Thorsen tools collection

[OilyRascal]

A 16oz Thorsen USA hammer.  I would guess the handle is modified from original.  It seems awfully short for a 16oz ball pein.



Thorsen PW-10 pipe wrench - 10".  Just noticed the slight bend in the handle as I was taking the picture.





and a few NOS Thorsen 77MC 1/4" drive closed head ratchets.  4-7/8" long, and 3.2oz.  These will help in completing sets already owned.

[johnsironsanctuary]

Never pass up a wooden baseball bat at a yard sale. They are made of clear hammer handle hickory and very well seasoned.

[kxxr]

Is that your first hammer? How about the pipe wrench? Did all that stuff come from the same place? The story, man. The story!
Well done!

[dimwittedmoose51]

OI was thinking htat some bats were made of ash too, but I'm not a baseball guru.......lol


YMMV  and Happy Thanksgiving, all!!!

DM&FS

[rusty]

Well seasoned hickory is listed as one of the best available fire woods....just saying....

[Branson]

Well seasoned hickory is listed as one of the best available fire woods....just saying....

Yeah, sometimes listed as THE best.  But you burn hickory around me at your own hazard.  Tool handle wood is to precious to burn.  Pecan is probably about as good, and since it is not flexible, useless for handles.

[kxxr]

I grabbed this wrench because I couln't remember if I'd gotten one before. It's kind of like when you type or write the word "of" and when you look at it, it just doesn't look right, did you spell it right?? It just doesn't look right, though you know it is. One of those moments. Anyway, if it's a duplicate, it's going in the pile anyway:)

[OilyRascal]

Oily,

................. Do you have any kind of a rough time line of the Thorsen ratchets?..............

I'm trying, and I'm being very aggressive with this project!  Rough time line, heh? - first came those with plugs, then those open head ratchets with no cover (not chromed), then that little cover over the open-head (and chromed), then the closed head.....with variants, over-lapping production timelines, and exceptions in between and everywhere.  With over 40 unique Thorsen USA production ratchets (and the number keeps growing) I'm finding it a challenge.  "Free" research material for Thorsen Tool Co. is few, leaving me to personally acquire material and be creative with approach/methods. 

I have made progress, but I just don't have a meaningful factual story - YET.

[dimwittedmoose51]

OIly,  I think you should search out old Thorsen Tool Factory workers(if any are still alive) and see what they say.  might they have an FB page????  Inquiring minds wanna know.......

DM&FS

[OilyRascal]

OIly,  I think you should search out old Thorsen Tool Factory workers(if any are still alive) and see what they say.  might they have an FB page????  Inquiring minds wanna know.......

DM&FS

I've always struggled with why the membership here doesn't have larger participation from those who worked in the factories.  They made the tools we love.................global statement not specific to Thorsen.

Obits. and newspaper articles mentioning those working there are most certainly accounts I seek.  Matter of fact I groped information yesterday from an alumni article (what'd you do after graduation) that puts Thorsen in Dallas as early as 1973.  FB is a thought.  Would have also been real nice to have established regular contact with Roy Shurtleff's son (who posted in this thread).

[lauver]

Oily,

................. Do you have any kind of a rough time line of the Thorsen ratchets?..............

I'm trying, and I'm being very aggressive with this project!  Rough time line, heh? - first came those with plugs, then those open head ratchets with no cover (not chromed), then that little cover over the open-head (and chromed), then the closed head.....with variants, over-lapping production timelines, and exceptions in between and everywhere.  With over 40 unique Thorsen USA production ratchets (and the number keeps growing) I'm finding it a challenge.  "Free" research material for Thorsen Tool Co. is few, leaving me to personally acquire material and be creative with approach/methods. 

I have made progress, but I just don't have a meaningful factual story - YET.

Oily,

I wasn't really looking for a model number by model number timeline; more at a general design timeline:

Open round head with or without cover,

Closed round head, and

Box head import.

This would be a good starting point.

Regarding your new shorty BP hammer-- It's always good to have one short BP in your hammer arsenal.  There are times when nothing else will do....

[OilyRascal]

Well seasoned hickory is listed as one of the best available fire woods....just saying....

Yeah, sometimes listed as THE best.  But you burn hickory around me at your own hazard.  Tool handle wood is to precious to burn.  Pecan is probably about as good, and since it is not flexible, useless for handles.

All of my life I've understood Pecan to be of the Hickory species.  I suppose I should look now for facts.

[bonneyman]

I grabbed this wrench because I couln't remember if I'd gotten one before. It's kind of like when you type or write the word "of" and when you look at it, it just doesn't look right, did you spell it right?? It just doesn't look right, though you know it is. One of those moments. Anyway, if it's a duplicate, it's going in the pile anyway:)

I have a metric set of those combos going. Thorsen and Action. Most have the beautiful "MFG USA" inscribed on 'em. Now need a 15, 16, and 18mm to complete my set.

[OilyRascal]

[quote author=lauver link=topic=5307.msg62981#msg62981 date=1386702492

Oily,

I wasn't really looking for a model number by model number timeline; more at a general design timeline:

Open round head with or without cover,

Closed round head, and

Box head import.

This would be a good starting point.

Regarding your new shorty BP hammer-- It's always good to have one short BP in your hammer arsenal.  There are times when nothing else will do....
[/quote]

I can say this (factually).   I know the open head/gear ratchet was being produced as late as 1968.  I also know the most modern round closed head ratchet was being produced as early as 1972.  Thorsen produced a round head ratchet before they produced those stylish open head designs.  They produced a removable plug style, round head, ratchet even before that.  I know the early (2nd generation) round head ratchet (fixed not removable plug) was available as early as 1931.

[lauver]

I can say this (factually).   I know the open head/gear ratchet was being produced as late as 1968.  I also know the most modern round closed head ratchet was being produced as early as 1972.  Thorsen produced a round head ratchet before they produced those stylish open head designs.  They produced a removable plug style, round head, ratchet even before that.  I know the early (2nd generation) round head ratchet (fixed not removable plug) was available as early as 1931.

Thanks Oily.  I did not know that Thosen produced early versions of the enclosed round head.  I guess I've never run across these in the wild; must be fairly rare. 

Any clue when the open head ratchets first appeared?  I noticed the 1958 Thorsen Brochure/Pricelist I sent you a copy of mentioned "The All-New Thorsen Ratchet" and it's features (i.e. open head design... simplicity).  Included in this brochure/pricelist were ratchet models 77M, 77J, 77, 77NR, and 79.  Could 1958 have been the introduction of the open head design?  If so, that would be a fairly short run, ca. 1958-1968 (perhaps a little later).