Vintage S-K Tools

[Kdaniel8601]

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, Daniel. I’ll edit the set part number.
-Don

 

[Kdaniel8601]

Thanks, Daniel. I’ll edit the set part number.
-Don

The reason I put that up there was to see if you noticed where the bit was stored, I have only seen about four of those sets that were complete and nobody ever had the bit where it goes in the illustration. It is kind of
confusing the way they made it.

 

[d42jeep]

I took care of moving it this morning. Thanks.
-Don

 

[Upstater57]

Nice set. Do you plan keep it as is or clean it/repaint it?

 

[d42jeep]

I’m pretty happy with it just as it is. It seems like it’s in pretty remarkable condition for being around since 1938. I did remove a few very small rusty areas from three sockets.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

As you know, I am slowly trying to put together a set for 1940s tool box. MA had been pretty quiet for me recently.
So, here goes another story:
I saw an ad for knurled 1/2 drive SK sockets in NJ long time ago. I was not able to get to them, but reached out to the seller asking if he or somebody he knows ever goes to MA. He mentioned that he was planning to be in MA in December. So, fast forward multiple months. The sockets did not sell and I had a chance to buy them.
The first picture is the way they were listed, the second is after cleaning (some of them ended up scratched and deeply pitted, but majority were OK. The last picture is the sockets added to what I already had (I left the ones I just bought which were in worse condition outside of the box)

I will need to get 7 more (3/4 is not in a great shape and 9/16 has it's issues (I obviously had to angle them so they would look better))
I suspect that 21/32, 25/32 and 31/32 would be the hardest to get...

 

[d42jeep]

I can probably help you out with some of the ones that you’re missing. I’ll take a look when I get some time.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Don! My long term goal is full 113 piece set

 

[2001ZR2]

Here's an SK lite pick from this week end:


The SK logo now to date the box.




The only SK items in the box. A breaker bar, universal, a 12" extension & a 15mm 12 pt. socket which seems to be newer. The breaker has what seems to be piece of wood over the knurling.

The rest of the box was a set of 3/8" Proto sockets, a Bonney offset wrench, and 1/2 Snap On 3/8 deep.

Not if the best item was the cotter pin or prison shank.

 

[d42jeep]

Here's an SK lite pick from this week end:


The SK logo now to date the box.




The only SK items in the box. A breaker bar, universal, a 12" extension & a 15mm 12 pt. socket which seems to be newer. The breaker has what seems to be piece of wood over the knurling.

The rest of the box was a set of 3/8" Proto sockets, a Bonney offset wrench, and 1/2 Snap On 3/8 deep.

Not if the best item was the cotter pin or prison shank.

That’s a popular postwar 3/8” drive set. It probably was introduced is 1946 and used until around 1953.

 

[2001ZR2]

That’s a popular postwar 3/8” drive set. It probably was introduced is 1946 and used until around 1953.

Thank you Don...hadn't had time to even start looking. I think I might have most of the set. Have to check my SK sockets as I think I have them but the speed bar is a need.

 

[d42jeep]

They are not too hard to find. These recently arrived from an eBay seller at a reasonable price.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I found a nice complete 1/4” drive set of knurled sockets today along with a 1/4” drive ratchet at an Oakland estate sale.

-Don

 

[Ultradog MN]

Nice!
Were they that clean when you got them or did you do some spit and polish for the family photos?

 

[2001ZR2]

Found this homemade tool but got them to throw it in with the other SK stuff at the estate sale.

The 12 pt short set runs from 5/8" to 1-1/4 (which was pounded on the oil filter wrench), 1/2 Speed wrench, 1/2 breaker and several misc sockets with the 1/2"deep and 3/8" sockets.
Got duplicates of the 19/32" and 25/32".

Was able to work a deal and split the sale with someone who wanted the toolbox but not the sockets.

Got all that and some Proto, Blackhawk and Craftsman items for $25.

At the second Estate Sale picked up these two wrenches for 5 bucks.

 

[Upstater57]

Love the oil filter socket. LOL

 

[d42jeep]

Nice!
Were they that clean when you got them or did you do some spit and polish for the family photos?

i hadn’t cleaned the sockets at all. I did a little touch up on the ratchet and removed the sharpie price marking. The 7/16“ socket is the only one spending an overnight in the evaporust.
On the other end of the scale was this combo wrench from the same sale. It was kind of rusty but after cleaning I found previous owners engravings in at least three locations.
I guess that he was really attached to that wrench.
-Don

 

[Shelbylex]

An interesting display case (seller asking for $1500)

 

[Outlawmws]

Sorry, I think the seller is dreaming...

 

[Beerhippie]

Seems to me he can keep asking that for a while.

 

[genog]

I found a very nice 4810 set...

Since I rarely encounter complete sets, I got fairly jazzed thinking...Hey! I finally came across a full set!
Almost.....
The set contained two 5/8's....but the 11/16 was missing

I happened to have an 11/16 in a box of singletons, but.....it has a cad finish
It looks a bit misplaced with the rest

 

[d42jeep]

I’ll set an 11/16” aside for you.
One of those sets was one of my first S-K estate sale finds in 2016. I’ve improved it a bit since then.
-Don

 

[2001ZR2]

Just a scrub with brush and trip thru the ultrasonic cleaner in water and dawn.


Previously what they looked like.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Sorry, I think the seller is dreaming...

About 3 x deeper than R.E.M. (Reasonably Expected Monetary) value.

 

[demiandvm]

I just picked up this very tight and well made S-K 8" adjustable wrench. Are these common? How old do you think it is? I never have seen an S-K adjustable before, just mostly ratchets, sockets and open/closed end wrenches.


Thanks

 

[d42jeep]

Although I find that S-K adjustable wrenches rarely show up at estate and garage sales, a quick eBay search shows quite a variety readily available, some fairly reasonably priced. I have a few.

This S-K Wayne shows that it was likely made in the recently purchased Lectrolite factory with the LC markings in the corners

This 4” example has different markings

Here is a later open throat example simply marked S-K.
A plain steel S-K Tools example gifted to me some years back.


-Don

 

[2001ZR2]

 

[2001ZR2]

Little 4.5 inch 1/4" ratchet

 

[INSP380]

Picked up these 3 over the weekend (2) Sk-Wayne (1) SK / Dresser they were $5 ea and they threw in a Wright Tool for nothing… I like the SK-Wayne boxes! All are used, but not abused… the insert card is mint.

Steve

 

[Upstater57]

Nice work picking these up cheap !

 

[INSP380]

Nice work picking these up cheap !

Thank you! I was after a Craftsman chest and these were up for grabs too. Couldn’t pass on these.

Steve

 

[jreb10]

I have enjoyed reading all these informative posts and thought I would try to make a modest contribution to this thread.

I recently acquired a 45170 ratchet, 3/8" drive. It carries the SK logo and number, but it is housed in a beaver-tail that I associate with SK's Brazil private label offerings. And it carries only the first patent number (#1,98.526).

Alloy Artifacts has a similar example in 1/2" drive, and speculates that the housings were used during the war in a period when the later housings were in short supply. They cite the plain steel finish as support for this idea.

My example seems to have had a chrome finish, although some of it has flaked off. Perhaps the early patent number and chrome finish date it to the prewar or early war years.

 

[d42jeep]

I have never understood the reason that the S-K marked beaver tail ratchets exist. One clue has to be the early patent number on the 3/8” drive beaver tails. That and the chrome plating indicate prewar production to me. They don’t appear in any catalog that I’m aware of. Generally the beaver tails were sold either as an S-K price line such as Brazil or contract ratchets for other companies such as Artisan or Mac.
-Don

 

[Upstater57]

I have a couple of these both in SK and Artisan in 1/4 and 3/8. One of the 3/8 I bought cheap had no detent. I slipped in a 2025 dual pawl replacement mechanism. I now have a pre war SK ratchet with a 2025 mechanism. Works perfectly. It amazes me as to the longevity of the design with the ratchet still using the same part number today. Love the old SK (and some of the new SK)

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The sk marked beavertails were likely prewar, possibly a few wartime as I have a black oxide version.

 

[MAD]

Here is a Sears Dunlap 1/2 x 9/16 short box wrench in the typical Lectrolite Tru-Fit style. This one has the SK "K" code rather than the expected "LC".

 

[jreb10]

While on the topic of beaver tails, here is a 1/2" Artisan, a Brazil ratchet produced for Gambles:



And here is a somewhat strange one. It appears to be a Brazil 4070, but it carries no markings whatsoever! I wonder what the story was behind this one:

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Those were usually unmarked, came in generic chrome alloy sets.

 

[jreb10]

Thank you OTG. Now I know the real story.