Vintage S-K Tools

[Cruzan80]

I am seeing a blue trend from 57-61 at a minimum. 52 shows green (so a 5yr possible soft start) and 62 shows green (so possible hard end date).

What company mergers/aquisitions were within the 52-57 timeframe that may help narrow it down?

 

[Outlawmws]

Clearly no real effort for brand management. the blue Lectrolite may bave been inspirational for the blue boxes...

 

[Outlawmws]

I am seeing a blue trend from 57-61 at a minimum. 52 shows green (so a 5yr possible soft start) and 62 shows green (so possible hard end date).

What company mergers/aquisitions were within the 52-57 timeframe that may help narrow it down?

Symington -Wayne era was 62 - 69..

 

[four.cycle]

Thanks for doing all of that work. Not much indication of toolbox colors on those covers. I did the same thing although I was much less thorough.

I was about three-fourths of the way through that folder and the thought that went through my mind was "WTF am I doing this for?"
I am hoping that by now those reading this will come to the realization that nobody - ever - wondered whether or not people half a century hence were going to care what color the boxes had been painted.

 

[Outlawmws]

I was about three-fourths of the way through that folder and the thought that went through my mind was "WTF am I doing this for?"
I am hoping that by now those reading this will come to the realization that nobody - ever - wondered whether or not people half a century hence were going to care what color the boxes had been painted.

But we do!

 

[four.cycle]

^ I very seriously doubt that question ever came up at any Board of Directors meeting at S-K (or any other American tool manufacturer that no longer exists.)

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Probably got a good deal on some blue paint

 

[d42jeep]

Speaking of blue paint, I have a weakness for completing the old blue S-K sets. I saw this project on eBay and won the auction.


After it arrived, I cleaned it up and organized the sockets.
Added a Ratchet, the missing sockets and a flex handle (which the set didn’t need).
Based on this pristine set posted upthread by a GJ member,
I added more pieces.

Now I need to find an early 3/8” to 1/4” adapter to complete the set.
-Don

 

[Upstater57]

Nice set Don. Do you know when they started using blue boxes? Was it during the Lectrolite era or before?
I will check my stash over the weekend to see if I have an early 3/8 - 1/4
adapter.

This NOS 1/2 - 3/8 Wayne era combo set is one of the favorites in my collection.

Ed

 

[d42jeep]

Your questions have caused me to look into the Wayne era more than I have in the past. I am of the belief that most all of the sets in blue boxes that have been found were made during Wayne ownership. It gets a little confusing because Wayne continued to sell S-K marked tools from ‘62 to ‘63, finally adding Wayne to the markings in ‘64. The 1962 S-K/Lectrolite catalog states that those two companies are subsidiaries of Wayne.
That accounts for my blue S-K Lectrolite boxes.

It probably accounts for the blue S-K boxes likely made in 1963. Since most of the photography in the Wayne catalogs is black and white, it’s difficult to determine the colors of the boxes but they show your two styles of sockets together in 1966. My best guess is that would be the timeframe when your set was made.



-Don

Short answer, 1962 and 1963. In 1964 the labels were changed to S-K Wayne matching the new markings on the tools.
-Don

 

[Upstater57]

Short answer, 1962 and 1963. In 1964 the labels were changed to S-K Wayne matching the new markings on the tools.
-Don

Don,

To make this label discussion more interesting, was the first logo below used before or after the second one? Which logo was first or were they used interchangeably? I think the second one was first and the other red/gold was used before Dresser took over? What do you think?

Ed

 

[d42jeep]

I really know very little about the Wayne era as my primary interest started out with Wartime sets and spread out into prewar and postwar sets. Whenever I get Wayne marked tools or boxes I try to move them along to other collectors. I assume that your S-K Wayne label started out in ‘64 and the other label was used at either the end of the Wayne era or after the sale to Dresser. I’m sure there are other members more conversant with Wayne tools than me.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ Where did Tommy go?

 

[Kdaniel8601]

Don,

To make this label discussion more interesting, was the first logo below used before or after the second one? Which logo was first or were they used interchangeably? I think the second one was first and the other red/gold was used before Dresser took over? What do you think?

Ed

The one with the double ovals was first used in 1964, the one that says S-K Tools was not used until after Dresser took over the company. They also used this one in 1968 while Symington Wayne still had control.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I'm not a wayne era collector but lots of good info here. I'll keep my eye out seems to be some interesting variations in branding and tool markings in that period.

 

[Kdaniel8601]

This is the inside of the back cover of the 1964 S-K Wayne Catalog.

 

[Upstater57]

The one with the double ovals was first used in 1964, the one that says S-K Tools was not used until after Dresser took over the company. They also used this one in 1968 while Symington Wayne still had control.

Thank you for the follow up. Much appreciated.

This is the inside of the back cover of the 1964 S-K Wayne Catalog.

Thank you for posting this. Great showroom pictures.

 

[Mintgrun]

I recently found another 40970 1/4" ratchet, but this one is noticeably smaller than the others and the head has machining marks where it was turned down to meet the neck.



The others are clunky and somewhat crude by comparison, with the forged shape left intact and merely sanded smooth.



I tried searching the thread a bit, but didn't find any posts with this comparison. I am wondering if the machined version came first and it was too costly, so they switched to the other. Can anyone shed light on this?


Here's a show-n-tell photo of a 1/4" set I was excited to find. When I got it home and looked closer, I saw that the short sockets were not S-K. Luckily, I had a set on hand to replace them. The paint on the inside is nearly perfect, having been protected by the cardboard and plastic inserts, but the outside is mostly rusty. Camouflage!

 

[Oregon Dave]

I recently found another 40970 1/4" ratchet, but this one is noticeably smaller than the others and the head has machining marks where it was turned down to meet the neck.



The others are clunky and somewhat crude by comparison, with the forged shape left intact and merely sanded smooth.



I tried searching the thread a bit, but didn't find any posts with this comparison. I am wondering if the machined version came first and it was too costly, so they switched to the other. Can anyone shed light on this?


Here's a show-n-tell photo of a 1/4" set I was excited to find. When I got it home and looked closer, I saw that the short sockets were not S-K. Luckily, I had a set on hand to replace them. The paint on the inside is nearly perfect, having been protected by the cardboard and plastic inserts, but the outside is mostly rusty. Camouflage!

Very nice find; the spinner looks unused/pristine as some might say !!!

 

[Outlawmws]

I recently found another 40970 1/4" ratchet, but this one is noticeably smaller than the others and the head has machining marks where it was turned down to meet the neck.

Even the Driver anvil flange looks smaller - I wonder if the guts are the same?

If they are the same one like that would be great for the 3/8" conversion!

 

[Outlawmws]

I recently found another 40970 1/4" ratchet, but this one is noticeably smaller than the others and the head has machining marks where it was turned down to meet the neck.

Even the Driver anvil flange looks smaller - I wonder if the guts are the same?

If they are the same one like that would be great for the 3/8" conversion!

I just pulled my SK diamond 1/4" and the OD of the head is the same. the rounded "taper" radus of the head is distinctly smaller, and as you mentioned the handle is turned tighter to the head. face of the anvil flange measures the same as my 3/8" but since the OD is the same, no real gain there.

The diamond handle is slightly longer and skinnier as well as well; about .050 or so.

 

[d42jeep]

In my experience the smaller ratchets are prewar or wartime. I try to use those in appropriate sets and the larger ones in postwar sets. The works seem to be totally interchangeable. The larger ones are easier to take apart. Here is a larger one that came recently.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

Thanks, Don. I just searched the thread and managed to find two ratchets you shared that are machined like mine.



I just looked at the rest of my S-K ratchets in 1/4,3/8 and 1/2" sizes and none of them are machined like the little 1/4"er in question. They all resemble the other one in that post. Did they make machined versions of all three sizes early on?

 

[Oregon Dave]

Thanks, Don. I just searched the thread and managed to find two ratchets you shared that are machined like mine.



I just looked at the rest of my S-K ratchets in 1/4,3/8 and 1/2" sizes and none of them are machined like the little 1/4"er in question. They all resemble the other one in that post. Did they make machined versions of all three sizes early on?

Does the difference in diameters appear to be close to the amount needed to remove the stampings; like whoops made these & spelled Craftsman wrong. Removal blends into the head pretty well; suspect a skilled belt sander operator ???

 

[d42jeep]

I think that they may have changed during WW2. I’m only speaking about 1/4” drive ratchets. Here is a comparison shot. The Chrome finish is likely prewar.
-Don

 

[Mintgrun]

suspect a skilled belt sander operator ???

No. Someone sanded on the forged style to clean up the transition to the head, but the smaller ones appear to have had the handle chucked in a lathe and the neck and head were turned down. Some fine cut-lines remain on the head, but it's hard to show in a photo. You can see some of them in this image.

The larger ones are easier to take apart.

This brings up another difference, having to do with the retaining clip access. Big ones have a slot in the forging, whereas little ones have a flat bottom hole cut into them.

 

[d42jeep]

There are even some variations in the early small ones. Here are some examples.
Small, probably prewar.

Wartime large and small.


Another prewar small.
Variation in head size between two smalls.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

I wonder if they had multiple Mfg lines, and that caused variants?

 

[Upstater57]

A few years back I came across a broken 1/4 that had the smaller head as shown above. The casing around the head was cracked. My guess is that someone tried to put an extension bar on that little ratchet and the head cracked under too much pressure. It made we think that perhaps there was a running change to a larger head for durability.

I agree that lack of a chrome finish probably made it a WW2 production unit. By the way, I took a picture of the cracked head of that little guy, sent it to SK, and they sent me a brand-new ratchet under warranty at no cost. The entire episode years ago helped make me a big SK fan and started me down the rabbit hole of spending too much time on the alloy artifacts website and collecting tools. LOL

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a wartime ratchet that snuck by quality control. I could see this one being likely to break although it hasn’t.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Little thin at the neck

 

[d42jeep]

I’ve been gradually working on completing this 3/8” drive set (4520) offered from ‘58 to ‘63. The arrival yesterday of the 6 point 13/16” socket was the final piece. The box arrived in August and I’ve slowly been adding correct tools to it since then.

-Don

 

[Upstater57]

Nice set Don. It is always a challenge to find the correct sockets that with matching fonts for the correct period. The search for correct sockets is how we all end up with too many sockets. LOL

 

[bonneyman]

There are even some variations in the early small ones. Here are some examples.
Small, probably prewar.

Wartime large and small.


Another prewar small.
Variation in head size between two smalls.
-Don

Your S-K in a Diamond collection is superb, Don.

Have you considered writing a book with photos? I'd think you could at least sell a copy to every member on this forum.

 

[d42jeep]

I think my writing will be limited to this and a couple of other sites. I appreciate the thought though.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I found these knurled S-K 1/4” drive sockets at a yard sale on Sunday. They came out the evaporust yesterday looking better.
As found
Cleaned up
-Don

 

[Upstater57]

I found these knurled S-K 1/4” drive sockets at a yard sale on Sunday. They came out the evaporust yesterday looking better.
As found
Cleaned up
-Don

These cleaned up nice. I love evaporust.

 

[d42jeep]

Some S-K Wayne tools available for trade.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Over the years I have run across a few S-K #105 hex drive ratchets. When I spotted this complete #1105 set I had to have it. I’m usually not a big fan of hex drive tools, although I sometimes make exceptions. It arrived yesterday.


-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ That's kind of a rarity... usually those 105's are orphans!