Tool Talk

Woodworking Forum => Woodworking Forum => Topic started by: Nasutushenri on February 05, 2018, 12:53:15 PM

Title: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: Nasutushenri on February 05, 2018, 12:53:15 PM: Last week I bought a North Bros "Yankee" No. 31 ratchet screwdriver in a charity shop. Paid € 2.50.
It has patent markings Apr.16.95, Nov. 2.97, Sep. 5.99 and Oct. 9.00.
According to http://jp29.org/wwyankeespiral.htm later examples had also 3 Nov. 08 as date stamp.
The Nos 30 series did not have a return spring.

Is my example more than hundred years old ?

Regards
Henri
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: bill300d on February 05, 2018, 05:37:39 PM: No expert on these but according to the info on that site I would say yours could be.
The owner of that site has posted here before I believe. Haven't seen him on here for a while.
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: mikeswrenches on February 05, 2018, 07:47:28 PM: Henri, North Bros. would add a "1" in the number to indicate the return spring. Thus a no. 30 had no return spring, while a no. 130 would have a return spring. This is also true in the other numbers.

Just to make it a bit more confusing, there are letter suffixes to indicate internal changes. e.g. the 131A. I believe there is also a 131B, but am not positive.

Also, you can not add a spring to the springless models since they are a bit shorter and also don’t have the screw in the end of the handle where you load the spring.

Mike
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: john k on February 05, 2018, 11:19:34 PM: When did Stanley buy out the North Bros.? 3 out of 4 of these screwdrivers I pick up are marked Stanley.
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: bill300d on February 05, 2018, 11:47:17 PM: I think it was 1946 John
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: mikeswrenches on February 06, 2018, 06:57:15 AM: I did this awhile back when I got interested in Stanley acquisitions. If you find any errors, please let me know.

STANLEY ACQUISITIONS TIMELINE

1857 Stanley Rule & Level Co. established by Henry Stanley
1863 SR & L Co acquires E. A. Stearns
1869 SR & L Co acquires patents & machinery of L. Bailey
1904 SR & L Co purchases Hurley & Wood (Hurwood)
1909 John S Fray purchased (braces, tool handles)
1913 Atha Tool Co, Newark, NJ purchased
1916 Eagle Square Co. purchased
1920 SR & L Co merges with the Stanley Works on May 1st
1921 SweetHart logo appears
1931 Farrand tape measure introduced
1934 Logo changed to the "notched rectangle"
1937 SR & L Co name changed to Stanley Tools division of The Stanley Works
1944 Russell Jennings Mfg. acquired
1946 North Bros. Mfg. acquired

The Sweethart logo appearance and disappearance dates are somewhat problematic.

Mike
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: Nasutushenri on February 06, 2018, 07:45:37 AM: Thanks for the replies.
I have a small collection of ratchet screwdrivers, British and German.
The North Bros No. 31 is the first American one.
A rare find in the Netherlands.
All the examples came from charity, thrift and junk shops.
I did a lot of research on the internet about Stanley Yankee ratchet screwdrivers,
and was very pleased with the North Bros one.

Regards
Henri
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: turnnut on February 06, 2018, 08:03:57 AM: nice group that you have, thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: john k on February 06, 2018, 11:32:00 AM: Originally, the Yankee screwdrivers were available boxed, in kits. Never found one myself, but have accumulated a dozen of the screwdrivers.
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: Lewill2 on February 06, 2018, 04:02:01 PM: I picked this set up locally off of Craigslist the middle of last year for what I thought was a fair price. The outside of the case has it scrapes but the inside is nice and clean with a few extra bits.
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: bill300d on February 06, 2018, 07:53:33 PM: That's a beauty. I had no idea that they came in wood cases like that.
Title: Re: North Bros "Yankee" No. 31
Post by: p_toad on February 07, 2018, 05:08:04 PM: Nice case and nice collection. Thanks to both of you for showing. I have a few of the screwdrivers, but nothing that nice. :tongue: