Craftsman Tools with the =V= Manufacturer's Mark

[d42jeep]

I hit a couple of estate sales yesterday and found these =v= tools. I don’t often see the =v= marked ell handles.
-Don

[lptools]

Hello, d42jeep. Nice find on the tools!!! Regards, Lou

[d42jeep]

Thanks, Lou.
-Don

[Jim C.]

Here’s a pretty clean set of early RHFT ratchets from the end of the =v= era.  The 1/2” and 3/8” still have the “New Ratchet” advertisement decal on their handles.  Also notice the stamps on the 3/8” handle are reversed.  So much for quality control. 

Jim C.

[Northwoods]

Came home Thursday with a 1/2" =V= Breaker Bar Ratcheting Adapter from 1954-69. 
I guess it would work on a sliding T, an ell, or a speed wrench as well.
If you have the patience:         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7OL1gwuAEs

[mikeswrenches]

Also worked good on the older fixed head torque wrenches. I have an older Snap-On I use on one of the sliding t-bar's. They're kind of handy.

[amecks]

I haven't had one of those apart in a long time.  Is it possible that the handle can be reversed?

[Todd F.]

Hi Al
The answer to your question is No. The Round Head Fine Tooth or the Teardrop ratchet cannot be assembled backwards. These had to be miss forged or miss machined. I don't know if the forgings can be machined from either side. I'm thinking not. I'm pretty sure the finished forging is pretty close the the final machined product. So the mistake was probably in the original forging.
As long as we're on the subject, here are some pictures of my miss forged Craftsman ratchets. My favorite is the 1/2 inch teardrop with the wrong part number. It should be 44975 but this one is stamped 44976 which is the part number for the 15 inch long "breaker bar" ratchet.

Todd F.

[Jim C.]

That is a very unique find Todd!  I’ve seen a few with the stamps on the wrong sides of the handle, but not one with the wrong model number.

Jim C.

[Jim C.]

In the last few years I’ve posted some 1/2” drive Sears/Craftsman tool sets as they appeared in the 1960 tool catalog.  While I was collecting those 1/2” drive sets, I also put together a basic 3/8” drive set.  Like the 1/2” drive sets, some of the tools were harder to find than others.  The Type 1 teardrop ratchet took a little time to find as did the T handle that goes with the breaker bar.  What I found with the 1/2” sets was that finding a correct tool box was usually tough but not impossible.  Actually finding one in good shape was the trick. 

When I was looking for the 3/8” set, the catalog described the accompanying tool box as being about two inches shorter than the 1/2” drive box, those measurements being 17.5” and 19.5” respectively.  After looking for that shorter box for at least three or four years, and never seeing one, I was beginning to think that it was a typo in the catalog.  Well, it’s not a typo, the shorter box exists.  While it’s not in great condition, it’s the best and only example I’ve seen so far.  When it comes to collecting the 1960 Sears/Craftsman 3/8” drive set, the box is definitely the most challenging item to find.  If anyone has a better example of this box, I’m an interested buyer!

Jim C.

[d42jeep]

Hey Jim,
I checked all of my Crown carry boxes and they are all the longer ones.
I picked up this set at a tool sale on Saturday. The exterior of the box was quite rusted and a couple of the sockets were from the Far East. I replaced those sockets with correct =v= ones and repainted the box. There is still some pitting but it looks okay.
-Don

[Jim C.]

Hi Don!  I hope all is well with you and your family.  Looks like you did pretty good with that little Cman set.  Way to go!  Those shorter Cman carry boxes must be tough to find.  I had almost given up and got to thinking that the catalog description was wrong.  I guess not.  For now, I’m glad to have the one I have, but I’m looking for one in better condition.

Jim C.

[Jim C.]

A few months ago I picked up a Craftsman wall mounted tool cabinet.  I had been looking for one and finally decided to pull the trigger.  I didn’t get a smoking hot deal, but got it for a fair price.  I think the cabinet first appeared in the Sears catalog somewhere right around 1954.  In an effort to collect all the vintage correct tools that would have been included with the cabinet, I relied on the 1954 Craftsman Tool Catalog description.  I had a lot of the tools prior to buying the cabinet, but I also got some help from a few other “tool guys” and of course scrolling through page after page of eBay listings. Here’s the cabinet and complete set of tools.

Jim C.

[d42jeep]

Nice! I wouldn’t mind finding one of those.
-Don

[Jim C.]

Don,

I’m surprised that you haven’t been there and done that.  For the record, Don was one of the “tool guys” who provided substantial assistance in helping me complete the set.

Jim C.