Vintage Proto

[Ryan]

I might be crazy, but it always amazes me how much better my vintage Proto ratchets and other hand tools feel over my brand new Craftsman, Mac, and sometimes even Snap-on t...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.

 

[toolmaker1]

" Remains accurate permanently " wonder how they figure that?

 

[wornoutoldman]

No surprise!

 

[Squankum]

That feller's either a little too happy with his job at the factory, torquing things with a blindfold, ear muffs, and boxing glove on, or it's one of those ***** "eyes wide shut" parties, and he's in for a surprise.

 

[Machobuck]

what a great logo and name aswell

 

[vssjim]

Hell after reading the ad I'll order one sounds great. Proto does state their torque wrenches are to stay in calibration for 10,000 cycles.

 

[bobcatdan]

Not just Proto, but I think older tools all around are better. Am I the only one to notice to sharp drop in craftsman tools in the last 15 years. I'm not talking the china ****, but the still made in USA raised panel is rougher and poorer finished then before. I will say the same about SO, the chrome use to be so great, and now, I'm less then impress. I just bought an SO puller set, one the big wall mounted sets and it was rusty when I unpacked it. I will just keep my mouth shut about Vise Grip. ( dear old Peterson manufacturing rest in peace)

 

[Plombob]

Not just Proto, but I think older tools all around are better.

Yep. My thoughts exactly. There's nothing like the feel of a vintage wrench from one of the big names.

 

[Lump]

Yep. My thoughts exactly. There's nothing like the feel of a vintage wrench from one of the big names.

Plus 1 on that...for sure!

 

[neonnblack]

" Remains accurate permanently " wonder how they figure that?

Im thinking a play on words for marketing it will remain accurate it will release at what ever # you set it at, but if that # you set it at is the correct# is a different story.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Plombs are my favorites, slickest ratchets on the planet, and of course the first few years of Proto are the same tools. I am getting close to having complete sets of life's necessities in Plomb...
I also like OLDER Snap-on, generally late '30's into the '60's. I just plain don't like the look of newer Snap-on finish...looks over-polished, the nice nearly matte finish is long gone and everything seems to have lost a bit of definition to the polisher. The guy who did the good polishing must have retired sometime during the VN war...
But Snap-on ratchets are a bit stiff compared to Plomb or the glory years of Craftsman V series.

 

[Tubal-Cain]

Ha, Ha. The guy in the add looks like he's got the ratchet upside down and singing into it like it's a microphone.

 

[Lump]

The ad is interesting from my perspective, as a professional advertising guy myself. I can see the client instructing the artist that he wants to demonstrate to readers INSTANTLY that this fabulous new type of torque wrench will do the job for you, even if you cannot see it, hear it, or even feel it in your hands. So the artist probably drew it a dozen times, trying to achieve all that. But when it was done, the client wanted to cram more information into the ad, so the cartoon had to be made smaller and smaller still, to make more room for more copy. To make it fit, the artist eventually redrew it with the tool held in that awkward position, so that he could make it compact enough to fit in a small space, yet still show the covered eyes, ears, and hand...AND make sure readers noticed that the character was enjoying the tool. The net result...readers think the character looks silly. But the client is satisfied, and the artist FINALLY gets paid.

Later...the sales and marketing guys get some negative comments from dealers around the country, saying that the character looks silly. So the artist gets fired (or never called upon again, if he was an outside contractor), and the entire project gets blamed on the ad agency or the "kooky" artist.

Happens every day, in my world.

 

[Lomotil]

I'm sold on Proto tools. The quality on their tools is astounding.

And, as many have pointed out, older tools, in general, are far better than the new offerings.

 

[north]

I really like the ad in itself and that style of ads. But why are they using a guy wearing a bandido mask, ear muffs and boxing gloves, looking like the Joker's dimwitted cousin?

The Proto logo is THE tool logo.

 

[bgarrett]

Plombs are my favorites,

I agree. I was quite pleased to learn that I have spent 40 years using tools made in the 1930s and 40s on my cars made in the 1930s and 40s.

I have a number 1 Craftsman tappet wrench, but Alloy Artifacts doesnt mention it. Anyone know the dates of manufacture on it?

 

[spongerich]

I love my old Plomb and Proto's.
I'm still kicking myself from last week's auction.

There was an old 1" Proto Los Angeles pebble ratchet in very nice shape.
I dropped out at $75... should have kept bidding some more.

 

[Call me the Breeze]

Thanks Ryan, that is very cool. My wife actually worked for Proto Tool ( Jamestown, NY ) back in 1975 & 76. She also worked for Cresent Tool in the late 60's

 

[midnite kid]

is proto still in bussiness,my dad had a lot of proto tools,i like their wrenches,they have a set thats longer than norm,my dad also collected one of the first snap on kits that came out

 

[north]

Proto is now under the Stanley umbrella/thumb.

 

[johnnybentwrench]

I like Proto tools they feel good in your hand. Love the dual marked PROTO/PLVMB stuff too

 

[gdetie]

I feel exactly the same way, and was there any cooler vintage tool logo than the proto ballerina.

 

[ZRX61]

 

[Ryan in Hampton Roads Va.]

i have several Proto ratchets and i like the fell of them very much. If you take them apart you will notice the working mechanics are different form the Craftsman and Snap on ratchets.

 

[Steven67fr]

About a year ago I found that identical ratchet at a swapmeet for 30 bucks. For such a large ratchet it is super smooth and balanced. The only ratchets I use are the older proto/plomb. I love the action on them and never managed to break one. Not even my beater 3/8ths wright field that I abuse daily... Even on half inch jobs. I

I love looking at plomb/proto's old ads and the wording in their catalogs.

StevenFl

I love my old Plomb and Proto's.
I'm still kicking myself from last week's auction.

There was an old 1" Proto Los Angeles pebble ratchet in very nice shape.
I dropped out at $75... should have kept bidding some more.

 

[iancoletx]

That just reeks of cool. As as newbie to the vintage tool world.. I can't believe how much style used to go into tool design.. and how much it doesn't today!

 

[engine oil]

what a great logo and name aswell

+1


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[Smokeshow69]

This is an old post but sure did like seeing the ad! Makes me wonder if we should create a vintage tool advertising thread...

 

[3baygarage]

I'm curious to know which tools were made in Jamestown as opposed to L.A..

PM sent to Call me the Breeze.