Vintage S-K Tools

[d42jeep]

Which ones do you need? I’ll check what I have.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Wow

 

[mritchie77]

Which ones do you need? I’ll check what I have.

Don,

Based on the research I did last year when I bought it, I believe my set would need the following to be complete. However, this is a best guess since this set didn't appear in catalogs. I'm still amazed that the 1/4" ratchet brought so much since this WHOLE set was $50.

3/8 12pt socket
1/4 8pt socket
5/16 8pt socket
3/8 8pt socket
2" unmarked chrome extension

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The sk marked variants seem to be a bit scarce, maybe they were after that

 

[Kdaniel8601]

Everytime they have one of the S-K 1/4" drive beavertail on eBay, they always go for a high price.

 

[d42jeep]

That must have been the attraction. I haven’t run across an S-K marked 1/4” drive beaver tail although I have S-K marked ones in 3/8” drive and 1/2” drive. I have run across a few Chrome Alloy ones though. I’d like to find some paint that would be a close match to the upper box.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Don,

Based on the research I did last year when I bought it, I believe my set would need the following to be complete. However, this is a best guess since this set didn't appear in catalogs. I'm still amazed that the 1/4" ratchet brought so much since this WHOLE set was $50.

3/8 12pt socket
1/4 8pt socket
5/16 8pt socket
3/8 8pt socket
2" unmarked chrome extension

When it comes to the chrome unmarked extensions, it’s possible to find pre or early war S-K 1/4” drive sets since the extensions are the same as the Brazil ones. It’s even better if the set comes with a chrome crossbar.
-Don

 

[Kdaniel8601]

Ebay had this set go for $143.50 after 30 bids back in 8/31/2020.

 

[d42jeep]

I think the ratchet must have been the attraction in that sale as well since none of those other pieces are a match for the box. If I’m not mistaken, that box originally held 3/8” deep sockets.
-Don

 

[Kdaniel8601]

There was nothing that was very rare in that whole set except the S-K beavertail ratchet. The cheapest one I have seen sold for $50.80 in 12/26/2021.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The beavertails seem to be mostly artisan I've come across. Here and there a chrome alloy or a mac.

 

[d42jeep]

These are Chrome Alloy in my Brazil carry box

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Interestingly they all have the later patent number

 

[d42jeep]

Interestingly they all have the later patent number

And they are the only S-K 1/4” drive ratchets that have the later patent number stamped. All of the conventional 1/4” ratchets through the Wayne period have the earlier patent number.
Just as oddly, the Chrome Alloy 1/2” drive beaver tails are the only S-K ratchets stamped with the earlier patent number. All of the conventional 1/2” drIve ratchets newer than the patent pending marked ones have the later patent number as do my Artisan 1/2” drive beaver tails.
-Don

 

[Debcrow]

Well, this is probably the oldest SK 1/2 drive I have ever found. Nothing marked SK. Without the partial sticker on the lid, I would not know what they were.

The speeder was included and looks SK but is probably much later than the rest. Does not fit in the box.

Certainly, missing a lot and not sure if these are original pieces to this set. Any info about them would be helpful. AA has a short article on them.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a listing that might be pretty close to your new set.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are my two early sets. The upper one seems similar to yours. They showed the Carb-O-Mang sets in the ‘43 catalog although I doubt that they were actually available during WW2 due to restrictions.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are the S-K tools I found at this morning’s estate sale. The screwdriver was particularly rough but I cleaned it up as much as I could.
-Don

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

That must have been the attraction. I haven’t run across an S-K marked 1/4” drive beaver tail although I have S-K marked ones in 3/8” drive and 1/2” drive. I have run across a few Chrome Alloy ones though. I’d like to find some paint that would be a close match to the upper box.
-Don

Shoot I like the bottom box. Dang

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks. I sprayed it with VHT red wrinkle paint and OTG sent me the label. I have seen pictures of some Brazil boxes close to that color.
-Don

 

[Debcrow]

Here are my two early sets. The upper one seems similar to yours. They showed the Carb-O-Mang sets in the ‘43 catalog although I doubt that they were actually available during WW2 due to restrictions.
-Don

Thank you very much for the info. Mine are Cad plated but I see that was offered prewar. Are all of these sets called Carb-O-Mang?

 

[d42jeep]

I don’t think so. I think they were called Manganese Steel but there isn’t much documentation.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

This partial 1/4” drive set arrived in the mail today. It was missing three sockets and the longer extension. With only 6 and 8 point sockets and the 1/4” diameter crossbar, I would say that this set was made in 1953.
As received.
Cleaned up and added the missing pieces.
Complete in the box.
Catalog listing.
-Don

 

[StillTooManyHobbies]

Hello, I just completed my second set of metric short DBEs. I originally found the 18mm-20mm wrench, then found a few more. Before I completed the set I found a complete set with the green SK roll. Then I still had to finish the original set just because I couldn't have a partial set laying around. This is labelled on the roll as Set No 61039782, NSN 6120-00-103-9782. I am not an expert, but these are the only SK labelled wrenches I have seen made in the Lectrolite recessed panel style. The individual wrenches do not have a part number on them.

There is a later version with SuperKrome wrenches in a blue roll and it uses the same NSN, but without the set number. My guess is the early style was made in Defiance OH and when that plant was closed they changed to the newer style and changed the roll. I have images es of both sets with rolls if anybody wants to see them.

 

[four.cycle]

NSN 6120-00-103-9782
pretty sure that's actually
NSN 5120-00-103-9782

those were made to fill a military/government contract. they were made by S-K, ProAmerica, and Duro-Indestro.
as I recall, @Fedwrench noted those were made for the "Humvee" military vehicle.
really nice set.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

They showed the Carb-O-Mang sets in the ‘43 catalog although I doubt that they were actually available during WW2 due to restrictions.

I was away last week and I am still catching up on old threads.

For @Debcrow - to qualify/clarify what Don is saying above, the "restrictions" in this case were not because of the composition. Carbon-manganese (AISI 1340) was not restricted. It was actually a popular replacement for the prewar double alloys (CM, CV), which were clearly restricted, prior to the New Emergency triple alloys becoming available. The "suspended" marking in this case is because it's a set. Limitation Order L-216 prevented mfgrs from selling entire sets of certain drive tools and wrenches. You could buy the pieces and assemble it yourself, but you could not buy entire sets. The WPB thought that would suppress the urge for distributors to stockpile too many tools, making a glut that could impact supplies for military use.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

As near as I can tell carbomang was just their older line relabled as an economy and resale line. Here's a brazil and a carbomang that are pretty much identical. I have similar 3/8 fulton and brazil as well, only difference is the decal.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

As near as I can tell carbomang was just there older line relabled as an economy and resale line. Here's a brazil and a carbomang that are pretty much identical. I have similar 3/8 fulton and brazil as well, only difference is the decal.

My goodness

 

[d42jeep]

As near as I can tell carbomang was just there older line relabled as an economy and resale line. Here's a brazil and a carbomang that are pretty much identical. I have similar 3/8 fulton and brazil as well, only difference is the decal.

That’s what I think too. The only indication that they were made by S-K is their overall appearance and the center punch markings. Judging from how many of mine and four.cycle‘s sockets are cracked, it’s a good thing that they went away from that Manganese Carbon Steel composition.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ whoa..... I thought they were marked differently between Carb-O-Mang and Brazil and S-K and "Chrome Alloy" ....

( ^ OTG now owns all my Carb-O-Mang, Don )

 

[d42jeep]

The early Brazil like OTG‘s sets were the same as the Manganese Carbon Steel. Later Brazil sets used Chrome Alloy sockets and Ratchets. The other drive tools are unmarked just like their S-K cousins. The quality of the tools was greatly improved.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here's a chrome vanadium steel, a chrome alloy and a carbomang. The chrome vanadium steel was pretty short lived and the examples I have came in sk marked boxes.

 

[Kdaniel8601]

There is a new S-K catalog on Internet Archive, 1983 S-K Professional Tools Catalog A90101-4

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here are the chrome vanadium steel sets

 

[d42jeep]

Nice! I only have those in onesy twosy.
-Don

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

Here's a chrome vanadium steel, a chrome alloy and a carbomang. The chrome vanadium steel was pretty short lived and the examples I have came in sk marked boxes.

Is that mid 30’s, late 30s and then wartime

 

[StillTooManyHobbies]

@four.cycle, thanks for the correction, yes 5120-**. Thanks for the HUMVEE tidbit, did not know that.

Here are the SK NSN wrench sets I am aware of, but there are probably more. I only have the first 2 sets, the others were Ebay picture grabs.

5120-00-103-9782 metric short offset DBE 8 piece set, old style.



5120-00-103-9782 metric short offset DBE 8 piece set, new style.


5120-00-046-4979 metric black oxide combination 14 piece set



5120-00-148-7917 SAE chrome combination 12 piece set




5120-00-935-7333 chrome metric combination 9 piece set



I hope you all enjoy these.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The chrome vanadium steel was brief, 1937 or so. They were replaced with the sk chrome.

 

[Outlawmws]

I know the HUMVEE started in 1984, and Duro/Indestro died in the 80's; was there actually an overlap, and was Indestro doing militry contracts at the very end?

 

[d42jeep]

The chrome vanadium steel was brief, 1937 or so. They were replaced with the sk chrome.

Which were replaced with these. Pre or early war just prior to the Chrome restrictions.
They arrived today.
Added the missing two sockets. No markings on the flex handle or extensions. Missing the crossbar, as usual
-Don