Where's the Hinsdale thread? Show em!

[Rileysan]

There are plenty of Hinsdale tools listed throughout various GJ threads and there are even a couple threads started by members looking for information about their new acquisitions, but there is no dedicated "show us you Hinsdale tools". So it begins ...

I acquired this 3/4" drive Hinsdale set that came with a Blackhawk 916 ratchet as a bonus. Most of the sockets look as if they were never used!

Socket sizes include:

1 1/16"
1 1/8"
1 3/16"
1 5/16"
1 3/8"
1 7/16"
1 5/8"
1 3/4"
1 13/16"
2"

Odd that there were no 1 1/4" and 1 1/2"

Brian

 

[paulm12]

a 21/32" socket if anyone needs ...

 

[bczygan]

I have some.

 

[d42jeep]

I used to have this partial 1/4" drive set. It has moved along to another GJ member.
-Don

 

[3baygarage]

Found a few pieces to contribute.

Here is a set No. 13B

You guys all know how common it is to find mixed components in old style female drive and hex drive sets. I thought this ratchet was an S-K, but this Worthpoint link from '07 shows the same set with the same ratchet. Most Hinsdale female ratchets are flat beam and marked with the name.

Vintage Hinsdale 1/2" Socket Set #13B on Worthpoint

The set I have is as found. Horrible repaint, and a couple sockets mixed in. 9 sockets are the knurled hexagonal top Hinsdale marked Patent Pending. Two are other knurled Hinsdale. A few are unmarked hex drive and possible Duro or S-K.


The speeder I want to point out, has an aluminum handle oddly.

 

[safariknut]

My G-20 set.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I have abfew others, but this little 1/2x1/2 beauty I got last weekend so its at the surface.

 

[misterbill]

My one and only Hinsdale piece - 3/8" X 5/16" DBE.

Bill

 

[d42jeep]

Here are a few of my former Hinsdale tools.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I would like to complete this Hinsdale 3/8-inch drive set eventually.

I am guesstimating 1942-1943 on this. The pieces are natural steel finish. After 1943 that CHROME VANADIUM marking would've gone away. I am extrapolating the model numbers for the missing sockets and 8-inch extension based on the sockets I have and the 5-inch extension. There are no Hinsdale catalogs that I know of in the public domain. If anyone has any good period references (ads, etc), please post them.

The ratchet has an unusual marking – ‘HF’, with the two letters forged together, in between the CHROME and the VANADIUM on the flip side. Does anyone know what it means? Hinsdale Forged? Has anyone seen another one?

H12J Ratchet
HXJ5 5-inch Extension
SJ14 7/16
SJ16 1/2
SJ21 21/32
SJ22 11/16
SJ28 7/8

Missing:
H5J hinged handle or HXJ8 8-inch extension (there's only a holder for one more handle)
SJ12 3/8
SJ18 9/16
SJ26 13/16

 

[d42jeep]

Sorry, Lugz. The only one I hung onto is this short 1/2" drive extension thinking it might be appropriate for a WW2 toolset. I rarely see Hinsdale tools.
-Don

 

[mcmlvif100]

My G-20 set.

I have a similar G-20 set. It's all Hinsdale with the Round H Circle, except for the ratchet which is an Indestro - Super 3202. Bought the set at the local HFH ReStore for $10 and really didn't know anything about it other than it was too cool to not buy it.

Seems to be a pretty complete set of sockets although I haven't checked to see if there is a gap in the sizes. All that I have done so far is clean the ratchet which now looks out of place so will have to clean the rest sometime soon.

Was pleased to see this thread as I have been wondering about the Hinsdale brand. Any ideas as to when this set would have been made?

 

[safariknut]

I have a similar G-20 set. It's all Hinsdale with the Round H Circle, except for the ratchet which is an Indestro - Super 3202. Bought the set at the local HFH ReStore for $10 and really didn't know anything about it other than it was too cool to not buy it.

Seems to be a pretty complete set of sockets although I haven't checked to see if there is a gap in the sizes. All that I have done so far is clean the ratchet which now looks out of place so will have to clean the rest sometime soon.

Was pleased to see this thread as I have been wondering about the Hinsdale brand. Any ideas as to when this set would have been made?

If I recall correctly the Alloy Artifacts site said they were a popular set for Model T Ford owners.Ford stopped making Model T's in 1927.

 

[d42jeep]

I picked up this Hinsdale 7/16" 12 point 1/2" drive socket last week just because I see the brand so rarely.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

I picked up a couple of Hinsdale 1728W DOE wrenches today. These are 1930-40's heavy pattern Chrome Vanadium circle-H wrenches. The only special feature of these is that the openings are 45/64 and 13/16. The standard opening sizes of a 1728 should be 11/16 and 13/16.

Production of these wrenches included WWII. Perhaps these were made for the government, but since they are chrome plated, I doubt it. More likely, they had a special application.

45/64 is very close to 18mm (17.86mm), so it is possible that the wrench was made to substitute for 18mm. It would be about 0.0055 smaller than 18mm, so the opening would be a little tight on an 18mm fastener.

Does anyone know anything about these wrenches?

 

[DadRob]

As new and unused as the Blackhawk set my dad left me looks, the Hinsdale set looks very much like the pictures I have seen here. It has come in handy for me in a number of situations since acquiring it. I particularly like the square sockets on those occasions when I encounter a square head, like the drain plug of the hot water tank on my motorhome. It is in a location where a traditional wrench is useless. I don't know that the set is in a Hinsdale box, though. It is unlabeled and looks as used as the tools.

 

[Rileysan]

I came across this Hinsdale hex-drive speeder at an estate sale. The hex end is badly rounded but is still obvious what it is supposed to be.

Brian

 

[d42jeep]

I posted this ratchet on the S-K thread earlier but I think it belongs here as well. I picked it up at a Berkeley estate sale on Saturday.
-Don

 

[mtgrizzlymn1]

Is it better to clean and polish these tools up or leave them alone? I like redoing them myself


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Rileysan]

If there's any rust at all, I clean them - right or wrong.

 

[Ratchet.]

I picked up a couple of Hinsdale 1728W DOE wrenches today. These are 1930-40's heavy pattern Chrome Vanadium circle-H wrenches. The only special feature of these is that the openings are 45/64 and 13/16. The standard opening sizes of a 1728 should be 11/16 and 13/16.

Production of these wrenches included WWII. Perhaps these were made for the government, but since they are chrome plated, I doubt it. More likely, they had a special application.

45/64 is very close to 18mm (17.86mm), so it is possible that the wrench was made to substitute for 18mm. It would be about 0.0055 smaller than 18mm, so the opening would be a little tight on an 18mm fastener.

Does anyone know anything about these wrenches?

those are some really strange sizes, could be like you said a substitute for metric, maybe special wrench for a car or similar that used a European made part somewhere, seems strange that they wouldn't just use a metric measurement though

(I have have seen dual marked whitworth/ SAE and Whitworth/metric wrenches from this era)

 

[twertsy]

Some Hinsdale sets.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[Ratchet.]

my only two Hinsdale tools, a SR22 11/16" socket and a 1/2-9/16 wrench,

View media item 74733
View media item 74732
the wrench gets semi regular use.. mainly as wear/wide tolerance when it was made means it fits metric 13mm headed bolts

 

[LesserSon]

Is it better to clean and polish these tools up or leave them alone? I like redoing them myself


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Be careful with what, where and how you're cleaning. Some of these are cadmium plated. The ones I see look almost like dull or corroded lead, and like lead tempting to shine up. Techniques like wire brushing can scatter dust, highly poisonous if inhaled or ingested.

 

[LesserSon]

All my Hinsdale. I love the logo.

 

[Mick56]

Hinsdale tappet wrench, 9/16 x 1/2.

 

[B.Boru]

''''

 

[LesserSon]

I picked up a couple of Hinsdale 1728W DOE wrenches today. These are 1930-40's heavy pattern Chrome Vanadium circle-H wrenches. The only special feature of these is that the openings are 45/64 and 13/16. The standard opening sizes of a 1728 should be 11/16 and 13/16.

Production of these wrenches included WWII. Perhaps these were made for the government, but since they are chrome plated, I doubt it. More likely, they had a special application.

45/64 is very close to 18mm (17.86mm), so it is possible that the wrench was made to substitute for 18mm. It would be about 0.0055 smaller than 18mm, so the opening would be a little tight on an 18mm fastener.

Does anyone know anything about these wrenches?

I think it probably has nothing to do with Whitworth or metric sizes. My guess is the 45/64 end was meant for a nominal 11/16 nut or head with heavy plating for corrosion resistance. A contemporary Hinsdale catalog might provide a more definite answer.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up a couple of Hinsdale 1728W DOE wrenches today. These are 1930-40's heavy pattern Chrome Vanadium circle-H wrenches. The only special feature of these is that the openings are 45/64 and 13/16. The standard opening sizes of a 1728 should be 11/16 and 13/16.

Production of these wrenches included WWII. Perhaps these were made for the government, but since they are chrome plated, I doubt it. More likely, they had a special application.

Bonney, Snap-On, Craftsman and others made wrenches in this era marked and purposed for Whitworth nuts and bolts and Allied Forces applications, before we entered the war and during the war. They were typically marked on the faces (e.g., 3/8W, 5/16W, etc), where the "W" indicates Whitworth, akin to markings on pre-ISN wrenches (e.g., 3/8 U.S.S. or 5/8 hex symbol C, etc), where the size referred to the bolt diameter, not the milled opening or Across-the-Flats (A/F) diameter.

Your Hinsdale is not marked that way. The W is a suffix on the model number itself, which incorporates, as you recognized, the ISN (728). A suffix on a model/ISN number, or near a model/ISN number, typically an "S" is usually a special sizing.

I've never heard of a Whitworth-ed ISN, though.

Whatever the explanation for the "W" and the 45/64 opening (besides a slight but intentional 11/16 oversizing - Willys was very fond of this approach for spark plugs, brake bleeder screws, and other fasteners, I could also go with anti-tampering, for a critical fastener), because it's plated and marked CHROME-VANADIUM (a steel composition banned by alloy restrictions from 1942 to 1945), I suspect either pre-war or post-war.

Have you measured the milled openings?
And would you post better photos of the markings?

 

[Macduf]

First Hinsdale I've found. Set seems complete. The ratchet teeth seem a little work but non skipping

 

[Provincial]

I measured my Hinsdale 1728W wrenches, and the 45/64 end measures .715 wide. This would make sense for 18mm (.709) and 3/8 Whitworth (.710) and isn't very loose on 45/64 (.703), so it is sort of a fits=all wrench.

I took some photos of the markings, too.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Most Hinsdale female ratchets are flat beam and marked with the name.

3bay,

In case you didn't see it (it was off-topic), Txlonghorn1989 posted a photo of that exact same pivoting style ratchet, unmarked, in post #15 of this GJ Craftsman oriented thread a week or so ago.

I immediately recognized it as potentially Hinsdale, but noticed the same thing that you did about your own ratchet - the round steel stock handle instead of the more routinely seen flat steel stock handle, which got me digging. If you page down in that thread you'll see some Hinsdale catalog excerpts that show the ratchet in a Bobcat set. Interestingly though, yours appears to have three bands of knurling on the handle, whereas TLH1989's is like the catalog image. Perhaps a slightly different generation, earlier or later.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I measured my Hinsdale 1728W wrenches, and the 45/64 end measures .715 wide. This would make sense for 18mm (.709) and 3/8 Whitworth (.710) and isn't very loose on 45/64 (.703), so it is sort of a fits=all wrench.

I took some photos of the markings, too.

Thanks, Provincial. Very interesting.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Here is my female ratchet that Lugz referred to above. No markings at all but he and several others seemed to think it is a Hinsdale ratchet. It does look exactly like the "Extra Heavy Ratchet Wrench" that are part of the G-50 and G-30 tool sets in the '31 catalog.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a picture of two Hinsdale ignition wrenches.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice, Don. They remind me of Cornwell.

I just reviewed my Hinsdale 3/8-inch sq dr set and I bumped my WANTED ad and it reminded me that Tin Medic sent me a few pages from what he says is a late 1930’s catalog he recently acquired. It certainly looks later than the 1931 catalog on TA, that’s for sure. He gave me permission to post a few pages until he can get it to Todd for scanning into TA.

Here’s the 3/8-drive page...

View media item 75077
And here’s the 1/2-drive page…

View media item 75076
Provincial, take note that they were making Whitworth sockets! I’d bet the DOE wrench pages include your 1728W.

I have picked up a few Hinsdale pieces lately, unfortunately, none that I need for my 3/8-inch sq dr set.

View media item 75072
The H7M sliding tee is 9/32-drive – which I didn’t realize they made.

The socket is a 4-point 1/2-drive with an 11/32” opening. Not very common. Plomb and Williams made a fairly full line of square sockets, but I didn’t know Hinsdale did.

View media item 75073
View media item 75074
View media item 75075

 

[twertsy]

Nice, Don. They remind me of Cornwell.

I just reviewed my Hinsdale 3/8-inch sq dr set and I bumped my WANTED ad and it reminded me that Tin Medic sent me a few pages from what he says is a late 1930’s catalog he recently acquired. It certainly looks later than the 1931 catalog on TA, that’s for sure. He gave me permission to post a few pages until he can get it to Todd for scanning into TA.

Here’s the 3/8-drive page...

View media item 75077
And here’s the 1/2-drive page…

View media item 75076
Provincial, take note that they were making Whitworth sockets! I’d bet the DOE wrench pages include your 1728W.

I have picked up a few Hinsdale pieces lately, unfortunately, none that I need for my 3/8-inch sq dr set.

View media item 75072
The H7M sliding tee is 9/32-drive – which I didn’t realize they made.

The socket is a 4-point 1/2-drive with an 11/32” opening. Not very common. Plomb and Williams made a fairly full line of square sockets, but I didn’t know Hinsdale did.

View media item 75073
View media item 75074
View media item 75075

So much for Hinsdale going out of business and S-K buying their stock...........I spoke to the gent that wrote that on Berland's site. He is their marketer, not a tool guy. That said, he did get a lot of his info from a Klove descendant. Based on published adverts and catalogs, I don't believe that story at all.

 

[jusridin]

Went to a local pawn shop today and seen this old box, as soon as I started looking at it one of the workers came over and asked if I was interested to witch I said no.... he said it was cheap and I said no.... then he said 5 bucks.... I said deal....
Now I have a Hinsdale GC-20 box with a bunch of odd ball sized hex sockets. Why would anyone make a 31/32 socket?
About a third of the sockets are Hinsdale, a third are male hex drive witch I hope someone can give me a clue about and the rest are mixed brands

 

[jusridin]

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Why would anyone make a 31/32 socket?

Because that was the O.D. of the head on a 9/16" U.S. Standard (U.S.S.) bolt, which were heavy bolts with oversize heads compared to S.A.E. bolts. A 9/16" S.A.E. bolt for direct comparison, would take a wrench or a socket with a 7/8" milled opening. If you look in the wrench tables in catalogs, Machinery's Handbook, or an automobile or truck bolting chart prior to 1960 or so you will see that all wrenches and sockets with /32nd increments correspond to a U.S.S. bolt size. All the theories you'll see out there about special applications or metric equivalents are just plain wrong.