Craftsman Tools:

Maker "V" And The Modern Era

Table of Contents

Introduction

In an earlier article we reviewed the Early Craftsman Tools of the late 1920s through mid 1940s, and a separate article covered the Craftsman "BE" and H-Circle line of sockets in greater depth.

In this page we'll look at the Craftsman "Modern Era" that began around 1945, with a particular emphasis on the manufacturer of the Craftsman "V" series tools. But before revealing the identity of Maker "V", we want to offer some thoughts on the origin and intent of the Modern Era tools.

Origins of The Modern Style

By the early 1940s the Craftsman brand was about 15 years old and had become highly successful. The Craftsman line included a full range of mechanics' hand tools by this time, from sockets and drive tools to wrenches and pliers, as well as a broad range of woodworking tools and power tools. And the tools had an excellent reputation for quality — from the beginning, the Craftsman line had been built by selecting tools from leading makers, ensuring their quality and functionality.

But something was missing. If you could have looked into the toolbox of someone who had purchased exclusively Craftsman tools during the 1930s, you would have seen a hodge-podge of styles and designs of tools, all of fine quality but without much in common except for the stamped Craftsman name.

If we now look forward to the Craftsman Modern Era, the most striking change to be seen is that, for the first time, Craftsman tools had a common design to serve as a brand identity. All of the tools with anything like a handle had polished raised panels stamped with the Craftsman logo, and everything had a polished chrome finish.

From this obvious change we can infer that giving the tools a common design was one of the priorities when Sears started planning their next generation tools. But how did they achieve this? Did they search for a maker with an existing broad line of suitable tools? It would seem that Sears had three choices:

1. Find an existing manufacturer with a broad line, and willing to act as the contract maker;
2. Ask potential manufacturers to submit prototype tools as a bid for the contract;
3. Develop the design and specifications for the tools themselves, and then seek a contract maker.

Of these alternatives, we can easily rule out the first. Existing makers with a full line, such as Bonney, Herbrand, Plomb, or Snap-on, would have been concerned about maintaining their own (higher margin) brand identity. In addition, we know from experience that there weren't any other tools in the 1940s matching the Craftsman "V" style: before finding the actual maker, we conducted an extensive and fruitless search for other brands of tools matching the Craftsman models.

The second alternative would seem reasonable, though there's a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem here. Existing makers asked to provide prototypes or samples, but without a firm contract in hand, would be likely to offer tools they already made, to avoid the cost of developing new dies and tooling. And if the maker already produced both forged wrenches and socket tools, they were already full-line manufacturers and would have been concerned about diluting their own brands.

The third alternative is intriguing and may seem even a bit radical. A company that designs and specifies a product is already more than half way to being a manufacturer, and Sears has always been considered as just a buyer and retailer, not a manufacturer. However, Sears had long operated a highly-regarded product testing laboratory, and a company that can test to spec is well equipped to write a spec. And by the early 1940s the Sears hardware department knew a lot about tools.

Based on the evidence collected so far, we believe that Sears chose the third alternative. More specifically, they developed the design and specifications for the Modern Era tools, then "auditioned" multiple companies (at least two) to produce tools to the specification. Furthermore, the initial production runs were not mere prototypes, but were actually sold to the public!

The evidence for this seems clear enough. In researching the early production of the Modern Era, we were able to collect a number of examples believed to be from around 1945. Multiple tools were found that could be attributed to different makers, but which were basically identical in design and dimensions. The only reasonable conclusion is that both makers were following the same spec, which logically would have to have been provided by Sears. We'll present the evidence in the section Prelude to the Modern Style.

Then after this audition process, Sears evaluated the results and chose Maker "V" as their primary contract manufacturer. And that brings us neatly to the next section, where we will finally get to meet Maker "V".

Tracking Maker "V"

Since we've made the "V" series tools the centerpiece of this article, we'll begin by establishing the identity of the manufacturer of the "V" series. The "V" series tools were made by Moore Drop Forging of Springfield, Massachusetts, a company with operations going back to the early 20th century. Moore Drop Forging was later reorganized as the Easco Corporation, and then still later became part of the Danaher conglomerate. (See our article on Moore Drop Forging for more information.)

Although Moore Drop Forging was well known as a tool maker in the early to mid 20th century, most of their tool output was contract production for automobile toolkits, items that were generally cheaply made and roughly finished. Without any apparent examples of high quality tools with chrome plated finishes produced by Moore, some readers might be surprised or even skeptical that Moore was really the maker behind the Craftsman "V" series. Thus we'll outline the evidence found to establish Moore Drop Forging as Maker "V", in roughly the order that the clues were discovered.

Patent Clues

The first break in identifying Maker "V" came via the patent notice on a "V" series ratchet, specifically for the Haznar 1969 patent #3,467,231. This patent describes the ratchet mechanism used in the Craftsman dual-pawl fine-tooth ratchets and has an explicit assignment to Moore Drop Forging, providing a clear link between Moore and the "V" series line.

Our next clue also came from a patent document, this time for design patent #D185,651, issued to R.W. Vose in 1959 with assignment to Moore Drop Forging. This patent describes and illustrates a distinctive "V"-shaped shift lever for ratchets, and an example of a ratchet with the patented shift lever can be seen as the Craftsman Ratchet with "V"-Shaped Shifter. These popular and familiar ratchets were sold beginning in 1959 and continuing into the early 1960s.

The next clue was found in a court document for the case Peter M. ROBERTS v. SEARS, ROEBUCK AND COMPANY litigation arising from the patent for the well-known quick-release mechanism on Craftsman ratchets. [Thanks to a diligent reader for the refreshed link to this important case!] In the court transcript Moore Drop Forging is described as the "custom manufacturer of wrenches" for Sears.

Another patent clue was found on the metal holder for a Dunlap Wrench Set. The bottom of the holder was stamped with patent #2,181,764, issued in 1939 to A.T. Murray with assignment to Moore Drop Forging. This patent identifies Moore as the contract maker for the tools, and shows that the company was already working with Sears in the late 1930s.

Springfield Volume II

More direct evidence was found in the book Springfield, Volume II by Ginger Cruikshank (Arcadia Publishing 2000), a collection of photographs and essays related to Springfield, Massachusetts. Moore Drop Forging was included as one of the important businesses in the Springfield area, and the book provides a quick history of the company, noting that Moore began making hand tools for Sears in 1938.

Cruikshank's book includes a photograph of the large modern factory built by Moore in Springfield to support its Craftsman contract, and photographs of the factory and operations can be found beginning on page 52. (In earlier versions of this article we were able to provide links to photographs via Google Books, which unfortunately are no longer offered; however, a preview of the book is still available at Google Books.) The book credits the Danaher Corporation (the later corporate parent of Moore Drop Forging) for several of the photographs, so the information on Moore is presumed to be accurate.

One More Patent ...

We hope that by now our readers are convinced of the identity of Maker "V", but if not, perhaps one further bit of evidence will help. Patent #2,944,452 describes a chain pipe wrench and was issued to R.W. Vose in 1960, again with assignment to Moore Drop Forging. An example of this patent can be seen as the Craftsman "V" Chain Pipe Wrench.

Notable Events

After establishing the identity of the major production partner for Sears, in this section we'll look at some of the important events for the company's tool business during the Modern Era.

"Arc-Joint" Pliers

In 1953 Sears began offering tongue-and-groove pliers after the "Channellock" patent had expired. Sears coined the brand "Arc-Joint" for the pliers, and the primary production partner was Wilde Tool. McKaig-Hatch also provided Arc-Joint pliers for the Dunlap brand.

"Dunlap" Brand Retires!

In 1963 Sears decided that it was time to retire the "Dunlap" brand, which had served for more than two decades as an economy brand for tools. The last dated catalog to list Dunlap tools was the 1963 Craftsman Power Tools edition. (We did a full text search of the catalogs at the ITCL, so we're pretty sure there are no references to Dunlap in later Craftsman catalogs.)

Earlier catalogs had extensive listings for Dunlap tools, so the sudden disappearance of the brand is a strong indication of the intentional discontinuation. Tools that had previously been listed as Dunlap probably transitioned to the "Sears" or "Companion" brands, although the catalogs didn't always specify the brand.

Japanese Imports

In 1964 Sears began to import tools from Japan, and there were several references in the 1964 catalog noting a Japanese origin. The Japanese imports were marked with a "BF" manufacturer's code, and more information on the "BF" series can be found in our article on Distributor "BF".

Western Forge

In 1965 the Western Forge Corporation was established to produce tools for Sears, and in 1966 the company opened a forging plant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Western Forge became a major supplier of tools such as screwdrivers, chisels, punches, and pliers.

Western Forge marked its tools with a stamped or forged-in "WF" code.

Craftsman Commercial

Fig. 1. 1970 Catalog Sidebar for "Craftsman Commercial".

In the mid 1960s the Sears catalogs began recognizing certain products with a special "Craftsman Commercial" designation to indicate exceptional quality. In 1966 it was applied to only two power saws, but by 1969 had been extended to a wider variety of products, including some hand tools.

The scan in Fig. 1 shows a catalog sidebar explaining the "Craftsman Commercial" designation, as published on page 4 of the 1970 Craftsman Power and Hand Tools catalog.

The "Craftsman Commercial" tag appears to have been more commonly applied to power tools, but has been noted for some hand tools as well, including planes, levels, saws, and hacksaws.

When the "Craftsman Commercial" logo was displayed on a white background, it resembled the Craftsman "Crown" logo used for some tool boxes in the 1950s to 1970s time frame.

Tools that had received this special designation were allowed to use a special marking. For example, we have a Craftsman electric drill from the early 1970s with "Craftsman Commercial" cast into the metal housing and marked with a riveted tag.

In the case of hand tools, the Craftsman 93558 Hacksaw was designated as "Craftsman Commercial" in 1969 and 1970, and our example has a "Crown" logo instead of the expected "=Craftsman=" logo.

Companion Brand Revival

In 1970 Sears began using the "Companion" brand for some economy tools previously marked with its own "Sears" brand. The Companion brand was a registered trademark first used in the 1930s, but hadn't been used much (if at all) for tools in the years leading up to 1970.

Model Number Markings

Prior to the 1970s Sears generally did not require its suppliers to mark tools with the catalog number, although some manufacturers did add model numbers.

This policy changed sometime around 1970, and Sears began requiring that tools be marked with the model number. The exact date of the change is not known and may have varied depending on the supplier and tool type. We estimated the 1970 date from patent markings on ratchets from maker "V".

Patents

Manufacturer's Codes

Although Maker "V" was the dominant producer of Craftsman tools during this era, many other companies supplied tools as well. A table of Craftsman manufacturer's codes can be found in the section on Craftsman Manufacturer's Codes.

Manufacturing Dates

The Craftsman Modern Era extends for many decades from its start in the mid 1940s, and the design of the tools has remained relatively unchanged over this span. With few production changes to rely on, it's therefore difficult to estimate the production date for many of the tools from this period.

One change that did occur though was the addition of model number markings to the tools. The Sears catalogs had long used model numbers in their listings, but these were not actually marked on tools (with a few exceptions) until around 1970.

Even this date itself was hard to estimate — the catalogs just use the same model numbers from year to year, and the illustrations don't actually show model number markings. We were able to make an estimate based on observations of Craftsman ratchets with patent pending markings for known patents.

We will try to develop some guidelines for estimating production dates in the Modern Era.

• "=Craftsman=" Logo. By 1945 tools were being marked with the "=Craftsman=" (double-line) logo, which replaced the earlier underline logo on many tools.

• "Craftsman U.S.A." Logo. In the post-war period fixed-pivot cutting pliers (diagonal cutters, lineman's, and needlenose) were marked with "Craftsman" and "U.S.A." around the pivot. This marking style is illustrated in the Craftsman catalog dated November 1947 and probably began somewhat earlier.

• "Arc-Joint" (Tongue-and-Groove) Pliers. Sears first offered "Arc-Joint" pliers in 1953, with models available for both Craftsman and Dunlap brands.

• "Rope-Banded" Pattern Returns. In 1959 Wilde was again using its favored "Rope-Banded" gripping pattern on Arc-Joint pliers, after having been forced to use the "Nested Diamonds" pattern in the mid 1950s.

• "V"-Shaped Shifters. In 1959 Craftsman began using a distinctive "V" shaped shifter on its ratchets, and a review of the catalogs shows these ratchets remained available at least until 1964. For now we will use an estimated date range of 1959-1964 for this feature.

• Dunlap Discontinued. By 1964 the Dunlap brand had been discontinued. The 1963 Craftsman Power Tools catalog has the last published listings for Dunlap tools, and after that there are no references to Dunlap in the Craftsman catalogs.

• "BF" Japanese Tools. The 1964 Craftsman catalog notes several tools as being imported from Japan, and these turned out to be the "BF" series tools. More information can be found in our article on Distributor "BF".

• Craftsman Commercial. The 1966 Sears began designating certain Craftsman tools as "Craftsman Commercial" in the catalogs, which meant that the tools were of such high quality as to stand up to daily hard use. Tools receiving this designation were allowed to use the Craftsman "Crown" logo, and finding this mark on a tool may allow a fine-grained date estimate by checking the catalogs.

• Model Number Marking. Craftsman tools began carrying model number markings sometime around 1970, based on observations of ratchets with patent pending markings. For simplicity we will use dates up to 1969 for tools without model numbers, and dates 1970 or later for tools with model numbers.

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts collection.

Catalog Resources

We have fairly extensive catalog coverage for the Craftsman post-war production, as summarized in the table below.

Prelude to the Modern Style

In this section we'll look at some early examples of Craftsman Modern Era tools that we believe were actually part of an "audition" process leading to the selection of the contract manufacturer. This process would have taken place in the late WWII and early post-war period, when limitations on tool sales to consumers were being lifted.

The examples found so far can be attributed to two different manufacturers, but this raises the question of whether additional manufacturers might have participated. We suspect that there might have been at least one other, but are not ready to present evidence.

Maker "V"

Early "V" 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 2. Craftsman "V" 3/4x7/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 2 shows a Craftsman 3/4x7/8 open-end wrench with raised panels, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.

The back side also has a "V" code forged into the shank.

The overall length is 9.2 inches, and wrench appears to have a thin plated finish.

The faces of this wrench have traces of grinding or milling operations, suggesting production during the wartime period.

Early "V" 1/2 Combination Wrench

Fig. 3. Craftsman "V" 1/2 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 3 shows a Craftsman "V" series 1/2 combination wrench, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel. The shank also has a "V" code forged into the back side, as shown in the inset.

The overall length is 6.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Early "V" 5/8 Combination Wrench

Fig. 4. Craftsman "V" 5/8 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 4 shows a Craftsman "V" series 5/8 combination wrench, marked "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side. As with the previous figure, the raised panels show the double-line logo, and a raised-letter "V" code is forged into the shank.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Early 11/16 Paneled Combination Wrench

Fig. 5. Craftsman Early 11/16 Paneled Combination Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 5 shows a Craftsman 11/16 combination wrench in the paneled style, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the front, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.

The overall length is 8.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Although this wrench is very similar to the other "V" series examples, no manufacturer's marking was found.

Early "V" 5/8x3/4 Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 6. Craftsman Early "V" 5/8x3/4 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 6 shows an early Craftsman 5/8x3/4 offset box wrench in the paneled style, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo and fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and the fractional sizes on the back side panel.

The shank has a forged-in "V" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 10.0 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating, with extensive losses due to wear.

The cadmium finish suggests a manufacturing date in 1945.

Early "V" 3/4x7/8 Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 7. Craftsman Early "V" 3/4x7/8 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. Mid to Late 1940s.

Fig. 7 shows a Craftsman 3/4x7/8 offset box wrench in the paneled style, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.

The shank has a forged-in "V" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 12.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The chrome finish with a forged "V" (rather than stamped) suggests a manufacturing date in the early post-war years.

Early "V" 15/16x1 Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 8. Craftsman Early "V" 15/16x1 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 8 shows a Craftsman 15/16x1 offset box wrench in the paneled style, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.

The shank has a forged-in "V" code visible at the right.

The overall length is 13.6 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The cadmium finish suggests a manufacturing date in 1945.

Maker "P"

The next several figures show examples of modern raised-panel wrenches marked with a "P-Circle" manufacturer's code, rather than the more common "V" code. We believe that these examples are highly significant, as they prove that Sears had contracted with multiple makers in the early part of the Modern Era, before selecting Maker "V" as the primary contractor.

The "P-Circle" mark is the manufacturer's code for Wilde Tools, a maker known today primarily for their pliers, but a full-line tool maker in the 1930s and 1940s. Examples of their production can be seen in our article on Wilde Tools.

Craftsman "P-Circle" 19/32x25/32 Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 9. Craftsman "P-Circle" 19/32x25/32 Offset Box Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 9 shows a Craftsman 19/32x25/32 offset box wrench, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the raised panel, and with a P-Circle mark forged into the shank.

The back side is stamped "Forged in U.S.A." on the panel with an "N4" code forged into the shank.

The overall length is 10.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of cadmium plating.

Craftsman "P-Circle" 5/8x3/4 Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 10. Craftsman "P-Circle" 5/8x3/4 Offset Box Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 10 shows a Craftsman 5/8x3/4 offset box wrench, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the raised panel, and with a P-Circle mark forged into the shank.

The back side is stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with a "2" forged into the shank.

The overall length is 10.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Craftsman "P-Circle" 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 11. Craftsman "P-Circle" 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 11 shows a Craftsman 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel. The back side is also marked with an "N4" code and a P-Circle mark forged into the shank.

The overall length is 5.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Craftsman "P-Circle" 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 12. Craftsman "P-Circle" 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1945.

Fig. 12 shows a Craftsman 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench with raised panels, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back panel.

The back side is also marked with an "N4" code and a P-Circle mark forged into the shank.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel, with extensive pitting due to rust.

This wrench was used for the P-Circle logo image.

Craftsman "P-Circle" 25/32x13/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 13. Craftsman "P-Circle" 25/32x13/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 13 shows a Craftsman 25/32x13/16 open-end wrench with raised panels, stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.

The back side is also marked with an "E3" code and a P-Circle mark forged into the shank.

The overall length is 8.5 inches, and the finish is cadmium (or possibly zinc) plating.

Wrenches

After the sneak preview in the previous section, we'll start reviewing the various wrench styles of the Modern Era.

Open-End Wrenches

Early Craftsman "V" 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench

The forged-in "V" code on the shank was soon replaced by a stamped code on the wrench panel, as the next example illustrates.

Fig. 14. Craftsman "V" 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1945.

Fig. 14 shows an early example of the Craftsman "V" series, a Craftsman 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench with raised panels. The wrench is stamped with the Craftsman double-line logo on raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code stamped on the back side.

The overall length is 5.9 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating with polished faces.

Craftsman "V" 17x19mm Open-End Wrench

Fig. 15. Craftsman "V" 17x19mm Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 15 shows a Craftsman "V" 17x19mm open-end wrench, marked with "=Craftsman=" stamped on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

As was standard for open-end wrenches, the sizes are stamped on the faces.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Whitworth (British Standard) Tools

Although less commonly found in the United States, Craftsman did offer wrenches in Whitworth (British Standard) sizes.

Craftsman "V" 3/8Wx7/16W Whitworth Open-End Wrench

Fig. 16. Craftsman "V" 3/8Wx7/16W Whitworth Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. Mid 1940s to 1950s.

Fig. 16 shows an example of a Whitworth-sized wrench, a Craftsman 3/8Wx7/16W open-end wrench with raised panels. The wrench is marked with "=Craftsman=" stamped on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The opening sizes were measured at 0.72 and 0.83 inches.

Early Craftsman "V" No. 3 5/8x11/16 Tappet Wrench

Although the "V" code is almost always associated with the Craftsman double-line ("=Craftsman=") logo, this next figure shows an example using the older underlined logo.

Fig. 17. Early Craftsman "V" No. 3 5/8x11/16 Tappet Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1938 to Mid 1940s.

Fig. 17 shows a Craftsman "V" No. 3 5/8x11/16 tappet wrench, stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "No. 3" on the left face, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "-V-" code on the right face.

The back side faces are stamped with the fractional sizes.

The overall length is 9.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The use of the "V" code with the Craftsman underline logo suggests that this is early production by Moore Drop Forging, or possibly a transitional form before the tappet wrench markings were updated to the double-line logo. (Later tappet wrenches weren't made with raised panels, so they continued to use the older face marking.)

Craftsman 44474 "V" 3/4x7/8 Tappet Wrench

Fig. 18. Craftsman 44474 "V" 3/4x7/8 Tappet Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1970+.

Fig. 18 shows a Craftsman 44474 "V" 3/4x7/8 tappet wrench, stamped with "Craftsman" on the left face, with "U.S.A." and a "V" code plus the model number on the right face.

The back side faces are stamped with the fractional sizes.

The overall length is 9.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Box-End Wrenches

Craftsman 43919 "V" 1/4x5/16 Box-End Wrench

Fig. 19. Craftsman 43919 "V" 1/4x5/16 Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail and Side View, ca. 1970+.

Fig. 19 shows a Craftsman 43919 "V" 1/4x5/16 box-end wrench with raised panels, marked with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional sizes stamped on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 6.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Craftsman "V" 11/16x13/16 Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 20. Craftsman "V" 11/16x13/16 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail and Side View, ca. Before 1970.

Fig. 20 shows a Craftsman "V" 11/16x13/16 offset box-end wrench with raised panels, marked with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional sizes stamped on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 10.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Craftsman "V" 5/8x11/16 Offset Box-End Wrench with Hexagon Openings

Fig. 21. Craftsman "V" 5/8x11/16 Offset Box-End Wrench with Hexagon Openings, with Insets for Back Side Detail and Side View, ca. Before 1970.

Fig. 21 shows a Craftsman "V" 5/8x11/16 offset box-end wrench with hexagon openings. The paneled shank is stamped with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 9.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Craftsman "V" 5/8x3/4 Short Box-End Wrench

Fig. 22. Craftsman "V" 5/8x3/4 Short Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail and Side View, ca. Before 1970.

Fig. 22 shows a Craftsman "V" 5/8x3/4 short box-end wrench with raised panels, stamped with "Craftsman" and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The short panels on this wrench left no room for the standard "=Craftsman=" double-line logo.

Craftsman "V" 6x8mm Offset Box-End Wrench

Fig. 23. Craftsman "V" 6x8mm Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 23 shows a Craftsman "V" 6x8mm offset box-end wrench with raised panels, stamped with "-Craftsman-" and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 5.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The absence of a model number suggests production in the 1960s, when metric sizes were becoming more popular.

The small size of this wrench has forced to Craftsman double-line logo to become a "single-line" logo.

Craftsman 42957 "V" 13x15mm Box-End Wrench

Fig. 24. Craftsman 42957 "V" 13x15mm Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1970+.

Fig. 24 shows a Craftsman 42957 "V" 13x15mm box-end wrench with raised panels, marked with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." plus a "V" code and model number on the back side panel.

The overall length is 9.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Combination Wrenches

In the earlier era combination wrenches were limited to six models with sizes ranging from 7/16 to 3/4. This wrench style became increasingly popular in the Modern Era, and as combination wrenches replaced open-end and box-end wrenches, the range of sizes was increased substantially.

By 1952 four additional sizes — 3/8, 7/8, 15/16, and 1 inch — had been added, and by 1960 combination wrenches were available in 18 sizes from 1/4 to 1-5/16.

Craftsman "V" 3/8 Combination Wrench

Fig. 25. Craftsman "V" 3/8 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. Before 1970.

Fig. 25 shows a Craftsman "V" 3/8 combination wrench with raised panels, marked with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 4.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The absence of a model number indicates production up to 1969.

Craftsman 7/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 26. Craftsman 7/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Before 1970.

Fig. 26 shows a Craftsman 7/16 combination wrench with raised panels, stamped with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.

The overall length is 5.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The absence of a marked "V" code on this example is unusual and somewhat puzzling — possibly there was an error in setting up the marking machine, and the "V" fell off the end of the panel.

Craftsman 44696 "V" 9/16 Combination Wrench

Fig. 27. Craftsman 44696 "V" 9/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1970+.

Fig. 27 shows a Craftsman 44696 "V" 9/16 combination wrench with raised panels, marked with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." plus the "V" code and model number on the back side panel.

The overall length is 7.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The marked model number indicates production in 1970 or later.

Craftsman "V" 14mm Combination Wrench

The demand for metric sizes increased during the 1960s as imported cars became more common.

Fig. 28. Craftsman "V" 14mm Combination Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1960s.

Fig. 28 shows a Craftsman "V" 14mm combination wrench with raised panels, marked with "=Craftsman=" and the metric size on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The absence of a marked model number indicates production before 1970, and the metric sizing suggests 1960s production.

Production by KTC

Although Maker "V" dominated the production of Craftsman wrenches in the Modern Era, some other manufacturers did produce Craftsman wrenches in the standard paneled design. One notable example is the Japanese maker of combination wrenches marked with the "BF" manufacturer's code, which can now be identifed as KTC.

Based on KTC's own history, Craftsman combination wrenches were first produced in 1969 and were the first Craftsman-branded wrenches under the "BF" code.

Further evidence can be found in the forged-in codes of the form "Cx" observed on the Craftsman "BF" combination wrenches, with the "C" prefix presumably designating Craftsman. KTC production at this time marked customer-specific dies with a forging mark, with a prefix to indicate the customer. Production of combination wrenches for the Fuller Tool Company used codes of the form "Fx", and presumably the Craftsman wrenches followed the same pattern.

KTC is one of the best known and highest quality Japanese manufacturers, so it comes as no surprise that they would be the first to make Craftsman wrenches.

Craftsman "BF" 5/8 Combination Wrench

Fig. 29. Craftsman "BF" 5/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side, Side View, and Marking Detail, ca. 1969.

Fig. 29 shows a Craftsman "BF" 5/8 combination wrench with raised panels, stamped with the "=Craftsman=" logo and fractional size on the front panel, with "Chrome Molybdenum" and "BF Japan" plus the fractional size on the back panel.

The shank is also marked with a forged-in "C0" code, as seen in the lower inset.

The top inset shows a side view of the wrench. Note the rounded and polished side of the open end, an extra finishing touch provided by this maker.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The forged-in "Cx" code is a characteristic of KTC's Craftsman combination wrench production.

The absence of a model number on this wrench suggests production before 1970, and KTC's records indicate that production of Craftsman combination wrenches began in 1969.

More information on the "BF" series tools can be found in the article on Maker Daido.

Specialty Wrenches

Craftsman "V" 1/2 Flex-Box Combination Wrench

Flex-box combination wrenches are a variation of the standard combination wrench in which the box end is replaced by a socket attached with a flexible connection. The socket allows the wrench to reach recessed nuts that are inaccessible to a standard wrench, and the flexible connection allows operation at any angle, to help with avoiding obstacles.

Craftsman flex-box combination wrenches were offered in six sizes in the 1957 catalog and have remained as part of the Craftsman line since then.

Fig. 30. Craftsman "V" 1/2 Flex-Box Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail and Side Views, ca. Late 1950s to 1960s.

Fig. 30 shows a Craftsman "V" 1/2 flex-box combination wrench, stamped with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional size on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length (fully extended) is 8.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Craftsman 42545 "V" 5/8 Flex-Box Combination Wrench

Fig. 31. Craftsman 42545 "V" 5/8 Flex-Box Combination Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail and Side Views, ca. 1970+.

Fig. 31 shows a Craftsman 42545 "V" 5/8 flex-box combination wrench, marked with "=Craftsman=" and the fractional size stamped on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." plus a "V" code and the model number on the back side panel.

The overall length (fully extended) is 9.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Craftsman "V" 9/16x5/8 Battery Wrench

Fig. 32. Craftsman "V" 9/16x5/8 Battery Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. Late 1940s+.

Fig. 32 shows a Craftsman "V" 9/16x5/8 box-end wrench for battery terminal service, marked with "Craftsman" and the fractional sizes forged into the shank, with a "V" code plus "Battery Wrench" and "U.S.A." forged into the back side.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Craftsman 44173 "V" 5/8x11/16 Flare-Nut Wrench

Flare-nut wrenches were first offered in the 1954 Craftsman catalog, with three sizes available under model No. 4417.

Fig. 33. Craftsman 44173 "V" 5/8x11/16 Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1970+.

Fig. 33 shows a Craftsman 44173 "V" 5/8x11/16 flare-nut wrench, stamped with the "=Craftsman=" logo and the fractional sizes on the front panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." plus the model number and a "V" code on the back panel.

The overall length is 7.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished panels.

Sockets and Drive Tools

We have an extensive collection of Craftsman "V" series sockets and drive tools and will be adding more tools to this section as time permits.

Drive Handles

The "V" series offered several types of drive handles, including sliding Tee handles, flex-head handles, and the older style Ell handles.

Craftsman 44152 "V" 1/2-Drive Sliding Tee Handle

Fig. 34. Craftsman 44152 "V" 1/2-Drive Sliding Tee Handle, with Insets for Top View and Marking Detail, ca. Mid 1970s.

Fig. 34 shows a Craftsman 44152 "V" 1/2-drive sliding Tee handle, stamped with "Craftsman" in a stylized font plus the model number and a "V" code.

The overall length is 9.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

This tool was purchased new in the mid 1970s.

Craftsman 4402 "V" 1/2-Drive Ell Handle

Fig. 35. Craftsman 4402 "V" 1/2-Drive Ell Handle, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. Mid 1940s to 1950s.

Fig. 35 shows a Craftsman 4402 "V" 1/2-drive Ell handle, stamped with the "=Craftsman=" logo plus "V" and "U.S.A.", followed by the model number.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The model 4402 Ell handle was listed in the Craftsman catalogs from 1947 through 1959, but by 1960 was no longer available. The marked model number on this example was unusual for tools of that era.

Craftsman [4318] 3/8-Drive Ell Handle

Fig. 36. Craftsman [4318] 3/8-Drive Ell Handle, ca. Late 1940s to 1950s.

Fig. 36 shows a Craftsman 3/8-drive Ell handle, marked only with "— Craftsman —" stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 7.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

In 1949 Sears began offering a No. 4333 5-piece 3/8-drive spark plug set that included a 3/8-drive Ell handle, but the handle was available only as part of the set. By 1953 the No. 4318 3/8-drive Ell handle was listed as a separate item.

The minimal markings on this example suggest that it was originally part of a spark-plug set.

Early Ratchet Style

Craftsman "V" 1/2-Drive Ratchet

Fig. 37. Craftsman "V" 1/2-Drive Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. Late 1940s to 1950s.

Fig. 37 shows a Craftsman "V" 1/2-drive ratchet, stamped with the "Craftsman" double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel. (Note that the markings are oriented upside-down relative to later production.) The shank also has a forged-in "B" code near the head.

The overall length is 9.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Vee-Shaped Shifters

In 1959 the Craftsman ratchet line adopted a distinctive Vee-shaped shift lever based on design patent #D185,651, issued to R.W. Vose in 1959 with assignment to Moore Drop Forging.

Craftsman "V" 1/2-Drive Ratchet with Vee-Shaped Shifter

Fig. 38. Craftsman "V" 1/2-Drive Ratchet with Vee-Shaped Shifter, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1959 to 1960s.

Fig. 38 shows a Craftsman 1/2-drive ratchet with a "V"-shaped shifter, stamped with the "Craftsman" double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 10.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The ratchet head is fitted with an oil hole closed by a steel ball, as can be seen in the middle inset.

Although not marked with a patent notice, the design of the V-shaped shifter is described by patent #D185,651, issued to R.W. Vose in 1959 with assignment to Moore Drop Forging.

Craftsman "V" 3/8-Drive Ratchet with "V"-Shaped Shifter

Fig. 39. Craftsman "V" 3/8-Drive Ratchet with "V"-Shaped Shifter, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1959 to 1960s.

Fig. 39 shows a Craftsman 3/8-drive ratchet with a "V"-shaped shifter, stamped with the "Craftsman" double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Although not marked with a patent notice, the design of the V-shaped shifter is described by patent #D185,651, issued to R.W. Vose in 1959 with assignment to Moore Drop Forging.

"V" 1/4-Drive Ratchet with "V"-Shaped Shifter

Fig. 40. Craftsman "V" 1/4-Drive Ratchet with "V"-Shaped Shifter, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1959 to 1960s.

Fig. 40 shows a Craftsman 1/4-drive ratchet with a "V"-shaped shifter, stamped with the "Craftsman" double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel.

The overall length is 5.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Although not marked with a patent notice, the design of the V-shaped shifter is described by patent #D185,651, issued to R.W. Vose in 1959 with assignment to Moore Drop Forging.

Quick-Release Ratchets

In 1965 Sears began offering Craftsman ratchets with a convenient quick-release button, based on a design described by patent #3,208,318, filed by P.M. Roberts in 1964 and issued in 1965.

"V" 3/8-Drive Quick-Release Ratchet

Fig. 41. Craftsman "V" 3/8-Drive Quick-Release Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1965-1970.

Fig. 41 shows a Craftsman 3/8-drive quick-release ratchet, stamped with the "Craftsman" double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the back side panel. The back side panel is also stamped with a "Pat. No. 3208318" patent notice.

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The patent notice refers to patent #3,208,318, filed by P.M. Roberts in 1964 and issued in 1965. This is the classic patent for the quick-release mechanism.

Quick-Release Dual-Pawl Ratchets

In the late 1960s Sears began offering Craftsman ratchets with a dual-pawl mechanism for ultra fine action, combined with a quick-release button for extra convenience. These ratchets were based on patents #3,467,231 and #3,532,013, issued to H.J. Haznar in 1969 and 1970 respectively, and assigned to the Moore Drop Forging Company.

"V" 1/2-Drive Quick-Release Ratchet with Dual-Pawl Mechanism

Fig. 42. Craftsman "V" 1/2-Drive Quick-Release Dual-Pawl Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1968-1970.

Fig. 42 shows a 1/2-drive Craftsman quick-release ratchet with a dual-pawl mechanism, stamped with the "Craftsman" double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "=V=" code on the back side panel. The back side panel is also stamped with a "Patent Pending" notice.

The overall length is 10.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The pending status refers to patents #3,467,231 and #3,532,013, issued to H.J. Haznar in 1969 and 1970 respectively, with assignment to the Moore Drop Forging Company.

Note that this ratchet is not marked with a model number, but that a similar Craftsman 43187 "V" 1/4-Drive Ratchet also has a patent pending marking and is marked with the model number. These examples provide evidence that Craftsman model number markings were added in the 1968-1970 time frame.

43788 "V" 3/8-Drive Quick-Release Ratchet with Dual-Pawl Mechanism

Fig. 43. Craftsman 43788 "V" 3/8-Drive Quick Release Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 43 shows a Craftsman 43788 3/8-drive quick-release ratchet with a dual-pawl mechanism, stamped "Craftsman" on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "-V-" code on the back side panel. The back side panel is also stamped with "U.S. Pats. 3467231 3532013" and "Can. Patented 1971" patent notices.

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The first patent #3,467,231 was filed by H.J. Haznar in 1968 and issued in 1969, with assignment to the Moore Drop Forging Company. The describes a pawl-reversing mechanism for fine-tooth ratchets.

The second patent #3,532,013 was filed by H.J. Haznar in 1968 and issued in 1970, again with assignment to the Moore Drop Forging Company. This patent describes a quick-release mechanism adapted to fine-tooth ratchets.

43187 "V" 1/4-Drive Quick-Release Ratchet with Dual-Pawl Mechanism

Fig. 44. Craftsman 43187 "V" 3/8-Drive Quick Release Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side Views, ca. 1968-1970.

Fig. 44 shows a Craftsman 43187 1/4-drive quick-release ratchet with a dual-pawl mechanism, stamped with the "Craftsman" double-line logo on the raised panel, with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "-V-" code on the back side panel. The back side panel is also stamped with a "Patent Pending" patent notice.

The overall length is 5.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The pending status refers to patents #3,467,231 and #3,532,013, issued to H.J. Haznar in 1969 and 1970 respectively, with assignment to the Moore Drop Forging Company.