The vintage Blackhawk Thread

[Tellingthem]

Famous last words. Dude, you're doomed.

Seriously, I'm twitching just looking at the pictures. There is no way I could have that and not get obsessed with it.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

picked up the 1/2" freewheeler yesterday. anyone know how old it is?

 

[CRTDI]

That's a nice little freewheeler. It looks like it might clean up well.

With the "circular groove" style handle, this will date to 1947 or later. You should see a dash number on the handle. For example, -7 would be 1947, -01 would be 1951.

Other design styles can be seen here:

http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=16184.0

 

[drivesitfar]

All: i really like how solid this little top box is. i was going to completely take it down to bare steel and repaint it until i found most of the Blackhawk label inside the top cover. now i'm not sure what i'm going to do. anybody know if this red is original color and were the drawer handles painted red too?

 

[beatcad]

last week i got this blackhawk box. a few pages back i said i'd find one one day.
late 30s to 40s. i'm gonna guess war years 'cause the blue paint doesnt appear orig. on the back sides and inside the drawers is a military lookin' green paint
i'm having a hard time deciding what to do w/ it


i also got some other cool old blackhawk tools from a couple fellow GJ members last weekend. no pix yet, but soon

 

[CRTDI]

Beatcad,

This box is a nice refurb candidate. Hmm...thought I've seen this one before, b100's old box?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231893&page=2

 

[beatcad]

Beatcad,

This box is a nice refurb candidate. Hmm...thought I've seen this one before, b100's old box?

oh, yeah. this box will get a full resto. i just need to think on it a bit before i jump into it. it'll be tough to do it right.
the handle on the right is easy to remove, but the handle on the left has nuts that will not be easy to get to. to get to them i have 2 choices.
1) custom make/modify a wrench to access 'em
2) neatly & discreetly cut an access hole to reach 'em. i know i can do this in a spot that NO ONE will ever see.
we'll see.

and yes, thats the guy i bought it from. i shoulve known or asked if he was a GJ memeber

 

[beatcad]

i've seen pix of the blackhawk torkflash but never seen one in person....
until 2 weeks ago when twertsy gave me one that he got in pile of other stuff.
thanks again man


well, a few parts were broken or missing.
so, what does the average GJ member do? look for another for parts
i found on on egay for cheap($15). it has some of the parts i needed, but not all.
it arrived today.


i guess i'll be on the lookout for another just to have one complete working torkflash

 

[CRTDI]

These torkflash wrenches seem to always create a vicious cycle of acquiring another for parts. Either the pointer is mangled or busted or the measurement dial and lens assemblies get ruined due to an old leaky battery.

Then there's the not so rugged bakelite case.... Still a cool piece though..

 

[CRTDI]

Mostly early 1940's Blackhawk 3/4" drive set. Still looking for an original box.

 

[3baygarage]

CRTDI -That set is a beauty. Too much tool **** right there. I hope you find a nice Blackhawk box for them.

 

[3baygarage]

I'd like to add this 9507 speeder that I picked up from a member here. I've been collecting these and this one is unique from the other brands in that it's built more like a "ball in socket" type of flex joint. When pushing on the joint there is a ball or button below and it has a lot of spring action almost like some swivel impacts.

[URL=http://s102.photobucket.com/user/nno16r/media/DSC05674_zps8307a913.jpg.html] [/URL]

[URL=http://s102.photobucket.com/user/nno16r/media/DSC05675_zps076ed5ba.jpg.html] [/URL]

[URL=http://s102.photobucket.com/user/nno16r/media/DSC05680_zpsadbb2932.jpg.html] [/URL]

[URL=http://s102.photobucket.com/user/nno16r/media/DSC05682_zps6239be7a.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[drivesitfar]

CRTDI: wow that is a nice looking set. i bet that they didn't look that nice when you bought them. if you shined them up please tell us your secret if you would?

 

[CRTDI]

Really no big secret. I'll normally soak sockets and handles in WD-40 then use a couple of small brushes to get into the nooks and crannies. Afterwards, a light coating of oil. Ratchet mechanisms will normally get disassembled and cleaned in a similar manner except they will get an application of Superlube.

All by hand and just take my time. I find it relaxing with some music and a good brew.

Yes, I'm more of a tool polisher rather than an end user these days.....

 

[CRTDI]

3bay,

Hmm...never thought about having a speeder collection... This one sure looks tough, I'm digging it...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Mostly early 1940's Blackhawk 3/4" drive set. Still looking for an original box.

Hi CRTDI. Long time no see. What is the number of the 3/4-drive set? Did it come in an attache style case like this one?

Or different?

 

[CRTDI]

Lugnutz,

I believe your set to be earlier by 10 to 15 or so years. This era of 3/4" sets were available in a couple of different configurations, but used the same "CA" designated box. This same box was also used for some 1/2" drive sets as well.

This catalog page is from 1941. My set is mostly made up of pieces from 1942 which came with a bit more modernized style of ratchet.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Definitely older. Wasn't thinking. Heavy wall sockets were broached differently, too. I'll keep an out for those boxes.

 

[3baygarage]

3bay,

Hmm...never thought about having a speeder collection... This one sure looks tough, I'm digging it...

Cool. Any way to pin down the age. I'm thinking it is 30's based on the lock button and AA but they show no knurled handle speeders at all. Any catalog pics out there?

 

[CRTDI]

Here ya go. This is from a 1934 catalog.

Only difference I see is that yours appears to be cadmium plated instead of chrome. My next catalog is 1941 and the speeder doesn't show up there.

Within this same 1934 catalog, socket sets were available in both cad and chrome. The catalog doesn't support this, but perhaps there was an available plating choice for speeders and other items as well, or your speeder is just earlier or later than 1934....

 

[3baygarage]

Awesome! Thanks so much. That gives a real nice description of how the tool works too.
I think it actually is chrome, just dirty and has lots of wear, that's all.

 

[youngnstudly]

Not mine, and not super old, but still cool. My Dad bought this BH power post new around 1990 but collected a bunch of matching BH clamps before and after getting the Power Post. It worked well after my car was hit several years back even though he used to use it on cars and truck much bigger than my VW.

You think the power post is under worked in this pic, just imagine how ridiculous my car looks on the BH 12-ton jack stands! I have to use a 6" wooden block on the floor jack just to get the car up high enough to clear the stands.

Andy

 

[pauls_workshop]

Hey guys, I don't have tons of Blackhawk, esp the real old stuff, but I have some wrenches, some sockets, and a mini 1/4 ratchet. I learned about Blackhawk first by learning about New Britain. I need some help! Can anyone explain the New Britain connection to Blackhawk? I know they owned them - that isn't what I mean. What product designs did New Britain influence upon Blackhawk? Sockets, wrenches, ratchets? And when? Or was it the other way around on some products? If so which ones and when? And then part II: The Proto connection to Blackhawk. I also have a modern but still US set of Blackhawk impact sockets. I'm pretty sure these are very Proto like but don't know much about them. And a modern but US 3/8 socket set too. Blackhawk today is all foreign right? When did that change? And were the modern designs all Proto influenced? Or still Blackhawk influenced designs? thanks! - Paul

 

[don long]

I know Black Hawk
I went to a trade show in 1995 and fell in love with a new work bench module that Black hawk had flown in from Germany for the show.
Knowing the head kahuna His name was Jeff I asked him what he planned to do with the display? He said "I guess we will be shipping it back to Wisconsin and putting it in storage why?" I told him of a plan that I had, to put a bodyshop sales office into a strip mall and the bench system would make the office more like a high class bodyshop and I would pull damaged cars into it and lift them up to write the estimates. He agreed to send them to So.Cal to me as a gift for my partisipation in the education arm of the industry.

Well I ended up selling my shops to a larger company that didn't take an intrest in the bench system so they ended up in my garage



And when I moved they came with me to my new garage and work very well

 

[drivesitfar]

DL: i like to maximize my space probably so i can be my own hardware store and not have to leave the house again to buy a bolt or part. that said i could easily shift gears and would enjoy owning something like that you just posted pictures of.

very nice and looks like you have a few collectables in the glass front cabinets too.

 

[don long]

I also have a cool floorjack from blackhawk

 

[beatcad]

Hey guys, I don't have tons of Blackhawk, esp the real old stuff, but I have some wrenches, some sockets, and a mini 1/4 ratchet. I learned about Blackhawk first by learning about New Britain. I need some help! Can anyone explain the New Britain connection to Blackhawk? I know they owned them - that isn't what I mean. What product designs did New Britain influence upon Blackhawk? Sockets, wrenches, ratchets? And when? Or was it the other way around on some products? If so which ones and when? And then part II: The Proto connection to Blackhawk. I also have a modern but still US set of Blackhawk impact sockets. I'm pretty sure these are very Proto like but don't know much about them. And a modern but US 3/8 socket set too. Blackhawk today is all foreign right? When did that change? And were the modern designs all Proto influenced? Or still Blackhawk influenced designs? thanks! - Paul

i cant say for sure, but others here could.
blackhawk tools from the 20s to the 50s were the toughest and sexiest tools out there.
early 50s they were made by new brittan and in mid 80s they were bought out by stanley.
still owned by stanley.
stanley has owned BLACKHAWK, MAC, PROTO for 20 or so years

 

[don long]

DL:

very nice and looks like you have a few collectables in the glass front cabinets too.

drivesitfar
Those are my everyday snap-on tools each chest holds different types of tools
One is all metric wrenches and one is all standard wrenches one is body work tools and one is all air powered tools etc.

Thanks
Don

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: i thought i saw a few axes in one cabinet, but i could have been overwhelmed by those cool cabinets and benches. again thanks for sharing.

 

[pauls_workshop]

i cant say for sure, but others here could.
blackhawk tools from the 20s to the 50s were the toughest and sexiest tools out there.
early 50s they were made by new brittan and in mid 80s they were bought out by stanley.
still owned by stanley.
stanley has owned BLACKHAWK, MAC, PROTO for 20 or so years

Thanks! That helps a bit. So my more modern ones will be post 80's era and seem much like Proto, My older Blackhawk will be post 50's New Britain era, While not as ****, those more modern Blackhawk are still fine tools! Just hope to learn more about the post 50's era! - Paul

 

[beatcad]

Does anyone know when Blackhawk hand tools were merged into New Britain?

when you orig asked i posted a link to wiki that said it was the early 50s.

today i was searching for something else and read that new britain aquired blackhawk hand tools in 1955.

 

[beatcad]

not super vintage, but i got a few pieces today to round out my 1/2" drive set.


many pages back i was asked to show my ratchets.
not super vintage either. only my 3/8 ratchets
but in order from the front newest to oldest.
the newest is approx 1997 i know 'cause i bought that one new right around the time i got married.

 

[ganymede]

Anyone got any late 70's or 80's catalogs ?
Trying to find out how old my 1/4" flex rat is and I figured maybe the part number would give me an idea since the aesthetics of the ratchets stayed the same for so long.
I saw a 70 or 74 cat and the part number was different so I'm guessing it's after that.
Mine is gw 9995

 

[Ford Farmer]

Hey All,

New to the forum and CRTDI suggested I put this here....a Blackhawk 1/2" speeder I picked up for $2 at an estate sale.

 

[drivesitfar]

FF: it's a great find and a great price, but now you'll have to find the missing parts to the rest of the set. good luck in your search because they are great tools.

 

[don long]

Ya got ta love the GJ
after surfing the many threads on here I had run across this thread a few weeks ago and made myself familiar with some of the old blackhawk tools
Well last week I had the privilege of walking through a large garage museum
with several gas stations assembled inside he also had a few old blackhawk tool sets including the nugget torpedo tool and porto power sets.
I would have walked right by if not for this thread.

When I got home the search was on and as of tonight I have coming to me
both torpedo nugget and porto power tool boxes.
after finding a nugget torpedo I started rounding up the sockets that were 7/16 drive and thanks to this thread and the posts of the advertising I was able to identify a few sockets for my box.
after purchasing a few sockets I hit the motherload. A complete set of nugget tools
I can't wait to get my hands on these tools

 

[CRTDI]

Nice finds... The Porto set is really sweet...

 

[ShadowRuleZ]

Awesome.

 

[Lunick]

The other day I found a blackhawk floor jack the number on it was S14-133. Was wondering if you could tell me about how old it is or anything about it. it is a 3 ton. I would appreciate anything. LuAnn

 

[vintage nut]

Our one piece of blackhawk. My dad's shop press. Unfortunately it came with a chinese 6 ton bottle jack instead of the 12 ton blackhawk unit. Gonna replace it soon.

The gray thing in it is a plate brake my dad built for a project we're actually doing tonight. Gonna need my purox to give it some help

you can never have too many tools