Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
So my old man was holding this in his left hand when he banged on the side with his right hand?
Vintage Xcelite or other Nut Driver Sets
- Thread starter d42jeep
- Start date
four.cycle
Well-known member
Or, alternatively, you can hold the device in the right hand and use the left hand to re-adjust the aluminum foil wrapped around the rabbit ears. 
Harry Oh
Active member
I recently came across a nutdriver of sorts. No makers name just a part or model #. The nut driver is 7/16 and the hex is 1/8. I'm assuming it is made to adjust something with a locking nut. Any ideas on use or application? 
RTM
Well-known member
That combo hex nut driver looks like it might be a Hi-Lok fastener tool. I have a couple of socket ratchets, and allen wrench holders made for them.
Here is an early Xcelite 1/4” driver I grabbed off of eBay recently.
-Don
Nicl 2A qgrab Don! I threw one of the older Xcellite drivers into my wartime Duro ignition wrench set until i, or If I find the correct one.
Nice cleanup! What did you use on the grips?I found a really rusty pair of groove joint pliers at a garage sale today. They turned out to be Xcelite. They look a little better now.
-Don
Nice. I have a set of yellow Vaco pliers that are stained brown that I have tried lots of chemicals on, and nothing so far has brightened them up. I'll have to give brake cleaner a try. Somebody also suggested gojo hand cleaner, but I don't have any of that on-hand (no pun intended).
genog
Well-known member
Hilti made in USA nut driver
Not marked for size, but it's 7/16
Not marked for size, but it's 7/16
Username already in use
Well-known member
I snapped up this set of Xcelite metric drivers today at the flea for the grand sun of $0.50. Missing the driver handle, but I’ll let the next owner worry about that!
I snapped up this set of Xcelite metric drivers today at the flea for the grand sun of $0.50. Missing the driver handle, but I’ll let the next owner worry about that!
Just an FYI, it's a common mistake to assume that is a metric set. In the era of those tools, Xcelite didn't make a metric set (they made metric sets later though). The numbers above the bits are the number of 32nds. So the "10" isn't a 10mm, it's 10/32 or 5/16. The "8" is 8/32 or 1/4, etc. $0.50 is a sweet "you ****" price on that set too, lol.
Odd Job
Well-known member
And while it is a 99PR, it's older than the one in the catalog. They made the 99PR forever, and it's been through several revisions. If you notice the one in the catalog has 4 slots in the roll for 4 standard 99-series screwdriver blades (2 slotted and 2 philips). The older set pictured above has 2 slots on the right ride of the handle pouch for two double-sided blades like these:
Those long double-sided blades can be difficult to find. Also, another side note, the handle would be like the one I am showing here too. Darker orange than the handles of today, and almost a flat top. Modern handles are much more rounded.
Welp, that's today's Xcelite trivia, lol.
Those long double-sided blades can be difficult to find. Also, another side note, the handle would be like the one I am showing here too. Darker orange than the handles of today, and almost a flat top. Modern handles are much more rounded.
Welp, that's today's Xcelite trivia, lol.
bmwrd0
Well-known member
Going through my toolbox right now, paring back on a few things I never use anymore, I found these:
They show up in the prewar Indestro catalogs, and are pretty handy. A nice alternative to Spintites, they are labled on the shaft what size they are: 5/16, 3/8, and 7/16
They show up in the prewar Indestro catalogs, and are pretty handy. A nice alternative to Spintites, they are labled on the shaft what size they are: 5/16, 3/8, and 7/16
I’m now on the lookout for the handle and the two combination blades, having received Username’s nice set in a care package. I may have a couple of handles that will work as substitutes but am watching for the exact tools above.And while it is a 99PR, it's older than the one in the catalog. They made the 99PR forever, and it's been through several revisions. If you notice the one in the catalog has 4 slots in the roll for 4 standard 99-series screwdriver blades (2 slotted and 2 philips). The older set pictured above has 2 slots on the right ride of the handle pouch for two double-sided blades like these:
Those long double-sided blades can be difficult to find. Also, another side note, the handle would be like the one I am showing here too. Darker orange than the handles of today, and almost a flat top. Modern handles are much more rounded.
Welp, that's today's Xcelite trivia, lol.
-Don
A well used set; Park Metalware Xcelite Nut Drivers x5; Nos. 11, 9, 8, 7 and 6.
I'm guessing these pre-date color-coded handles?
I'm guessing these pre-date color-coded handles?
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I like those early ones. I believe that they offered both handles with the different colors or all the same color like yours concurrently. I have both styles. It seems like the different color handles became more popular early on.
Yellow handle 1/4” driver.
Both choices offered in the 1942 catalog.
-Don
Yellow handle 1/4” driver.
Both choices offered in the 1942 catalog.
-Don
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You have a better grip on the handles than I.
After reading a bunch of disparaging words about Nut Drivers I figured some well used ones were needed for balance.
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WNYflyer
Well-known member
Vaco's picked up many years ago
There was some discussion about Park Metalware/Xcelite possible patent information on their nutdrivers after LesserSon found a 1/4” nutdriver marked Patent Applied For. After some checking, I was unable to find their patent. I did find a few early ads though. My early rack is marked Patents Applied For as well.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I've never found any patent, Zilliox, Petre, or other, for Park Metalware nut drivers with the XceLite brand, but if you look inside the 1942 catalog, that's clearly when they first introduced the concept of different colored handles, one for each size, and gave them the DeLux suffix. LS appears to have found an example. The 1944 ads don't use the DeLux term, but they do re-use the terminology from the 1942 catalog ("new", "truly different", and "unique") that would be a necessary requirement for qualifying them as novel with the USPTO. If you look at the top of page 25 (which I see you've handily posted in post #300), you can see that they placed a little "PAT. APPLIED FOR" notice deliberately and directly under only the fancified "With Colored Handles" part of the "XceLite Nut Drivers With Colored Handles" title on that page. All of this points to them applying for a patent for the colored handles in the 1941-1942 timeframe.
We have to accept the possibility that the reason it can't be found is it never having been granted. The USPTO may have found the idea beyond unique and beyond patentable. If so, I have to say I can see their point.
What's interesting and potentially very informative about your rack is that it's not early. That was not made by the Park Metalware Co, it was made by the XceLite Inc., which means it's from 1952 or later. The 1944 ads extol the "unique" security virtues of the rack, called a "Handy Lockable Toolholder" on page 26 of the 1942 catalog, and sure enough, deliberately and directly under that term is a smaller "PAT. APPLIED FOR." notice.
In 1952, the company now known as Xcelite, Inc. was apparently still waiting for a patent to be granted for the rack.
Methinks Park Metalware applied for two different patents, one for the colored handles concept and one for the lockable rack, at the same time.
Oddly, I have not seen a patent for the rack, either, despite it seemingly being more patentable than colored handles.
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I found something you may find very interesting while poking around in Park Metalware Patent Research Land!
DATAMP is not aware that your awesome box was ever produced. This is not that unusual. It's more or less a forum-less version of GJ's hand tools research "staffed", like GJ, by dedicated volunteers. It was patented (2,487,174) by John N. Petre and assigned to Park Metalware on November 8, 1949. Link to its DATAMP page is here. It's a boring page because they have no photos of one, and because they have no photos of one, they didn't bother to post a photo of the Patent Diagram, either. But if you click on the little "pdf" hyperlink under the big white 'No Image Available' square, or just click here, you will see a patent drawing of your box!
Better yet, if you send them your photos, when collectors like us go to that page in the future, a photo of YOUR BOX will appear there!
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I picked up two more for the "or Other Nut Driver" category at the flea market yesterday, gents. All thoughts welcome, because I am stumped and my Google-fu is on the fritz on these.
The first is a handsome antique ND with a 3/16" hex opening with dark natural steel ferrule and socket and a black-painted wood handle. I have looked at it too often to see anything other than "JAN. 1936" and "M.T.(iIlegible)" or "M.F.(illegible)" in those rad inked markings. Millers Falls? Milwaukee Tool and Forge?
The first is a handsome antique ND with a 3/16" hex opening with dark natural steel ferrule and socket and a black-painted wood handle. I have looked at it too often to see anything other than "JAN. 1936" and "M.T.(iIlegible)" or "M.F.(illegible)" in those rad inked markings. Millers Falls? Milwaukee Tool and Forge?
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I have never seen anything quite like this one before, but I love it. The handle (hard composite) is nearly 8" OAL. That bit with split-spring male tang has a 5/16" hex opening. It's shoulder is a 1/2" nut that fits inside the 1/2" opening in the driver, that also functions, of course, as a 1/2" hex nut driver. I'm supposing it may have come with other bits. Searching for a company with the name "The States Company" was problematic, even with the help of the Hartford. If it had a S/N, they never recorded it.
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
RTM
Well-known member
I looked thru some Millers Falls catalogs around 1936, didn’t see any nut drivers.
Also found The States Company in Hanford, seemed like a power company, so wonder if those were made for them, rather than for retail sale.
At a glance, it looks like a Hallowell design. The handle, not the bit adapter.
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steel 35
Well-known member
My dad was the one that fixed TVs
he banged a lot.
Had a complete bag just like that one; mom still has it.
steel 35
Well-known member
steel 35
Well-known member
I have several more pieces to clean, but this may be a rabbit hole the cutters fell into 
In order to complete the set, I picked up these pieces on eBay. The evaporust helped some but some of the tools have permanent damage to the finish.And while it is a 99PR, it's older than the one in the catalog. They made the 99PR forever, and it's been through several revisions. If you notice the one in the catalog has 4 slots in the roll for 4 standard 99-series screwdriver blades (2 slotted and 2 philips). The older set pictured above has 2 slots on the right ride of the handle pouch for two double-sided blades like these:
Those long double-sided blades can be difficult to find. Also, another side note, the handle would be like the one I am showing here too. Darker orange than the handles of today, and almost a flat top. Modern handles are much more rounded.
Welp, that's today's Xcelite trivia, lol.
-Don
Mintgrun
Well-known member
Here's an aluminum driver with a hollow handle that holds sockets inside. There aren't any markings that I can see.
When I found this tool yesterday, the cap for the handle was held in place with some gummy old duct tape and when I removed it I saw that the end was mangled, so the cap would not spin in.
I found a deep socket that fit the inside pretty well and clamped that in a vise with one end sticking out, to use as an anvil while I tapped the flared parts back to round with a combination of hammers made of wood/plastic and finally brass. Then I put it in the lathe and trimmed a tiny bit off of the end to true it up and used a boring bar to remove the first few threads, since they'd been cross threaded. Now the cap fits well again. That was a fun one to fix.
The tip is hollow. I'm guessing that is for the end of long screws.
I think that might be all the sockets it came with, because the stack pretty much fills the handle.
I wish I could show the repair to the person that taped the end in place and thank them for keeping all of the parts and pieces together.
Tom
When I found this tool yesterday, the cap for the handle was held in place with some gummy old duct tape and when I removed it I saw that the end was mangled, so the cap would not spin in.
I found a deep socket that fit the inside pretty well and clamped that in a vise with one end sticking out, to use as an anvil while I tapped the flared parts back to round with a combination of hammers made of wood/plastic and finally brass. Then I put it in the lathe and trimmed a tiny bit off of the end to true it up and used a boring bar to remove the first few threads, since they'd been cross threaded. Now the cap fits well again. That was a fun one to fix.
The tip is hollow. I'm guessing that is for the end of long screws.
I think that might be all the sockets it came with, because the stack pretty much fills the handle.
I wish I could show the repair to the person that taped the end in place and thank them for keeping all of the parts and pieces together.
Tom
And while it is a 99PR, it's older than the one in the catalog. They made the 99PR forever, and it's been through several revisions. If you notice the one in the catalog has 4 slots in the roll for 4 standard 99-series screwdriver blades (2 slotted and 2 philips). The older set pictured above has 2 slots on the right ride of the handle pouch for two double-sided blades like these:
Those long double-sided blades can be difficult to find. Also, another side note, the handle would be like the one I am showing here too. Darker orange than the handles of today, and almost a flat top. Modern handles are much more rounded.
Welp, that's today's Xcelite trivia, lol.
I was finally able to unite the correct pieces with my early 99PR that Username gifted me.In order to complete the set, I picked up these pieces on eBay. The evaporust helped some but some of the tools have permanent damage to the finish.
-Don
-Don
Nice!I was finally able to unite the correct pieces with my early 99PR that Username gifted me.
-Don
I know this isn't a nut driver, but I wanna celebrate somewhere doggonit, lol. I finally found the last of my Xcelite Scrulox drivers, the SL-3 that I have been looking for forever. It's in "pretty used" condition, but I'll take it. Normally I hold out for excellent condition drivers, but this one was super-hard to find.
And finally reunited with the rest of the lineup:
And finally reunited with the rest of the lineup: