Who made a 5/8 drive socket?

[Mark Poss]

I have found a couple of 5/8 drive sockets in my late fathers tool boxes. Does anyone else have any? Thanks, Mark

 

[steve706]

Snap-On, Proto, most of the higher end manufacturers did at one point in time. The set I had where ex military marked with just a gov?t contract number.

 

[shaun wallace]

There also was 7/16 drive.

 

[hoof print]

That was a common drive size in WW2.

 

[Dave Sherburne, NY]

I have a 5/8 drive extension, 6 inches long.

 

[Mule Meat]

(quoted from post at 19:02:50 04/30/18) Snap-On, Proto, most of the higher end manufacturers did at one point in time. The set I had where ex military marked with just a gov?t contract number.

My Grandfather was a tanker in WW2. The tool set that he brought home after the war had a 9/32 socket ratchet set in it.

He got the tool kit from the first tank that he was a loader on that got knocked out somewhere near Normandy. The driver (was killed) worked for a company called Plomb that made tools for the Government before he was drafted. Grand dad kept the tools to remember him by.. He then carried the kit during his tour, on three different tanks and brought it home after the war. All of the tools in the kit just had a G stamped into them.

 

[JK2]

I have an Ingersol Rand 5/8 inch drive electric impact. I used it for years with a 5/8 to 1/2 adapter

 

[Keith Molden]

I have a set of Snap On 5/8 drive sockets. Called Snap On and the young gentleman that I talked to said they never made them. I asked him about their warranty and he told me it is life time. I said I have a broken socket and want to get it replaced. He was very nice and said Sir, how are you measuring the socket? I told him and he said wait a minute, came back on the phone and said you are right, they quit making them in the 30s. Now we have a problem, I told him, I want my socket replaced. But you don't realize what you have. I said, yes I do I have a broken socket that is warrantied I need to get it replaced. He then wanted to buy my set and give me a set of 3/4 to boot. I still have the 5/8 set LOL.

 

[Pops1532]

http://alloy-artifacts.org/ is the go to website for questions like this.

 

[PJH]

I have a little Plomb breaker bar that someone gave me many years ago. I think the "o" in the name "Plomb" is actually a triangle. I've always wondered why they went out of their way to make an odd sized drive like that, but maybe they were the standard and everyone else was odd (at that time).

Thanks for the story about your grandfather. Someone else had told me that it was a military tool.

 

[Russ from MN]

I understand they were made to prevent people from using non-impact sockets on impact wrenches.

 

[Pops1532]

5/8 drive wasn't strictly military. 5/8 and 7/8 were standard drive sizes until around 1930 when manufacturers dropped those drive sizes and went to 3/4 and 1" drive.
I've seen 5/8 drive sockets but never 7/8" drive. I read that Snap On made/makes 1 1/2" drive!

 

[Dusty MI]

I have a 1/4" & a 1/2" drive set that are marked PLOMB. He got them before I can remember. The letters are all straight lines for example the O looks like a triangle.

Somebody once told me that PLOMB manufacture got in trouble because the name was so much like PLUMB wood working tools, that they had to change the name. So PLOMB became S&K.


Dusty

 

[Pops1532]

(quoted from post at 19:13:23 05/01/18)
I have a 1/4" & a 1/2" drive set that are marked PLOMB. He got them before I can remember. The letters are all straight lines for example the O looks like a triangle.

Somebody once told me that PLOMB manufacture got in trouble because the name was so much like PLUMB wood working tools, that they had to change the name. So PLOMB became S&K.


Dusty

That's partly right. Plomb and Plumb had an agreement. Plomb broke it and had to rename Proto. They had nothing to do with SK. SK stands for Sherman Klove.

 

[Big Fat Herb]

I think about everybody made them .I have a 7/16 drive Blackhawk A buddy had a 5/16 drive snapon . I worked on a cattle outfit that had a 5/8 drive I think Blackhawk . I was told the military and factorys had them to detur theft.

 

[Dusty MI]

(quoted from post at 15:26:09 05/01/18)

(quoted from post at 19:13:23 05/01/18)
I have a 1/4" & a 1/2" drive set that are marked PLOMB. He got them before I can remember. The letters are all straight lines for example the O looks like a triangle.

Somebody once told me that PLOMB manufacture got in trouble because the name was so much like PLUMB wood working tools, that they had to change the name. So PLOMB became S&K.


Dusty

That's partly right. Plomb and Plumb had an agreement. Plomb broke it and had to rename Proto. They had nothing to do with SK. SK stands for Sherman Klove.

Thanks for the correction. It was a long time ago and my memory slipped a little.

Dusty

 

[jeffcat]

Up at the farm my dad got hold of an old timer. It is 5/8 and there is not a spot of chrome on it. Would guess WWII. I thougt it was a Bonney but was wrong. It is a Cornwell. Is 18 inches long. Love how you reverse these things. Pop the center out, flip the handle over, and then pop the center back in. Reversed!

 

[Pops1532]

(quoted from post at 13:49:13 05/02/18) Up at the farm my dad got hold of an old timer. It is 5/8 and there is not a spot of chrome on it. Would guess WWII. I thougt it was a Bonney but was wrong. It is a Cornwell. Is 18 inches long. Love how you reverse these things. Pop the center out, flip the handle over, and then pop the center back in. Reversed!

That's cool! Thanks for posting the pictures. Here's an excerpt from Alloy Artifacts ....."Catalog No. 16 from around 1934 lists a wide variety of tools, including sockets in (square) drive sizes 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, and 7/8, an extensive selection of wrenches, and many automotive specialty tools."
A lot of tools had a plain steel finish in the 20's and 30's, as well as during the war years.

 

[ed will]

Hi, I have a set of combination wrenches from 1" to 1-1/4" in 1/16" increments. They are PLOMB. I bought them at a flea market. I think they are quite rare. Ed Will Oliver BC