Alloy Artifacts

Hammers and Striking Tools

Blue Point No. 0 Ballpeen Hammer

Fig. 168. Blue Point No. 0 Hammer, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. 1950s.

Fig. 168 shows a Blue Point No. 0 16 ounce ballpeen hammer, marked "Kenosha, Wis." and "U.S.A." on the head (see left inset).

The overall length is 13.7 inches, and the length of the head is 4.0 inches.

The right inset shows the "BPH-12" marking on the handle, a later model number for handles that came into use between 1954 and 1960.

The head on this example is marked with a No. 0 model number, an earlier numbering system used into the 1950s. By 1960 the ballpeen hammers were assigned model numbers in a "BP-" series followed by the weight in ounces, i.e. BP-16 for this model. The older model number for the head suggests a manufacturing date in the late 1950s.

Examples of ballpeen hammers from other makers can be seen in the Billings Ballpeen Hammer, Champion DeArment 3/0 Ballpeen Hammer, and Herbrand BP-16 Ballpeen Hammer.

Blue Point Supreme S-14 Cape Chisel

Fig. 169. Blue Point S-14 Cape Chisel, with Inset for Side View, 1954.

Fig. 169 shows a Blue Point S-14 cape chisel, marked "Supreme" and "USA" with a date code for 1954.

The overall length is 5.7 inches.

Pliers and Cutters

From 1924 through 1945 Snap-On sourced most of its pliers and cutters from the Forged Steel Products Company, makers of the Vacuum Grip brand. In addition to being a supplier, Forged Steel Products played an important role in the development of Snap-On, and in 1945 the company was acquired by Snap-On. For more information on this interesting company, see our article on the Forged Steel Products Company.

In later years Snap-On also sourced pliers from other suppliers, including the Diamond Calk Horseshoe Company and Channellock.

Vacuum Grip Pliers and Cutters

Our article on the Forged Steel Products Company includes a number of examples of Vacuum Grip pliers and cutters produced from the 1920s through 1940s. Please refer to that article for information on these tools.

After the acquisition of Forged Steel Products in 1945, Snap-On continued production of Vacuum Grip pliers in the Newport, Pennsylvania facility for some years. The pliers continued to be marked with the Vacuum Grip brand, but were now marked with the Snap-On name instead of Forged Steel Products.

Snap-On Vacuum Grip No. 308 Battery Pliers

Our first figure for this section shows an example of the early Vacuum Grip production under the Snap-On name.

Fig. 170. Snap-On Vacuum Grip 308 Battery Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1946.

Fig. 170 shows a pair of Snap-On Vacuum Grip No. 308 battery pliers, stamped with the Snap-On name and "Newport, PA. U.S.A." on the front, with "Vacuum Grip" and a "TM. Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." trademark notice on the reverse. A stylized "6" date code for 1946 can be seen at the right of the Snap-On name.

The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

These pliers are very similar to the earlier Vacuum Grip No. 308 Battery Pliers shown in our article on Forged Steel Products.

Snap-On 96 7 Inch Needlenose Pliers

Some later pliers dropped the "Vacuum Grip" name but retained the distinctive gripping pattern.

Fig. 171. Snap-On 96 Needlenose Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 171 shows a later pair of Snap-On 96 7 inch needlenose pliers, marked with the Snap-On name forged into the underside of one handle, with "96" and "USA" forged into the other handle.

The overall length is 7.2 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

Snap-On 90A Tongue-and-Groove Pliers

Fig. 172. Snap-On 90A Tongue-and-Groove Pliers, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 172 shows a pair of Snap-On 90A tongue-and-groove pliers, marked "USA" with a "Pat. No. 2622464" patent notice.

The overall length ranges from 9.1 inches closed to 9.6 inches fully extended. The finish is chrome plating.

The patent notice refers to patent #2,622,464, issued to W.V. Daugherty in 1952 with assignment to Utica Drop Forge & Tool.

Specialty Tools

Snap-On 1/2-Hex Drive V-21 Valve Clearance Adjusting Tool

Fig. 173. Snap-On V-21 Valve Adjuster, 1940.

Fig. 173 shows a Snap-On V-21 valve clearance adjusting tool, marked with "Snap-On" and "Pat No. 1544520" forged into the handle, and with "Made in U.S.A." stamped near the end of the handle. A date code for 1940 can be seen on the lower part of the handle.

The handle length is 6.0 inches, and the knob has a diameter of 2.7 inches. The finish is chrome plating.

This tool is based on patent #1,544,520, issued to E.P. Putrow in 1925. Snap-On first offered this tool in 1927 as the No. 21 valve tool set, which included three special hex-drive sockets in sizes 1/2, 9/16, and 5/8. These sizes served for valve adjustments on most vehicles at the time.

By 1933 the valve tool set had become model V-21 and still retained the hex drive, and the special sockets were numbered V-160, V-180, and V-200 (see next figure). In later models the drive stud was changed to a standard 1/2 square drive, so that special sockets were no longer required.

Similar tools were made by other companies; see for example the Plomb 2034 Valve Adjustment Tool.

Snap-On 1/2-Hex Drive Valve Adjuster Sockets

Fig. 174. Snap-On V-xx0 1/2-Hex Drive Sockets for V-21, with Inset for Broaching.

Fig. 174 shows the 1/2-hex drive sockets used with the V-21 valve adjustment tool. The models and sizes are, from the left, V-160 (1/2), V-180 (9/16), and V-200 (5/8).

The sockets are marked with date codes, 1930 for the left (V-160), 1929 for the middle (V-180), and 1940 for the right (V-200).

The inset at the top shows the 12-point broaching of the sockets.

Snap-On 1/2-Drive V-21A Valve Clearance Adjusting Tool

Fig. 175. Snap-On V-21A Valve Adjuster, 1944.

Fig. 175 shows a later Snap-On V-21A valve clearance adjusting tool using a standard 1/2 square drive stud. The handle has forged-in markings "Snap-On" and "Pat No. 1544520", with the model number stamped at the end and "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. An "E" date code for 1944 can be seen on the lower part of the handle.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of cadmium plating.

Snap-On 1/2-Drive V-22 Valve Clearance Adjusting Tool

Fig. 176. Snap-On V-22 Valve Adjuster, with Insets for Marking Detail, 1954.

Fig. 176 shows the modern version of the valve adjuster, a Snap-On V-22 valve tool with a 1/2 square drive stud. The handle is stamped "USA" with a stylized "4" date code for 1954, and the model number is forged into the top of the knob.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is polished chrome.

This tool uses a different mechanism to secure the socket to the drive stud. Instead of a spring-loaded detent ball mounted at the side, this version places the detent ball in the drive stud. But since the screwdriver shaft runs through the drive stud, there's no room for a spring behind the detent ball; instead, a notch in the screwdriver shaft allows the detent ball to retract. The socket is then installed, and becomes locked in place when the screwdriver shaft returns to its normal position.

Blue Point CF49 Valve Spring Lifter

Fig. 177. Blue Point CF49 Valve Spring Lifter, with Inset for Top View.

Fig. 177 shows a Blue Point CF49 valve spring lifter, marked "Kenosha Wis." and "Made in U.S.A." on the side, and with a "Pat. 2,119,128" patent notice.

The overall length is 9.6 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

The patent notice refers to patent #2,119,128, filed by I.J. Clark in 1937 and issued in 1938. This patent was used by other tool makers including OTC and Herbrand, and examples can be seen in the Herbrand VL-540 Valve Spring Lifter and OTC A-100 Valve Spring Lifter.

Snap-On S-9077 Ford Camshaft Gear Nut Wrench

Fig. 178. Snap-On S-9077 1-3/4 Specialty Wrench, with Inset for Side View, 1931.

Fig. 178 shows a very rare Snap-On S-9077 1-3/4 specialty wrench, marked with the Snap-On logo and model forged into the shank. The face is also marked with overstamped date code symbols for 1931 and 1932.

The overall length is 7.9 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

This tool is listed in the 1933 Snap-On catalog as a Ford cam shaft gear nut wrench.

Blue Point S-8652 Brake Wrench

Fig. 179. Blue Point S-8652 1/4x3/8 Brake Wrench, 1946.

Fig. 179 shows a Blue Point S-8652 1/4x3/8 open-end brake wrench, with markings "Blue-Point" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank.

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

The wrench is marked with a date code for 1946, which somewhat unusually is forged rather than stamped.

Blue Point B-1351-A Brake Wrench

Fig. 180. Blue Point B-1351-A 3/16x1/4 Brake Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail, 1949.

Fig. 180 shows a Blue Point B-1351-A 3/16x1/4 open-end brake wrench, marked on the reverse with "Made in U.S.A." and a date code for 1949.

The overall length is 8.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Blue Point S-8558 Distributor Wrench

In the evolution of automotive technology, manufacturers sometimes found it necessary to place the distributor in an awkward place, with a clamping bolt virtually inaccessible without a special tool. Tool makers of course responded by making specialty distributor wrenches, typically a single box wrench with a suitably offset handle.

Fig. 181. Blue Point S-8558 1/2 Distributor Wrench, with Insets for Broaching and Marking Detail.

Fig. 181 shows a Blue Point S-8558 distributor wrench with a 1/2 inch box opening, marked with the Blue Point logo.

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the handle offset is 3.5 inches. The finish is chrome plating.

The S-8558 wrench was listed in the 1939 catalog for Lincoln Zephyr distributor service, and may have been the first distributor specialty wrench offered by Snap-On. By 1953 Snap-On was offering four models of distributor wrenches, and the count continued to grow in subsequent years.

Snap-On S-9470A Specialty Wrench

Fig. 182. Snap-On S-9470A Specialty Wrench, with Insets for Broaching and Marking Detail, 1962.

Fig. 182 shows a Snap-On S-9470A specialty wrench with a 1/2 inch box opening, marked with the Snap-On logo and "USA" forged into the shank, and with a stylized "2" date code for 1962.

The overall length is 12.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Blue Point S-9825 1/2-Drive 5/8 Torque Adapter

Fig. 183. Blue Point S-9825 1/2-Drive 5/8 Torque Adapter, with Insets for Marking and Broaching Detail, 1938.

Fig. 183 at the left shows a Blue Point S-9825 1/2-drive 5/8 box-end torque adapter, marked with a date code for 1938.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Blue Point S-9513 1/2-Drive 3/4 Wide-Sweep Torque Adapters

The next several figures show examples of the model S-9513 torque adapter, a wide sweep adapter with a 3/4 box end for servicing Chevrolet cylinder head bolts.

Fig. 184. Blue Point S-9513A 1/2-Drive 3/4 Wide-Sweep Torque Adapter, with Inset for Marking Detail, 1939.

Fig. 184 at the left shows our earliest example, a 1/2-drive Blue Point S-9513A 3/4 wide-sweep torque adapter, marked "Made in U.S.A." with a date code for 1939.

The adapter has an offset of 2.5 inches and an overall length of 6.5 inches. The finish is chrome plating.

Note that the "A" suffix to the model number is stamped below the standard marking, suggesting that it may have been added later.

Fig. 185. Blue Point S-9513A 1/2-Drive 3/4 Wide-Sweep Torque Adapter, with Insets for Marking Detail, 1940.

Fig. 185 at the left shows a slightly later Blue Point S-9513A torque adapter, marked "Made in U.S.A." with a date code for 1940.

The adapter has an offset of 2.5 inches and an overall length of 6.6 inches. The finish is chrome plating.

Fig. 186. Blue Point S-9513C 1/2-Drive 3/4 Wide-Sweep Torque Adapter, with Insets for Marking and Broaching Detail, 1954.

A later version of the S-9513 adapter is shown in Fig. 186 at the left, a Blue Point S-9513C torque adapter marked "U.S.A." with a date code for 1954.

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Snap-On M-4379 1/2-Drive Open-End Torque Adapter

Fig. 187. Snap-On M-4379 1/2-Drive 3/4 Open-End Torque Adapter, with Inset for Side View, 1956.

Fig. 187 shows a Snap-On M-4379 1/2-drive 3/4 open-end torque adapter, marked "U.S.A." with a date code for 1956.

The overall length is 5.3 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

Snap-On S-9156 1/2-Drive 1-13/32 Crowfoot Wrench

Fig. 188. Snap-On S-9156 1/2-Drive 1-13/32 Crowfoot Wrench, 1950.

Fig. 188 shows a 1/2-drive Snap-On S-9156 1-13/32 open-end crowfoot wrench, stamped "USA" with a "0" date code for 1950.

The finish is cadmium plating.

Snap-On A-50 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor

Fig. 189. Snap-On A-50 1/2-Drive Stud Extractor, with Inset for Top View, 1944.

Fig. 189 shows a rare 1/2-drive Snap-On A-50 stud extractor, stamped "Made in U.S.A." and "Pat-2024852", and with an "E" date code for 1944 following the model number.

The finish is cadmium plating, as expected for the wartime production date.

The stud extractor uses a distinctive rack-and-pinion mechanism described by patent #2,024,852, issued to G.R. Gagne in 1935. In operation, the stud to be removed (or installed) is gripped by the serrations in the notch of the transverse rod. As the drive connection is turned in the desired direction, the force is transmitted to the transverse rod to tighten the grip on the stud, thereby allowing it to be turned.

Snap-On LA-55 3/4-Drive Stud Extractor

Fig. 190. Snap-On LA-55 3/4-Drive Stud Extractor, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, 1938.

Fig. 190 shows a rare 3/4-drive Snap-On LA-55 stud extractor, stamped "Loxocket Trademark" with a stylized "8" date code for 1938.

The finish is chrome plating.

Snap-On A-15 1/2-Drive Drag Link Driver

Fig. 191. Snap-On A-15 1/2-Drive Drag Link Driver, with Inset for Side View, 1952.

Fig. 191 shows a 1/2-drive Snap-On A-15 drag link driver, stamped "USA" with a stylized "2" date code for 1952.

The overall height is 1.4 inches, and the blade width is 1.2 inches (1-3/16 nominal). The finish is chrome plating.

Drag link drivers are designed for turning large slotted screws, typically for vehicle front-end applications. (Basically, they're oversized screwdrivers.) An earlier Snap-On example can be seen in the Snap-On A17 Drag Link Driver, and examples from other makers include the Blackhawk 49979 Drag Link Driver and Herbrand S-39 Drag Link Driver.

Snap-On A-17 1/2-Drive Drag Link Driver

Fig. 192. Snap-On A-17 1/2-Drive Drag Link Driver, with Inset for Side View, 1959.

Fig. 192 shows a 1/2-drive Snap-On A-17 drag link driver, stamped "USA" with a stylized "9" date code for 1959.

The overall height is 1.6 inches, and the blade width is 0.9 inches (15/16 nominal). The finish is chrome plating.

An earlier version of this tool can be seen in the Snap-On Early A17 Drag Link Driver.

Snap-On 71-M 3/4-Hex Drive Ratchet

Fig. 193. Snap-On 71-M 3/4-Hex Drive Ratchet, with Inset for Reverse, 1951.

Fig. 193 shows a Snap-On 71-M ratchet fitted with a special 3/4 female hex drive gear. The forged-in markings on the shank are standard for this ratchet model, with the 71-M model number and Snap-On logo appearing on both sides, and with "USA" on the top and "Pat. 1854513" on the reverse. The top side also has a stamped date code for 1951.

The overall length is 9.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of cadmium plating.

Snap-On Leroi 88-21 Specialty Box-End Wrench

Fig. 194. Snap-On Leroi 88-21 3/4x3/4 Offset Box-End, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 194 shows a rare and unusual Snap-On specialty wrench, the Snap-On Leroi 88-21 3/4x3/4 offset box-end wrench.

The overall length is 10.6 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

Snap-On 3/8-Drive PWA-1398 11/16 Inch Spark-Plug Socket

Fig. 195. Snap-On 3/8-Drive PWA-1398 11/16 Deep Spark-Plug Socket, with Insets for Broaching and Marking Detail.

Fig. 195 shows a rare 3/8-drive Snap-On PWA-1398 11/16 deep hex socket, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the Snap-On logo and PWA model number.

The overall height is 2.9 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The "PWA" model number prefix indicates production for Pratt-Whitney Aircraft. This socket was likely intended for spark-plug service.

Snap-On 1/2-Drive NAF-1110-13 1 Inch Spark-Plug Socket

Fig. 196. Snap-On 1/2-Drive NAF-1110-13 1 Inch Spark-Plug Socket, with Insets for Drive End and Broaching.

Fig. 196 shows a rare 1/2-drive Snap-On NAF-1110-13 1 inch deep socket, stamped with the Snap-On logo and "USN".

The overall height is 2.7 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The upper inset shows the tapered drive end with a cross-bar hole. This socket was likely intended for spark-plug service.

Whitworth Tools

Snap-On offered a reasonably full line of wrenches and socket tools in Whitworth sizing, the British Standard system for nut and bolt measurements. These tools were required for proper service on older British automobiles and motorcycles.

The available Whitworth tools included open-end, box-end, and combination wrenches, plus sockets in the smaller drive sizes.

Blue Point WXS-910 Offset Box Wrench

Fig. 197. Blue Point WXS-910 3/16Wx1/4W Offset Box Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, 1955.

Fig. 197 shows a rare Blue Point WXS-910 3/16Wx1/4W offset box-end wrench, marked with the Blue Point logo and sizes on the front, with "Made in USA" and a "5" date code for 1955 on the reverse.

The overall length is 5.3 inches, and the finish is polished chrome.

Snap-On WOEX-120 Whitworth Combination Wrench

Fig. 198. Snap-On WOEX-120 3/8W Whitworth Combination Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail, 1955.

Fig. 198 shows a Snap-On WOEX-120 3/8W Whitworth combination wrench, stamped "USA" with a date code for 1955.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is polished chrome.

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in my personal collection.

Information on Snap-On's development was found in an online article on Snap-On Company History.

Additional information was obtained from a Snap-On internal publication called "The Snap-On Story".

Catalog Coverage

Product information was obtained from a number of Snap-On catalogs, as summarized in the table below.

Patents and Trademarks

Patent and trademark information was obtained from the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) web site at uspto.gov. Patent documents were obtained from sites offering free downloads, notably freepatentsonline.com.

Feedback

If any readers have additional information about Snap-On or Blue Point, please let us know via the "Contact Us" link on the home page. Your comments and suggestions are welcome as well.