Vintage Xcelite or other Nut Driver Sets

[four.cycle]

no . no big deal. it's going into that 4921 kit that is shy the 5/16" deep-well, so it's a cobble job anyway. I'm including the 40953 (metal handle) breaker in the deal, so they shouldn't have any reason for complaint, right?

 

[PSCo1867]

I got this sweet UL listed Xcelite stubby reversible. Patent No. 2,596,594.



I also got the prehistoric Xcelite screwdriver.


Both available for trade, the reversible means a bit more than screwdriver to me.

Found this nifty little Xcelite stubby reversible. I think it says "TSD-1". Looks close to the one in your post, but not exactly.

 

[genog]

I found these at a sale recently.
Kinda prefer the clean look of these -v- Craftsman metrics...more so than the color coded handles
But....when you are grabbing for a nut driver, having a color coded handle makes things a bit more convenient

 

[CoogarXR]

Found this nifty little Xcelite stubby reversible. I think it says "TSD-1". Looks close to the one in your post, but not exactly.

The TSD-1 is newer, and the hex on the shank is smaller (and has a detent ball). It's a good driver, but it's not cross-compatible with anything else.

The older ones with the fatter hex shank (known as the Model 26) were interchangeable with the more common 25-series full-size handles, the 600 multi-tool and the HSC-1 set/handle.

Just some Xcelite trivia for ya, lol.

 

[d42jeep]

The blade I was missing to complete this set to my satisfaction arrived today. It’s come a long way since I found it at an estate sale.
-Done
As found

 

[PSCo1867]

The blade I was missing to complete this set to my satisfaction arrived today. It’s come a long way since I found it at an estate sale.
-Done
As found

Well done, like so, so many of your other collection endeavors. What a transformation from as-found to completion. You almost had me inspired to complete my partial No. 99SMW, but that's going to be someone else's project. Are the Cooper-era sets even very desirable? Again...congrats on your completion of the No. 99MP.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks. I don’t see why that set would be any less desirable. They are US made Xcelite and the roll looks pristine. Apparently the newest Xcelite is coming from China. Kind of disappointing.
-Don

 

[RTM]

I was at a Tool Sale two weekends back, saw one of these cases on a table. Wandered over, saw the $4 price, and was intrigued. Opened the top, and the smell of barf was so bad, I never noticed if they were screwdrivers or nut drivers. I put the top back on before I contaminated the whole building.

Was kinda disappointed, I had a Radio Shack screwdriver version as a kid, and they were really poorly made, was hoping to relive part of my childhood.

 

[skeer]

I had a big, fat Jensen JTK-5000 tool case back during the early years of IT/tech work.. my most favorite tools within.. aside from the Fluke **** set, and the digital toner/probe pair were the Xcelite yellow handles and the ridiculous amount of interchangeable bits(?)

Sold the case last year.. kept the Xcelites <wink>

 

[bmwrd0]

I treated myself the other day:

The stand isn't quite right for the time period, but I have never found a cast iron stand, while I do have this one.

These are in excellent condition for being 100 years old, give or take, and I also picked up these at the same time:

Two radio Spintites, and an awl from the same period. I have the 5/8"s already, so all I need now are the 9/16", the third radio spinner, and the three square nut spinners. From the same time period, of course.

Also, I picked up this Nut Set rack, and have not been able to figure out who made it or sold it.

Well made of decent gauge steel, Vaco/Xcelite don't fit, and neither do Spintites. Does anyone know anything about this?

 

[d42jeep]

The colors are kind of off too. I’ve never seen a green 5/16” driver. Very odd. I found these today at an estate sale and cleaned them up.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I spent some time today organizing some Xcelite tools. Here are some early ones.
Updated the rack sets to be more matching
I had been looking for a while to find a #8 (1/4”) blade to complete a set. While organizing the plastic handle nutdrivers I noticed that some had the blade making on the shank and all I needed to do was remove the plastic handle. Problem solved. I can’t believe that I never noticed that before.
-Don

 

[Stubby1743]

I can't offer a picture of a set as nut drivers are not much of a thing in the UK.

I bought this Walden 3/8" at a car boot sale on Sunday. I am intrigued by the 'Union Special 21333-AU' marking on the handle. What is the significance of that?

The full markings on the shaft are 'SPINTITE WALDEN 3912 3/8'.

 

[RTM]

Union Special is a maker of bag closing (sewing) machines, might be a changeover/ maintenance tool for one of those.

Founded in 1881, so been around a week or three. Walden as a supplier might not be too much of a reach

 

[Stubby1743]

Thanks for the info. I would never have guessed that Union Special is a specialised sewing machine maker.

 

[LesserSon]

I had been half-heartedly picking at making a Stanley set, but today came across a pouch and strewn drivers on a tarp at the flea market. Sure enough, it was only missing the 1/4”, which had been substituted with an XceLite-mfd one. I put that to rights when I got home.

 

[LesserSon]

I picked up two Bonney nutdrivers today for $1, so I posed them for a family photo. I have another CH14 that is later XceLite production, and (according to my notes) somewhere a wood-handled Bonney KH14 of the Spintite type.

 

[MisterEd]

Stevens-Walden Spintite 1/2 Inch
Stampings are visible on Handle . . . almost.

 

[d42jeep]

Some Proto nutdrivers. Looks like they had more than one supplier.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

S-K set in progress. I’ll add a Vaco 5/16” placeholder until I find an S-K marked one.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Some Walden Spintite plastic handle nutdrivers.
-Don

 

[NoahG]

I have a cousin in her late 70’s who’s downsizing her tools and supplies after a life of DIY. When I got to her house she specifically had these set aside from the donate pile for me. At least one handle has her father’s initials etched into it. Aren’t they glorious?!

 

[d42jeep]

Those are very nice and quite early. What a great gift! You are just missing the 1/4” nutdriver (#8).
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ Not sure what Don uses to clean those handles up. I used some Meguiar's Cleaner Wax on a beat-up set of Vacos and they looked like new with a bit of rubbing.

 

[bonneyman]

Here's a set of the best examples of VACO's that I currently have. It's missing the 9/32 and 9/16 but all the other SAE sizes are present.

Putting together for my nephew.

 

[d42jeep]

I found these two square drive Xcelite drivers at an estate sale today. These are the first ones of these I’ve run across.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ I've seen lots of "S1" and "S2" bits and drivers, but never "SL".

"Scrulox" ?

 

[CoogarXR]

^ I've seen lots of "S1" and "S2" bits and drivers, but never "SL".

"Scrulox" ?

Yeah, "S" is for stubby, "SL" is for Scrulox. They made 5 sizes of them I believe- 00, 0, 1, 2, 3 (that's what I have anyway):

 

[d42jeep]

I found these two Xcelite nutdrivers at yesterday’s tool sale. The 5/16” is magnetic.
-Don

 

[NYBODYMAN]

Here's some Walden wooden handle Spintites in a wooden block. Not a set and some are duplicates but cool nonetheless. Don't need/want them anymore so if anyone has an interest let me know.

 

[CoogarXR]

Woo-hoo! Two more Xcelite unicorns found today:



The long-shank 9/16" A-18 and 5/8" A-20. The 5/8" is actually marked AHS-20, which I assume means A (long) and HS (hollow shaft). It's the first long one I have had that specified being hollow. But all of the "long" drivers were hollow shaft. It's literally just as hollow as the A-18 next to it, lol.

The long drivers are a strange thing; it doesn't seem like they ever streamlined their naming convention on them. Some long drivers are marked A-** or L-** (and now apparently AHS-**!). Even the super-long drivers are sometimes labeled AA-** or LL-**. So they couldn't decide between L or A on them either. Here is an old pic I took of an A-11 and L-11 side by side. The camera angle is confusing, but the handles and shanks are identical (other than the stamp, obviously):



But I'm super-happy to have found the A-18 and AHS-20, especially in NOS condition. I wasn't even sure these existed. I'll try to get a picture of my long nut driver collection once I put these with the rest.

 

[CoogarXR]

Here's what the lineup looks like so far:



A-6 through L(A)-12, A-16, A-18, A-20. Yeah, I know 8 and 9 are out of order, lol, I didn't have my readers on.

I bet there's at least an A-14 out there somewhere waiting to be found...

Here are some honorable mentions in the "long Xcelite" realm:


The two magnetic drivers A-10-M and A-8-M with the interesting comfort grips. I have only seen these grips on 8's and 10's in the standard, long and super long styles.

And then there's the super-skinny 1/4 driver on the top. No markings at all, but its definitely an Xcelite handle. If it's home-made, it's damn good. But I'm betting that it's a custom tool from Xcelite. I've used this several times; it's handy for worming in where thicker drivers won't fit.

 

[bonneyman]

Here's what the lineup looks like so far:

Wow! Just wow.

 

[Leviton]

I found one that I don’t think has been posted yet. Brought to you by the folks who made thousands of screw-holding Hold-E-Zee screwdrivers, the Upson Brothers. Or probably by the time this particular nut driver was made, the Upson Tool Co.

Marked: Upson Hold-E-Zee USA ND 7/16











(In the third photo it looks like the shank has rust on it, but it doesn't.)

 

[CoogarXR]

Found another weird Xcelite custom nut driver. It's an SA-316. A double-square 3/16" nut driver. Weird. I paid way too much for it, but oh well. Never saw one before, probably never see one again if I missed it, so I bought it.






It does have initials carved into the handle, which *****, but oh well.

 

[RTM]

paid way too much for it, but oh well. Never saw one before, probably never see one again if I missed it, so I bought it.

Well done sir, we at GJ appreciate that attitude, and will only judge you with respect.

 

[LesserSon]

I’m confused by your top yellow handled driver. It’s marked 1/4” but looks much smaller than the rest. It seems like neither of us has a 3/8” example. I wonder why?

I spotted a white-crusted driver at the flea Sunday, and bought it without checking the size against my notes. A lucky find, because now I have a No10 5/16”… but STILL no No12 3/8”!

 

[bmwrd0]

A couple of bruisers for you:

Spintites, in 11/16" and 3/4"

 

[bmwrd0]

By the way, I do use these, as they are perfect for setting up hold-downs on my mill before final tightening.

 

[CoogarXR]

A couple of bruisers for you:

Spintites, in 11/16" and 3/4"

Dang, those are monsters, lol