Snap-On: Early Sockets and Drive Tools
Snap-On tools are generally clearly marked and consistently numbered, but the tools from the 1920s are the exception to this rule. These early tools were marked in several different styles, or not marked at all, making it somewhat tricky to identify them. In this page we'll look at some examples of early Snap-On tools with different marking styles, and will attempt to develop guidelines for estimating the date of manufacture.
![[Snap-On Early 5/8-Drive Ratchet]](Photos/tools/snapon_58dr_ratchet_logo_cropped.jpg){kind=logo}
The Bold Logo from An Early 5/8-Drive Ratchet.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Snap-On began its operations in 1920 and initially offered only sockets and drive tools. The subsequent spectacular success of the company may have left some with the misconception that Snap-On actually invented the interchangeable socket; however, this is not true at all. The idea of using a wrench with interchangeable sockets goes back at least to the mid-19th century, and in the decade before Snap-On began, a number of companies were offering sets of sockets with matching drive tools.
One notable example of these early socket sets was produced by the Frank Mossberg Company, beginning around 1913. The set included a generous number of sockets (including a few deep ones), a ratchet wrench (reversible!), an extension, and even a universal joint, all packaged in a nice wooden box. The sockets could be driven either on the outside of the base (11/16 square) or on the inside (1/2 square and compatible with modern drives), allowing them to be used with the double-male universal joint. All considered, it was quite an elegant set of tools, and lacked only one important feature -- strength. The sockets were formed from thin-wall tubing and were quite susceptible to cracking, so they simply weren't practical for heavy-duty service operations.
![[Walden 1028 TeeFlex Socket Wrench]](Photos/tools/walden_1028_wrench_cropped_inset.jpg)
At the other extreme were the "socket wrenches" with strong, heavy-walled sockets, but with the sockets permanently attached to the drive handle. A number of companies offered tools of this type, including Mossberg and Walden-Worcester, and the example shown at the left is a Walden "TeeFlex" wrench, patented in 1918. This wrench incorporated a T-handle driver, a universal joint, and a heavy-walled socket, all permanently bonded together. (It looks very much like what you would get by connecting a Snap-On T-handle, universal, and socket.) These were practical tools at the time, but you can imagine the great weight and expense of duplicating so many drive handles.
Snap-On positioned itself neatly between these extremes. Its tools provided the flexibility of the Mossberg set (except for the ratchet, that would have to wait) with the strength of the fixed socket wrenches. The result is well-known; interchangeable sockets were quickly adopted by all of the major tool companies, and Snap-On went on to become the most successful of all.
Early Snap-On Sockets
The first sockets offered in 1920 were available in 1/2 (square) drive only, and were broached for either single-hex (6-point) or single-square (4-point) openings. Additional drive sizes were offered later, 5/8-drive in 1923, 7/8-drive around 1924, 9/32-drive in 1925, and finally 3/8-drive in 1928. Double-hex (12-point) and double-square (8-point) broachings were introduced in 1927.
The very earliest socket markings were certainly minimal: according to folklore, the first Snap-On sockets (and drive tools) had only size markings, or no markings at all! Such sockets would be difficult to identify and authenticate if found, but could be compared to known marked examples for an indication of possible Snap-On origin.
The earliest standardized marking for sockets consisted of an "S" and "O" overstrike to indicate Snap-On, together with the socket size in fractional notation. (The size marking was usually on the opposite side from the S/O-Overstrike.) This marking style was used up until about 1923.
Around 1924 Snap-On began marking sockets with their full logo instead of the S/O-overstrike. Snap-On also introduced a socket numbering system at about the same time, which consisted of the abbreviation "NO." followed by the model number, a variation on the size expressed in 32nds. For example, a 1/2-drive 6-point socket of size 7/8 was marked "NO. 280", the "28" being derived from the 28/32 size. Sockets marked in this fashion will have the model number, Snap-On logo, and fractional size, all on the same side of the socket.
The above numbering scheme was simple and useful, but apparently it was not implemented consistently, as some sockets continued to be marked with only the Snap-On logo and fractional size. This state of affairs wasn't just a temporary delay in adding the model numbers, but persisted through to the end of the 1920s, so that examples of both styles can be found with late date codes.
As a result of these changes, we can recognize three basic marking styles for the early sockets: the S/O-Overstrike, the marked but un-numbered sockets, and the model-numbered sockets. Even this is a bit of an oversimplification; in a large collection of early sockets, there may be a number of other recognizable changes in design and marking.
Date Codes
Beginning in 1927 Snap-On introduced a system of date codes and started marking sockets (and other tools as well) with the codes. The date code was generally a single digit (later, a symbol or character) to indicate the year of production, with the digit sometimes preceded or followed by a dash. For 1927 through 1930 the system was very simple: one of the digits 7, 8, 9, or 0 indicated the year. In later years though, symbols and script styles were added in order to extend the system, and you'll need to consult a date code chart to determine the date. Date codes were applied in 1927 and later without regard for the socket marking style.
In its early years the date code system had a very specific function: tool warranties were of limited duration at the time, and the date code determined the start of the warranty period. As a result, date codes were applied more consistently at this time than in later years, after Snap-On had started offering a lifetime guarantee on its tools.
In the next pages we'll look at some examples of the early sockets, and then proceed to the drive tools.