Vintage S-K Tools

[four.cycle]

^ easily confused with the 657 Indestro. One is marked with ... ? and the other isn't... I can never remember....

 

[d42jeep]

I can’t tell them apart and I’ve had both. The ones with the multIple bands of knurling are a little more definitive but I think both of these are S-K.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ yes. I think that is the difference... let me look at S-K folder and see what we have.... and the first file is a set about which the owner had no clue until we identified it here:


NO NAME (Sherman Klove) 32-pc 1.2 drive SAE socket set (Ebay 222823067441 01) (photo: ebay)

 

[aleksap]

Super interesting topic, incredible to see all the knowledgeable being shared!

I have some SK stuff and I would be curious if someone's could date it for me.

Also, if someone who is more passionate is interested in these I would be open to part with them.

This one is special "not guaranteed"

 

[Provincial]

Not guaranteed is a Ford connecting rod socket. The walls are too thin to warranty. This is because there isn't enough clearance around the nut for a strong socket wall.

 

[d42jeep]

The deep 1/2” drive socket with the hole in the side looks to be WW2 vintage.
WW2 socket images.
-Don

 

[Cruzan80]

Thanks, Don. Looks like the middle drawer was re-designed, which is where I was having trouble fitting. Will post some pics when I can dig it out

 

[Cruzan80]

Edit double post

 

[Cruzan80]

Here is the pictures of the SK Wayne. I know not everything in it is correct, it tends to accumulate SK of all eras.

The middle drawer looks to have three "sections" divided across, which was throwing me on how to boxes to fit. Same with the lower section, where I have deep sockets now (box doesn't fit).

 

[d42jeep]

Yeah, that drawer layout is much different than the pre-Wayne boxes. Here is the layout of the upper drawer. The smaller set boxes fit pretty well on the right side.
Here is the lower drawer. It looks like they may have intended sockets to go in the back of the drawer, maybe 3/4” drive but I don’t know for sure.



-Don

 

[four.cycle]

* I'm taking the liberty of posting a couple photos of an early Sherman-Klove set that a gentleman was having some difficulty identifying.
Note the knurling on the handle.
Don's (@d42jeep) example (post #4522) has three knurled bands at the base of the handle.
The example I posted (post #4523) - photos from an ebay seller - also shows three knurled bands at the base of the handle.
@misterbill shows us an example with the lower half of the handle knurled all the way down.
My Indestro model 657 (post #4521) has knurling all the way down the lower half of the handle.

Now comes Jimmy - (aka jimmyzchevelle) with a ratchet in a box with what are clearly Sherman-Klove sockets that is knurled all the way down the lower half of the handle.

What are the odds?

S-K made two different variants, one of which is a dead-on match to their competitor's model #657?
or
Jimmy's ratchet was replaced at some point along the journey?

< edit > I believe Mr. Jimmy just signed up here with a different identity. 04/04/24 11:17 PDT

 

[four.cycle]

Hello Jimmy. Welcome to the site.
After looking at all the photos, I'm confused.
Wait for Don and a couple others to chime in here. I make no claim about being an expert on S-K.
BK

 

[d42jeep]

It could be that one manufacturer was making the very similar ratchets. I see one of the examples is Indestro marked. I’ve had a couple of the fully knurled ratchets come with other S-K tools and I seem to remember that OTG has as well, which leads me to believe that S-K was supplying both styles.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

which leads me to believe that S-K was supplying both styles.

^ THAT was exactly what I am thinking. Jimmy is in Alabama.
Other examples are from points all over the map.
I find it difficult to believe that several owners of early Sherman-Klove socket sets all had to replace the original ratchets in their sets and they all did so with the look-alike (but unbranded) Indestro model (which may well have existed, considering the number of private-label accounts they were servicing.)

I don't see as even remotely possible the notion that both S-K and Indestro were outsourcing the same ratchet from the same vendor - they both most certainly had the capacity for making that unit on their own.

Beating some more examples out of the weeds would most likely result in some more definitive evidence of your hypothesis being correct.

 

[d42jeep]

AA has an interesting take on the early S-K ratchet. I was thinking that Indestro may have supplied the ratchet to S-K but I’m not sure that we’ll ever know for sure.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

If the patent was assigned to Hinsdale then I'd but my money on it being Hinsdale made, especially since he head is identical.

 

[d42jeep]

When would these sockets have been made?

Another of the rare 21/32“ sockets arrived yesterday. This one shouldn’t exist since it shows as being suspended in the ‘43 wartime catalog but it has the wartime socket finish. Probably made in late ‘42 or early ‘43.

Daniel, can you check to see if there is any indication of exactly when your catalog was printed?

-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here's a western giant variation of the beavertail ratchet

 

[d42jeep]

Nice. That matches the Western Giant marked Chrome Alloy sockets.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

I never even saw anything like this, Don!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yes, a relatively obscure chrome alloy variant. This one is 3/8 drive. Don those 1/2" drive sockets are pretty scarce, but I have yet to find a 3/8 drive western giant socket

 

[Cruzan80]

Two different SK DBEs (bigger one is <SK>, and a pair of artisan pliers (it even says so on the handle!). From a recent ES.

 

[d42jeep]

Yes, a relatively obscure chrome alloy variant. This one is 3/8 drive. Don those 1/2" drive sockets are pretty scarce, but I have yet to find a 3/8 drive western giant socket

I haven’t seen one either.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

I got a request for some S-K so I'm going to see if I can get through this pile and get it on the block:


S-K 04/10/24

 

[OccupantRJ]

I bought this set of SK as the first tools I ever bought when I first earned money cutting grass with a push mower at 12 yrs old in 1964. I paid $13 for them. That was 59 years ago. I had been keeping them in my truck box for years and recently took them out. The paint and chrome was worn almost clean off the box from jostling around, so I blasted the box and shot some emerald green paint I had on hand. I am not a tool purist, but they have a lot of sentimental value to me. There are a couple of other pieces added to the box over the years that are not SK.

 

[bonneyman]

It's easy to be sentimental with older S-K tools.

 

[3baygarage]

Here's a western giant variation of the beavertail ratchet

This version of the Western Giant 3/8 ratchet I wanted badly for a long time because the handle is just different and unique. When a fellow member was clearing things out he made it available.

It has some age but it’s a crisp 40 tooth!

Interesting to me like the 1/2” Chrome Alloy and Tiger ratchets with the beefed up handle.

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 4913 13 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/Original Box

manufactured by S-K Tools, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

40954 6 inch Spinner Handle
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet

Steel Box w/original promotional insert

Set A

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 11 piece 1/4" drive METRIC Socket Wrench Set w/plastic box B

manufactured by S-K Tool, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40702 5mm 6 pt std socket
40703 5.5mm 6 pt std socket
43704 6mm 12 pt std socket
43706 7mm 12 pt std socket
43707 8mm 12 pt std socket
43708 9mm 12 pt std socket
43709 10mm 12 pt std socket
43710 11mm 12 pt std socket
43711 12mm 12 pt std socket
43712 13mm 12 pt std socket
43713 14mm 12 pt std socket

Plastic box

Set B

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 11 piece 1/4" drive METRIC Socket Wrench Set w/plastic box C

manufactured by S-K Tool, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

43702 5mm 12 pt std socket
43704 6mm 12 pt std socket
43706 7mm 12 pt std socket
43707 8mm 12 pt std socket
43708 9mm 12 pt std socket
43709 10mm 12 pt std socket
43710 11mm 12 pt std socket
43711 12mm 12 pt std socket
43712 13mm 12 pt std socket
43713 14mm 12 pt std socket

Steel Tray

Set C

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 14 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set w/ Box D

manufactured by S-K Tools, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

40953 6 inch Flex Handle (Breaker Bar)
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet

Steel Box w/plastic insert

Set D

* This 4913 set would originally have come with the 40954 plastic-handled 6-inch spinner, not the 40953 steel 6-inch flex handle (breaker bar.) See post #4548 above. *

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 8 piece 1/4" drive METRIC Deep-Well Socket Wrench Set E

manufactured by S-K Tool, Franklin Park, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

41701 6mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41703 7mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41704 8mm 6 pt deep-well socket (* see note below *)
41705 9mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41706 10mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41707 11mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41708 12mm 6 pt deep-well socket
41709 13mm 6 pt deep-well socket


* There are issues with the chrome plating on the 8mm socket. It's not peeling. It's not cracked. It's just kind of weird.

Set E

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 45172 3/8" drive thumb ratchet (NOS)

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 49270 1/4" drive thumb ratchet (NOS)

 

[d42jeep]

I like those and have gathered a few sets.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ they were a hot deal here for a spell when an ebay vendor was dumping them. I think every member on the site bought one or two.
that thing has been here at least five years and I've never had a reason to use it!

 

[four.cycle]

Don's contributions allowed me to complete a few more sets:


S-K 23 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set (originally a model 4921 set)

manufactured by S-K Tools, Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

41908 1/4" 6-pt deep-well socket
41909 9/32" "
41910 5/16" "
41911 11/32" "
41912 3/8" "
41914 7/16" "
41916 1/2" "

40953 6 inch Steel Flex Handle (breaker bar) *
40954 6 inch Spinner Handle
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet
40990 Universal Joint

Steel Box

* the 40953 steel breaker is an add-on to the set. the model 4921 set did not originally include this piece.

Set G

 

[four.cycle]

S-K 15 piece 1/4" drive SAE Socket Wrench Set (originally a model 4913 set - see post #4548 above)

manufactured by S-K Tools, Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.

this set includes:

40906 3/16" 6-pt std socket
40907 7/32" "
40908 1/4" "
40909 9/32" "
40910 5/16" "
40911 11/32 "
40912 3/8" "
40914 7/16" "
40916 1/2" "

40953 6 inch Steel Flex Handle (breaker bar) *
40954 6 inch Spinner Handle
40961 2 inch Extension
40962 6 inch Extension
40970 RHFT Reversible Ratchet
40990 Universal Joint *

* The 40953 Flex Handle and the 40990 Universal Joint are add-ons to the set.

Set F

 

[four.cycle]

As it turned out, these wrenches apparently really are S-K wrenches. When I first received them, I thought somebody had pulled the old switcheroo on me and stuffed some cheapie no-name generics into an S-K holder, so I figured I'd just write if off and send the holder down to Don and maybe he could use it, and then he pointed out to me that they really were S-K wrenches, so he was kind enough to send it back up, so after travelling over 1600 miles, it's all back together:

S-K No. 66 6-piece SAE Open-End Wrench Set

 

[d42jeep]

Today’s estate sale finds before and after. Bottom extension in the lower picture is Wayne
-Don