Vintage S-K Tools

[d42jeep]

Thanks. We revisited the sale today and the box was sitting right where I thought it might be. The tray has been spray bombed black but otherwise I’m very happy with it. The toolbox and the tray bottom are the original color.
I cleaned up the Chrome Alloy tools from yesterday and put them in the box.
That motivated me to get out my original Brazil box given to me by Username and try to fill up the new box with the best spares I had. The location of the missing decal can be seen on the lid.
Here is the original box. The two boxes side by side.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

Awesome recovery Don! Well played!

 

[Shelbylex]

That's a great story, Don!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, guys! The Brazil stuff isn’t all that common.

I went through the main S-K storage box yesterday and organized the wrenches. I removed the S-K Lectrolite wrenches as they are moving to their own storage box.
Combos
DOE wrenches
DBE wrenches
S-K Lectrolite wrenches
A couple of flare nut wrenches
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I have a weakness for sad looking incomplete vintage S-K sets. This one arrived today and did come with all the universal sockets.
Gradually added missing tools
Finished for today. Needs a 6 point 7/16” deep socket and some paint.
Probably made ‘57 or ‘58.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Two partial S-K sets arrived in the mail today. One is early postwar and the other prewar or wartime. The earlier one came with a Blackhawk ratchet and a Kraeuter extension
The flex handle that came with the postwar set was unmarked and so it was prewar. By using the flex handle and crossbar from the postwar set and filling out the socket tray, I was able to make a complete prewar set or early wartime before the metal restrictions.
The top will need some wrinkle painting.
The postwar set got filled with sockets and I added a ratchet.
-Don

 

[Steven 33]

Here are pictures of my ‘30s S-K made sets.
-Don
The two larger sets together.
A Fulton set sold by Sears made by S-K.

Is there any difference between those Tools and what I'll need to fill this carbo-mang case?

 

[d42jeep]

I haven’t had a Carb-O-Mang marked set but I imagine that those early sockets look the same. Perhaps an analysis of the steel alloy would show some differences but who knows? If you find tools that look like these I think you will be set. I may have some spares to trade if you run into trouble
-Don

 

[1982fxr]

Any year range for this one I just picked up?

 

[d42jeep]

That is newer than S-K tools I usually deal with but it looks to have been supplied by Waterloo during the Dresser S-K Tool period. I would say it is newer than 1969 because it doesn’t appear in that catalog. I see the depressions on either side of the hole for the lock which is a Waterloo tell.
-Don

 

[1982fxr]

What angle was SK using by branding these boxes? Doesn't make much sense to me. I love them, don't get me wrong but with the tools SK sold and if they were already dealing through Waterloo for boxes...I don't get it.

We're these available for a long time? Maybe Waterloo overbought for another contract or something and gave then a screaming deal or something weird like that?

 

[Outlawmws]

These latest are all machinists boxes. and generally felt lined.

 

[d42jeep]

As well as selling the boxes with their own brand on them, Waterloo was selling tons of very similar boxes to Sears. S-K probably just wanted to widen their product offerings. Since I couldn’t find your box in a catalog it’s very difficult to know how long they were offered.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I have a weakness for sad looking incomplete vintage S-K sets. This one arrived today and did come with all the universal sockets.
Gradually added missing tools
Finished for today. Needs a 6 point 7/16” deep socket and some paint.
Probably made ‘57 or ‘58.
-Don

I ordered the missing socket in from Roy Olson.
That completed the set.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I picked up these Brazil (Chrome Alloy) 1/2” drive sockets on a best offer on eBay. They needed some de-rusting and polishing up so I did that.
After.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Does anybody know when SK introduced metric sockets to their tools? I think I saw somewhere that the first set were in 3/8 drive.
Does anybody have an early set with the box to show how it looked like?

 

[d42jeep]

I’m certainly no Wayne expert but I’ve had a few metric racks marked S-K Wayne and I think those were probably the first.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

1962 seems awfully late for Metric...

 

[Kdaniel8601]

They were not listed in the 1963 S-K Lectrolite Catalog No MC563 pocket catalog, I just looked.

 

[d42jeep]

Here they are in 1964.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

My metric sets are post Wayne Dresser era.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

The VW bug was first imported into the US in 1949, and by the mid 50's was well established. other Euro cars soon followed. Surely most major tool companies were selling metric by then maybe not in huge volumes, but there was a market and especially if they sold tools internationally? Maybe we need catalogs aimed at outside the US?

 

[d42jeep]

Looks like Thorsen was on board by 1960. I guess 13mm wasn’t a thing, which seems odd to me. This catalog was contributed to the Archive by BK.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Sears/Dunlap was offering metric and Whitworth tools in 1960.
-Don

 

[RTM]

Indestro in 1959 (at least), per that thread.

Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools

^ the one usually missing from that set is that 40607 6mm x 7mm :thumbup:

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Provincial]

5/16" works for 8mm. 1/2" works for 13mm. 3/4" works for 19mm.

 

[Beerhippie]

5/16" works for 8mm. 1/2" works for 13mm. 3/4" works for 19mm.

5/16 for 16mm, 13/16 for 21mm.

 

[Outlawmws]

9/16 works for 14mm .011 difference.

 

[four.cycle]

^ The first time metric tools turn up in the Indestro catalog appears to be 1959, in catalog No. 20A.
I have a copy of Catalog 20S now on the way to Mark at ITCL - I had the seller ship it directly to him. I THINK it is a 1958 issue. I DO NOT THINK it includes metric - the seller's answers weren't exactly crystal clear - remains to be seen.
I grabbed every Thorsen catalog and supplement sheet I could find an they're all at ITCL. There was a lot of material from 1958, 1959, 1960.
The 1960 date sounds about right - MOST American tool manufacturers really dragged their heels getting into the metric game.

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Gentlemen!!!

I appreciate it!

I will start looking for SK Wayne metric sets on yard sales in the summer (to balance the SAE sets)

Adding an interesting picture of Craftsman circle K sockets (unfortunately not mine - appear to be in relatively good condition)

 

[esben57]

Picked up this S.K. torque wrench today, looks really clean.

 

[DarryT]

Found the vintage SK USA sockets in metric for $10 today at the thriftstore. Included were two dozen Proto & Craftsman SAE, along with Stanley & unbranded metric sockets. The SK Set is almost complete.

Anyone have a guess on the year?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some 30s chrome vanadium steel stuff

 

[d42jeep]

Found the vintage SK USA sockets in metric for $10 today at the thriftstore. Included were two dozen Proto & Craftsman SAE, along with Stanley & unbranded metric sockets. The SK Set is almost complete.

Anyone have a guess on the year?

I would guess in the neighborhood of 1977. The catalog shows two lines on the sockets like yours. Newer sockets have three lines and are too tall to fit in the long tray.
-Don

 

[Kaervak]

A pure dumb luck eBay find from the other day showed up. I was the only bidder for $21.59 shipped. The handle looks like it was unused it’s in such good condition. A couple of the sockets have some junk in them, but nothing that won’t clean up.

 

[four.cycle]

pure dumb luck

^ That's quite the understatement.
I've seen that kit on ebay go for north of $50 bucks! And you got one WITH a CLEAN cap??!?!?!?!?
Pretty amazing score there.

 

[d42jeep]

I want a metric one to go with my fractional one.
-Don

 

[Kaervak]

^ That's quite the understatement.
I've seen that kit on ebay go for north of $50 bucks! And you got one WITH a CLEAN cap??!?!?!?!?
Pretty amazing score there.

Legit just searched for SK tools and that was one of the first results that showed up. I'm honestly surprised I was the only bidder. The few others I've seen on there were fairly beat up so getting one this clean was really nice. Yet another SK piece to add to the collection.

 

[four.cycle]

^ The reason I never owned one of those was because they were either insanely overpriced or the handles (or caps) had been mangled with pliers or vise-grips - kind of like this example of ham-handed foolishness:

 

[LowOiL]

Do you ever get a pile of stuff photo here, well this picture is my "today's pile of stuff" picture...

I don't do the set thing (but enjoy seeing yalls) and this will prove it.... today we have something kin to the Johnny Cash song about stealing a part from his Cadi job for years to build a car (or this case some tools)... (except I didn't steal these)

I have no idea years (mixed bag), but here is my mixed can of old tools for the day.. some big boy sockets in the mix. One nice Proto ring extractor set. One little S-K 1/4" socket driver

1. S-K
2. Proto
3. Thorsen
4. Kal - Japan
5. Proto - Challenger
6. Williams
7. Bonney
8. Blackhawk (I don't know this brand, let me know if junk or not)
9. Wrights (another brand I know little about)
10. Snap-On
11. One Rusty Mystery that I need to polish and see if I can find a name brand...

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