Very Old Snap On Sockat

[Moonlite37]

In 1958 or 59 I found an old Snap On socket in an old falling down house on a farm I was renting, It is a 3/4 inch six point in 1/2 inch square drive. I thought I had lost it last Monday but was able to find it this morning. I have abused this wrench by using an impact on it, Last Monday I had a bolt in a baler so tight my 1/2 inch Ingersoll electric impact would not turn the bolt. With a 30 inch piece of pipe on the breaker bar I was able to get the bolt out. My question is, I know there have been advancements in metallurgy, but I doubt there has been any improvement in socket wrenches. I am still rejoicing I have found this old well worn wrench. I would not trade it for a brand new one. From what I can gather from searching the internet this is one of the earliest. The markings were visible after cleaning when found but are now all worn away from much use. The square drive is showing more wear than the six point opening. I estimate that it has served well for 90 years except for the time it was lost in the old house.

 

[gab]

I don't know how long Snap On has been around. I probably started hanging around the machine shed in about 1954 and there was a red steel box with a 1/2 inch drive set, wasn't many other tools around other than saws, brace/bits, sledge hammers, axes, splitting malls and the rest of the hard working tools from the old days. I never got in to the black powder and dynamite days but have watched my dad and brothers use it to split fence posts and blow stumps. That looked like a handy tool to have around.

 

[Phil9N3667]

I've got a speed handle left from my Daddy's Snap On tool purchases in the early '50s and a 1/2" ratchet adaptor that I want to show my dealer at some point. I like Snap On, but their prices are utterly ridiculous these days!

 

[shaun wallace]

There is a chart somewhere in internet that has the symbols Snap-on used to designate year of production. Think back into 30s .

 

[TimV]

Here's one, though I can't vouch for its accuracy. I've also linked a page (or actually the first of several pages) that deals with the subject of Snap-on socket markings in considerably more depth.

snap on markings

 

[Gambles]

There may not have been improvements to metallurgy, but Snap-On was the first company to patent the flank drive on their sockets. Back in the fall of 1980, I enrolled in auto mechanics at a tech school and we had the choice of Snap-On, Proto or Matco tools through the school. Of course, you could also bring in your own tools, but these tool companies gave you a big discount if you went with them through the school. Anyway, at that time, the Snap-On salesmen were showing us how their new and improved sockets would grip and grab a rounded nut much better than any other tool manufacturer. Of course, now the patent has expired and everybody can use that feature in their sockets.
BTW, I bought my set of tools through Matco, LOL!

 

[johnlobb]

Oddly enough, now that you mention a Snap On 1/2" drive 3/4" 6 point socket, that is exactly what I won at a small online auction near me tonight. I use the 3/4 a lot and the 6 point really grips well. I needed another good one, and I can pick it up Friday...

 

[Mathias NY]

Thanks for posting the chart!

I picked up a 5/8" drive Snap-On socket set a while back and never knew the age. Turns out it's a 1929. I've never seen another 5/8" drive, it must have been made before the manufacturers standardized on 1/2" and 3/4".

 

[TimV]

No problem, and I just noticed that my link above is actually another page I had bookmarked that has Snap-on markings. Below is the page I meant to link at Alloy Artifacts. There's some info there on Snap-on 5/8" drive sockets if you're interested.
early snapon socket iinfo

 

[JMOR]

That is so old that they even spelled sockat different back then!

 

[gab]

Matco has got good stuff, they didn't show up around here until about 10 years ago though. Snap On and Mac were around all the time and another truck I can't think of now that stopped over 30 years ago.

 

[Keith Molden]

I have a set of 5/8 snap on but I can't find a 5/8 ratchet. Everything else is there. I can't say for sure sizes from what to what as they're down at the shop and I at the house. I don't permit anyone to use them, we have 3/4 and 1/2 for normal everyday use. Keith

 

[JOCCO]

Keep an eye on evil bay this stuff pops up. I have bought many old hard to find tool on there some times for very little some time a major tax deduction!!!

 

[steve706]

Herbrand?

 

[Billy Shafer]

I have always heard about 5/8 sets. But have never seen one. Friend of mine has his fathers Black Hawk tool set from WWII. Submarine service. No longer used but is nice to look at and wonder what it went through.

Snap-On priced me out of their trucks years ago.

 

[unc]

I have an old Snap On ratchet that is a little bigger than 1/4 inch drive. The square end measures .285" across the flats, and is slightly too big for standard 1/4" sockets. It has been suggested that Snap On made custom sizes for large companies to prevent company tools from going home in lunch boxes! Don't know.unc

 

[dr sportster]

All Snap-on 's are coded as in the chart Tim posted below.

 

[dr sportster]

Snap-On used to have a display with a rounded off bolt and every brand socket and the only one the would grip the rounded bolt was the flank-drive Snap-On. The husky almost fit it too. The Husky was before Home Depot was around.

 

[kevinstuff]

That's 9/32 drive war issue, also proto and
Craftsman made them

 

[jniolon]

seems I remember hearing they made 5/8 drive for the military as their tools kept wandering off and no one had a 5/8 ratchet at home

 

[unc]

(quoted from post at 14:37:45 06/01/17) That's 9/32 drive war issue, also proto and
Craftsman made them

That makes sense. The plating is less shiny than commercial ratchets as well. Thanks for the info. unc

 

[RBoots]

Too bad, I had a 5/8 ratchet I'd have given you. It came from an auction box. I looked it over, thought it looked a bit different, then realized it would fit none of my sockets. I thought "what b@star size is this POS?" Measured and found it was 5/8" and pitched it into the short steel barrel.

Ross