Vintage S-K Tools

[Cruzan80]

IIRC, the patent for this is later 50's (58?). So it would still be protected under patent in the 70s. Explains why SO didnt sell them then, but does now.

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[d42jeep]

I saw this set in some late ‘50s/early ‘60s catalogs and thought it would be a nice one to collect. I found some rusty boxes on eBay and after being lost in the mail for weeks, they finally arrived. With the help of some tools borrowed from other sets, I got a look at it almost complete. Now I need to find a few pieces to finish it.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice set

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks. I did some restoration on another one of my new rusty treasures.
-Don

 

[Old Radar]

Don, you're getting really good at that!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice color match

 

[d42jeep]

Don, you're getting really good at that!

Nice color match

Thanks, guys. This is the paint that is a pretty good match to a lot of the early toolboxes. At this rate I’m going to need to order a couple more cans.
-Don

 

[jgromada]

Thanks, guys. This is the paint that is a pretty good match to a lot of the early toolboxes. At this rate I’m going to need to order a couple more cans.
-Don

Don, if you don't mind can you add where you can get this paint? I have an old set where i would like to update the case as it looks a bit tired.

My starting point is a bit better than what you had so i think this will go pretty well. Mask off the logos and then just light sanding and degreasing. Maybe on a few minor rust spots.

 

[d42jeep]

I order it from these guys. Good luck with your project.

https://midwestmilitary.com/

-Don

 

[406Rich]

When cleaning up this 1/4 inch box, I took the plastic tray out and this card was beneath it, anyone ever see one..?

 

[d42jeep]

When cleaning up this 1/4 inch box, I took the plastic tray out and this card was beneath it, anyone ever see one..?

I haven’t seen that exact card. It’s kind of humorous that it was in a 1/4” drive set. I’ve gotten a couple of S-K cards included with recent purchases. The price card came with a partial set in a rusty box and the missing tools card came in an empty universal box.
-Don

 

[406Rich]

I haven’t seen that exact card. It’s kind of humorous that it was in a 1/4” drive set. I’ve gotten a couple of S-K cards included with recent purchases. The price card came with a partial set in a rusty box and the missing tools card came in an empty universal box.
-Don

Thanks Don, Humorous is right, I got a laugh out of it..

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks to Roy sending me several missing pieces, I was able to complete this set without robbing from any others.
-Don

 

[Old Radar]

Sweet set, Don!

 

[d42jeep]

Sweet set, Don!

Thanks, I still have a ways to go on the other set. Some of the missing items are on the way.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Today I received my third galvanized top S-K box from an eBay seller. I got my first one from Lugz back in 2017. I didn’t understand at the time that they came from the factory painted green like most S-K postwar boxes but that paint doesn’t stick well to galvanizing. It may have been a one year only experiment because based on my experience they are quite rare. The first picture is the one I got from Lugz. The others are recent.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I totally forgot about that! They're kinda neat looking with the half worn off paint. Camo-ish.

 

[d42jeep]

I totally forgot about that! They're kinda neat looking with the half worn off paint. Camo-ish.

I agree. I’m going to leave the first one and the little one alone. The rusty one I painted. Here it is today. I borrowed the tools from the other box. I cleaned that one up while it was empty. .
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I was excited when the UPS driver left a large heavy box from Catfish Dan on my front porch yesterday. He sent me his wartime S-K box, one that I have been looking for for quite a while. My collecting started with WW2 tools and I’ve been gathering S-K tools appropriate to what would have come in this box for a few years. I’m still missing some of the more rare items but the fun is in the search, as most of you know. Thanks again, Dan!
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some more of the tools that will end up in the new box.
-Don

 

[Kdaniel8601]

Does anybody know when this ratchet was made?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Beavertails show up with that Rueb patent number (1934) and a later improved Rueb patent number, 2,232,477, granted in 1941. I have one of each. I am sure there are guys here who have several. I am not well-versed enough in S-K production, nor do I have enough sets with beavertail ratchets of both kinds to know if those dates can be definitively used like brackets, but, unless they continued making and issuing the ratchet with the earlier patented mechanism in sets after the improved ratchet mechanism was introduced - which seems highly unlikely to me, I would say the early patent ratchets were made between 1934 and 1941.

 

[d42jeep]

In the case of beaver tail 3/8” drive ratchets like yours, I think Lugz has the timeline exactly right. The conventional 1/4” drive ratchets used the early patent right up until the Wayne era. On conventional 3/8” drive ratchets the early patent was used through WW2, as far as I can tell, and then transitioned to the later patent number. On 1/2” drive ratchets of either style, I have only seen either patent pending or the later patent number. The beaver tail situation is a little different when it comes to 1/4” drive ratchets as both of my Chrome Alloy marked ones have the later patent.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very interesting, Don. Bookmarking that post. Can we conclude from that they didn't make beavertails in midget size until 1941?

 

[d42jeep]

As was pointed out to me recently on another thread, it’s all just educated guesses based on found examples. I wish that we had more references that included the beaver tails or that AA would make their 1939 S-K catalog available to collectors as so many GJ members have done. I would be very interested to see that one.
-Don

 

[Kdaniel8601]

Here is some eBay preview pictures for a Jan. 15, 1939 Sockets Wrench Sets and Parts catalog that I was outbid on, It sold for $106.00

 

[d42jeep]

Here is some eBay preview pictures for a Jan. 15, 1939 Sockets Wrench Sets and Parts catalog that I was outbid on, It sold for $106.00

Thanks for having copied those. I saved them to my pictures. You are one of the GJ members who have been very generous in making your catalogs available to collectors. Thanks for doing that.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That is a 45170 3/8 ratchet. Before 39 or so it was a 4570 ratchet. That one has the earlier patent so you would think 1940, but for some reason sk persisted in using the earlier patent number on some models. They made that ratchet with a number of brand names into the mid 50s. Mac, artisan, tiger, chrome alloy, sk, western giant were a few. Tough to pin down exact date.

 

[Bockscar]

Have a sk wrench that I probably got at an auction....haven't seen any made like this could anyone identify it....because I'd love to have a full set

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[sk farmer]

^^^^

sk custom or peg pack line. a lower priced or budget line. a lesser finished, plain tool often seen in as described, displayed on a peg. the sk frankenstein ratchet that are often seen were part of that line as well and have the same logo. i have seen combo wrenches like yours, socket sets and multi bit drivers

vintage? late 70's-early 80's.

good luck finding more. i have never seen many in the wild and the last one i saw in a store was probably 10 years ago in an old surplus store. if you look it over, it is just a satin finish raised panel sk minus the raised panel and only marked on one side. apparently they liked the idea as shortly after that that same wrench got aq full polish, full stamping anf the superkrome wrench was born.

 

[Bockscar]

^^^^

sk custom or peg pack line. a lower priced or budget line. a lesser finished, plain tool often seen in as described, displayed on a peg. the sk frankenstein ratchet that are often seen were part of that line as well and have the same logo. i have seen combo wrenches like yours, socket sets and multi bit drivers

vintage? late 70's-early 80's.

good luck finding more. i have never seen many in the wild and the last one i saw in a store was probably 10 years ago in an old surplus store. if you look it over, it is just a satin finish raised panel sk minus the raised panel and only marked on one side. apparently they liked the idea as shortly after that that same wrench got aq full polish, full stamping anf the superkrome wrench was born.

I like the fit and feel...I have been looking for a new set of metric wrenches....leaning towards the SK superchrome....also looking at Wright....would love to to have a full set of the wrench above

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[sk farmer]

I like the fit and feel...I have been looking for a new set of metric wrenches....leaning towards the SK superchrome....also looking at Wright....would love to to have a full set of the wrench above

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the sk raised panel satin finish wrenches were and are still great wrenches. a nice solid feel with a wide comfortable beam and a great durable finish.

i think they unfairly got lumped in with the abundance of craftsman and other raised panels as being cheap with low quality, rough finish and sharp edges.

too bad they never offered the sk raised panel in a long pattern.

 

[Cruzan80]

I know I have some as spares, let me take a look. Metric only, or SAE as well?

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[Bockscar]

I know I have some as spares, let me take a look. Metric only, or SAE as well?

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Metric only.....I have a set of standard Thorsens, Proto, Challenger and Bon e cons....which I absolutely love

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[d42jeep]

Some of the more modern S-K tools are quite nice looking.
I received the 3/8” deep set today. It’s marked Old Forge but it obviously is the original box for those sockets and it’s marked on the end of the box with an S-K part number. I believe that it’s a prewar contract set.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I cleaned up the nice box from Catfish Dan and did a test layout to see how close I could come to the 1943 catalog image.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Thats pretty close

 

[ridervfr]

Pretty cool D42JEEP!

 

[Catfishdan]

Dang. Nice job! I knew you’d give it a better home than I could.

 

[QJack]

I have a very nice set 7 out of an 8 piece deep GAMBLES Iin original steel box,12pt, 3/4 Drive Socket Set ,does anyone know how much its worth?