Craftsman Tools with the =V= Manufacturer's Mark

[Jim C.]

I've seen lots of talk about -V- C-man tools, but what's the deal with Craftsman tools marked -VV- ?  I have a 1/2 inch drive VV Craftsman rat.

Hey Branson,

I'm not really a Craftsman expert, but as far as I know, tools bearing the VV manufacturer's mark were produced later (1980s?, 1990s?) than those with the =V= (1950s, 1960s) and those with the   -V- (1970s, 1980s?).  I kind of got hooked on the =V= tools based on my past experiences using them, and also from a more nostalgic perception that during the early 1960s, Craftsman tools were probably about at their very best in terms of overall quality, availability, offerings, and affordability.  All those reasons could be entirely wrong, but again, their nostalgic value alone is what really motivates me to collect them and use them for applications involving similar vintage cars and machines.

Jim C.

[pritch]

Here's something odd. I can't remember just when, late '70's/early '80's, I bought a set of metric wrenches. In light of this thread, I was looking at all my CMan stuff, and I noticed that some are marked different.

This is the whole set:


And a little closer look at the smaller ones:


Some of them have 2 V's and some only 1. These are my 'use everyday' wrenches, and I know that I have never lost or replaced any broken ones.

I found this strange little wrench, too:

[lbgradwell]

Some of them have 2 V's and some only 1. These are my 'use everyday' wrenches, and I know that I have never lost or replaced any broken ones.

It's not uncommon to find sets with mixed production codes...

I found this strange little wrench, too:

That is an "ignition combo wrench". Here's my set:

[Jim C.]

Hi Pritch,

I'm with lbgradwell.  I think that Craftsman tool manufacturers used the tools that were in their inventory to make sets.  It probably didn't matter that various sets of wrenches, sockets, etc., included individual tools with different production codes on them.  Like I said before, I'm definitely not a Craftsman expert, but I do think that when it comes to tools marked with a "v" code,  those with the =V= came before those with a -V-, and those with a -V- came before those with a -VV-.  In the case of your wrench set, it's entirely possible that later produced wrenches marked with the -V- were mixed with earlier produced wrenches marked a -VV-.  Other later "v" codes included an upside down v in front of a standard looking v (^v) and a standard v in front of an upside down v (v^).  It gets confusing!  I try to collect those tools with the =V= and -V- marks.

Jim C.     

[johnsironsanctuary]

Could someone post on GG for Lauver to stop by, sounds like we need him.

[Jim C.]

Hey Pritch,

Here's a few of the Craftsman "V" codes I was telling you about.

Jim C.

[Chillylulu]

That is an "ignition combo wrench". Here's my set:

Could you tell me what comes in that set? 

I've purchased 140 or so wrenches from a local pawn shop recently, last Saturday my haul included the following ignition wrenches: ( the combo's and ell driver were from 2 Saturdays ago)



Close-up of the ignition wrenches:



Does anyone know why the open end and the closed end are different sizes?  Sometimes I come across combo wrenches like that,  and I always wonder why it is done.

By the way, so far I have found about 20 other V series wrenches.  Favorite tools in the lot, in my opinion, are the c-underline craftsman wrenches, and a handful of Heyco open ends.

Thanks for any help,

Chilly

[lbgradwell]

Could you tell me what comes in that set?

Sure!

13/64" x 7/32"
7/32" x 15/64"
15/64" x 1/4"
1/4" x 9/32"
9/32" x 5/16"
5/16" x 11/32"
11/32" x 3/8"
3/8" x 7/16"

I'm pretty sure my set dates to 1961-3. It was an 8-piece set for several more years, but by 1968 it had grown to 10 wrenches...

Does anyone know why the open end and the closed end are different sizes?  Sometimes I come across combo wrenches like that,  and I always wonder why it is done.

It's actually a very good idea. I'm sure you must have encountered situations where the bolt & nut were both the same size..?

Normally, you would require two wrenches of the same size to hold both the nut & bolt simultaneously. With the system you observe above, only one set of wrenches is required!

[Jim C.]

Craftsman ten piece combo ignition wrench set with the -V- manufacturer's mark.  It looks like the two wrenches that were added to the set after 1968 were the 3/16" x 5/32" and the 5/32" x 3/16" wrenches.

[Jim C.]

While we're on the ignition wrench topic, here's a Craftsman set of four double box end ignition wrenches with the -V- manufacturer's mark.

[lbgradwell]

It looks like the two wrenches that were added to the set after 1968 were the 3/16" x 5/32" and the 5/32" x 3/16" wrenches.

Meaning Chilly's partial set dates from 1968 or later...

[Jim C.]

It looks like the two wrenches that were added to the set after 1968 were the 3/16" x 5/32" and the 5/32" x 3/16" wrenches.

Meaning Chilly's partial set dates from 1968 or later...

It would seem so...... Although he's got two 5/16" x 11/32" wrenches, suggesting that there may be two partial sets of wrenches, one of which would be most likely post 1968.

[amertrac]

I have three three cabinet stacks plus two bench type cabinets full of older craftsmen tools and I an trying to fill my sets from the 30's to the 70;s I worked fof Pontiac in the early 50's and still have most of the original tools and my first toll cabinet   bob w.

[amertrac]

what a mess ( I an confined to a wheel chair for the last 4 years so I don't get out to the shop any more)
bob w.

[Jim C.]

Hi Bob,

Great looking old tool boxes!  I'm sorry to hear that you're not up and around these days.  I'd love to see your tool collection!  If you can get a little assistance, post a few pictures if you get a chance.

Jim C.