/2-inch square drive opening prominently scalloped? By prominently, I mean, it would look almost round. Seriously. Like below. If so, then that set is from 1939. My impression is that date codes after 1948 are very rare to nonexistent.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Stumbled across this thread and I thought you guys would appreciate this.
This is my great-grandfather's almost-complete 1/2" drive 17-TD set with 1949(?) date codes.
He engraved all pieces with his initials and "C. G. + E" meaning Cincinnati Gas & Electric, which was where he worked as a supervisor back in the day.
From what I was told, when he passed a neighbor was given first dibs on his tool collection but somehow this box was left behind. It also included a 1935 Snap-on ratchet and a few other pieces from that era.
The set has Craftsman/Bonney sockets for the 3/4", 25/32", and 15/16" sizes, maybe you guys have extras of my missing pieces?

Blackhawk loved those skinny boxes for 7/16 and 1/2 drive. I always have several in progress.

 

[thehorse13]

I think your set may be from 1939, not 1949. Please check your sockets. Is the 1/2-inch square drive opening prominently scalloped? By prominently, I mean, it would look almost round. Seriously. Like below. If so, then that set is from 1939. My impression is that date codes after 1948 are very rare to nonexistent.

I believe that Lugz is correct. Also, I should have added a footnote to my post that the 1948 catalog image that I posted wasn't to suggest the year of manufacture of the set, rather, just a visual aid to account for the number of pieces that were still original to the set.

 

[four.cycle]

I think your set may be from 1939, not 1949.

I started at 1877 and worked year by year. I only got to 1936. More to follow.
Maybe even something from 1939.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I started at 1877 and worked year by year. I only got to 1936. More to follow.
Maybe even something from 1939.

?? I don't know what you're referring to. There is a veritable slew of Blackhawk catalogs or Blackhawk pages from general hardware store catalogs, from 1919 through at least 1953, including 1939, on IA/ITCL, with no consequential gaps. This set does not present us any new search or research problem; it's a look-up.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I should have added a footnote to my post that the 1948 catalog image that I posted wasn't to suggest the year of manufacture of the set, rather, just a visual aid to account for the number of pieces that were still original to the set.

No worries, Sonny. If anything I was correcting myself. I had originally confirmed his 1949 question without thinking about it fully.

 

[neharr41]

I think your set may be from 1939, not 1949. Please check your sockets. Is the 1/2-inch square drive opening prominently scalloped? By prominently, I mean, it would look almost round. Seriously. Like below. If so, then that set is from 1939. My impression is that date codes after 1948 are very rare to nonexistent.

It seems like you were correct in your original post as all my sockets have a plain square cut in the drive end.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It seems like you were correct in your original post as all my sockets have a plain square cut in the drive end.

Wow. That's very surprising. As I said, I don't remember having any sockets or seeing any with 1949 date codes..., and Alloy Artifacts has not either.

"Based on the current evidence, the digit in the code represents the manufacturing year, beginning with 1938 for "8", so that the digits {8,9,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7} represent the years 1938-1947."

There're only two possibilities here:

(1) The set was made in 1949 and will play a crucial role in expanding what is generally thought to be the date code range, or...

(2) The set was made in 1939, and Blackhawk ended their practice of scalloping the drive ends much sooner than previously thought, including, again, AA:

"Lock-On sockets made prior to the three-groove style had scalloped indentations in the drive ends, to assist with depressing the lock pin; see for example the Blackhawk 66xx sockets. These indentations continued into the early three-groove sockets, as can be seen in these Blackhawk 401xx sockets, but are not found for 1941 or later."

In short, they were either date coding in 1949, or they stopped scalloped drive openings in 1939.

If this ambiguity seems surprising to you, note that all of this is empirically derived. The apparent date codes are not documented anywhere in Blackhawk literature, and neither is their production practices.

 

[z28lsc]

I received This box in January of 2022 and it just went to a corner and then some stuff got on top of it and after 3 years I was able to open it and see this beauty that I only saw on pictures when I bought it on ebay. Unfortunately it's going back to the corner until I get a bigger place.

 

[d42jeep]

I found these two Blackhawk tools recently. The 13/16” socket rang a bell and I checked my old set and found a Hinsdale placeholder in the 13/16” hole which has now been replaced with the new socket.
I noticed that I was short the correct 1/2” socket if anyone has a spare of this style.
i don’t know anything about the ell handle but would happily trade it for my missing 1/2” socket.
-Don

 

[don long]

I may have your 1/2" socket. I'll look in the morning. If so It's yours

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, Don. Can you use the ell?
-Don

 

[don long]

I have 2 1/2” sockets but they look taller than what. Your pic shows

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, Don. I’ll measure the sockets on either side.
-Don
They are 1-1/2” long.

 

[don long]

Which one do you want? I'll get it in the mail.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, Don. The knurling on the one on the right is a good match to most of the others in the set. Do you have my address?
-Don

 

[don long]

Done!! It's on its way
Happy to help. Yes I have your address

 

[3baygarage]

American Pickers S23 EP13 (7/23/22). Mike buys a Bomb Box.

I missed this episode as I kind of lost track the last couple years!

$95! Youch Mike!

 

[thehorse13]

American Pickers S23 EP13 (7/23/22). Mike buys a Bomb Box.

I missed this episode as I kind of lost track the last couple years!

$95! Youch Mike!

They have bought several Blackhawk boxes over the years. I don't know the specific episode but they also grabbed a Port-o-power roller as well.