Open-End Wrenches
After our review of the Sears pre-Craftsman era in the previous section,
it's now time to see some examples of Craftsman tools.
We'll begin with open-end wrenches,
as these were among the earliest mechanic's tools offered in the Craftsman brand.
Craftsman "Vanadium" Sub-Brand
During the 1930s Sears used the "Vanadium" mark as a sub-brand on many of its Craftsman tools,
including open-end wrenches, box wrenches, and pliers.
This use of Vanadium as a sub-brand was undoubtedly intended to draw attention to the
alloy steel used for the tools.
The tool-buying public of that time had learned to associate the common alloying elements --
vanadium, chromium, and molybdenum --
with the higher quality tools preferred by professional mechanics.
References to the "Craftsman Vanadium" sub-brand began appearing in catalogs in 1931 or earlier.
In addition to the use of "Vanadium" as a brand,
some Craftsman tools will be found with a "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" or "Chrome-Vanadium" marking.
This type of usage is more of a descriptive term than a brand identification,
and tools with these markings were likely produced before the "Craftsman Vanadium" brand became the standard.
Currently we are assuming a 1930-1932 production range for open-end wrenches with these markings.
Early "Chrome-Vanadium" Wrenches
We'll begin this section with some examples believed to be among the earliest of the Craftsman open-end wrenches.
Craftsman Early "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1025 1/2x19/32 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 27 shows
an early Craftsman "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1025 1/2x19/32 open-end wrench,
marked with "Craftsman" forged into the shank,
with "Chrome-Vanadium" forged into the back side.
The front faces are stamped with the fractional sizes,
with "Craftsman Made in U.S.A." and the model number on the back side faces.
The overall length is 5.5 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with a few traces of chrome or nickel plating.
Craftsman Early "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1729 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 28 shows
an early Craftsman "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench,
marked with "Craftsman" forged into the shank,
with "Chrome-Vanadium" forged into the back side.
The front faces are stamped with the fractional sizes,
and the back side faces are stamped with "Craftsman" and "Made in U.S.A." on the left,
with the model number on the right.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is nickel plating,
with extensive losses due to wear and rust.
Craftsman Early "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1731 3/4x13/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 29 shows
an early Craftsman "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1731 3/4x13/16 open-end wrench,
marked with "Craftsman" forged into the shank,
with "Chrome-Vanadium" forged into the back side.
The front faces are stamped with the fractional sizes,
and the back side faces are stamped with "Craftsman" and "Made in U.S.A." on the left,
with the model number on the right.
The overall length is 8.8 inches.
The finish is chrome or nickel plating,
with some losses due to wear and rust.
The top inset shows a edge view of the wrench.
Note that the edges are slightly rough,
with a few traces left from the trimming operation.
Craftsman Early "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1031 25/32x7/8 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 30 shows
an early Craftsman "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench,
stamped "Craftsman" and "Made in U.S.A." on the left face with the model number on the right face,
and with "Chrome-Vanadium" forged into shank.
The back side faces are stamped with the fractional sizes,
with "Craftsman" forged into the shank.
The overall length is 8.8 inches,
and the finish is plain steel, with scattered traces of nickel plating.
Craftsman Early "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1033C 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 31 shows
an early Craftsman "Chrome-Vanadium" C-1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench,
marked with "Craftsman" forged into the shank,
with "Chrome-Vanadium" forged into the back side.
The front faces are stamped with the fractional sizes,
and the back side faces are stamped with "Craftsman" and "Made in U.S.A." on the left,
with the model number on the right.
The overall length is 10.2 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with traces of nickel plating.
The top inset shows a edge view of the wrench,
and a few traces from the trimming operation can be seen on the edge.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" Wrenches
This next group of figures will show wrenches marked with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" stamped on the shank.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" C-1723 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 32 shows
a Craftsman C-1723 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench,
stamped with "Craftsman" in plain letters and "Made in U.S.A." on the face,
with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank.
The overall length is 4.2 inches,
and the finish is nickel plating with polished faces.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" 1723-A 3/8x1/2 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 32B shows
an early Craftsman 1723-A 3/8x1/2 open-end wrench,
stamped with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank,
with the model number and fractional sizes on the back.
The overall length is 4.7 inches,
and the finish is nickel plating with polished faces.
The marking style of this wrench is different from the other "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" examples,
as the markings are restricted to the shank,
and the model number doesn't have a "C-" prefix.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" C-1725B 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 33 shows
an early Craftsman C-1725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench,
stamped with "Craftsman" in plain letters and "Made in U.S.A." on the face,
with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank.
The overall length is 5.4 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with a few traces of nickel plating.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" 1727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 34 shows
a Craftsman 1727 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench,
stamped with "Craftsman" in plain letters and "Made in U.S.A." on the face,
with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank.
The overall length is 6.5 inches.
The original finish was nickel plating,
but most has been lost due to extensive rust and pitting.
This wrench is unusual among the "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" examples in not having
a "C" prefix to the model number.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" C-1027 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 35 shows
a Craftsman C-1027 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench,
stamped with "Craftsman" in plain letters and "Made in U.S.A." on the face,
with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank.
The overall length is 6.5 inches.
The finish is nickel plating,
with extensive losses due to wear and rust.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" C-1729 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 36 shows
a Craftsman C-1729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench,
stamped with "Craftsman" in plain letters and "Made in U.S.A." on the face,
with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank.
The shank also has a forged-in code "V" visible at the left.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is nickel plating with polished faces.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" C-1731 3/4x13/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 37 shows
a Craftsman C-1731 3/4x13/16 open-end wrench,
stamped "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank,
with "Made in U.S.A." on the face.
The shank also has a forged-in code "V" visible at the left.
The overall length is 8.8 inches.
The finish appears to be nickel plating,
with extensive losses due to wear and rust.
Craftsman Early "Vanadium Steel" 1031 25/32x7/8 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 38 shows
a Craftsman 1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench,
stamped "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank,
with "Made in U.S.A." on the face.
The overall length is 8.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
This wrench is unusual among the "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" examples in not having
a "C" prefix to the model number.
Early "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" [C-]1033C 15/16x1 Open-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of early Craftsman [C-]1033C wrenches.
Fig. 39 shows
a Craftsman [C-]1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench,
stamped with "Craftsman" in plain letters and "Made in U.S.A." on the face (see middle inset),
with "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" stamped on the shank.
The overall length is 10.1 inches.
The finish is nickel plating,
with losses due to rust and pitting.
This wrench is a bit unusual among the "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" examples in not having
a "C" prefix to the model number.
Fig. 40 shows
a similar Craftsman C-1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench,
stamped "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank,
with "Craftsman" and "Made in U.S.A." on the face.
The overall length is 10.3 inches.
The finish is nickel plating,
with losses due to rust and pitting.
"Craftsman Vanadium" Standard-Style Wrenches
This section will show examples of Craftsman Vanadium wrenches in the "standard" style,
characterized by depressed panels with forged-in markings in the panels.
Within this category there are still some variations in production characteristics and markings,
as the following figures will clarify.
The first group of wrenches are marked with a forged-in "CI" manufacturer's code.
Wrenches with this "CI" marking are the most common of the Craftsman open-end examples,
and can be considered as the clearest definition of the "standard" style for Craftsman open-end wrenches.
The "CI" wrenches are also the only type observed in later production from the 1940s,
after the "Vanadium" marking was dropped,
and with production changes mandated by wartime restrictions.
A second group of wrenches are marked with a stamped (or rarely forged-in) "AF" manufacturer's code.
These wrenches are very similar to the "CI" group in production characteristics.
A third group of wrenches is characterized by wider, gently-sloped depressed panels.
The appearance of this variant is sufficiently different from the others to allow them to be recognized
in catalog illustrations,
which have been noted from 1935 to 1938.
This group is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
The fourth observed group is distinguished by a relatively flat shank with small depressed panels,
often with traces of grinding remaining on the shank.
These wrenches have a different marking convention in which the model number is stamped on the right face
of the "Craftsman" side,
rather than the left face of the "Forged in U.S.A." side observed in the other three groups.
In addition, the markings for the opening sizes are often substantially larger than those in the other groups.
These wrenches are also not marked with a manufacturer's code.
For convenience in referring to these observed groups,
we will call them the "CI", "AF", "Gently Sloped", and "Flat Shank" groups, respectively.
Recently (November 2015) the manufacturer of the "AF" and "CI" coded wrenches has been identified as
Billings & Spencer.
Readers can find a discussion of this attribution in our case study for
Maker Billings.
In addition, the maker of the "Gently Sloped" open-end wrenches has been identified as
Hinsdale Manufacturing.
Comparative examples of Hinsdale and Craftsman wrenches can be seen under
Hinsdale and Craftsman Open-End Wrenches.
Craftsman Vanadium 1020 1/4x5/16 Open-End Wrenches
The next several figures show examples of Craftsman Vanadium model 1020 open-end wrenches,
with small but significant differences in marking and construction.
Fig. 41 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1020 1/4x5/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
The overall length is 3.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
This wrench has a relatively flat shank (excluding the panels) with square sides,
and the edge retains some markings from the trimming process.
Note also that "Craftsman" side has the model number marking on one face,
rather than the fractional sizes.
Craftsman Vanadium 1020 "AF" 1/4x5/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 42 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1020 wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code.
The overall length is 3.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
The shank of this wrench is more oval and rounded than the previous example,
and the edges have been smoothly rounded after trimming.
The differences in marking and construction suggest that these wrenches were made by
different manufacturers.
Craftsman Vanadium 1020 "CI" 1/4x5/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 43 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1020 wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 3.6 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman 1020 "CI" 1/4x5/16 Open-End Wrench
The next figure shows a later 1020 wrench without the Vanadium sub-brand.
Fig. 44 shows
a later Craftsman 1020 wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and a "5" code forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 3.8 inches,
and the finish is polished steel.
Craftsman Vanadium 1723 "Gently Sloped" 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench
The next several figures show examples of the Craftsman 1723 wrench,
all with the "Vanadium" sub-brand but differing in the manufacturer's code or production style.
Fig. 45 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1723 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench with gently-sloped depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
The faces are stamped with the fractional sizes on the front,
with the industry-standard model number on the back side.
The overall length is 4.3 inches.
The finish is pitted due to rust,
but with traces of chrome plating.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
Note that the depressed panels are larger and more gradual in slope than the
typical small oval panels.
In addition,
the stamped sizes are somewhat larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and the model number is stamped on the righthand face of the back side.
The wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
Craftsman Vanadium 1723 ["AF"] 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 46 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1723 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
The faces are stamped with the fractional sizes on the front,
with the industry-standard model number on the back side.
The overall length is 4.2 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
This wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code,
but closely resembles the style marked with the "AF" code.
Currently we believe that the manufacturer's code markings began around 1934 to 1936,
so that the absence of a code marking on this example probably indicates early production.
Craftsman Vanadium 1723 "AF" 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 47 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1723 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the right.
The faces are stamped with the fractional sizes on the front,
with the industry-standard model number on the back side.
The overall length is 4.2 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with minor pitting due to rust.
Craftsman Vanadium 1723 "CI" 3/8x7/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 48 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1723 3/8x7/16 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the shank,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The faces are stamped with the fractional sizes on the front,
with the industry-standard model number on the back side.
The overall length is 4.2 inches.
The finish is chrome plating,
with losses from the faces due to wear.
Craftsman Vanadium 1725B "Flat Shank" 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench
The next figures show several examples of the Craftsman 1725B wrench from the earlier Vanadium generation,
with differences noted in the production characteristics and manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 49 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 5.3 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to wear.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
In particular, the shank has been ground flat instead of oval,
and the surface of the shank shows fine grinding marks at right angles to the axis.
In addition,
the stamped sizes are on the back side (non-Craftsman) side and are significantly larger than
typically found on these wrenches.
No manufacturer's code is marked.
The noted production differences suggest that this wrench may have been produced by a maker
other than the ones associated with the "CI" and "AF" codes.
Craftsman Vanadium 1725B "Gently Sloped" 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 50 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench with gently-sloped depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 5.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to wear.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
Note that the depressed panels are larger and more gradual in slope than the
typical small oval panels.
In addition,
the stamped sizes are somewhat larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and the model number is stamped on the righthand face of the back side.
This example is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
Craftsman Vanadium 1725B "AF" 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 51 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.
An "AF" code is stamped on the back side.
The overall length is 5.5 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with polished faces.
The top inset shows a side view of the wrench,
illustrating the thin profile of the shank.
Craftsman Vanadium 1725B "CI" 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 52 shows
a similar Craftsman Vanadium 1725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
but marked with the "CI" manufacturer's code.
The shank is marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with the "CI" code and "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 5.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
Later Craftsman 1725B "CI" 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrenches
The next two figures show later examples of Craftsman 1725B wrenches without
the Vanadium sub-brand.
Fig. 53 shows
a later Craftsman 1725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and a "5" code forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 5.5 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Fig. 54 shows
another later Craftsman 1725B open-end wrench,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and an "N4" code forged into the depressed panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 5.5 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
The forged-in "N4" code appearing on this example is frequently observed
on Craftsman wrenches of wartime era production.
Craftsman Vanadium 1027 "Flat Shank" 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrenches
The next several figures show examples of the Craftsman 1027 wrench from the earlier Vanadium generation,
with differences noted in production characteristics and manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 55 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1027 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 6.4 inches,
and the finish is nickel plating, with losses due to wear.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
In particular, the shank has been ground flat instead of oval,
and the surface of the shank shows fine grinding marks at right angles to the axis.
In addition,
the stamped sizes on the back side are significantly larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and no manufacturer's code is marked.
Craftsman Vanadium 1027 "Gently Sloped" 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 56 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1027 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench with wide gently-sloped panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 6.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome (or nickel) plating.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
Note that the depressed panels are larger and more gradual in slope than the
typical small oval panels.
In addition,
the stamped sizes are somewhat larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and no manufacturer's code is marked.
Craftsman Vanadium 1027 "AF" 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 57 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1027 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the right.
The overall length is 6.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to wear.
Craftsman Vanadium 1027 "CI" 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 58 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1027 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 6.4 inches,
and the finish is polished steel.
Craftsman 1027 "CI" 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrenches
The next two figures show later examples of Craftsman 1027 wrenches without the Vanadium sub-brand.
Fig. 59 shows
a later Craftsman 1027 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 6.3 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with polished faces.
Fig. 60 shows
another later Craftsman 1027 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and an "N" code forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 6.3 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with roughly surfaced faces.
This wrench has only roughly finished faces and edges,
in contrast to the finely ground and polished finish normally found on these Craftsman tools.
The rough finish suggests production during the 1942-1945 wartime years.
Craftsman Vanadium 1729 "Flat Shank" 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench
The next several figures show examples of the Craftsman 1729 open-end wrench,
all with the "Vanadium" sub-brand but with different (or no) manufacturer codes.
Fig. 61 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
In particular, the shank has been ground flat instead of oval,
and the surface of the shank shows fine grinding marks at right angles to the axis.
In addition,
the stamped sizes on the back side are significantly larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and no manufacturer's code is marked.
The noted production differences suggest that this wrench may have been produced by a maker
other than the ones associated with the "CI" and "AF" codes.
Craftsman Vanadium 1729 "Gently Sloped" 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 62 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench with wide, gently-sloped depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
and with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with traces of the original chrome plating.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
Note that the depressed panels are larger and more gradual in slope than the
typical small oval panels.
In addition,
the stamped sizes are somewhat larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and the model number is stamped on the righthand face of the back side.
This example is not marked with a manufacturer's code,
but has been recently (December 2015) identified as production by Hinsdale,
based on the close similarity to the "Hinsdale Vanadium" wrenches.
A comparison of Craftsman and Hinsdale examples can be seen as the
Hinsdale and Craftsman 1729 Wrenches.
Craftsman Vanadium 1729 "AF" 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 63 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
and with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The back side is also stamped with an "AF" manufacturer's code.
The overall length is 7.6 inches,
and the finish is polished steel.
Craftsman Vanadium 1729 "CI" 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 64 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman Vanadium 1731 "Gently Sloped" 3/4x13/16 Open-End Wrench
The next two figures show examples of the Craftsman 1731 wrench from the earlier Vanadium generation,
with differences noted in the production characteristics and manufacturer's code.
Fig. 65 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 1731 3/4x13/16 open-end wrench with wide gently-sloped depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
The overall length is 8.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to wear.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
Note that the depressed panels are larger and more gradual in slope than the
typical small oval panels.
In addition,
the stamped sizes are somewhat larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and the model number is stamped on the righthand face of the back side.
This example is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
Craftsman Vanadium 1731 "CI" 3/4x13/16 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 66 shows
a earlier Craftsman Vanadium 1731 3/4x13/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back panel.
The overall length is 8.6 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
Craftsman 1731 "CI" 3/4x13/16 Open-End Wrench
The next figure shows a later 1731 wrench without the Vanadium sub-brand.
Fig. 67 shows
a later Craftsman 1731 3/4x13/16 open-end wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and an "N4" code forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 8.6 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
The "N4" code is frequently observed on later (non-Vanadium) Craftsman wrenches with plain finishes,
suggesting that it may be an indication of wartime production changes.
Craftsman Vanadium 1031 25/32x7/8 Open-End Wrenches
The next several figures show examples of the Craftsman 1031 wrench from the earlier Vanadium generation,
with noted differences in production characteristics and manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 68 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
In addition to the forged-in markings,
the front markings on this wrench have been overstamped with "Chrome-Vanadium",
making them more difficult to read.
The overall length is 8.7 inches.
The finish appears to be plain steel,
although it has a more lustre than expected for plain steel.
The wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
Note that the shank is relatively flat and shows fine grinding marks at right angles to the axis,
and that the faces have a finely ground but not polished surface texture,
with the grinding marks parallel to the axis.
Another minor difference can be noted in the placement of the stamped markings,
with the model number placed on the "Craftsman" side and the fractional sizes on the "Forged in U.S.A." side.
This is opposite from the marking convention on the more common examples.
These production differences and lack of a forged-in manufacturer's code suggest that this
wrench was produced by a maker other than the ones associated with the "CI" and "AF" codes.
Fig. 69 shows
another example of a Craftsman Vanadium 1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench with a flat shank and depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.
The overall length is 8.7 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with traces of chrome plating.
The wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
The characteristics noted in the previous figure apply to this example as well,
making this a typical example of the "flat shank" variant of Craftsman open-end wrenches.
Fig. 70 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The back side is also stamped with an "AF" code at the right.
The overall length is 8.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to wear.
Fig. 71 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 8.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman 1031 25/32x7/8 Open-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of Craftsman 1031 wrenches from the later non-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 72 shows
a later Craftsman 1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 8.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
This wrench is somewhat unusual in that it has a chrome-plated finish but is not marked with
the "Vanadium" sub-brand.
This suggests that Sears may have discontinued the Vanadium sub-brand marking before the
advent of the war,
when material shortages limited the use of chrome finishes and alloy steel.
Fig. 73 shows
a later Craftsman 1031 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and an "N4" code forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code forged into the back side.
The overall length is 8.6 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with polished faces.
The "N4" code is frequently observed on later (non-Vanadium) Craftsman wrenches with plain finishes,
suggesting that it may be an indication of wartime production changes.
If any of our readers have information on this code,
please send us an email and describe your findings.
Craftsman Vanadium 1033C "Flat Shank" 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench
The next several figures show examples of the Craftsman 1033C wrench from the earlier Vanadium generation,
with differences noted in the production characteristics and manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 74 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench with shallow depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 10.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating, with losses due to wear.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
In particular, the shank has been ground flat instead of oval,
and the surface of the shank shows fine grinding marks at right angles to the axis.
In addition,
the stamped sizes on the back side are significantly larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and no manufacturer's code is marked.
Another minor difference can be noted in the placement of the stamped markings,
with the model number placed on the "Craftsman" side and the fractional sizes on the "Forged in U.S.A." side.
This is opposite from the marking convention on the more common examples.
These production differences and lack of a forged-in manufacturer's code suggest that this
wrench was produced by a maker other than the ones associated with the "CI" and "AF" codes.
Craftsman Vanadium 1033C "Gently Sloped" 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 75 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench with wide, gently-sloped depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 10.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
The production characteristics of this wrench are somewhat different from other Craftsman Vanadium examples.
Note that the depressed panels are larger and more gradual in slope than the typical small oval panels.
In addition,
the stamped sizes are somewhat larger than typically found on these wrenches,
and the model number is stamped on the righthand face of the back side.
This example is not marked with a manufacturer's code,
but has been recently (December 2015) identified as production by Hinsdale,
based on the close similarity to the "Hinsdale Vanadium" wrenches.
A comparison of Craftsman and Hinsdale examples can be seen as the
Hinsdale and Craftsman 1033C Wrenches.
Craftsman Vanadium 1033C ["AF"] 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 76 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1033C open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The overall length is 9.9 inches.
The finish is chrome plating,
but with extensive losses due to rust.
This example is unusual in not having a discernable manufacturer's code,
but the style of the wrench and the use of the double-quote mark with the 1 inch size
suggests the "AF" manufacturer.
Currently we believe that the manufacturer's code markings began around 1934 to 1936,
so that the absence of a code marking on this example probably indicates early production.
Craftsman Vanadium 1033C "AF" 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 77 shows
another similar Craftsman Vanadium 1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench with depressed oval panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side panel.
The shank is also marked with a forged-in "AF" code, visible at the left.
The overall length is 9.9 inches.
The finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to wear and rust.
The forged-in "AF" code on this example is uncommon,
as this code is more commonly stamped on the shank.
Note that the face on the 1 inch end is stamped with a double-quote mark
to indicate inches.
Craftsman Vanadium 1033C "CI" 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench
Fig. 78 shows
another Craftsman Vanadium 1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" forged into the depressed panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side panel.
The overall length is 10.0 inches.
Craftsman 1033C "CI" 15/16x1 Open-End Wrench
The next figure shows an example of the Craftsman 1033C wrench from the later non-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 79 shows
a later Craftsman 1033C 15/16x1 open-end wrench,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and an "N4" code forged into the depressed panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side panel.
The overall length is 10.1 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
The "N4" code is frequently observed on later (non-Vanadium) Craftsman wrenches with plain finishes,
suggesting that it may be an indication of wartime production changes.
If any of our readers have information on this code,
please send us an email and describe your findings.
Tappet Wrenches
Tappet wrenches are an important sub-class of open-end wrenches,
with a thin profile required for adjusting the opposing lock nuts on valve tappets.
Sears first offered Craftsman tappet wrenches in 1930 along with the introduction of Craftsman open-end wrenches.
Early Tappet Wrenches
The early Craftsman tappet wrenches show quite a bit of variation in design and production characteristics.
By 1930 the style of tappet wrench with asymmetrical offsets pioneered by Bonney was losing favor to the
15 degree equal offset design.
Sears is not known to have offered tappet wrenches with asymmetrical offsets,
but their earliest models had an unusual design with equal 22.5 degree offsets.
These early models were followed by wrenches with conventional 15 degree offsets,
but with production differences that suggest several different manufacturers.
Early C-3006 9/16x5/8 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 80 shows
an early Craftsman C-3006 9/16x5/8 tappet wrench,
stamped "Craftsman" and "Made in U.S.A" on the left face,
with the model number on the right face and the fractional sizes on the back side faces.
The shank is marked with "Chrome-Vanadium" forged into the front,
with "Craftsman" forged into the back side.
The overall length is 7.9 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with traces of chrome or nickel plating.
This wrench has an unusual design (for a tappet wrench) with equal 22.5 degree offsets,
a pattern more commonly associated with "textile wrenches" used for working on machinery with square nuts.
The model 3006 tappet wrench was first offered in the Sears 1930 spring catalog and is notable for
being among the first wrenches
(along with similarly marked open-end wrenches) to carry the Craftsman brand.
The model 3006 remained available through 1931,
but by 1932 had been superseded by a model 1092 tappet wrench with conventional 15 degree offsets.
The unusual design of this wrench makes it trivial to identify the maker as Billings & Spencer,
the only company known to have produced this style of tappet wrench.
Billings' own production of this wrench has a matching 3006 model number that confirms the identification,
and an example of the Billings version can be seen as the
Billings 3006 Tappet Wrench.
1090F 7/16x17/32 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 81 shows
a Craftsman 1090F 7/16x17/32 tappet wrench,
stamped "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the shank,
with "Made in U.S.A." on the face.
The overall length is 8.5 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with polished faces.
1090-D 1/2x9/16 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 82 shows
a Craftsman 1090-D 1/2x9/16 tappet wrench,
stamped "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" on the front,
with "Chrome-Vanadium-Steel" and the model number on the back side.
The overall length is 7.9 inches,
and the finish is nickel plating.
1092-F 5/8x11/16 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 83 shows
a Craftsman 1092-F 5/8x1/16 tappet wrench,
stamped "Craftsman Vanadium Steel" with the model number.
The overall length is 7.9 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Long-Format Tappet Wrenches
By the spring of 1935 Sears was offering "Extra Long" tappet wrenches with a 10 inch nominal length,
substantially longer than the typical 8 or 9 inch length offered by most other makers.
The long tappet wrenches proved to be popular and Sears retained the long design in later catalogs,
even into the modern ("=Craftsman=") era from 1945 onward.
Craftsman Vanadium No. 1 "CI" 7/16x17/32 Tappet Wrench
The next two figures show examples of the Craftsman No. 1 tappet wrench
from the Vanadium and post-Vanadium generations.
Fig. 84 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium No. 1 7/16x17/32 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on one face,
with "Vanadium" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the other face.
The back side shank is stamped with a "CI" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 9.9 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Craftsman No. 1 "CI" 7/16x17/32 Tappet Wrenches
Fig. 85 shows
a later Craftsman No. 1 7/16x17/32 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on one face,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the other face.
The back side shank is marked with a stamped "C" code at the left,
presumed to be a "CI" manufacturer's code with the "I" missing.
The overall length is 9.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to wear.
The absence of the "Vanadium" sub-brand and the use of a chrome-plated finish
suggests production around 1941 or 1942.
Fig. 86 shows
a later Craftsman No. 1 7/16x17/32 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on one face,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the other face.
The back side shank is marked with a stamped "CI" code at the left
and a forged-in "3" code at the right.
The overall length is 9.9 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with some pitting due to rust.
Craftsman No. 1 "V" 3/8x7/16 Tappet Wrench
This next figure shows a Craftsman No. 1 tappet wrench with an alternate 3/8x7/16 size.
Fig. 87 shows
a Craftsman No. 1 tappet wrench in the 3/8x7/16 size,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on one face,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "V" code on the other face.
The overall length is 9.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to rust.
This wrench has an unusual combination of the Craftsman underline logo with an
unexpected 3/8x7/16 size for the No. 1 tappet model.
The 3/8x7/16 tappet size was not listed in the catalogs until the late 1940s.
Craftsman Vanadium No. 2 "AF"/"CI" 1/2x9/16 Tappet Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of the Craftsman No. 2 tappet wrench,
both marked with the "Vanadium" sub-brand but with different manufacturer codes.
Fig. 88 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium No. 2 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model on one face,
with "Vanadium" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the other face.
The back side is stamped with an "AF" code,
as seen in the inset.
The overall length is 10.0 inches.
The finish is plain steel,
with traces of the original plated finish.
Fig. 89 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium No. 2 1/2x9/16 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model on one face,
with "Vanadium" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the other face.
The back side is stamped with an "CI" code,
as seen in the inset.
The overall length is 9.9 inches.
The finish is chrome plating with highly polished faces.
Later Craftsman No. 2 "CI" 1/2x9/16 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 90 shows
a later version of the Craftsman No. 2 1/2x9/16 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model on one face,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the other face.
The shank has a forged-in code "N4" code visible at the left,
and the back side shank is stamped with a "CI" code (see inset).
The overall length is 9.9 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Craftsman Vanadium No. 3 5/8x11/16 Tappet Wrenches
For the Craftsman No. 3 tappet wrench we have an embarrassment of riches,
with examples of both Vanadium and non-Vanadium generations,
and with "AF", "CI" and "V" manufacturer's codes plus an additional manufacturer identifiable
by a stylistic quirk.
Fig. 91 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium "AF" No. 3 5/8x11/16 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on the left face,
with "Vanadium" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the right face.
The back side shank is stamped with a "AF" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 9.9 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Fig. 92 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium "CI" No. 3 5/8x11/16 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on the left face,
with "Vanadium" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the right face.
The back side shank is stamped with a "CI" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 9.9 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
Craftsman Vanadium No. 3 "Curved Arc" 5/8x11/16 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 93 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium No. 3 5/8x11/16 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number in a curved arc on the right face,
with "Vanadium" and "Forged in U.S.A." in a curved arc on the left face.
The overall length is 10.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
This wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code,
but the "Forged in U.S.A." marking along a curved arc is a stylistic trait that identifies the maker as Duro/Indestro.
(See the Duro-Chrome D-3 Tappet Wrench for an example.)
In this case Duro/Indestro has extended the curved markings to include the Craftsman logo
and "Vanadium" as well.
Craftsman No. 3 "V" 5/8x11/16 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 94 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 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 "V" code on this wrench is the well-known manufacturer's code used on the later wrenches
with the "=Craftsman=" double-line logo.
(See our article Craftsman Maker "V".)
The use of the "V" code here with the Craftsman underline logo —
but without the Vanadium marking —
suggests that this example is early production by Moore Drop Forging,
probably from the early 1940s.
(Moore began producing tools for Sears in 1938.)
Later Craftsman No. 3 "CI" 5/8x11/16 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 95 shows
a later Craftsman "CI" No. 3 5/8x11/16 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model on the left face,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the right face.
The shank has a forged-in code "N4" code visible at the left,
and the back side shank is stamped with a "CI" code (see inset).
The overall length is 9.9 inches,
and the finish is cadmium plating,
with losses due to wear and rust.
The cadmium finish suggests production during the 1942-1945 wartime years.
The "N4" forge mark is frequently noted on tools of apparent wartime production.
Craftsman No. 4 3/4x7/8 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 96 shows
a Craftsman No. 4 3/4x7/8 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on the left face,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the right face.
The overall length is 9.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The wrench was not marked with a manufacturer's code.
Craftsman No. 4 "V" 3/4x7/8 Tappet Wrench
Fig. 97 shows
a Craftsman "V" No. 4 3/4x7/8 tappet wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and model number on the left face,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "-V-" code on the right face.
The overall length is 9.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to rust.
The "V" code on this wrench is the well-known manufacturer's code used on the later wrenches
with the "=Craftsman=" double-line logo.
(See our article Craftsman Maker "V".)
The use of the "V" code here with the Craftsman underline logo —
but without the Vanadium marking —
suggests that this example is early production by Moore Drop Forging,
probably from the early 1940s.
(Moore began producing tools for Sears in 1938.)
Craftsman No. 4445 "V" 4-Piece Tappet Wrench Set
One of our readers reports that the Craftsman "V" tappet wrenches were available in a
No. 4445 set of four wrenches,
held together by a metal clip stamped with the 1939 patent
#2,181,764.
The No. 4445 set was listed in the 1939 and 1942 Craftsman catalogs.
The same patented metal clip was also used for Dunlap open-end wrenches,
and an example can be seen as the
Dunlap "V" 5-Piece Open-End Wrench Set.
Box-End Wrenches
The 1932 general catalog marked Sears' first listing of double-hex box-end wrenches,
although not in the Craftsman brand.
(These first box wrenches were probably made by Duro/Indestro.)
Craftsman-branded box wrenches were introduced in the 1933 Sears Spring catalog,
with two styles available:
long angled and short offset wrenches.
By 1934 the catalog listed all four of the popular style combinations,
long angled, long offset, short angled, and short offset wrenches,
and the illustrations showed the familiar raised oval panels with "Craftsman Vanadium" markings.
(See the Catalog Review
section for more detail on the catalog offerings.)
Box end wrench sizes for the high-volume retail markets had become "standardized" in the early 1930s,
with six size combinations for standard (long) wrenches and three sizes for short wrenches.
The standard-length wrench sizes were most commonly
3/8x7/16, 1/2x9/16, 5/8x11/16, 3/4x25/32, 13/16x7/8, and 15/16x1 inch,
although some vendors offered size pairings 3/4x7/8 and 25/32x13/16.
The short wrench sizes were 3/8x7/16, 1/2x9/16, and 5/8x11/16.
Catalog descriptions for the early box-end wrenches didn't always mention the finish.
However, since Craftsman open-ended wrenches had featured nickel or chrome plated finishes
from the early 1930s onward,
it's reasonable to assume that the early box-end wrench models would be similarly finished.
As was the case with the open-end wrenches,
the Craftsman box-end wrenches initially showed a number of different production and marking styles,
indicating that several different vendors were involved in the early production.
The observed manufacturer's codes are "AF" and "CI",
with the latter being by far the most common.
Recently (November 2015) the manufacturer of the "AF" and "CI" coded wrenches has been identified as
Billings & Spencer.
Readers can find a discussion of this attribution in the
Billings Case Study.
In the following sections we'll present the box wrenches in the same chronological order
as the catalog listings,
i.e. long angled (spring 1933), short offset (spring 1933), long offset (fall 1933),
and short angled (fall 1934).
Angled Box Wrenches
The straight-shank angled box wrench style was actually one of the first styles of double-hex box wrenches
to be offered in the Craftsman brand,
along with the short offset box wrench style.
The 1933 Sears (Spring) catalog offered a set of six Craftsman standard-length angled box wrenches,
with opening sizes 3/8x7/16, 1/2x9/16, 5/8x11/16, 3/4x25/32, 13/16x7/8, and 15/16x1 inch.
Early Craftsman "X1" 3/8x7/16 Long Angled Box-End Wrench
Fig. 98 shows
an early Craftsman "X1" 3/8x7/16 angled box-end wrench with a distinctive style.
The wrench is stamped with "Craftsman" and the fractional sizes on the front,
with "Chrome Vanadium Steel" between an "X" and "1" on the back.
The overall length is 7.3 inches,
and the finish appears to be a thick cadmium plating.
This wrench has been identified as Hinsdale production for Craftsman,
based on the very similar
Hinsdale X4 Box Wrench.
Note that the Craftsman wrench still bears the Hinsdale X1 model number.
In addition,
a close look at the Craftsman marking shows that the shank has been ground flat under the mark —
Hinsdale apparently removed their own name and rebranded it as Craftsman!
Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 Long Angled Box-End Wrenches
The next figures show examples of Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 long angled box wrenches,
one without a manufacturer's code.
Fig. 99 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 long angled box wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.
The overall length is 6.9 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Note that this example is not marked with a manufacturer's code,
and in addition is significantly shorter than the two "CI" examples of this model.
Fig. 100 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 long angled box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman 3/8x7/16 Long Angled Box-End Wrench
This next figure shows a later wrench from the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 101 shows
a later Craftsman 3/8x7/16 long angled box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side.
The back side shank also has a forged-in "N" code, faintly visible at the right.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Craftsman Vanadium "CI" 1/2x9/16 Long Angled Box-End Wrench
Fig. 102 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 long angled box-end wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 8.6 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman "CI" 1/2x9/16 Long Angled Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show later examples of the Craftsman 1/2x9/16 box wrench
from the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 103 shows
a later Craftsman 1/2x9/16 box-end wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side.
The shank also has a forged-in code "A" visible at the left.
The overall length is 8.6 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Fig. 104 shows
another later Craftsman 1/2x9/16 box-end wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The back side of the shank also has a forged-in code "4N" visible at the left.
The overall length is 8.6 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with pitting due to rust.
The "4N" or "N4" code is frequently noted on tools of apparent wartime production.
Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x3/4 Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of Craftsman 5/8x3/4 box wrenches,
both marked with the "Vanadium" sub-brand but with different manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 105 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium "AF" 5/8x3/4 box-end wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and the fractional sizes on the back side panel.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code to the right of the panel.
The overall length is 9.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Fig. 106 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x3/4 offset box-end wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 9.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman Vanadium "CI" 13/16x7/8 Box-End Wrench
Fig. 107 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium "CI" 13/16x7/8 box-end wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 11.1 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman "CI" 13/16x7/8 Box-End Wrench
The next figure shows a later example of the Craftsman 13/16x7/8 box wrench from the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 108 shows
a later Craftsman "CI" 13/16x7/8 box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The back side of the shank also has a forged-in "N" code visible at the right.
The overall length is 11.0 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
The "N" (or more commonly "N4") code is frequently noted on tools of apparent wartime production.
Short Offset Box Wrenches
Short offset box wrenches were one of the first styles of box wrenches available in the Craftsman brand,
along with the long angled box wrenches shown in the previous section.
The 1933 (Spring) catalog offered a set of three short offset box wrenches in sizes 3/8x7/16, 1/2x9/16, and 5/8x11/16.
Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of the smallest of the Craftsman Vanadium short offset box wrenches,
with differences noted in the manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 109 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium "AF" 3/8x7/16 short offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the back side panel.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code,
visible at the right in the lower inset.
The overall length is 4.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.
Fig. 110 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 short offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the back side.
The overall length is 4.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces and ends.
This wrench does not have a visible manufacturer's code,
but the style and construction closely resemble the examples marked with the "CI" code.
Craftsman 3/8x7/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench
The next figure shows an example of the 3/8x7/16 short offset box wrench from the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 111 shows
a later Craftsman 3/8x7/16 short offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with the same markings on the back side panel.
The overall length is 4.8 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
This wrench does not have a visible manufacturer's code,
but the style and construction closely resemble the examples marked with the "CI" code.
The lack of a "Vanadium" marking indicates production in 1942-1945.
Early Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 112 shows
an early Craftsman 1/2x9/16 short offset box wrench with depressed panels,
marked with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes forged into the front panel,
with "Craftsman" and the fractional sizes forged into the back side.
The overall length is 5.3 inches,
and the finish is polished chrome plating.
Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 113 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 short offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 5.6 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to wear.
Note that the offset shank of this wrench joins the box end near the middle of the box,
so that the box end extends both above and below the junction.
This is the type of junction usually observed for wrenches with the "AF" code;
however, this particular wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
Early Craftsman "X30" 5/8x11/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 114 shows
a rare early Craftsman "X30" 5/8x11/16 short offset box-end wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman block logo and sizes on the shank,
with "Chrome Vanadium Steel" between an "X" and "30" on the back side.
The overall length is 5.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to rust.
This wrench can be identified as Hinsdale production by the "X30" marking,
which is listed as a Hinsdale model number for this short offset box wrench.
A similar model can be seen as the
Hinsdale X20 Short Offset Box Wrench.
Early Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 115 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 short offset box wrench with depressed panels,
marked with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes forged into the front panel,
with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes forged into the back panel.
The overall length is 6.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with some losses due to wear.
This wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code.
Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of the Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 short offset box wrench,
with differences noted in the manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 116A shows
a Craftsman Vanadium "AF" 5/8x11/16 short offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the back side panel.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the right.
The overall length is 6.4 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with some pitting due to rust.
This wrench is unusual (for an "AF" code) in that the offset shank joins the box end
at the top,
giving the box end a "flat top" appearance.
This is the style of junction usually associated with the "CI" code,
as the next figure shows.
Fig. 116B shows
a Craftsman Vanadium "CI" 5/8x11/16 short offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the back panel.
The shank also has a forged-in "CI" code visible at the right.
The overall length is 6.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman "CI" 5/8x11/16 Short Offset Box-End Wrench
The next figure shows a later example of the 5/8x11/16 short offset box wrench from the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 117 shows
a later Craftsman 5/8x11/16 short offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with the same markings repeated on the back side panel.
The shank also has a forged-in "CI" code visible at the right.
The overall length is 6.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with minor losses due to rust or corrosion.
The presence of a chrome plated finish without the "Vanadium" marking suggests production
in 1941-1942,
before the advent of wartime rationing.
Offset Box Wrenches
Craftsman offset box wrenches in the standard (long) length were first offered in the 1933 (Fall) catalog.
Six models were available in a set or as individual wrenches,
with sizes 3/8x7/16, 1/2x9/16, 5/8x11/16, 3/4x25/32, 13/16x7/8, and 15/16x1 inch.
(Note though that an alternate vendor paired the sizes as 3/4x7/8 and 25/32x13/16.)
Although not the earliest style of box wrench offered in the Craftsman brand,
the long offset style became the most popular of the box wrenches.
Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of Craftsman 3/8x7/16 offset box wrenches,
with differences noted in the manufacturer's code.
Fig. 118 shows
a Craftsman 3/8x7/16 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and the fractional sizes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends and faces.
This wrench is not marked with a manufacturer's code,
but the construction of the box ends is typical of the style commonly found on wrenches
marked with the "AF" code.
Fig. 119 shows
a Craftsman 3/8x7/16 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 7.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished ends and faces.
Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next several figures show examples of Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 offset box wrenches,
representing both "AF" and "CI" manufacturer's codes,
and with some minor differences in construction.
Fig. 120 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.
The back side shank also has an "AF" code stamped at the right.
The overall length is 8.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Note that the offset shank of this wrench joins the box end near the middle of the box,
so that the box end extends both above and below the junction.
This is the type of junction usually observed for wrenches with the "AF" code.
Fig. 121 shows
a similar Craftsman Vanadium 1/2x9/16 offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.
The back side shank also has an "AF" code stamped at the right.
The overall length is 8.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
This wrench is unusual (for an "AF" code) in that the offset shank joins the box end
at the top,
giving the box end a "flat top" appearance.
This is the style of junction usually associated with the "CI" code,
as the next figure shows.
Fig. 122 shows
a Craftsman 1/2x9/16 offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 8.8 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Note that the box ends of this wrench have a "flat top" appearance similar to the
second of the "AF" examples.
Further discussion of the significance of the box end junctions can be found with the
Craftsman 15/16x1 Offset Box Wrenches.
Early Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 123 shows
an early Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 offset box wrench with depressed panels,
marked with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the front panel,
with "Craftsman Vanadium" forged into the back side.
The fractional sizes are also forged into small depressed panels,
with the "11/16" size on the front and "5/8" on the back side.
The overall length is 8.8 inches.
The finish is polished steel with light pitting,
but the likely original plating is no longer present.
Craftsman 5/8x11/16 Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 offset box wrenches,
with differences noted in the manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 124 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code to the right of the panel,
shown as a close-up in the middle inset.
The overall length is 10.2 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
This wrench is unusual (for an "AF" code) in that the offset shank joins the box end
at the top,
giving the box end a "flat top" appearance.
This is the style of junction usually associated with the "CI" code,
as the next figure shows.
Further discussion of the significance of the box end junctions can be found with the
Craftsman 15/16x1 Offset Box Wrenches.
Fig. 125 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side.
The overall length is 10.2 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
Craftsman 5/8x11/16 Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of Craftsman 5/8x11/16 offset box wrenches in the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 126 shows
a later Craftsman 5/8x11/16 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 10.2 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
This wrench lacks the "Vanadium" marking but has a chrome plated finish,
suggesting a production date around 1941-1942.
Fig. 127 shows
another later Craftsman 5/8x11/16 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The shank also has a forged-in code "N4" visible at the left.
The overall length is 10.2 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
The plain finish and lack of the "Vanadium" marking suggest production during the 1942-1945 wartime years.
The "N4" code is frequently observed on tools of apparent wartime production.
Early Craftsman "HD4" 3/4x25/32 Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 128 shows
an early Craftsman "HD4" 3/4x25/32 offset box wrench with a round shank,
stamped "Chrome Vanadium Steel" between an "HD" and "4",
with "Craftsman" and the fractional sizes on the back side.
(The wrench is heavily pitted from rust,
making the markings very difficult to read.)
The overall length is 10.6 inches.
The original finish was chrome (or nickel) plating,
although most of the finish has been lost due to rust.
This wrench has been identified as Hinsdale production for Craftsman by its close similarity to
the Hinsdale HD series of offset box wrenches.
The same model with the standard Hinsdale markings can be seen as the
Hinsdale HD4 Offset Box Wrench.
Craftsman Vanadium 3/4x25/32 Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of Craftsman Vanadium 3/4x25/32 offset box wrenches,
with differences noted in the manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 129 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 3/4x25/32 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.
The back side shank is also stamped with an "AF" code,
visible to the right of the panel and shown as a close-up in the middle inset.
The overall length is 11.5 inches,
and the finish is plain steel,
with some pitting due to rust.
Fig. 130 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 3/4x25/32 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 11.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Craftsman 3/4x25/32 Offset Box-End Wrench
The next figure shows a later Craftsman 3/4x25/32 offset box wrench from the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 131 shows
a later Craftsman 3/4x25/32 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The shank also has a forged-in code "N4" visible at the right.
The overall length is 11.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
The chrome plating on this example is somewhat of an anomaly.
More commonly tools with the "N4" mark are found with plain or cadmium finishes.
Early Craftsman Vanadium 3/4x7/8 Offset Box-End Wrench
The next two figures show Craftsman Vanadium long offset box wrenches from an alternate maker,
with different size pairings than the standard "CI" or "AF" wrenches.
Fig. 132 shows
an early Craftsman Vanadium 3/4x7/8 offset box wrench with depressed panels,
marked with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the front panel,
with "Craftsman Vanadium" forged into the back side.
The fractional sizes are also forged into small depressed panels,
with the "7/8" size on the front and "3/4" on the back side.
The overall length is 11.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with scattered losses due to wear.
This box wrench is unusual not only for its depressed panels,
but also for pairing the 3/4 and 7/8 sizes.
More typically the 3/4 size was paired with 25/32, and the 7/8 size with 13/16.
Early Craftsman Vanadium 25/32x13/16 Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 133 shows
an early Craftsman Vanadium 25/32x13/16 offset box wrench with depressed panels,
marked with "Forged in U.S.A." forged into the front panel,
with "Craftsman Vanadium" forged into the back side.
The fractional sizes are also forged into small depressed panels,
with the "13/16" size on the front and "25/32" on the back side.
The overall length is 10.3 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with scattered losses due to wear.
This box wrench is unusual not only for its depressed panels,
but also for pairing the 25/32 and 13/16 sizes.
More typically the 25/32 size was paired with 3/4, and the 13/16 size with 7/8.
Craftsman Vanadium 13/16x7/8 Offset Box-End Wrench
Fig. 134 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 13/16x7/8 offset box wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 12.8 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished panels.
Craftsman 13/16x7/8 Offset Box-End Wrench
The next figure shows a later Craftsman 13/16x7/8 offset box wrench from the post-Vanadium generation.
Fig. 135 shows
a later Craftsman 13/16x7/8 offset box wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The back side shank also has a forged-in code "N4" visible at the left.
The overall length is 12.8 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with polished panels.
Craftsman 15/16x1 Offset Box-End Wrenches
The next several figures show similar 15/16x1 offset box-end wrenches,
representing both the Vanadium and non-Vanadium generations,
and with differences in the manufacturing codes.
The construction of the wrenches also differs in subtle but important details,
as discussed below.
Fig. 136 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 15/16x1 offset box wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.
The back side shank is also stamped with a small "AF" code (not shown).
The overall length is 14.4 inches.
An interesting detail to examine here is the design of the junction between
the box end and the offset shank.
Note that for this wrench the junction is close to the middle of the box,
so that the box end extends both above and below the junction.
This results in a raised lip on both sides of the junction.
Fig. 137 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 15/16x1 offset box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side panel.
The overall length is 14.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Once again we want to examine the junction between the box end and the offset shank.
Note that the top of the box end is flat right up to the junction,
but the bottom of the box projects below the junction,
giving the box a "flat top" appearance.
Fig. 138 shows
a later Craftsman 15/16x1 offset box wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A" and two "CI" codes on the back side.
The overall length is 14.4 inches.
This wrench is basically identical to the previous "CI" model,
except for the absence of the "Vanadium" sub-brand marking.
A careful look at the other offset box wrenches in this section shows
that most of the "AF" examples have the shank joining the box near the center,
and that all of the "CI" models have the "flat top" type of junction.
These differences in the construction details of the "AF" and "CI" models
suggest that either the forging dies for the wrenches were developed by different companies,
or that the standard for die making changed over time.
Tool companies generally have a distinct style to their forging dies,
and differences like those seen here would not arise accidentally.
When this section was first written we were inclined to explain the differences in construction
as the work of separate companies.
However, the recent discovery of a
Craftsman Vanadium "AF" Box Wrench with "flat-top" style box ends
has opened the way for a different explanation:
the change in box-end construction could represent the evolution of design within one company.
Craftsman "CI" 1-1/16x1-1/4 Offset Box-End Wrench
This next figure shows our largest example of the early Craftsman box wrenches.
Fig. 139 shows
a Craftsman 1-1/16x1-1/4 offset box wrench with raised panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and two "CI" codes on the back side.
The back side shank also has a forged-in "N" or "N4" code,
faintly visible at the far left.
The overall length is 16.0 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
This wrench size is not listed in the Sears catalogs up through 1942,
suggesting that it was introduced during the 1942-1945 wartime years.
Short Angled Box Wrenches
Craftsman box wrenches with short straight shanks and angled heads were first offered in the
1934 Fall and Winter catalog,
with three models available in sizes 3/8x7/16, 1/2x9/16, and 5/8x11/16.
The short angled box wrenches proved to be less popular than the other styles and were no longer
listed in catalogs after 1938.
However, examples have been found for the post-Vanadium generation,
indicating that the tools were still being produced and sold through some channel.
Craftsman Vanadium "CI" 3/8x7/16 Short Box-End Wrench
Fig. 140 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 3/8x7/16 short box wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the raised panel,
with "Vanadium" on the back side panel.
The back side shank also has a forged-in "CI" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 4.1 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
Craftsman "CI" 1/2x9/16 Short Box-End Wrench
Fig. 141 shows
a Craftsman 1/2x9/16 short box-end wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the raised panel.
The overall length is 4.6 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
The wrench has a "CI" code forged into the shank.
Craftsman 5/8x11/16 Short Box-End Wrenches
The next figures show examples of the 5/8x11/16 short box-end wrench
from both Vanadium and post-Vanadium generations,
and with both "AF" and "CI" codes represented.
Fig. 142 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium 5/8x11/16 short box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the front panel,
with "Vanadium" and the fractional sizes on the back side panel.
The back side shank is also marked with an "AF" code stamped at the left.
The overall length is 5.1 inches.
The finish is plain steel with pitting due to rust,
but with a few traces of the original chrome plating.
Fig. 143 shows
an earlier Craftsman Vanadium "CI" 5/8x11/16 short box wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the raised panel,
with "Vanadium" on the back side panel.
The back side shank also has a forged-in "CI" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 5.1 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
Fig. 144 shows
a later Craftsman "CI" 5/8x11/16 short box wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and fractional sizes on the raised panel,
with the same markings on the back side panel.
The shank also has a forged-in "CI" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 5.1 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.
The presence of a chrome plated finish without the "Vanadium" marking suggests production
in 1941-1942,
before the advent of wartime rationing.
Combination Wrenches
The combination wrench style,
with open-end and box-end openings of equal size,
was first offered in the spring of 1933 by Plomb Tool
and almost simultaneously by Bonney.
The new style became very popular and was soon adopted by other tool makers.
The first Craftsman combination wrenches were probably offered in late 1937 or 1938.
(We don't have the general catalog reference yet,
but they were listed in the first Craftsman tools catalog of 1938 or 1939.)
At this time Craftsman wrenches were being marked with the "Craftsman Vanadium" sub-brand
and featured chrome plated finishes,
and we can presume that the first combination wrenches would have been similarly marked and finished.
Craftsman's early combination wrenches were available in six sizes:
7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, and 3/4 inch.
In the late 1930s the Craftsman standard wrench style used raised oval panels for box wrenches,
but depressed oval panels for the open-end wrenches.
With both an open end and a box end,
combination wrenches could have gone with either style,
but the decision was made to use raised panels similar to the box wrench models.
As with other Craftsman wrenches,
the "Vanadium" marking on combination wrenches was discontinued around late 1941 or early 1942,
when Sears began to distance itself from specific alloy markings.
Based on the examples found so far,
the combination wrenches were made with two manufacturer's code variants, "AF" and "CI".
The wrenches for the "AF" and "CI" codes are very similar,
but there are some minor differences in the markings.
Both variants mark the front panel with "Craftsman Vanadium" and the fractional size,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel,
and with the size repeated on the front face.
The minor differences noted are that the "AF" code is stamped on the front shank,
whereas the "CI" code is stamped on the back side panel,
along with a repeat of the size marking.
As has been noted in the sections for open-end and box wrenches,
recently (November 2015) the manufacturer of the "AF" and "CI" coded wrenches has been identified as
Billings & Spencer.
Readers can find a discussion of this attribution in the
Billings Case Study.
Craftsman Vanadium "AF" 7/16 Combination Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of the Craftsman Vanadium 7/16 combination wrench,
in both "AF" and "CI" manufacturer's code variants.
Fig. 145A shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 7/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.
The shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 5.3 inches.
The current finish is plain steel with extensive pitting due to rust,
but the original finish was probably chrome plating.
Fig. 145B shows
a similar Craftsman Vanadium 7/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side panel.
The overall length is 5.3 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
This tool is the smallest wrench in the
Craftsman 6-Piece Combination Wrench Set
shown in a later figure.
Craftsman Vanadium 1/2 Combination Wrenches
The next two figures show examples of the Craftsman Vanadium 1/2 combination wrench,
in both "AF" and "CI" manufacturer's code variants.
Fig. 146 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 1/2 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.
The shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 6.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to wear.
Fig. 147 shows
a similar Craftsman Vanadium 1/2 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side panel.
The overall length is 6.0 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with minor losses due to wear.
Craftsman 9/16 Combination Wrenches
The next several figures show examples of the Craftsman 9/16 combination wrench
in both "AF" and "CI" variants.
Fig. 148 shows
an earlier Craftsman 9/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.
The shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 6.7 inches.
The finish is now plain steel with extensive pitting due to rust,
but the original finish was probably chrome plating.
Fig. 149 shows
an earlier Craftsman 9/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side.
The overall length is 6.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Fig. 150 shows
a later Craftsman 9/16 combination wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code stamped on the back side.
The overall length is 6.7 inches.
The finish is plain steel with polished panels and faces.
The plain finish and the absence of the "Vanadium" sub-brand suggest production during
the 1942-1945 wartime era.
Craftsman 5/8 Combination Wrenches
The next several figures show examples of the Craftsman 5/8 combination wrench,
with markings for two different manufacturer's codes.
Fig. 151 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 5/8 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.
The shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 7.7 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with extensive losses due to wear.
Fig. 152 shows
a Craftsman Vanadium 5/8 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side.
The overall length is 7.6 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Fig. 153 shows
a later Craftsman 5/8 combination wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the raised panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code stamped on the back side.
The shank is also marked with a forged-in code "N4" visible at the left.
The overall length is 7.6 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
The plain finish and the absence of the "Vanadium" marking suggest production during
the 1942-1945 wartime era.
The "N4" code is frequently found on tools of apparent wartime production.
Craftsman 11/16 Combination Wrenches
The next figures show several examples of the Craftsman 11/16 combination wrench,
in both "AF" and "CI" variants.
Fig. 154 shows
an earlier Craftsman 11/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side panel.
The shank is also stamped with an "AF" code visible at the left.
The overall length is 8.6 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with some losses due to wear.
Fig. 155 shows
an earlier Craftsman 11/16 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side.
The overall length is 8.5 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Fig. 156 shows
a later Craftsman 11/16 combination wrench,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side.
The overall length is 8.5 inches,
and the finish is plain steel.
Craftsman "CI" 3/4 Combination Wrenches
The next figures show two generations of the 3/4 combination wrench.
Fig. 157 shows
a Craftsman 3/4 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped "Craftsman Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side.
The overall length is 9.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating.
Fig. 158A shows
a later Craftsman 3/4 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side.
The overall length is 9.4 inches,
and the finish is chrome plating,
with losses due to wear and rust.
This wrench is an uncommon example of a non-Vanadium branded tool with a chrome plated finish,
suggesting that Sears might have discontinued the Vanadium sub-brand
before the start of wartime rationing.
Fig. 158B shows
a later Craftsman 3/4 combination wrench with raised oval panels,
stamped with the Craftsman underline logo on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.
(The stamping machine apparently had a glitch and double-struck the markings.)
The overall length is 9.4 inches,
and the finish is plain steel with polished panels and faces.
Although not stamped with a "CI" code,
the size markings on both sides indicate a likely "CI" origin.
The plain finish and the absence of the "Vanadium" sub-brand suggest production during
the 1942-1945 wartime era.
Craftsman "CI" 6-Piece Combination Wrench Set
Craftsman combination wrenches were also available in sets,
and we are fortunate to have an example of a 6-piece set in its original metal box.
Fig. 159 shows
a Craftsman 6-piece combination wrench set in its custom metal box.
The wrenches have sizes (from front to back) 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, and 3/4.
All of the wrenches are stamped with the Craftsman underline logo and "Vanadium" on the front panel,
with "Forged in U.S.A." and a "CI" code on the back side panel.
The finish is chrome plating.
The set was provided in a metal box with a built-in rack to organize the wrenches.
The dimensions of the box are 9.7 inches wide by 4.1 inches deep by 1.7 inches high.