What are these hex drive sockets?

[COL911]

I found these in an old box, rusted, probably to fat gone except for one. Would like to know their use, details etc. I realize photos are poor, can take more if anyone requests.

 

[COL911]

Another pic of the cleanest socket. Since most of these seem so corrode, is there any value to them or are they just scrap?

 

[four.cycle]

^ you've got at least two different makers there - cross-hatch knurling and straight knurling - and the straight knurling appears to be fairly deep, which eliminates the obvious possibilities.

are there any other markings on them other than the sizes? (and the two dots stamped alongside the " 9/16 " on the second image?) are the sizes on the darker two stamped as we would see them today? (i.e., 9/16) or as they were formerly stamped by some makers early on? (i.e., 9-16) ??

"value" depends upon whether or not somebody needs them to complete a set.
determining who made them might present a challenge.

 

[COL911]

Four Cycle, I can't even read anything much anymore, they're too far gone. The straight knurling is the only one, the rest have cross hatch knurling. One pictured here reads 7/8, with the seven over a horizontal line and the 8.

 

[four.cycle]

you got me. there's only a couple of those makes I can identify by sight.
you can try picking through photos at Alloy-Artifacts.org or ToolArchives.com... or hang loose and wait and see if another member here knows what they are.

 

[48548]

Evaporust

 

[Stadger]

Is it me or are they stuck to the ceiling? Seriously though, I never scrap sockets. Eventually enough gather to make a good car-trunk set.

 

[davethorik]

Is it me or are they stuck to the ceiling? Seriously though, I never scrap sockets. Eventually enough gather to make a good car-trunk set.

You have a hex drive ratchet in your trunk kit?

Doubt you're going to be using them. They often came in little metal tray kits with an allen wrench to drive the sockets. There were some hex drive ratchets, but they aren't exactly common. If they were in good shape, maybe try to sell but I'd just toss them out. Not every socket needs saved.

 

[tym]

I'd give them away before scrapping them, personally.

 

[Zeke]

In the WWII era one could buy a set of sockets and what would seem to most as a large allen wrench. All the sockets would slide onto the long side of the drive handle to make a tidy kit. The typical ball bearing retainer would keep them from slipping off. You could use either end of the handle to drive the the socket.

https://www.google.com/search?q=vin...hEo3QwMaVtV4CoSCR9r-QlWt5wAESjdDAxpW1Xg&tbo=u

 

[DonovanSpeed]

One of those turned out to be a big help two days ago. It was very shallow and the perfect size to hold the inside of Model A Ford backing plate bolts! A wrench was too long and my other 20+ 9/16 sockets were too deep.

I have a hand full of those that have come in box lots or old tool boxes. I don't throw things like that out because they may come in handy some day usually for making tools to get into tight places or as a bracket, adaptor, or who knows what else.

 

[COL911]

Zeke,
That's it! Thank you very much. I found the large Allen wrench, same as in your photo, and am currently soaking the sockets to try to clean them up as much as I can. I will post photos later this week - hopefully, they'll be some identifying marks that the forum may be able to identify. Thank you to all!

 

[drivesitfar]

Col: you don't have to keep them, but they are a handy little socket to have so put them in a box until you find more. or find a good home or donate or trade them. not super valuable even if someone does need it as a filler, but pretty sure made in USA.

 

[four.cycle]

"...some identifying marks..."

Unfortunately few of those have any "identifying marks" per se.
Identifiers are type and position of knurling (straight lines, cross-hatch, shallow or deep, way down toward the drive end or a wee bit up from the drive end), some have the sizes stamped as we are used to seeing fractions (i.e., " 3/4 " ), some have the sizes stamped "old school" (i.e., " 3 - 4 " ), some have the sizes stamped one on top of the other with a horizontal line between.
Some have little symbols stamped on them: stars or trapezoid shapes (Indestro), or little dots (like that shiny one of yours above.)

About the only way to definitively identify them would be to pore over photos at Alloy-Artifacts.org or ToolArchives.com and make your best educated guess.
I picked through the obvious candidates at AA the other day, but didn't find a match.

Bear in mind I'm a rookie at this stuff - there's somebody else on this site who will probably recognize them right off.

 

[Farmer J.]

They could even be 'Gedore', made in Germany. I have some that look like them, along with a load of others in an old selection. Useful sometimes in 'tight spots'. Sorry about the bad pics, but it's freezing in my workshop.. Not sure where some of mine come from, but they say 'FOREIGN' on them. Foreign to whom, it doesn't say!

 

[four.cycle]

gah!

Or Japan-made - they were stamping those out by the boatloads between the end of WWII and the mid-1960s.

Didn't even think of that!

 

[Al Borland]

I've got a bunch of those like the O.P.'s 7/8 (vertical knurling). they were old sockets my grandfather gave to my brothers and I way back in the 60s. A.A. has nothing I can find on them. There used to be a metal box and a big allen wrench and a ratchet driver, but all that is long gone.

 

[Derek420]

I got the same things made by Duro I had thought and was right after asking same question and I happen to of had the ratchet but missing the Allen L wrench but might have one somewhere. The set was the economy set and are carbon manganese and have no marks other than size.

 

[firworks]

I've got a bunch of hex drive sockets and allen wrench drivers from tool auctions. I think I might have a few hex drive ratchets too. They are cool to look at but not too useful. I've got a whole set of 1/2" drive Indestros too with cross hatch knurling that basically act as a low profile socket set.

 

[COL911]

After a good long soak and clean up, this is the best I could do. They're pretty far gone. Looks **** I have a mix from two or more sets. Bad as they are, if anyone needs any of this to complete a set, or just to have, just PM. Maybe for trade, maybe just cover postage as long as they find a new home.

 

[COL911]

Sorry, pix here....

 

[COL911]

Closer look

 

[COL911]

And extras...this one is different, lllllll knurling, with 2 dots of either side of 9/16. Indestro? Again, if anyone needs it, PM me

 

[COL911]

Last of extras

 

[four.cycle]

unknown 7 piece 1/2" hex drive SAE socket wrench set w/holder

no identifying marks or features. no patent date or number.

 

[chucktee]

Glad this old thread resurfaced. I had never seen a hex drive socket set before. Turns out I have a "partial set" (one part only, that is ) myself:



There aren't any ID markings on it. I had always assumed this was a specialty tool for some long-gone piece of equipment.

 

[four.cycle]

^ that is almost the piece I need:

 

[chucktee]

Yep, kinda close... 9-1/8" x 1-1/2" here. (The pic doesn't help as much as I'd hoped, parallax and all...)

 

[four.cycle]

^ It has to be exactly that length to fit into the holder.
That odd set in post #25 sold about two hours after I listed it on ebay. I probably sold it too cheap.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Bethlehem Spark Plug Co. Quickway Set A 3/8" hex drive set. Tight cross hatch pattern and turn striping on the sockets. Robust detent balls on the tee handle drive end and on the "L" handle. Notice the inside of the sockets has an obvious clover fold of metal between the drive end and the working end. No manufacturer's mark or COO on any of the pieces.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Based on the knowns of the Bethlehem sockets, I found these two larger 1/2" hex drive sockets. Same patterns, same internal construction. So these two will get labeled as Bethlehem sockets.

 

[wrench136]

Looking to buy a 3/8 drive socket 1/2", 9/16", 5/8" or similar. Vintage in good condition, no chrome. For display only.

 

[Orangina]

Do you know more about the usage period?
And were there different sizes?

The usage of hex drive sockets and ratchets by German brand HAZET till 1938
(sockets available in metric, US imperial, UK Whitworth sizes)
exchanged by 1/2" square drive since 1933:

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Bethlehem Spark Plug Co. Quickway Set A 7/16 hex drive set.

Nice find. Are you sure it's not 1/4-inch hex drive?

Tight cross hatch pattern and turn striping on the sockets.

Very illustrative of the style and construction. Most examples are not so completely denuded of its characteristic copper coating, but rare is the set with it all intact.

No manufacturer's mark or COO on any of the pieces.

Typically, neither the sockets or the handles in the "A" (1/4-inch hex drive), "C" (7/16-inch hex drive) and "C Special" (7/16-inch hex drive with special ratchet) sets had markings of any kind, branding, COO, or sizes.

The ratchet in the "D" (1/2-inch hex drive) and "G" (1/2-inch hex drive with special sockets) sets was branded, the sockets typically have sizes, but no branding, although there is a cool rather unique "D" set on the Bethlehem thread here where the larger sockets with more real estate are branded.

The "F" (11/16-inch hex drive) set handles are branded, the sockets had only sizes.

We don't know about "H" (unknown), "K" (1/2-inch square drive), or "XF" (1" square drive), no sets have been found in the public domain.

If you're interested in other examples and further reading, we have a thread easily accessible from the A-Z Index of Threads in the Sticky...

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Nice find. Are you sure it's not 1/4-inch hex drive?

Very illustrative of the style and construction. Most examples are not so completely denuded of its characteristic copper coating, but rare is the set with it all intact.

Typically, neither the sockets or the handles in the "A" (1/4-inch hex drive), "C" (7/16-inch hex drive) and "C Special" (7/16-inch hex drive with special ratchet) sets had markings of any kind, branding, COO, or sizes.

The ratchet in the "D" (1/2-inch hex drive) and "G" (1/2-inch hex drive with special sockets) sets was branded, the sockets typically have sizes, but no branding, although there is a cool rather unique "D" set on the Bethlehem thread here where the larger sockets with more real estate are branded.

The "F" (11/16-inch hex drive) set handles are branded, the sockets had only sizes.

We don't know about "H" (unknown), "K" (1/2-inch square drive), or "XF" (1" square drive), no sets have been found in the public domain.

If you're interested in other examples and further reading, we have a thread easily accessible from the A-Z Index of Threads in the Sticky...

Yes, 1/4" drive...duh.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ Actually double duh on me. Should be 3/8 hex! (It's been a bad week! And we really "effed that up with a football bat" as a former CW4 used to like to say! )

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

Here's two Indestro 1/4" hex drive sets, both #350. The red one is from 1959 and the green from 1948. Notice the difference in the knurling on the sockets, tire track on one and cross hatch on the other. No branding or COO on any parts except the red one is marked Indestro with the patent # on the holder. Missing the L handle on the green set but will likely capture one in the wild soon.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

^ Actually double duh on me. Should be 3/8 hex! (It's been a bad week! And we really "effed that up with a football bat" as a former CW4 used to like to say! )

I will slap a tape on it when I get home.

I eat Warrants for breakfast!

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

^ Actually double duh on me. Should be 3/8 hex! (It's been a bad week! And we really "effed that up with a football bat" as a former CW4 used to like to say! )

3/8 hex, final answer!

 

[four.cycle]

Yes, 3/8" hex drive on the "A" set, and you and I appear to own the only "complete" "A" sets on the site - although that depends upon whose catalog you were buying the "A" set from.
Some were advertised as containing only the "T" handle (the straight hex rod with the hole in it and the cross-bar)
Some were advertised as containing only the "Ell" handle.
And at least ONE advertisement shows the set containing all three pieces.

Bethlehem "Quickway" will make you nuts - it's like they couldn't decide what drive size they wanted to use and they were all over the map.
In that Bethlehem Quickway thread you'll see all kinds of different drive sizes. @Private Lugnutz has an extensive collection, including some of the monstrous "Big Boy" stuff, if I'm not mistaken.

The Indestro 350 "Vest Pocket" set was produced for a LONG time - like almost 30 years - long production run for any item.
Supposedly there were two patents: 2065340 and 2065341 - they're identical, but reversed. They show up in green and red, and with at least two different types of sockets. SOME of the "ell" handles are stamped "INDESTRO MFG. CORP. CHICAGO PAT. PEND." SOME are stamped with the patent numbers. SOME are blank. (I think I have at least a dozen of those sets now.) (And no doubt I could go out into the living room and dig out at least two or three with your "tank track" knurling pattern... both of mine appear to have cross-hatch knurling... one with an odd, almost "double line" of cross hatch (last image.)