Vintage S-K Tools

[d42jeep]

I was surprised to find a partial dark finish wartime S-K 1/4” drive set at a Marin County estate sale yesterday. The tools had a bit of surface rust which mostly came off with fine steel wool. The box is needing a repaint. It’s missing two sockets, a ratchet and an elusive dark finish crossbar.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

This repainted 3/8” drive metric set is coming along. Now it is just missing a 13mm socket that matches these. Many of the newer sockets are too long and don’t fit in the rack.
This 13mm is too long.

-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

It’s missing two sockets, a ratchet and an elusive dark finish crossbar.

Don, do the extensions fit in the breaker's handle hole? - Looks big enough.

 

[d42jeep]

I don’t think that they fit but I may never have tried it. I believe that the early 1/4” crossbars are 5/16” diameter and they changed to 1/4” sometime in the early to mid ‘50s.
-Don
edit*** I gave it a try yesterday and the extensions do not fit in the hole for the crossbar.

 

[Shelbylex]

Sorry, posted 2 posts later with pictures)

 

[Shelbylex]

I have one more question for everybody:

There was an old spark plug socket set in a box:
40818
40820
40822
40824
40826
40828
40830
40832
40836
48L Ell handle

Does anybody have it? Any pictures?
Please write down the dimension of the box as well.
Thank you

 

[Shelbylex]

I spotted this empty box on eBay and recognized it as one that held the early 12 point universals. I had enough spares to make up the set.
-Don

That's a nice Universals set Don! How old is this set? 40s?

What are the dimensions of this box?

 

[d42jeep]

That set came out in 1946 with all 12 point sockets. They gradually changed to 6 point sockets during the ‘50s. I’ll measure it tomorrow.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Don.
I assume it would be similar to an older set:
There was an earlier set which had
F40614
F 40616
F40618
F40620
F40622
F40624
in a metal box.
Do you have it or do you know if it was different from your set from

Also, do you have a old spark plug socket set which I mentioned earlier?

... This is the source of the sets I am quoting (1943 catalog)

 

[d42jeep]

I have one more question for everybody:

There was an old spark plug socket set in a box:
40818
40820
40822
40824
40826
40828
40830
40832
40836
48L Ell handle

Does anybody have it? Any pictures?
Please write down the dimension of the box as well.
Thank you

That is one of the first S-K sets I found at an estate sale in 2016 and have refined it ever since. Here is a picture from 2016.
A picture from 2022.
AA information
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Those socket sets that were marked suspended in the wartime ‘43 catalog are extremely difficult to put together due to the rarity of the pieces. Not that I haven’t tried. Here is a set that the sockets should be marked S-K Chrome but I’ve only ever found one of those. I made do with newer sockets.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Don!!! This really helps!!!

 

[lardy1]

I've been trying to find information on an SK combination wrench set I have without success. Can anyone tell me anything at all about this "Special Edition"? The wrenches are the SuperKrome version so I can somewhat date it by that but if possible I would like to know more about this particular package. Any help or leads to someplace else that may help would be greatly appreciated.

As you can see the SK part number is 520057. TIA for any input at all. I'm drawing a total blank.

 

[d42jeep]

Thank you, Don.
I assume it would be similar to an older set:
There was an earlier set which had
F40614
F 40616
F40618
F40620
F40622
F40624
in a metal box.
Do you have it or do you know if it was different from your set from

Also, do you have a old spark plug socket set which I mentioned earlier?

... This is the source of the sets I am quoting (1943 catalog)

This is a close as I can come on the 3/8” drive universal set. I believe that the box dimensions are correct.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Don!!!

 

[d42jeep]

I saw this Artisan 1/4” drive set on eBay and knew it would be perfect for my Artisan display in the basement. The 1/4” drive Artisan ratchets are quite rare and I missed out on one in an earlier auction. The bidding for this set was lively but I really wanted it.
I added the rare and missing 7/32” to complete the set.
Here it is in the basement with it’s relatives.
The Artisan extras.
A couple more pictures of the display.
-Don

 

[bonneyman]

This is a close as I can come on the 3/8” drive universal set. I believe that the box dimensions are correct.

My brother gifted me a set like this. Newer examples, but nice condition and definitely usable.

 

[d42jeep]

I had to look for quite a while to find a wartime universal box. The postwar ones are not uncommon.

These two ratchets came from Twertsy yesterday. The first one is marked Western Giant and I posted it on the Wizard/Western Tool thread.
This one likely came in an early 1/2” drive Brazil set.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Trying to catch up to Don : )

Not sure about the age


Went to estate sale on the way to work (will post full list in appropriate thread later). A lot of really rusty tools, a lot of random staff, very few good things and tons of random staff on top of the bench. Picked up some newer craftsman 1/4 sockets, then hauled rusted out toolboxes from below and took out few wrenches from there. Few guys checked out the bench in between. Going back to the bench to look at more random things and then I notice this under bunch of random staff... Almost everything in that room wave very rusty - ? very high humidity due to some leak or proximity to the lake???

I will post a picture once I clean it up as well. Did not look through in detail, but 5/16th is rounded off...

 

[d42jeep]

Here is that set in the 1958 catalog.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

In honor of Gene Wilder I picked this up off of eBay.
It’s now hanging in the area of the S-K displays in the basement.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

If you want to remove the sticker's adhesive, butter usually works well. WD-40 does too.

 

[Shelbylex]

Here is that set in the 1958 catalog.
-Don

Thank you, Don!

Random note: Post 4980, the number in upper right corner of the image is 4910 - almost perfect coincidense!

 

[lilredex]

I remember purchasing that set in 1953, I was in grade four. Others shortly after.

 

[d42jeep]

This is a close as I can come on the 3/8” drive universal set. I believe that the box dimensions are correct.
-Don

I got tired of the appearance of that box so it got a wrinkle finish repaint today.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I found this little S-K Lectrolite combo at today’s El Cerrito estate sale.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Not mine... Does anybody have a similar box? - I wonder what set is it from and how old it is. The latch is unusual - never saw similar boxes

 

[d42jeep]

Late ‘40s - early ‘50s 3/8” drive set. Here is mine in 2020. Your example is probably a bit earlier with that latch.

-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

That one has double flip-latches, not a single center-latch for a padlock.

I posted the one I found and shared in post #3437. (Copied and pasted here with original text).

The rest of the paint is in pretty good shape. It measures 17-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 1-3/8". Is that a wartime decal?

The socket portion doesn't quite fit the metric sockets I was recently given, but dropping the smallest one into the biggest one sort of solves the problem. It's a roomy box for a 3/8" set.

I like the notched latch detail, where the hasp strengthens the lid over the cutout.

Tom

edit, I just noticed that both of the boxes above have nipped corners on the lid, whereas this one has full corners. It's interesting how these things evolved over time.

 

[d42jeep]

Yours is a wartime set with the water slide decal. Here is mine. misterbill has one too.
My first wartime box was missing the decal so I added a repro.
Here is misterbill’s.

-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Don and Tom
Not mine yet, but might eventually become mine (outside is in relatively poor condition and the owner wants a little too much at this point). I will keep talking to him - may be he will eventually drop the expectations...

 

[Shelbylex]

I posted this one some time ago... Tried to find SK Wayne catalog or reference to the set to see what should be there, but no luck.
This is 1/4 and 1/2 combination set.
I have the following (NB all SK knurled unless mentioned in brakets)
1/2 drive: 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 19/32, 5/8. 11/16. 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, (1 is missing), 1 1/16, 1 1/8
Spark plug socket 13/16
1/4 drive: 7/32, 1/4, 9/32, 5/16, 11/32 (SK-Wayne, non knurled), 11/32 (12 point), 3/8, 5/16 (8pt, corrosion - diff set?), 7/16 (SK Wayne non-knurled), 1/2

Looked through some listings on e-bay:
One mentions 3/16 socket (mine starts at 7/32)

The second picture shows up in Reddit (no sizes mentioned)
The third picture is from Ebay - it starts at 3/16 and appears to have 11 sockets in 1/4 drive. They appear to be
3/16, 7/32, 1/4, 9/32. 5/16, ? (can not see well) , 11/32, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, not seen (probably 9/16)

... Does anybody have the same set or catalog showing this set?

Thank you

 

[Outlawmws]

Shelby, I have an SK Wayne 1/4 set in a blow mold box listed in my inventory with a 3/16 in it, as well as another 2 band SK box set with a 3/16. Not documented evidence of course, but the blow mold likely has the sizes marked in the case, they usually do.

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Outlawmws!
I have two 1/4 drive SAE sets and both of them start at 3/16.
I will try to keep an eye on e-bay periodically to see if anybody will try to sell a compete set (unless I get some help and somebody will get either the same set here or SK Wayne Catalog (which would be ideal)

 

[Shelbylex]

SK 4916 Before and After (link if you want to see more pictures "during the process" :
... Ratchet is fine - the spot on the left is the reflection from the hinge bar

SK set 4916 clean up

Good evening. I got this set from a room full of rusty tools (I posted it previously). I finally finished cleaning it up and lubricating the ratchet (yes, I remember, there was an opinion before that it does not need much, but I think that Superlube made it work a little better)

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Outlawmws]

Got one a bit out of the ordinary I think. 3/8 45181 Speeder, unplated; EXCEPT for the handle grip?

Maybe early wartime? they had the grips already made?







Chalked the marking so it shows better:

 

[d42jeep]

The wartime ones weren’t marked with a part number. Maybe early postwar and missed the chrome tank. I checked mine and I don’t have one like that one.
-Don
Chrome speeders
Wartime tools

 

[d42jeep]

The addition of this socket completed this Set 4921, missing only the amber handle spinner.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I found what looks to be most of a 1/2” drive Brazil (Chrome Alloy) set at an Orinda, CA estate sale yesterday. I wonder if I missed the box at the sale? A previous owner had apparently removed the rivets holding the ratchet head together and reassembled it backwards. What’s cool about this group of tools is that the drive tools are marked Chrome Alloy rather than just being unmarked.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Very nice, Don! I hope you find a box. I do not remember where, but there was a similar Brazil box for sale within driving system of SFO within last couple of years for $100. May be I should have tried to get it (I know a person who lives not far from SFO and once in a blue moon visits MA)...

I remember seeing a display cabinets in the catalogs which looked like tables on which one puts SK socket sets. I wonder if anybody on GJ owns one