K-D Manufacturing Company

Table of Contents

Introduction

The K-D Manufacturing Company (K-D Tools) is a well-known maker of automotive specialty tools.

K-D Manufacturing Company

K-D Manufacturing began in 1918 as a partnership between Harry W. Kulp and Martin C. Dellinger, two inventors who were working on a new type of valve lifter. By 1919 their prototype was functional and the company began production from a home workshop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Fig. 1. 1924 Notice for K-D Manufacturing. [External Link]

The brief notice in Fig. 1 reports the beginning of K-D Manufacturing as a partnership in 1918, as published on page 686 of the 1924 Lancaster County Pennsylvania, Volume II.

A full-page article outlining the early history of K-D Manufacturing can be found on page 431 [External Link] of the December 1, 1924 issue of the Automobile Trade Journal. The article tells the story of how Kulp and Dellinger developed of their first valve lifter, a design with parallel jaw movement to avoid binding of the spring and washer. As with many auto tools of that time, the valve lifter was intended for servicing the Ford Model T.

After the prototype was completed and tested in early 1919, the two inventors pooled $40 to buy a stamping press and began production. According to the article, the two were able to make 10,000 units in their first year, which were sold through a local distributor.

Kulp and Dellinger filed a patent application for their new tool in October of 1919 and received patent 1,359,814 in November of 1920.

Kulp had previously filed a patent application in April of 1919 for what might be called a "proof of concept" parallel-jaw lifter, and received patent 1,330,542 in February of 1920.

Fig. 3. 1921 Ad for K-D Parallel Jaw Valve Lifter. [External Link]

Fig. 3 shows an early advertisement for the K-D parallel jaw lifter for Ford service, as published on page 105 of the July 21, 1921 issue of the Motor Age.

The original K-D lifter was designed to service the Ford Model T, the highest selling make of automobile at that time. The text notes that the parallel lift prevents binding of the spring and washer on the valve stem.

Fig. 4. 1922 Ad for K-D Universal Valve Lifter. [External Link]

By 1922 the company was offering a "universal" valve spring lifter with a similar parallel jaw design.

Fig. 4 shows an advertisement for the K-D universal valve spring lifter, as published on page 284 of the June 1, 1922 issue of the Automobile Trade Journal.

The universal valve lifter included two extra jaws that allowed it to work other makes of cars, in addition to the Ford Model T.

A Specialty Tool Specialist

Fig. 5. 1929 Advertisement for K-D Tools.

Kulp and Dellinger went on to collaborate on a number of patents for specialty tools. K-D's products include pliers, valve-spring compressors, wrenches, and other automotive specialty tools.

The scan in Fig. 5 shows an advertisement for K-D "flat rate" tools, as published on page 11 [External Link] of the April, 1929 issue of Motor Record.

The illustrations show a number of K-D tools, including the No. 300 universal valve lifter with six jaws, the No. 307 valve lifter for Ford Model "A", the No. 320 heavy-duty valve lifter, the No. 510 wheel puller, and the No. 9 adjustable hacksaw.

Ignition Pliers

By 1936 the company was offering kits of miniature pliers for ignition service.

Fig. 6. 1936 Advertisement for K-D Pliers.

The scan in Fig. 6 shows an advertisement for K-D pliers and other tools, as published on page 69 of the March, 1936 edition of Automobile Digest. The illustration shows a kit with four pairs of pliers, each approximately 4.5 inches in size.

Other tools listed in the ad include a valve keeper inserter, a valve seat grinder, valve spring compressors, and knockoff type wheel pullers.

Ratcheting Box-End Wrenches

By 1940 K-D was offering ratcheting box-end wrenches in various opening sizes, a type of tool that would become quite popular in later decades.

Fig. 7. 1940 Advertisement for K-D Ratcheting Box Wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 7 shows a No. 20 set of four ratcheting box wrenches (along with other tools), as published on page 50 of the February, 1940 issue of Motor Age.

K-D's ratcheting box wrenches were made of stamped sheet metal laminated to form a slightly convex handle, a construction technique amenable to relatively inexpensive production. K-D appears to have been to first company to offer laminated sheet metal ratcheting wrenches in multiple sizes.

We have an example of a K-D No. 23 Ratcheting Box Wrench marked with a "Pat. Appl'd For" notation, but have not yet located the patent.

Ratcheting box wrenches actually have a long history extending back to the 1901 Lord patent 666,202. This patent was used by Bay State Tool in the early 1900s for a series of ratcheting wrenches with forged handles, in both single- and double-ended styles. An example can be seen as the Bay State 5/8 Ratcheting Box Wrench.

Another example of an early ratcheting box wrench can be seen in the Mossberg 645 11/16 Ratcheting Box Wrench, a specialty tool for adjusting the reverse and brake bands on the Model T Ford. This tool was constructed of laminated sheet metal and is described by patent 1,165,995, issued to Frank Mossberg in 1915.

Several other companies offered comparable 11/16 ratcheting box wrenches for Model T service, including Blackhawk, Bog, and Duro Metal Products.

When K-D introduced its No. 20 set of ratcheting box wrenches in 1940, the company appears to have been to first to offer laminated-body wrenches in multiple sizes.

Another advancement came in the mid 1940s when the Nagel-Chase Manufacturing Company produced ratcheting box wrenches based on patent 2,421,038, filed by E. Schulz in 1944 and issued in 1947. These wrenches were sold under the Sears Dunlap brand, and an example can be seen as the Dunlap 3/8x7/16 Ratcheting Box Wrench. The Nagel-Chase wrenches had a clam-shell case stamped from sheet metal and riveted together.

By the late 1940s A&E Manufacturing was offering a line of laminated ratcheting box wrenches based on patent 2,500,835, filed by J.W. Lang in 1947 and issued in 1950. The A&E wrenches became very popular and were made as contract production for numerous companies, making the A&E design something of a de facto standard for a number of years. An example can be seen as the Early A&E 3/4x7/8 Ratcheting Box Wrench.

In 1949 Duro/Indestro began supplying ratcheting box wrenches to the Sears Craftsman line, which were constructed of symmetrical clam-shell cases with a raised panel to mimic the Craftsman forged wrenches. An example can be seen as the Craftsman "D.I." 3/8x7/16 Ratcheting Box Wrench.

Ratcheting box wrenches arguably reached their apex (pun intended) with the 1996 introduction of the GearWrench brand, developed by the Lea Way Hand Tool Corporation of Taiwan. GearWrench used a fine-tooth ratchet mechanism with multiple teeth on the pawl for added strength, and their wrenches were built with a forged body and a highly polished finish, initially as a ratcheting combination wrench. An example can be seen as the GearWrench 11/16 Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrench.

For readers interested in exploring our collection of ratcheting box wrenches, these tools are all indexed under "Ratcheting Wrench" in the site index.

Expanding Specialty Tools

From the 1950s onward K-D continued to expand its selection of automotive specialty tools, and its progress can be charted by noting that the catalogs went from 20 pages in 1948 to 31 pages in 1964 to 66 pages in 1974.

Later Operations

K-D Manufacturing remained independent through the 1970s, but by the late 1980s had become part of EASCO, a company which had previously acquired Moore Drop Forging along with its major Craftsman tool contract.

Then in 1990 K-D became part of Danaher when EASCO was acquired by the Danaher Group, a conglomerate of tool companies which also included Matco and Armstrong.

In 2010 most of the Danaher tool brands (except for Matco) were combined with the tool operations of Cooper Industries as a joint venture, forming the Apex Tool Group. The Apex Tool Group was later sold to a private equity holding company, where it continues in operation today.

Patents

Kulp and Dellinger (and sometimes Kulp alone) received a number of patents, mostly for valve spring lifters or related tools.

Trademarks

The company claimed a trademark on "K-D Tools", but we haven't yet found a registration.

References and Resources

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

Catalog Coverage

Product information can be obtained from a number of K-D catalogs, as summarized in the table below.

Industrial Distributors

K-D tools were available from some distributor catalogs.

• Waterhouse & Lester 1924. The 1924 Waterhouse & Lester catalog No. 20 lists K-D valve lifters on page 423, with models Regular, Special (for Ford), and Fordson.

• Dunham, Carrigan 1925. The 1925 catalog No. 73 from the Dunham, Carrigan & Hayden Company, a wholesale hardware supplier, lists the K-D universal and Ford valve lifters on page 1528.

• Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel 1930. The Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel catalog No. 21 from around 1930 lists K-D valve lifters on page 643. The models include the No. 300 universal, No. 303 Ford Model T, No. 307 Ford Model A, No. 309 Studebaker Light 6, No. 312 Studebaker, No. 314 Pierce-Arrow, and No. 330 Cadillac.

  This catalog is undated and was published without copyright, but the date can be estimated as 1929-1930 by the contents.

• Mossman-Yarnelle 1931. The 1931 catalog No. 31-T from the Mossman-Yarnelle Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana, an industrial distributor, lists K-D tools on page 450, including the Nos. 300, 307, and 312 valve lifters, No. 500 bushing remover, and No. 505 valve grinder.

Selected Tools

K-D No. 600 Valve Spring Lifter

Fig. 8. K-D No. 600 Valve Spring Lifter, with Insets for Top View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 8 shows a K-D No. 600 valve spring lifter based on two of the company's early patents.

The handle is stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." with the Kay-Dee logo, and the lifter arm is marked "Made in U.S.A." with a "Pat. 2.10.20 7.10.23" patent notice.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The patent notice includes two dates, with the earlier one referring to patent 1,330,542, issued to H.W. Kulp in 1920. The second date refers to patent 1,461,275, issued to H.W. Kulp and M.C. Dellinger in 1923.

An example of a valve lifter from another maker based partially on the 1920 Kulp patent 1,330,542 can be seen as the BHM No. 24 Valve Lifter.

K-D No. 700 Valve Spring Lifter

Fig. 9. K-D No. 700 Valve Spring Lifter, with Inset for Top View, ca. 1950+.

Fig. 9 shows a later K-D No. 700 valve spring lifter, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." on the lower arm.

The arm is also stamped "Pat. 2,064,264" and "Pat. 2,533,121" plus "Made in U.S.A." near the adjusting screw.

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

The two patents noted in the markings are the Kulp 1936 patent 2,064,264 and Kulp 1950 patent 2,533,121, both assigned to K-D Manufacturing.

K-D No. 7 Ignition Pliers

Fig. 10. K-D No. 7 Ignition Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 10 shows a pair of K-D No. 7 ignition pliers, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." with "Made in U.S.A." on the back side.

The overall length is 4.5 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

K-D No. 23 1/2 Reversible Ratcheting Box Wrench

Fig. 11. K-D No. 23 1/2 Reversible Ratchet Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. 1940s.

Fig. 11 shows a K-D No. 23 reversible ratcheting box wrench with a 1/2 hexagonal opening, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." on one side, with "Made in United States of America" and "Pat. Appl'd For" on the back side.

The overall length is 4.0 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

A diligent search has failed to find a patent for this tool, and we suspect that the patent was not granted.

K-D is believed to have been the first company to make laminated ratcheting box wrenches in multiple sizes. The interesting history of Ratcheting Box Wrenches was briefly summarized in an earlier section.

K-D No. 27 1/4x5/16 Reversible Ratcheting Box Wrench

Fig. 12. K-D No. 27 1/4x5/16 Reversible Ratchet Wrench, with Insets for Marking Detail and Edge View, ca. 1940s.

Fig. 12 shows a K-D No. 27 1/4x5/16 reversible ratcheting box wrench, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." on one side, with "Made in United States of America" and "Pat. Appl'd For" on the back side. (The middle inset had been rotated for readability.)

The overall length is 3.8 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

A diligent search has failed to find a patent for this tool, and we suspect that the patent was not granted.

K-D No. 2079 Slide-Hammer Hydraulic Valve Tappet Puller

Fig. 13. K-D No. 2079 Slide-Hammer Puller, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 13 shows a K-D No. 2079 slide-hammer puller for removing hydraulic valve tappets, stamped with "K-D No. 2079" and "Made in USA" on the hammer body.

The overall length is 13.3 inches as photographed, but will vary slightly as the screw tightens the gripping jaws.

The finish is cadmium plating.

In operation, the gripping jaws are retracted and engage a groove in a hydraulic valve tappet, and the screw is then tightened to secure the jaws. Repeated blows of the sliding hammer should then loosen the tappet and allow it to be extracted.

This tool is listed on page 9 of K-D catalog No. 74. The catalog mentions that adaptors can convert the tool to a straight puller for extremely tight tappets, but we're not sure how it works.

The catalog illustration shows the tool with three cylindrical sleeves, but our example was acquired with just one.

The 1974 catalog also offered a simpler No. 2114 "Quickie" valve tappet remover for cases when the tappet is not actually stuck. The No. 2114 tool is described by patent 3,654,686, filed by F.R. McFarland et al in 1969 and issued in 1972.

K-D No. 2091 VW Drain Plug and Sump Cover Wrench

Fig. 13B. K-D No. 2091 VW Drain Plug and Sump Cover Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 13B shows a K-D No. 2091 10x21mm flex-socket wrench for VW drain plug and sump cover service, stamped with "K-D No. 2091" and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The end of the shank is broached with a 10mm opening, as seen in the right inset.

The overall length is 9.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

K-D No. 280 Bendix Brake Tool

Fig. 14. K-D No. 280 Brake Tool, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 14 shows a K-D No. 280 brake tool, stamped with "280 Brake Tool" plus "K-D Tools Lancaster, PA." and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 8.7 inches, and the finish is zinc plating.

This tool is listed on page 16 of the 1964 K-D catalog for removing and installing Bendix brake return springs.

In operation, the cupped end is used to remove the brake return spring, and the handle end can be used as a lever to install the spring.

K-D No. 285 Brake Retaining Spring Tool

Fig. 15. K-D No. 285 Brake Retaining Spring Tool, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 15 shows a K-D No. 285 brake shoe retaining spring tool, stamped with "K-D 285" and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is zinc plating.

This tool is listed on page 16 of the 1964 K-D catalog for removing and installing brake shoe retaining springs.

K-D No. 287 Brake Starwheel Adjusting Tool

Fig. 16. K-D No. 287 Brake Starwheel Adjusting Tool, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 16 shows a K-D No. 287 brake starwheel adjusting tool, stamped with "K-D 287" and "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is zinc plating.

This tool is listed on page 16 of the 1964 K-D catalog as a brake starwheel adjusting tool, but is often called just a brake spoon.

K-D No. 2330 Door Handle Spring Installer

Fig. 17. K-D No. 2330 Door Handle Spring Installer, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1970s.

Fig. 17 shows a K-D No. 2330 door handle spring installer, stamped with "K-D 2330" and "Made in U.S.A." on the blade.

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

This tool is listed on page 69 of the K-D catalog No. 80-A supplement, which notes its use for installing the spring retaining clip for door and window crank handles.

In operation, the spring clip is held in a slot between the blade and the riveted cover piece, allowing it to be pushed onto the door or window handle.

K-D No. 2380 3/8-Drive Oil Filter Wrench

Fig. 18. K-D No. 2380 3/8-Drive Oil Filter Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1980s.

Fig. 18 shows a K-D No. 2380 3/8-drive oil filter wrench, stamped with "K-D 2380" and "Made in U.S.A." on the frame strut.

The overall length is 4.8 inches when open, and the finish is plain steel.

This tool is listed on page 74 of the K-D catalog No. 80-A supplement, which notes its use with 71mm and 79mm oil filters.

K-D No. 445 Internal Snap-Ring Pliers

Fig. 19. K-D No. 445 Internal Snap-Ring Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. Early 1960s to 1980s.

Fig. 19 shows a pair of K-D No. 445 internal snap-ring pliers, stamped with "K-D 445" and "Made in U.S.A." around the pivot in the front, with "Pat. 3040420" on the back.

The overall length is 7.0 inches (including the tips), and the finish is plain steel with zinc plated handles.

The patent marking refers to patent 3,040,420, filed by H.W. Kulp in 1960 and issued in 1962.