Blackhawk Manufacturing:

The Spirit of Innovation

Label from A Blackhawk Q.D. Socket Wrench Set, ca. 1930.

Table of Contents

Introduction

From its founding in the early part of the 20th century, Blackhawk Manufacturing developed into one of the top producers of mechanic's tools, and its products were widely respected for their quality of design and production. Blackhawk's rapid innovation in the late 1920s and 1930s helped set the pace of development for the rest of the tool industry.

This article will review the history of Blackhawk Manufacturing, and then illustrate the development of its tools from 1919 up through the mid 1950s.

1919-2019: 100 Years of Modern Socket Technology

Before beginning our section on the company's history, we'd like to note that 2019 was the 100 year anniversary of modern socket technology, ushered in by Blackhawk's introduction of heavy-duty interchangeable socket sets in 1919. An example of one of Blackhawk's earliest socket sets can be seen as the Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set.

Of course, the socket revolution itself had started some years earlier with the invention of the Auto-Clé pressed-steel sockets in 1904, and in the subsequent years Mossberg, Walden, Bay State, and others had proven the utility of interchangeable sockets for automotive service. But it was Blackhawk's heavy-duty machined and broached sockets that proved that interchangeable sockets could handle even the most difficult service jobs.

Company History

Blackhawk Manufacturing began operations in 1919 as a subsidiary of the American Grinder Manufacturing Company, but to understand its story, it's helpful to go back a few years earlier to the founding of the parent company. American Grinder had been founded in 1910 by Leo Bethke, Frank Lueck, and Charles Krause, and the company operated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, initially as the maker of a self-oiling hand grinder.

Fig. 1. 1916 Illustration of American Grinder Manufacturing Company Hand Grinder. [External Link]

Fig. 1 shows one of American Grinder's products, a hand-operated grinder for sharpening knives or other tools, as illustrated on page 39 of the July 1916 issue of Commercial America. The notice with the illustration explains the operation and advantages of the grinder.

American Grinder also produced equipment such as drill presses, and with the start of First World War in 1914 the company found an opportunity to produce water pumps and oil pumps for military vehicles.

Fig. 2. 1916 Notice of American Grinder Capital Increase. [External Link]

Fig. 2 shows a notice from page 1378 of the December 14, 1916 issue of The Iron Age, noting that American Grinder had recently increased its capital stock from $25,000 to $100,000 due to the company's rapid growth.

It shows the company address as 2203 Sycamore Street in Milwaukee, and lists the company secretary as "L. E. Berteno", presumably the same person listed as L. E. Bertane on trademark applications filed a few years later.

With the impending end of the First World War, American Grinder's truck parts sales started slowing down, and the company looked for new lines of products. This lead to the developments outlined in the next section. More information on American Grinder Manufacturing, including stories about their rather colorful early personnel, can be found in the Actuant History noted in our References section.

Developing a New Product Line

In late 1918 the war was drawing to a close, and American Grinder was interested in developing new product lines to make up for the slowing sales of truck parts. The company had recently hired the C.N. and F.W. Jonas firm as sales agents, and the Jonas brothers had a very specific suggestion for American Grinder. The Jonas firm had been the sales agents for Walden-Worcester's west coast region from 1914 to 1918 and were therefore very familiar with Walden's line of automotive socket wrenches and socket sets. The Jonas brothers suggested that American Grinder should replicate substantially all of Walden's line of automotive tools, and apparently even went so far as to suggest "Blackhawk" as the trade name. (Our information for this section comes from a number of reports of later court proceedings after Walden-Worcester sued American Grinder and the Jonas brothers — we'll have more on that later.)

In the context of the 1918 automotive tools market, developing a line of tools to compete with Walden looked like a good business choice. Walden was the leading maker of fixed socket wrenches at that time, and was also a major manufacturer of pressed-steel socket sets, probably second only to the Frank Mossberg Company in market share. (See our article on Walden-Worcester for more background on the company.) Hence American Grinder followed the Jonas brothers' recommendation and began planning to offer a line of both fixed socket wrenches and interchangeable socket sets.

Although Walden served as the primary starting point for the tool line, we can offer evidence that American Grinder also studied the socket tools produced by the Frank Mossberg Company, as the Blackhawk 911 Ratchet is much closer to Mossberg's well-known Model 350 Ratchet than to any of Walden's models. It's probably safe to assume that American Grinder would have reviewed the existing state of the socket market, to make sure that they didn't miss any important features or run afoul of patent restrictions.

One question remains regarding the extent to which the Jonas brothers may have influenced the socket technology used for the new interchangeable socket sets. Up until 1918 Walden-Worcester had shipped only pressed-steel socket sets, but the company is believed to have been working on a new line of interchangeable heavy-duty machined and broached sockets. It's possible that Walden may have shown prototypes of the new line to the Jonas brothers while they were still sales agents for Walden, with this information then being passed on to American Grinder. But it's also possible that American Grinder would have found it simpler from a production standpoint to use the same type of heavy-wall machined sockets for both fixed-socket wrenches and interchangeable sets, with the only difference being the type of connection to the drive tool or rod. In any event, Blackhawk's new socket sets ended up with heavy-wall machined and broached sockets, which provided a major improvement in strength over the prevailing pressed-steel sockets. This was a critical factor in gaining rapid acceptance for the new sets, and it would be very interesting to find additional information in this area.

The Formation of Blackhawk Manufacturing

Once the decision had been made to develop the line of automotive tools, American Grinder formed a new wrench division and promoted one of their employees, Joseph Johnson, as manager (or foreman) of the division. As the company already had substantial expertise at manufacturing, it didn't take long to tool up the factory for the new product line. By May of 1919 the wrench division had been named Blackhawk Manufacturing, and by the end of the month Blackhawk socket sets and socket wrenches were available for sale.

Fig. 3. April 1919 Announcement for Blackhawk Wrenches.

American Grinder filed trademark applications in June of 1919 for "Blackhawk" and an Indian head logo, giving May 31, 1919 as the first use date on the applications, and this date provides us with a timeline for the tools. (See the Trademark Table below for details on the American Grinder and Blackhawk trademarks.)

But even before the May 31 date, Blackhawk's agents C.N. and F.W. Jonas had started announcing the new line in the trade press.

The scan in Fig. 3 shows an announcement for the new line of tools, as published on page 84 of the April, 1919 issue of Hardware World.

The illustration in this announcement shows only fixed-socket wrenches, tools that were already very familiar to the automobile repair industry. However, advertisements would soon appear for the interchangeable socket sets in Blackhawk's new line.

Fig. 4. April 1919 Notice from C.N. & F.W. Jonas of Blackhawk Socket Wrenches. [External Link]

Fig. 4 shows a notice published on page 154 of the same April, 1919 issue of Hardware World, which provides a concise summary of the association of the C.N. & F.W. Jonas firm with American Grinder Manufacturing.

The text mentions the prior association of the Jonas brothers with Walden-Worcester, and goes on to note that American Grinder had retooled their 45,000 square foot factory to manufacture the new line of socket wrench tools.

This notice is remarkable in that it preannounces the name "Blackhawk" even before the company had started using it!

Blackhawk Launches!

On May 31 of 1919 — the date given in a trademark application — Blackhawk began offering its tools to the public. The initial product line consisted of five models of 1/2-drive interchangeable socket sets, the Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 "Combination Sets", plus numerous fixed socket wrenches designed to replicate Walden's extensive line. An example of one of these early sets can be seen as the Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set.

It's important to emphasize that the sockets in these early Blackhawk sets were of heavy-wall construction, machined and cold-broached from bar steel. This was the technology that would dominate socket construction in the 1920s and 1930s. Up to this point cold-broached sockets had been offered only in relatively light-duty sets from Will B. Lane and R.F. Sedgley, so the heavy-wall interchangeable sets from Blackhawk were an important milestone.

Fig. 5. June 1919 Notice for Blackhawk Socket Set. [External Link]

Fig. 5 shows a notice published on page 52 of the June 26, 1919 issue of Motor Age, providing a description of one of the new Blackhawk socket sets. The text notes the inclusion of hex and square sockets with a ratchet, brace, universal, and extension as drive tools. (Although not mentioned in the text, this would have been the Blackhawk No. 10 set.)

This notice is one of the earliest public records of Blackhawk's socket set products, and the publication date places it less than a month after the company began using the Blackhawk trademark.

Early Advertisements

Blackhawk placed a number of advertisements for its new line of tools during the spring and summer of 1919, in trade publications such as the Automobile Trade Journal, Hardware World, Motor Age, Motor Boat, and Motor World.

Fig. 6. May 1919 Advertisement for Blackhawk Socket Sets.

The scan in Fig. 6 shows one of the earliest advertisements for Blackhawk tools, as published on page 103 [External Link] of the May 22, 1919 issue of Motor Age magazine.

The illustration shows all five models of Blackhawk's early socket sets, along with a display board of fixed socket wrenches for Ford service.

The text identifies C.N. and F.W. Jonas as the manufacturer's representative for American Grinder. The Jonas brothers had been the sales agents for Walden-Worcester previously, and their involvement with American Grinder was a major factor in a later lawsuit by Walden.

This same ad appeared in the June 5 and June 19 issues of Motor Age and in the June 25 issue of Motor World.

The early Blackhawk socket sets were available in five different models, numbered from smallest to largest as Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. A table of the set contents can be found in the section on Socket Sets.

All of the tools and sockets in the sets could also be purchased individually.

Fig. 7. July 1919 Advertisement for Blackhawk Socket Sets.

The scan in Fig. 7 shows another early ad for Blackhawk socket sets, as published on page 42 [External Link] of the July 1, 1919 issue of the Automobile Trade Journal.

The illustration shows three of Blackhawk's interchangeable socket sets, as well as a display board of fixed socket wrenches.

Fig. 8. July 1919 Advertisement for Blackhawk Tools.

The scan in Fig. 8 shows another early ad for Blackhawk tools, as published on page 70 [External Link] of the July 3, 1919 issue of Motor Age magazine.

This advertisement emphasizes the fixed-socket part of Blackhawk's line, and the illustration shows a sampling of the many Blackhawk fixed-socket wrenches and specialty tools.

In addition, one No. 6 "Combination Set" socket set is illustrated just below the center text inset. An example of this set can be seen as the Blackhawk No. 6 Socket Set.

Fig. 9. August 1919 Ad for Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set.

The scan in Fig. 9 shows an advertisement for the Blackhawk No. 8 socket set, as published on page 62 [External Link] of the August 10, 1919 issue of Motor Boat magazine.

The set in the illustration is a Blackhawk No. 8 "Combination Set", which includes a ratchet, a sliding Tee handle, two extensions, a universal, 16 hexagon sockets, three square sockets, and other miscellaneous tools.

Note again that the text identifies C.N. and F.W. Jonas as the sales agents for American Grinder near the bottom of the advertisement.

Some subtle details in the illustration add further evidence for the Walden origin of the early Blackhawk tools. If you look closely at the extensions in the socket set, the drive stud end has a pin sticking out from both sides, to act as a stop for the socket.

This was an uncommon production detail known to have been used by Walden, and an example can be seen in the Early Walden 1139 Extension. Blackhawk is not known to have used stop-pins in any of its actual production, suggesting that the illustrations were probably prepared from early prototypes of the tools.

Early Success

The Blackhawk socket sets and fixed socket wrenches appear to have been highly successful products right from the beginning. With their prior experience at selling hand grinders, American Grinder knew how to use trade publications and magazine advertisements to promote their products. And with the help of their sales agents, the Jonas Brothers, the company would have had connections with major industrial distributors and "jobbers", so that the new Blackhawk tools could be purchased locally throughout the country.

Although it's generally difficult to get good estimates of sales volumes of older tools, we can make some qualitative judgements based on the observed frequency of items today. As part of the collection activities to support this article, within the past few years we have been able to round up examples of four of the five early Blackhawk socket set models, and with multiple examples for some of the sets. Based on these observations, the early Blackhawk sets in wooden boxes are not especially rare, and although much less common than the sets made by Mossberg (the leading maker of pressed-steel socket sets), Blackhawk sets are probably more common than those of the numerous other makers. With the Blackhawk sets now 85 to 90 or more years old, this means that they probably had to be selling at a run rate of many thousands per month in order for so many to remain today.

The Modern Era Begins

In addition to being commercially successful, Blackhawk's interchangeable socket sets were important historically as the first line to offer heavy-duty machined and broached sockets for automotive service, thereby ushering in the modern era of socket tools. The decade leading up to 1919 had seen automotive socket sets develop into a thriving (even booming) industry, lead by makers such as Mossberg, Walden, Bay State, Syracuse Wrench, and numerous others.

These earlier makers had proven the convenience and utility of interchangeable sockets, but since the sets were based on relatively weak pressed-steel sockets, they lacked the strength needed for everyday use by professional mechanics. Blackhawk's heavy-wall sockets changed all that — mechanics could now wholeheartedly embrace interchangeable sockets, and the socket industry entered a new phase of explosive growth.

Of course there were many improvements to be added later — alloy steel sockets, hot-forging and hot-broaching, better drive tools such as flex-head handles, fine-tooth ratchets, and so on. But Blackhawk's sockets were a major milestone, and readers interested in tool history may want to mark May 31, 2019 on their calendars as the 100th Year Anniversary of modern socket technology.

Some Personnel Changes

By early 1920 two employees of Blackhawk and American Grinder, Joseph Johnson and William Seidemann, had left the company to start their own business.

Johnson had been the manager of Blackhawk Manufacturing when they started selling heavy-duty interchangeable socket sets and fixed-socket wrenches in mid 1919, and both men saw a bright future especially for interchangeable socket sets. Additional information about their new business can be found in our article on the Snap-On Wrench Company.

The Walden Lawsuit

The sudden appearance of a new competitor must have come as a great shock to Walden-Worcester, especially since Blackhawk's new line of fixed socket wrenches replicated practically all of Walden's models. Even more damaging was the presence of a full line of heavy-duty interchangeable socket sets, as these effectively stole the thunder from Walden's introduction of its own line of interchangeable socket sets. (Walden's socket sets finally came out in 1920 — for more information, see our section on Walden Sockets and Drive Tools.)

The final blow was the realization that the Jonas Brothers, who until 1918 had been sales agents for Walden, were now the agents for the Blackhawk line. Walden cried foul and filed a lawsuit, claiming unfair competition and trademark infringement.

A further claim of patent infringement was later added to the complaint, based on Blackhawk's version of the Nut-Holding Speeder originated by Walden.

Fig. 10. 1921 Notice of Walden-Worcester Lawsuit. [External Link]

Fig. 10 shows a notice of court proceedings against American Grinder, as published on page 349 of the August 11, 1921 issue of The Iron Age. The text provides some details of the court action filed by Walden-Worcester against American Grinder Manufacturing and its sales agents, the C.N. and F.W. Jonas Brothers.

The Walden action had three underlying claims: (1) trademark infringement for the similarity between "Blackhawk" and Walden's earlier "Tomahawk" trademark; (2) unfair competition for the sale of similar products using Walden's prior sales agents, the Jonas Brothers; and (3) patent infringement for the use of the nut-holding speeder extension.

Walden initially received some relief for its trademark infringement claim, as American Grinder's registration for "Blackhawk" (issued as #128,597) was cancelled. The other two claims were eventually decided in favor of American Grinder, and even the trademark infringement was eventually overturned.

New Investors and A Treasurer

In 1920 American Grinder found itself in need of additional funds, possibly as a result of the impending (if not ongoing) Walden litigation noted above. The need for additional capital was filled by an investment by Herbert Brumder and two siblings, plus others related by marriage.

The Brumders were the sons of George Brumder, a well-known Milwaukee businessman who had built a German-language publishing business during the late 19th century. In addition to becoming an investor, Herbert Brumder signed on to become the treasurer of American Grinder.

Fig. 11. 1920 Notice of Reorganization of American Grinder. [External Link]

Fig. 11 shows a notice of the reorganization of American Grinder, as published on page 885 of the April 3, 1920 issue of Automotive Industries.

The text notes the recapitalization of the company with investments by the Brumder siblings and their in-laws. (This notice incorrectly names Herman Brumder as treasurer, instead of Herbert Brumder.)

Fig. 12. 1920 Notice of Reorganization of American Grinder. [External Link]

Fig. 12 shows another notice regarding the recapitalization of American Grinder, as published on page 98 of the May 15, 1920 issue of the Commercial Car Journal. This notice correctly names Herbert Brumder as company treasurer.

Both notices cite rapid growth as the reason for the recapitalization, though this may have been a euphemism. The Jonas Brothers are also cited as the sales agents.

Within a few years American Grinder again needed more capital, and by 1924 Herbert Brumder had become the major stockholder and company president.

Development Through the Mid 1920s

With the early success of its interchangeable socket sets Blackhawk became the leading producer of heavy-duty socket tools through at least the mid 1920s. Competition came quickly though, first from Walden-Worcester, who by mid 1920 was offering a full line of heavy-duty interchangeable socket sets in wooden boxes, comparable to the Blackhawk line. Within a year or two the fast-growing Snap-On Wrench Company also became a strong competitor.

Throughout the 1920s, Blackhawk, Snap-On Wrench, and Walden fought for control of the socket market, with each company trying to outdo the others with innovations and improvements. Snap-On appears to have been the first with a larger 5/8 drive size, but Blackhawk responded by leaping to 3/4-drive and then 7/8-drive. In 1925 Walden topped both companies with a line of 1 inch hex drive tools, and also became the first maker to offer interchangeable sockets in alloy (chrome-nickel) steel. Despite the fierce competition, the rapidly growing market ensured that all three companies did well in this era.

A Name Change and More Competition

By 1925 Blackhawk Manufacturing had become highly successful, with the result that the Blackhawk name had become much more widely recognized than that of its somewhat obscure parent, American Grinder Manufacturing. Accordingly, in 1925 American Grinder changed its name to Blackhawk Manufacturing.

The name change is noted in the August 1925 issue of Popular Mechanics in an advertisement for Blackhawk Socket Wrenches. Note the parenthetical "Formerly American Grinder Mfg. Co." below the larger "Blackhawk Mfg. Company" text.

The latter part of the 1920s saw continued growth for Blackhawk, but also greatly increased competition. New makers entering the socket market included Cornwell (1926), Bonney (1927), and Plomb (1927), all of whom provided tools primarily for professionals. By 1928 Duro/Indestro and Hinsdale Manufacturing, two low-cost, high-volume manufacturers, had also become major competitors in the socket market. Both of these companies sold their socket sets through Sears Roebuck, thereby reaching a huge mail-order and retail market.

The Hydraulic Line

In 1927 Blackhawk saw an opportunity to expand its product lines into hydraulic jacks and acquired the Hydraulic Tool Company. Over the next decade Blackhawk became a leading supplier of hydraulic jacks for automotive service, and expanded into new areas with innovative products for lifting and pushing in constrained areas. During the 1930s Blackhawk's engineers (Edward Pfauser and others) developed and patented various hydraulic devices.

The hydraulic line provided an additional market for Blackhawk and proved to be important for the later history of the company. However, as this site is primarily interested in hand tools, we can't offer much information on the hydraulic products.

Lock-On Socket Tools and Continued Innovation

In the late 1920s Blackhawk began developing a new high-end line of socket tools featuring an innovative "Lock-On" locking mechanism. This ushered in a period of tremendous innovation during the 1930s and 1940s, lead by their engineers Edward Pfauser, Sigmund Mandl, and others. During this time Blackhawk received numerous patents for wrench and ratchet designs and socket locking devices.

Among the tools developed were the "Lock-On" locking sockets, gearless ratchets, ratchet adapters, reversible handles, and specialty tools such as the model 151 drain-plug wrench. Some of these innovations picked up support from other companies in the industry -- Snap-on in particular was an early adopter of the Lock-On patents, which they sold under the trademark "Loxocket".

Out of the Hand Tool Business

In 1952 Philip G. Brumder succeeded his father Herbert as president of Blackhawk Manufacturing. The younger Brumder recognized that the company faced some challenges -- from the late 1940s onward Blackhawk's line of socket tools had been becoming less competitive and losing market share. (The loss of market share is based on observations that Blackhawk's later handle style is much less common than the earlier "Gripline" tools.) Brumder began planning and implementing major changes for the company.

The first changes were visible in the Blackhawk catalog W-101 for 1953, with some copies printed in December of 1952. This catalog edition was markedly different from the previous W-51 and earlier catalogs. In particular, catalog W-101 offered many new types of tools not previously listed by Blackhawk, including pliers, screwdrivers, gear pullers, auto-body tools, and even soldering irons. In addition, the model numbers and style of the box wrenches had been changed, suggesting a new manufacturer. The new catalog positioned Blackhawk as a full-service tool brand, rather than as a socket tools and wrenches specialist.

By the early 1950s most of Blackhawk's competitors operated as full-service vendors of mechanic's tools, including such companies as Armstrong, Bonney, Cornwell, Duro/Indestro, Herbrand, MAC, New Britain, Plomb Tool (Proto brand), Snap-on, and J.H. Williams. Expanding Blackhawk's product offerings put them on a more equal footing with their competitors, although since most of the new products were rebranded contract production with lower margins, the larger product line may not have increased the business profits that significantly.

By 1955 the full extent of Brumder's plan had become clear. In October of 1955 the entire hand tool line of Blackhawk Manufacturing was sold off to the New Britain Machine Company, and Blackhawk (hand tools) became a managed brand within a larger company. New Britain crated up all of Blackhawk's production equipment and moved it back to their base in Connecticut.

Blackhawk as a division of New Britain continued as a full-line supplier of automotive service tools, and most of the older Blackhawk socket wrench line remained in production for some time. Gradually though, some of the more distinctive products were dropped. In particular, Lock-On tools in 1/2-drive and all 7/16-drive tools had been discontinued by 1963.

Eventually New Britain Machine folded, and its assets (including the Blackhawk and Husky trademarks) were acquired by The Stanley Works. Stanley today continues to use the Blackhawk name for one of its product lines.

Blackhawk Manufacturing to Applied Power Industries to Actuant

After the sale of the hand tools division, Blackhawk Manufacturing retained its line of hydraulic jacks and other hydraulic products and focussed on building out that line of products. Within a few years the company changed its name to Applied Power Industries to better reflect the new company business lines, and then changed its name again to Actuant Corporation.

After many decades of growth and acquisitions (and another name change), the company continues in operation today as the EnerPac Tool Group, and additional information can be found on on the company's web site at www.enerpactoolgroup.com [External Link].

Patents

Some sense of the innovative spirit at Blackhawk can be appreciated by a look at the numerous patents in the table below.

Trademarks

The following table shows the known trademarks issued to American Grinder and Blackhawk Manufacturing.

Tool Identification

Blackhawk tools are generally easy to identify, as all except for certain types of early tools will be clearly marked "Blackhawk". Open-ended wrenches made in collaboration with Armstrong will be marked "Blackhawk-Armstrong".

Arrowhead Logo

Fig. 13. Indian Head Logo from Early Trademark.

Certain types of early Blackhawk tools, in particular the sockets and extensions, were marked with a distinctive Arrowhead logo instead of the Blackhawk name.

The scan in Fig. 13 shows the Arrowhead logo as it was presented for Blackhawk's trademark #139,111.

An example of this marking can be seen on the Arrowhead Sockets.

The use of the Arrowhead logo had been phased out by around 1925, so that a tool with the Arrowhead marking would probably have been made in years 1919-1925.

Manufacturing Dates

Blackhawk tools in general are not marked with a manufacturing date code, but some of the Lock-On socket tools and a few older wrenches have been observed with a digit that appears to function as a date code. Since this code applies primarly to Lock-On tools of a certain date range, its use and limitations are explored in a later section on Lock-On Date Codes.

For the more general case, estimates of the age of a tool must be made based on factors such as the style, model number, production characteristics, finish, patents, and so on. The list below provides guidelines that may be helpful in estimating the production date of older Blackhawk tools.

• Arrowhead Marking. Early Blackhawk sockets and extensions were marked with an Arrowhead logo instead of the Blackhawk name. The Arrowhead marking had been phased out by around 1925, so tools with this marking were probably made in the years 1919-1925.

• Flat Machined Top on Sockets. Early Blackhawk sockets had a flat machined top, typically with some marks remaining from the turning process. Later sockets had a slightly "dished" top to guide the socket onto a bolt or nut.

• Hexagonal Slider on Tee Handles. The slider on early Blackhawk sliding Tee handles was milled from hexagonal stock rather than round stock, as was used in later years. Sliding Tee handles with a hexagonal slider were probably made in the years 1919-1925.

• 911X Ratchet. By 1924 the model 911 reversible ratchet had been superseded by the 911X, a non-reversible (push-through) ratchet using much heavier steel for the body. (This date is based on a 1924 reprint of the Ducommun "F" catalog.)

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts collection.

Actuant History: The Drive to Lead

Information on the history of American Grinder and Blackhawk Manufacturing can be found in The Drive To Lead by John Gurda, a work commissioned for the 100th anniversary of the Actuant Corporation, the business successor to Blackhawk Manufacturing. Although this reference is mostly interested in the Blackhawk hydraulic products (the business line of Actuant), it offers useful background information on the early history of American Grinder and the Blackhawk tool operations as well.

At one point The Drive To Lead could be downloaded (as a PDF file) from Actuant's web site, but Actuant has since changed its name to Enerpac Tool Group and no longer appears to be interested in its earlier history. We found an Archived Copy [External Link] of the document at web.archive.org that may still be available to interested readers.

Catalog Resources

Product information was obtained from a number of Blackhawk catalogs, and our current catalog resources have been listed in the table below.

The last several catalogs in the table were published after the Blackhawk tool division had been acquired by the New Britain Machine Company. These list the company address in New Britain, Connecticut, but otherwise show much of the old Blackhawk product line, with some items being discontinued over time.

Industrial Distributors

Blackhawk tools were available through a number of industrial and automotive distributors, and the catalogs from these distributors often provide a valuable supplement to the company's own catalogs.

• Marshall Auto Supply 1920. The Marshall Auto Supply Company was an automotive distributor in Marshalltown, Iowa, and their catalog "A" from about 1920 lists 18 pages of Blackhawk tools. The catalog appears to provide complete coverage for Blackhawk's products at that time, and this reference is especially valuable as (currently) our earliest catalog resource for Blackhawk. The listings include the Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 "Combination Wrench" socket sets, plus an extensive selection of fixed socket wrenches and specialty tools.

• Ducommun "F" 1924. The 1924 catalog "F" from the Ducommun Hardware Company, a west-coast industrial supplier, shows eight pages of listings for Blackhawk tools, including socket wrench sets, fixed socket wrenches, and specialty tools.

• Dunham, Carrigan & Hayden 1925. The 1925 catalog No. 73 from the Dunham, Carrigan & Hayden Company provides extensive listings of early Blackhawk tools on pages 1495 through 1513. Included are illustrations of display boards, socket sets, and listings of many rarely-seen tools.

• Ducommun "G" 1926. The 1926 catalog "G" from the Ducommun Corporation has extensive listings for Blackhawk tools on pages 234-246, including socket wrench sets, fixed socket wrenches, and specialty tools. Socket set listings include the older Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 sets, as well as standard Q.D. set No. 32C, heavy duty Q.D. set No. 35B, and combined set No. 43D.

  The listings also include the 7/8-drive "Extra Heavy Duty" sockets and drive tools, with sockets available from 1-1/4 up to 2-3/8 inches. This is currently our earliest known listing for Blackhawk's 7/8-drive line.

• Waterston No. 25 1926. The 1926 catalog No. 25 from J.M. Waterston of Detroit lists Blackhawk Q.D. socket tools on pages 162-164, including Tee handles, speeders, the 911-X ratchet, extensions, and the No. 22-C Q.D. socket set. Note that this catalog is undated, but is referenced in the trade press in November of 1926.

• McMaster-Carr Supply 1928. The 1928 catalog No. 28 from the McMaster-Carr Supply Company of Chicago lists Blackhawk Q.D. socket sets on page 563. The sets listed are No. 18A, No. 32C, No. 35B "Heavy Duty", and No. 12 "Extra Heavy Duty". Also listed is the No. 150 hex-drive set.

• H. Channon 1930. The 1930 catalog No. 101 from the H. Channon Company lists Blackhawk tools on pages 231-236, including sockets sets, sockets and drive tools, single-offset box wrenches, and fixed socket wrenches. The sockets sets listed include the No. 32CD (1/2-Drive), No. 36B (3/4-Drive), No. 12E (7/8-Drive), and several others.

• Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel 1930. The Waterhouse-Lester-Scovel catalog No. 21 from around 1930 lists an extensive selection of Blackhawk "Chief" socket tools on pages 627-631. The listings include socket sets Nos. 13PD, 16CD, 26KD, 30CD, and No. 70RD "Treasure Chest". Also listed are the 3/8-drive No. 10LD set, 1/4-drive No. 11ND set, 278x series box-end wrenches, 29xx series single-offset box wrenches, and rim wrenches.

  The 1/2-drive socket tools are first-generation "Lock-On" tools with a release tool, and the sockets are noted as chrome-vanadium.

  This catalog is undated and was published without copyright, but the date can be estimated as 1929-1930 by the contents.

• Samuel Harris 1931. The 1931 catalog No. 57 from Samuel Harris & Company includes Blackhawk tools on page 530-542, covering their fixed socket wrenches, Q.D. and Chief socket sets, Treasure Chest sets, and many other tools.

• Ducommun "H" 1933. The 1933 catalog "H" from the Ducommun Corporation lists Blackhawk tools on pages 145 through 153. The listings include 1/2-drive socket sets Nos. 9L, 18AD, 22CD, 32CD, and 43DD, drain plug set No. 23G, ignition set No. 1311, heavy-duty (3/4-drive) set No. 36B, and extra heavy-duty (7/8-drive) set No. 12E. Also included are listings of individual tools and sockets, plus a small selection of fixed socket wrenches.

• Neill-LaVielle 1942. The 1942 Neill-LaVielle Supply Red Book 8 catalog shows 10 pages of Blackhawk tools, including their line of 7/16-drive sockets and drive tools.

Period Advertisements

Period advertisements also provided valuable information. A 1919 magazine ad shows the Blackhawk No. 8 socket set being offered only a few months after the company's founding, and a 1925 ad provides an interesting snapshot of the early Q.D. line.

Early Interchangeable Socket Sets

Socket wrench sets with interchangeable sockets and drive tools were among the first products offered by Blackhawk.

Fig. 14. Detail From An Early Blackhawk Advertisement, 1919.

The scan in Fig. 14 shows the logo from a 1919 ad for a set of sockets and wrenches, a set that included both hex and square sockets, a ratchet, a sliding Tee-handle, extensions, and open end wrenches.

The early Blackhawk socket sets were sold in wooden boxes with finger-jointed corners, similar to the boxes used by Mossberg and Walden for their sets.

Blackhawk initially produced sockets and drive tools only in the 1/2 square drive size, a size that had been effectively standarized by Mossberg before 1910. Larger drive sizes were offered at a later date, and eventually smaller drive tools became available as well. As far as is known, Blackhawk never produced hex-drive sockets or tools.

Early Marking Conventions

Blackhawk's early socket tools display a variety of different marking styles, with some using the Blackhawk name and others with the Arrowhead logo, some with "U.S.A." markings and others with "Made in U.S.A.", and some without markings at all. When we first started examining these early tools, we tried to attribute the marking differences to different production periods. However, after looking at a greater number of examples, it now appears that except for the case of socket markings, the marking differences were simply due to the type of tool and the production equipment used to mark it.

Blackhawk's sockets did appear to go through several generations of minor marking changes, and these changes may prove helpful in estimating the production date more finely. The list below summarizes the observed markings on the different types of tools.

• 911 Ratchet.

  Stamped with "Blackhawk" and "U.S.A." on the body.

• T4 Handle.

  Stamped with "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." on the bar. Note that this style of marking is also observed on the early fixed socket wrenches, such as the Blackhawk 2119 Tee Handle.

• T6, T8, T10 Extensions.

  Stamped with the Arrowhead logo and "U.S.A." on the square shank.

• Universal.

  Unmarked.

• Sockets.

  Early sockets were marked with the Arrowhead logo with "U.S.A." below. Later sockets placed the "U.S.A." marking to the right of the Arrowhead logo, and still later sockets have "Made in" and "U.S.A." with the Arrowhead logo in the center.

These marking differences persisted only until around 1925 or so. By the time Blackhawk's tools had matured into the "Quick-Disconnect" or Q.D. line, the different styles of marking had all been merged into a uniform "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." convention. We'll look at the Q.D. Tools in the next section.

Early Sockets

Fig. 15. Indian Head Logo from Early Trademark.

In the following figures, we'll first look at Blackhawk's early sockets and tools individually, and then provide examples of the various socket sets.

The earliest Blackhawk sockets were marked with an Arrowhead design enclosing an Indian's head in profile, as shown in the Fig. 15 at the left. (This design was filed as a trademark in 1919.)

In addition, the early sockets were generally stamped "U.S.A." below the Arrowhead logo, but did not include the Blackhawk company name. Slightly later production was stamped with "U.S.A." at the side of the Arrowhead logo, and then with "Made in" and "U.S.A." bracketing the logo.

Socket Construction

Blackhawk manufactured its sockets by machining them from bar steel, followed by broaching for the hex (or square) service opening and 1/2 square drive end, and finally heat-treating for hardening. The sockets were provided with a knurled band as a gripping aid, and initially only the smallest (7/16) size was tapered on the service end. The earliest production had a flat top on the service end, but later production added a dished top and tapered service ends for larger sizes.

In 1919 machined and broached sockets were relatively new for interchangeable socket sets, as previously only a few small companies (such as Will B. Lane) had used machined sockets, and only in a hex-drive configuration. Machined and broached sockets in 1/2 square drive became the dominant socket technology for the 1920s, and with its 1919 entry Blackhawk became the first company to provide such sockets on a production basis.

However, we should note that machined and broached sockets had been used by Walden for its fixed socket wrenches since around 1914, and since Blackhawk was also making fixed socket wrenches, it would have provided production efficiencies to use the same technique for both fixed and interchangeable sockets.

Early "Arrowhead" 1/2-Drive Hex Sockets

Fig. 16. Early Blackhawk 1/2-Drive Hex Sockets, with Inset Showing Arrowhead Logo, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 16 shows a group of very early Blackhawk 1/2-drive hex sockets, each stamped with the fractional size plus the Arrowhead logo with "U.S.A." below.

The socket sizes are, from the left, 11/16, 3/4, 7/8, and 15/16.

These sockets were acquired with a partially complete Blackhawk No. 4 Socket Set shown in a later figure.

The socket construction is cold-broached by the typical first-generation method, with a machined recess below the broached area to allow for chip removal. Note also the presence of a flat machined top on these sockets, a characteristic of Blackhawk's early production. The knurled band in the center was probably intended to provide a better grip for hand turning.

The flat top on the sockets and the use of the Arrowhead logo with "U.S.A." below indicate an early production date, probably in the range of 1919-1921. Later (but still early) socket production provided a machined indentation on the service end, and changed the "U.S.A." marking to "Made in U.S.A." with the Arrowhead logo in between. (See the Large Arrowhead Sockets for comparison.)

Later makers of machined sockets in the 1920s such as Snap-On Wrench, Hinsdale, and Indestro used similar construction techniques for their sockets. The interested reader may want to examine the Snap-On, Hinsdale, or Indestro figures for further information.

Large "Arrowhead" 1/2-Drive 1-1/4 Hex Sockets

Fig. 17. Early Blackhawk 1/2-Drive 1-1/4 Hex Sockets, ca. 1921-1925.

Fig. 17 shows two early 1/2-drive Blackhawk 1-1/4 hex sockets, both marked with the Arrowhead logo. The lefthand socket is marked with "U.S.A." beside the logo, while the righthand socket has "Made in U.S.A." with the logo in the middle.

The righthand socket is of somewhat later production than the lefthand one, since the marking has become the full "Made in U.S.A.", as would be seen on all later tools. Note also that the hex opening of the earlier lefthand socket is machined flush, but the righthand socket provides a hollowed indentation to help guide the socket onto its nut.

Based on the catalog descriptions, these 1-1/4 hex sockets could have been included (as the largest size) in any of the No. 6, No. 8, or No. 10 Combination Sets.

Early Drive Tools

This section will look at Blackhawk's early drive tools, all of which were based on the 1/2 inch square drive standard.

Blackhawk 911 1/2-Drive Reversible Ratchets

The next two figures show examples of early Blackhawk 911 reversible ratchets.

Fig. 18. Blackhawk 911 1/2-Drive Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1919-1924.

Fig. 18 shows an early 1/2-drive Blackhawk 911 reversible ratchet, stamped with "Blackhawk" and "U.S.A." on the handle.

The overall length is 10.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel with a black oxide coating.

This ratchet was originally acquired with a Blackhawk No. 6 Socket Set shown in a later figure. This ratchet is also included in the photograph of the Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set shown below.

Fig. 19. Blackhawk 911 1/2-Drive Reversible Ratchet, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 19 shows another early 1/2-drive Blackhawk 911 reversible ratchet, stamped with "Blackhawk" and "U.S.A." on the body. The original reversing lever for the ratchet has broken off, but the mechanism can be reversed by using a screwdriver to turn the shifter.

The overall length is 10.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This ratchet was acquired as part of the Blackhawk No. 4 Socket Set shown in a later figure.

Readers familiar with the well-known Mossberg 350 Ratchet will recognize the strong similarities between that tool and the Blackhawk 911 ratchet. This suggests that American Grinder must have carefully studied the Mossberg line of socket tools, as well as the Walden line, when designing the tools for their new socket sets.

However, Blackhawk didn't fully capture the engineering of the Mossberg ratchet, as the pressed-steel body of the 911 model was built with sheet metal too thin for the job. In addition, the shift mechanism appears to have been rather fragile. As a result, these ratchets are often found in poor condition, when they can be found at all -- the ratchets are much less common than the socket sets themselves, suggesting that many ratchets have been discarded over the years.

By 1924 Blackhawk had replaced the 911 model with the 911X ratchet, using thicker steel for the body and a push-through drive plug instead of a reversing switch. Blackhawk appears to have learned well from this lesson, as their subsequent tools tended to be engineered for extremely rugged use.

Blackhawk T4 1/2-Drive Sliding Tee Handle

Fig. 20. Blackhawk T4 1/2-Drive Sliding Tee Handle, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 20 shows an early 1/2-drive Blackhawk T4 sliding Tee handle, stamped with "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." on the handle. This tool was acquired as part of the Early Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set shown in a later figure.

The overall length is 7.5 inches, and the bar has a 7/16 diameter. The finish is black paint.

The bar uses pinched tabs at each end to retain the slider, a construction technique used by Blackhawk for most of the 1920s. Later sliding Tee handles used fixed stop-balls at the ends.

The slider itself is made of hexagonal bar stock, an indication of early construction, as this is the way that the first Blackhawk sliding Tee handles were made. If you look carefully at the Early Advertisement for a No. 8 socket set, the sliding Tee handle is illustrated with a hexagonal slider in the lower righthand corner of the box.

On later sliding Tee handles the sliders were milled from round stock, as can be seen on the T4 Sliding Tee Handle in a later section. A 1925 Blackhawk magazine ad shows a breaker bar with a round slider, indicating that the change to round stock had occurred by that time.

Early 1/2-Drive Universal

Fig. 21. Blackhawk 1/2-Drive Universal from No. 4 Socket Set, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 21 shows an early 1/2-drive Blackhawk forged universal, acquired as part of a Blackhawk No. 4 Socket Set shown in a later figure. Although the universal is unmarked, it closely resembles the catalog illustration and is likely the original tool from the set.

The overall length is 4.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This universal is very well made with tight-fitting parts, as can be seen from the careful machining in the photograph. It operates very smoothly after 80+ years in service.

Early socket sets often included forged universals of this type; for example, the Mossberg sockets sets offered in 1912 included a double-male universal.

Early T6 1/2-Drive 6 Inch Extension

Fig. 22. Early Blackhawk T6 1/2-Drive Square 6 Inch Extension, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 22 shows an early 1/2-drive Blackhawk T6 6 inch extension, stamped with "U.S.A." and the Arrowhead logo on the square shank.

The overall length is 5.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This particular extension was acquired as part of a No. 8 socket set. (The T6 extension was supplied with the No. 2, No. 8, and No. 10 socket sets.)

This tool shows the typical construction used for early extensions, with a square shaft and a separate drive socket, and with pinched tabs as stops on the drive end. By the mid 1920s Blackhawk extensions were being made as a one-piece forging or turning, and the pinched tabs had been replaced by a milled shoulder. A later example of this model can be seen as the Blackhawk Q.D. T6 Extension.

Early T8 1/2-Drive 8 Inch Extension

Fig. 23. Early Blackhawk T8 1/2-Drive Square 8 Inch Extension, with Inset for Detail, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 23 shows an early 1/2-drive Blackhawk T8 8 inch extension, stamped with "U.S.A." and the Arrowhead logo on the square shank.

The overall length is 7.6 inches, but it may have been slightly longer originally; the socket end appears to have been trimmed a bit.

The T8 extension was supplied as part of the No. 4 and No. 6 sets.

This particular tool was acquired separately from the sets shown here, but is substantially identical to the extension in the Blackhawk No. 4 Socket Set shown in another figure.

This tool exhibits the typical construction used for early extensions, with a square shaft and a separate drive socket, and with pinched tabs as stops on the drive end. By the mid 1920s Blackhawk extensions were being made as a one-piece forging or turning, and the pinched tabs had been replaced by a milled shoulder. A later example of the T8 extension can be seen as the Blackhawk Q.D. T8 Extension.

Early T10 1/2-Drive 10 Inch Extension

Fig. 24. Early Blackhawk T10 1/2-Drive 10 Inch Extension, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1919-1924.

Fig. 24 shows an early 1/2-drive Blackhawk T10 10 inch extension, stamped with "U.S.A." and the Arrowhead logo on the square shank.

The overall length is 9.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The model T10 extension was supplied as part of the No. 8 and No. 10 socket sets, and this particular tool was acquired as part of a No. 8 socket set. Later examples of the T10 extension can be seen as the Blackhawk Q.D. T10 Extensions.

Early 5/8x3/4 Stamped Steel Open-End Wrench

Although not a "drive tool", this next figure shows one of the accessory tools included in the larger Blackhawk socket sets.

Fig. 25. Early Blackhawk 5/8x3/4 Stamped Steel Open-End Wrench, ca. 1919-1924.

Fig. 25 shows an early Blackhawk 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench of stamped steel construction, stamped with "Blackhawk U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 7.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The Blackhawk No.8 and No. 10 "Combination Sets" included five open-end wrenches as part of their accessory tools. The inclusion of open-end wrenches can be seen as a holdover from the earlier Mossberg and Walden pressed-steel sets.

Socket Sets

In 1919 Blackhawk began offering 1/2-drive interchangeable socket sets in five models, the Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 "Combination" sets. At the low end, the No. 2 set offered a modest collection of six sockets with a sliding Tee handle and extension. At the opposite end, the No. 10 set offered a large assortment of sockets and drive tools including a ratchet, brace, and sliding Tee handle, plus miscellaneous tools such as pliers and open-end wrenches. The full contents of each set are summarized in the table below.

No. 4 "Combination Set" Socket Sets

The Blackhawk No. 4 "Combination Set" was one of their more popular early models, and we're fortunate to have acquired several examples, in various states of completion and condition.

Fig. 26. Early Blackhawk 1/2-Drive No. 4 Socket Set, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 26 shows a partial Blackhawk No. 4 1/2-drive socket set in a wooden box. The set also included a forged universal joint, but unfortunately the other drive tools (a ratchet and an extension) were missing when the set was acquired.

Although the box no longer retained the original label, the set was identified by an illustration in the 1925 catalog No. 73 from Dunham, Carrigan, and Hayden, a wholesale hardware distributor. The catalog shows this as a Blackhawk No. 4 Combination Set, and also shows other similar Blackhawk socket sets.

The sockets in the back row are all 6-point, with sizes (from the left) 15/16, 7/8, 3/4, 11/16, 5/8 (missing), 9/16, and 1/2. At the front right is a 9/16 4-point socket.

Some of the sockets in this set are shown in greater detail in as the Arrowhead Sockets above. One detail to note is that the tops of the sockets are turned flat, without the indentation provided in later sockets. This indicates an early production date for this set, probably from 1919-1921.

Fig. 27. Early Blackhawk 1/2-Drive No. 4 Socket Set, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 27 shows another example of the Blackhawk No. 4 socket set, this time in complete but well-used condition. The set consists of a 911 reversible ratchet, a T8 extension, a universal, seven hex sockets, and one square socket.

The inside of the cover still has the original label (although in rather tattered condition) identifying this as a "No. 4 Combination Set".

The hex sockets in the back row have sizes (from the left) 15/16, 7/8, 3/4, 11/16, 5/8, 9/16, and 1/2. At the front right is a 9/16 square socket. All of the sockets are stamped "U.S.A." with the Arrowhead logo.

Our earliest catalog reference for this set is the 1919 Blackhawk Catalog, which offered Blackhawk socket sets Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, along with a wide selection of other Blackhawk tools.

According to the catalog listing, the No. 4 set included eight sockets, a ratchet, an extension, and a universal joint, together with a wooden box.

Early Blackhawk No. 6 "Combination Set" Socket Set

The Blackhawk No. 6 set was the middle model of their early line, similar to the No. 4 set but with a greater number of hex sockets.

Fig. 28. Early Blackhawk No. 6 Socket Set, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 28 shows an early Blackhawk No. 6 "Combination Set" socket set in its wooden box, consisting of a 911 ratchet, T8 extension, and 15 hex sockets ranging from 7/16 up to 1-1/4. The original set would have included a T4 sliding Tee handle and a universal joint as well.

The set is marked with a paper sticker on the inside of the lid, printed with the text "Blackhawk" and "Rust-Proof Socket-Wrenches" between two Arrowhead logos, and with "No. 6 Combination Set" below.

The hex socket sizes in the front row are, from the left, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 19/32, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, and 13/16. Continuing in the back from the right, the sizes are 7/8, 15/16, 31/32, 1 inch, 1-1/16, 1-1/8, and 1-1/4.

All of the sockets are stamped with the fractional size and the Arrowhead logo, with "U.S.A." below the logo. The sockets have a band of cross-hatched knurling around the center, with a very fine-pitched knurling on most of the sockets, but coarser knurling on some. The finish is black oxide.

The ratchet in the set can be seen in greater detail as the Blackhawk 911 Reversible Ratchet.

Label from No. 6 Socket Set

Fig. 29. Label from A Blackhawk No. 6 Combination Set.

Fig. 29 shows a close-up of the label from the Blackhawk No. 6 socket set, printed with the text "Blackhawk" and "Rust-Proof Socket-Wrenches" between two Arrowhead logos, and with "No. 6 Combination Set" below. Note also the words "Service", "Quality", and "Finish" on the top of the Arrowhead logo.

This label is basically identical to the tattered label for the No. 4 set shown above, except for the "No. 6" marking.

Early Blackhawk No. 8 "Combination Set" Socket Set

Fig. 30. 1919 Advertisement for Blackhawk No. 8 Combination Set.

The next several figures will show the Blackhawk No. 8 socket set, the second largest of the early socket sets. We'll begin by showing an early advertisement from 1919, published only a few months after the sets were first offered.

Fig. 30 shows an advertisement for a Blackhawk No. 8 socket set, published on page 62 of the August 10, 1919 issue of Motor Boat magazine. As can be seen from the illustration, the set included a generous number of sockets, together with a square-drive ratchet, sliding Tee handle, extensions, universal, extensions, and other tools.

The timing of this advertisement is significant, as it shows that Blackhawk was already selling heavy-duty square drive socket sets well before the founding of the Snap-On Wrench Company, their neighbor (and later rival) in Milwaukee.

An early example of the No. 8 set, similar to the illustration in the advertisement, can be seen in the next figure.

Fig. 31. Early Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 31 shows an early Blackhawk No. 8 "Combination Set" socket set in its wooden box, consisting of a 911 reversible ratchet, T4 sliding Tee handle, T6 extension, T10 extension, universal, 16 hex sockets, three square sockets, and a double-ended spark plug socket. (Some additional pieces are missing, as noted below.)

The set is marked with a paper sticker on the inside of the lid, printed with the text "Blackhawk" and "Rust-Proof Socket-Wrenches" between two Arrowhead logos, and with "Combination Set No. 8" below.

The tools in the set have various marking conventions, with some showing the Blackhawk name, others using the Arrowhead logo, and with one piece (the universal) unmarked.

The set as acquired had most of its sockets, but only two of the original tools remained, the T4 sliding Tee handle and the universal joint. The other tools in the photograph been borrowed from similar early sets. A few pieces are missing, as the specifications for the set included five stamped-steel open-end wrenches and a hooked bar for the spark plug socket.

The wooden box is very well made with finger-jointed corners. The dimensions are 15.4 inches wide by 8.7 inches deep by 2.4 inches high.

Since the set is rather large for one photograph, we've included a separate view to show the tools in greater detail.

Fig. 32. Bottom Part of Early Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 32 shows the bottom part of the No. 8 socket set.

The hex socket sizes in the front row are, starting fourth from the left, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 19/32, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, and 25/32. The sizes in the back row are, from the right, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 31/32, 1 inch, 1-1/16, 1-1/8, and 1-1/4.

The three square sockets in the front are, from the left, 9/16, 1/2, and 7/16.

All of the sockets are stamped with the fractional size and the Arrowhead logo, with "U.S.A." below the logo. The sockets have a band of fine cross-hatched knurling around the center, and the finish is black oxide.

The lower bay on the right contains, from top to bottom, a T4 Sliding Tee Handle, 911 Reversible Ratchet, T6 6 Inch Extension, and T10 10 Inch Extension.

The lower bay on the left holds a spark plug socket and an unmarked universal joint. The spark plug socket is a Blackhawk 3731 31/32x1-5/32 socket borrowed from a later No. 10 set. Blackhawk made two sizes of spark plug sockets for its early sets, model 3329 with sizes 29/32x1-1/32 and the model 3731. The catalog specifications for the No. 8 set indicate that one spark plug socket was included, but so far we haven't found an indication of which size was specified.

Fig. 33. Label for Early Blackhawk No. 8 Socket Set, ca. 1919-1921.

Fig. 33 shows a close-up of the paper label for the No. 8 socket set, printed with the text "Blackhawk" and "Rust-Proof Socket-Wrenches" between two Arrowhead logos, and with "Combination Set No. 8" below. Note also the words "Service", "Quality", and "Finish" on the top of the Arrowhead logo.

This was the standard label used for the early Blackhawk sets, with the model number changed to indicate the specific set.

Several production and marking details indicate that this set was made at an early date. The sliding Tee handle has a hex slider, instead of the round slider used later. The sockets in the set are marked with "U.S.A." below the Arrowhead, instead of at the right, and the sockets have a band of finely cross-hatched knurling. In addition, the tops of the sockets are machined flat, instead of the slight depression used for later production.

One further detail may indicate very early production. Note that of the hex sockets, only the smallest (7/16) size has tapered upper walls. Other early sets have been observed with tapered walls on two or three of the smaller sockets, suggesting that Blackhawk progressively added tapered walls. (The later Q.D. sockets had tapered walls for all sizes.) Under this hypothesis, the single tapered wall socket in this set would indicate a very early production date.

Blackhawk No. 10 "Combination Set" Socket Set

The largest of the early Blackhawk sets was the No. 10 "Combination Set", which added a speeder, a larger selection of square sockets, and various miscellaneous tools. We have an example of the No. 10 set and are preparing it for display in the future.

Fixed Socket Wrenches

Fixed socket wrenches for automobile service were among the first products offered by Blackhawk. Based on a 1920 catalog from Marshall Auto Supply, Blackhawk was offering a broad line of such tools in just its first year of operation. Not surprisingly, the Blackhawk fixed socket wrenches were very similar to those offered by Walden-Worcester, the leading maker of fixed socket wrenches at that time.

Welded Socket Construction

The sockets of the earliest Blackhawk wrenches were attached by crimping the rod, so that the socket was directly butted against the end. By late 1920 Blackhawk had developed a technique for welding a socket to a wrench shank, and the smooth welded joint gave these later tools a distinctive appearance.

Fig. 35. 1920 Notice of Welded Socket Wrenches. [External Link]

Fig. 35 shows a notice documenting the production change, as published on page 32 of the November 25, 1920 issue of Motor Age.

The 1920 date for this change is earlier than we had originally estimated, and some of Blackhawk's own advertisements may have continued to show the older style of socket attachment well after this date.

Since the change was made late in 1920, we'll use 1921 as the approximate inception date for welded wrenches.

This use of welded construction is believed to be unique to Blackhawk, as most other producers of socket wrenches used some sort of crimping technique to attach the sockets. The use of welded sockets was also a highly touted feature in Blackhawk's advertising, and it remains a useful feature for us, as a guide to the approximate manufacturing date of the tools.

In this section we'll look at fixed socket wrenches with standard handles in Ell, Tee, and speeder configurations. These represent the "general service" part of the category, tools that could be used for a wide variety of service jobs on any make of automobile. More specialized tools (including specialty fixed socket wrenches) will be covered in the next section.

Fig. 36. 1920 Catalog Listing for Blackhawk Fixed Socket Wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 36 shows a selection of Blackhawk socket wrenches, as published on page 235 of the Marshall Auto Supply catalog "A" from around 1920. This page shows the 31xx series long Tee, 21xx series short Tee, and 11xx series Ell socket wrenches.

At the left in the illustration is a No. 360 merchandising display board.

11xx-Series Ell-Handle Wrenches

We'll begin this section with an early example using the crimped method of socket attachment.

1114 7/16 Ell-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 37. Blackhawk Model 1114 7/16 Ell-Handle Wrench, with Insets for Top View and Marking Detail, ca. 1919-1920.

Fig. 37 shows an early Blackhawk 1114 1/2 Ell-handle socket wrench, stamped "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." with the model number and fractional size on the shank.

The overall length is 7.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This wrench has a crimped rather than welded socket, indicating early production from 1919 to 1920.

1116 1/2 Ell-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 38. Blackhawk Model 1116 1/2 Ell-Handle Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1921-1928.

Fig. 38 shows a Blackhawk 1116 1/2 Ell-handle socket wrench with a welded socket, stamped "Blackhawk" with the model number and fractional size on the shank.

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

This type of wrench is similar to tools made by Walden-Worcester and Mossberg, such as the Walden-Worcester 2524 Ell-Handle Wrench.

1125 25/32 Ell-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 39. Blackhawk Model 1125 25/32 Ell-Handle Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1921-1928.

Fig. 39 shows a Blackhawk 1125 25/32 Ell-handle socket wrench with a welded socket, stamped "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." with the fractional size and model number on the shank.

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

This type of wrench is similar to tools made by Walden-Worcester and Mossberg, such as the Walden-Worcester 2524 Ell-Handle Wrench.

21xx-Series Short Tee Socket Wrenches

2116 1/2 Short Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 40. Blackhawk Model 2116 1/2 Short Tee-Handle Wrench, ca. 1921-1928.

Fig. 40 shows a Blackhawk model 2116 1/2 short Tee-handle wrench, stamped with "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 7.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Note here that the socket has been welded to the handle rod, a technique developed by Blackhawk in late 1920. This construction set Blackhawk apart from most of their competitors, who typically used some sort of crimping technique to attach the sockets.

Blackhawk's short Tee-handle wrenches had been discontinued by 1929, but some models in the long Tee-handle 31xx series were still in production.

2118 9/16 Short Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 41. Blackhawk Model 2118 9/16 Short Tee-Handle Wrench, with Inset for Detail, ca. 1921-1928.

Fig. 41 shows another example of the short Tee wrenches, a Blackhawk 2118 9/16 short Tee-handle wrench, stamped with "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the wrench has a few traces of the original black paint remaining.

As with the previous figure, the socket here has been welded to the handle rod, the construction technique used by Blackhawk from about 1924 onward.

2119 19/32 Short Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 42. Blackhawk 2119 19/32 Short Tee-Handle Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1919-1920.

Fig. 42 shows an early Blackhawk 2119 19/32 short Tee-handle socket wrench, stamped "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." with the model number and fractional size on the shank.

The overall length is 7.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The socket on this wrench is crimped to the shaft rather than welded, as can be seen in the lower inset, indicating an earlier production date.

This type of wrench (possibly even this particular example) was among the first tools made by Blackhawk Manufacturing in 1919. The wrench is quite similar to models made by Walden-Worcester and Mossberg, such as the Walden-Worcester 2620 Tee-Handle Wrench.

2124 3/4 Short Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 43. Blackhawk 2124 3/4 Short Tee-Handle Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1919-1920.

Fig. 43 shows an early Blackhawk 2124 3/4 short Tee-handle socket wrench, stamped "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." with the model number and fractional size on the shank.

The overall length is 7.4 inches, and the finish is black paint.

The socket on this wrench is crimped to the shaft rather than welded, indicating an earlier production date.

2125 25/32 Short Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 44. Blackhawk Model 2125 25/32 Short Tee-Handle Wrench, with Inset for Detail, ca. 1921-1928.

Fig. 44 shows a model 2125 25/32 short Tee-handle socket wrench, stamped "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel, with traces of black paint.

31xx-Series Long Tee-Handle Wrenches

3118 9/16 Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 45. Blackhawk 3118 9/16 Long Tee-Handle Wrench, with Insets for Marking and Construction Detail, 1921-1928.

Fig. 45 shows a later example of the 31xx series long Tee-handle wrenches, a model 3118 9/16 wrench with a welded socket. The shank is stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the model and fractional size.

The overall length is 12.1 inches. The finish is plain steel with some pitting due to rust.

3120 5/8 Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 46. Blackhawk 3120 5/8 Long Tee-Handle Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1919-1920.

Fig. 46 shows an early model 3120 5/8 long Tee-handle socket wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 12.2 inches. The finish is plain steel with some traces of the original black paint.

As with the other early examples, the socket on this wrench is crimped to the shaft rather than welded, indicating production in 1920 or before.

3124 3/4 Tee-Handle Socket Wrench

Fig. 47. Blackhawk Model 3124 3/4 Long Tee-Handle Wrench, with Inset for Detail, ca. 1924-1928.

Fig. 47 shows a model 3124 3/4 long Tee-handle socket wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 11.9 inches, and most of the original black paint finish remains intact.

Although some of the 31xx series wrenches were still in production in 1929, the 3/4 size had already been discontinued by that time.

Speeder Socket Wrenches

Blackhawk offered speeder socket wrenches in a 41xx short series and a 61xx long series, in addition to various specialty speeders.

Early 4116 1/2 Speeder Socket Wrench

The next figures show two generations of the Blackhawk 4116 speeder socket wrench.

Fig. 48. Blackhawk Early 4116 1/2 Speeder Socket Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1919-1920.

Fig. 48 shows an early Blackhawk 4116 1/2 speeder socket wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank near the end piece.

The overall length is 13.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel, with some pitting due to rust.

On this early example the socket is attached with crimped construction. A later example with welded construction can be seen as the Blackhawk 4116 Speeder Socket Wrench.

Fig. 49. Blackhawk 4116 1/2 Speeder Socket Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1925-1930.

Fig. 49 shows a later Blackhawk 4116 1/2 speeder socket wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank near the socket.

The overall length is 14.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of the original black paint.

The socket of this wrench is attached with the welded construction characteristic of mid 1920s Blackhawk.

An earlier example can be seen as the Blackhawk Early 4116 Speeder Socket Wrench.

6118 9/16 Long Speeder Socket Wrench

Fig. 50. Blackhawk 6118 9/16 Long Speeder Socket Wrench, with Inset for Detail, ca. 1921-1930.

Fig. 50 shows a Blackhawk 6118 9/16 long speeder socket wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." as shown in the right inset.

The overall length is 19.2 inches.

The socket is attached with the welded construction characteristic of Blackhawk.

Early Specialty Tools

In addition to the broad categories of interchangeable socket sets and fixed-socket wrenches, Blackhawk offered various other types of automotive service tools.

516 1/2 Universal Tee Socket Wrench

In addition to its regular series of short and long Tee handle socket wrenches, Blackhawk produced a more specialized version with a universal socket.

Fig. 51. Blackhawk 516 1/2 Universal Tee Socket Wrench, with Insets for Marking and Construction Detail, ca. 1921+.

Fig. 51 shows a rare Blackhawk 516 1/2 universal Tee socket wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank. The upper inset shows the hexagonal broaching of the universal socket.

The overall length is 13.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel, with pitting due to rust.

The welded construction indicates production in 1921 or later.

4916 (1/2x5/8)x1/2 Triple Socket Wrench

Our next example shows a very popular early style of socket wrench, with two sockets in a "T" at one end and a single socket at the other.

Fig. 52. Blackhawk Model 4916 (1/2x5/8)x1/2 Triple Socket Wrench, ca. 1921+.

Fig. 52 shows the Blackhawk 4916 (1/2x5/8)x1/2 triple-socket wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." and with some of its original paint remaining.

The overall length is 9.7 inches.

In this style of wrench the single socket typically repeated one of the sizes on the Tee end, so that once a nut had been broken loose, the single socket could quickly spin it off.

Note that this wrench has a welded socket on the long end, the characteristic construction technique used by Blackhawk. A 1924 Western Auto catalog lists a wrench of this size and type in a group of similar tools, under the heading "Wrenches for Chevrolet Cars". Although Blackhawk isn't mentioned by name, the catalog description notes the use of welded sockets, which pretty much confirms Blackhawk as the maker. The application suggests this model for oil pan bolts and transmission covers, and the price was a mere $0.58.

4924 9/16x3/4 Double Socket Wrench

Fig. 53. Blackhawk 4924 9/16x3/4 Double Socket Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1925-1927.

Fig. 53 shows a Blackhawk 4924 9/16x3/4 double socket wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 10.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

We haven't yet found a catalog reference for this particular model, but the 1927 Blackhawk catalog lists a very similar model 4924X wrench with an L-shaped shank, instead of the looped shank shown here. The 4924X wrench is listed for Chevrolet applications, with the 3/4 socket fitting the cylinder head bolts and the 9/16 size for connecting-rod nuts. The looped shank is believed to be an earlier version of the wrench.

Early 4020 5/8 Ford Connecting Rod Socket Wrench

Our next example is an early specialty tool, designed specifically for servicing the Ford Model T fourth connecting rod.

Fig. 54. Early Blackhawk 4020 5/8 Connecting Rod Wrench, with Inset for Markings, ca. 1919-1920.

Fig. 54 shows an early Blackhawk 4020 5/8 socket wrench marked "Made in U.S.A.", and seen here in what appears to be the original black paint, as this tool is in exceptionally good condition. The overall length is 13.5 inches.

Catalog references for this tool were noted in the 1920 Marshall Auto Supply catalog "A", 1924 Ducommun catalog "F", and 1925 Dunham catalog No. 73. The catalogs called this the "Improved Connecting Rod Wrench", as the offset in the shank would help to clear obstacles.

Note that the socket here is not welded, but is attached by crimping the end of the rod. This is an indication of an early production date, as Blackhawk switched to welded sockets late in 1920.

4120 5/8 Ford Connecting Rod Socket Wrench

The infamous 4th connecting rod of the model T required a special offset wrench for service, unless one was inclined to lift the entire motor from the car. This next figure shows an example of a specialty connecting rod wrench designed for this application.

Fig. 55. Blackhawk 4120 5/8 Connecting Rod Socket Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1921+.

Fig. 55 shows a Blackhawk 4120 5/8 socket wrench with an offset shank, designed for servicing the 4th connecting rod of the Model T. The shank is stamped "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." along with the size and model number.

The overall length is 11.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Note the welded construction used to attach the socket to the wrench handle, a technique used by Blackhawk from about 1921 onward.

4122 11/16 Ford Flywheel Capscrew Socket Wrench

The flywheel capscrews on the Ford Model T were located in an awkward position requiring a specially designed wrench for access. The next two figures show examples of specialty socket wrenches designed for this application, with an offset shaft to provide clearance.

Fig. 56. Blackhawk 4122 11/16 Flywheel Socket Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1921+.

Fig. 56 shows a Blackhawk 4122 11/16 socket wrench with an offset shank, designed to service the flywheel capscrews on the Model T. The shank is stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the size and model number.

The overall length is 12.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

One detail to note regarding the wrench construction is that the socket is welded (or brazed) to the shaft. Blackhawk used its welded construction in advertising in the mid 1920s.

Similar tools were available from Walden and possibly other companies; for example, the 1924 Beckley-Ralston catalog shows a model 6250 wrench called a "Flywheel Capscrew Wrench for Ford".

4422 11/16 Ford Flywheel Capscrew Socket Wrench

Fig. 57. Blackhawk 4422 11/16 Flywheel Socket Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. Late 1920s.

Fig. 57 shows an improved successor to the model 4122 wrench, a Blackhawk 4422 11/16 flywheel socket wrench, stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the size and model number.

The overall length is 12.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This shank of this wrench has an offset similar to the previous 4122 model, but the socket is constructed with a much heavier wall, with one side cut away for clearance (see lower inset).

Early 6218 9/16 Nut-Holding Speeder Socket Wrench

Fig. 58. Early Blackhawk 6218 9/16 Nut-Holding Speeder Socket Wrench, with Inset for Markings, ca. 1919-1920.

Fig. 58 shows another early specialty tool of unusual design, a Blackhawk 6218 9/16 speeder socket wrench with a second socket on a sliding extension. As can be seen from the photograph, the basic tool operates as a fixed-socket speeder wrench, and the sliding extension carries an additional holding socket.

In use, the sliding extension was pushed out and slipped over the bolt head, and the spring then held it in place while the speeder loosened or tightened the nut.

What was the motivation for this tool? Certain service jobs required turning nuts on bolts that were not secured by other parts, so that the bolt would need to be held while the nut was turned. Since a speeder wrench really needs two hands for efficient operation, placing a bolt-holding extension on the shank allows the speeder to work, well, speedily.

The idea for this tool actually goes back to Walden-Worcester, who noticed that the rather obscure patent #1,164,815 for agricultural tools could be adapted to automotive use. Walden's version of this tool was built as an extension adapter that could be bolted onto a standard speeder, and an example can be seen as the Walden-Worcester 6418 Nut-Holding Extension. Incidentally, Blackhawk's copying of Walden's idea became one of the claims in a lawsuit filed by Walden.

The catalogs recommended this particular tool for Model T engine base bolts, but there were probably many other applications as well. Blackhawk also made a similar 6216 model with a 1/2 socket, which was recommended for Model T rear axle service jobs.

3416 1/2x1-1/16 Double-Socket Wrench

Fig. 59. Blackhawk 3416 1/2x1-1/16 Double-Socket Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Construction Detail, ca. 1920s.

Fig. 59 shows a Blackhawk 3416 1/2x1-1/16 double-socket wrench, pairing a 1-1/16 hex socket with a 1/2 square socket. The wrench is stamped "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 10.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of the original black paint.

The specific application for this wrench is not yet known.

144 (1/2x5/8)x9/16 Triple-Socket Wrench

Fig. 60. Blackhawk 144 (1/2x5/8)x9/16 Triple-Socket Wrench, ca. 1924.

Fig. 60 shows a Blackhawk 144 triple-socket wrench with sizes 1/2x5/8 and 9/16, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 10.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of the original black paint.

This wrench is listed in the Ducommun catalog "F" of 1924 as a recommended tool for Buick automobiles.

4021 21/32 Connecting Rod Wrench

Fig. 61. Blackhawk 4021 21/32 Connecting Rod Wrench, ca. 1928-1932.

Fig. 61 shows a Blackhawk 4021 21/32 offset connecting rod wrench, marked "Made in U.S.A." and with a knurled handle. The overall length is 12.0 inches.

Wrenches in this style were made from the early 1920s on by Blackhawk and a number of other manufacturers. However, this particular size would have been produced only after 1928, when Ford started using 21/32 connecting rod bolts. (The 1928 date is mentioned in the Samuel Harris catalog, but is probably already well known to Ford antique auto buffs.)

4124 3/4 Ford Main Bearing Socket Wrench

Our next figure shows a specialty tool designed for Ford main bearing applications, and an early example of 12-point socket wrenches as well.

Fig. 62. Blackhawk 4124 3/4 Ford Main Bearing Socket Wrench, with Insets for Marking and Broaching, ca. Late 1920s.

Fig. 62 shows a Blackhawk 4124 3/4 offset socket wrench, stamped "Blackhawk Made in U.S.A." on the offset shank with a knurled handle.

The overall length is 15.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The lower inset shows the socket with its 12-point broaching. This model appears to have been one of the earliest 12-point socket wrenches produced by Blackhawk.

This wrench was listed in the 1927 Blackhawk No. 327 catalog, where it was recommended for Ford rear bearing service with the engine still installed. The offset handle and 12-point broaching were intended to help avoid the obstacles inherent in this application.

4222 11/16 Ratcheting Box Wrenches

The next figures show examples of another type of specialty tool, a ratcheting box wrench intended for Model T reverse and brake band adjustments.

Fig. 63. Blackhawk 4222 11/16x15/16 Transmission Band Wrench, ca. 1919-1925.

Fig. 63 shows a Blackhawk model 4222 11/16 ratcheting box wrench with a 15/16 fixed box end, stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the handle.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The wrench is constructed of laminated sheet metal with two layers, with a stepped bend providing space for the ratchet gear and pawl.

The 1930 catalog refers to this as a transmission band wrench, and notes that the larger box end could also be used for some spark plugs.

The model 4222 wrench remained in production for a number of years, and during this time Blackhawk made incremental improvements in the design and construction.

Fig. 64. Blackhawk 4222 11/16x15/16 Transmission Band Wrench, Later Model, ca. 1925-1930.

Fig. 64 shows a later version of the model 4222 11/16x15/16 wrench, this time with three laminated layers for increased strength.

Note also that the ratchet end has a wider neck and is offset for extra strength.

Other manufacturers made similar ratcheting wrenches, including Bog, Mossberg, and Walden. Examples include the Bog 11/16 Ratcheting Box Wrench and Mossberg 645 11/16 Ratcheting Box Wrench.

4230 Head Bolt and Spark Plug Wrench

Fig. 65. Blackhawk 4230 5/8x15/16 Head Bolt and Spark Plug Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1919-1929.

Fig. 65 shows a Blackhawk 4230 specialty wrench combining a 5/8 socket with a 15/16 offset box, intended as a Model T Ford head bolt and spark plug wrench.

The wrench is marked "Made in U.S.A." and has an overall length of 11.0 inches. The finish is plain steel.

This wrench is listed in a Blackhawk Mechanic's Guide from 1929, at a price of $0.65 net, but apparently had been discontinued by 1930.

The inset shows the side of the wrench to illustrate the deep offset at the box end, providing an example of early use of the offset box configuration. The socket is attached to the handle with a pin through the back of the socket.

This wrench is very similar to the Walden 3620 Wrench described in our article on Walden-Worcester. Another tool frequently used for Model T spark-plug service was an open-end/socket combination, of which the Herbrand 2334 Wrench is a good example.

2520 Buick Offset Socket Wrench

Fig. 66. Blackhawk 2520 5/8 Offset Socket Wrench, with Insets for Construction and Marking Detail, ca. 1928-1930.

Fig. 66 shows a Blackhawk 2520 offset socket wrench with size 5/8, designed for Buick motor block service. The wrench is stamped "Made in U.S.A." on the shank.

The overall length is 15.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This wrench model was first offered in the 1928 Blackhawk catalog for use on Buick Standard six cylinder motor blocks. The catalog notes that the wrench will service all of the motor block stud nuts except the right rear, for which the No. 2320 wrench was needed.

2018 9/16x5/8 Box-End Battery Wrench

Fig. 67. Blackhawk 2018 9/16x5/8 Box-End Battery Wrench, ca. 1920s.

Fig. 67 shows a Blackhawk 2018 9/16x5/8 box-end wrench, marked with "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank, with the sizes and model number forged into the back side.

The overall length is 5.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

4950 Chevrolet Clutch S-Shaped Box Wrench

The next figure shows a specialty wrench designed for Chevrolet clutch applications.

Fig. 68. Blackhawk 4950 3/4x1 S-Shaped Box-End Wrench, for Chevrolet Clutch Service, ca. 1925-1927.

In Fig. 68 we see the Blackhawk 4950 S-shaped box-end wrench, with sizes 3/4x1 in 12-point broachings. The wrench is marked with "Blackhawk" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank.

The overall length is 8.2 inches.

The box ends are very thin, apparently a requirement of the application, and have 12-point broachings.

This wrench is listed in a 1925 catalog from Dunham, Carrigan, and Hayden, making it one of the earliest known examples of a 12-point box-end wrench.

5104 4-in-1 Multi-Socket Rim Wrench

Fig. 69. Blackhawk 5104 4-in-1 Multi-Socket Rim Wrench, with Insets for Detail and Markings, ca. 1926-1930.

Fig. 69 shows a Blackhawk 5104 4-way multi-socket rim wrench of distinctive design, marked "4 In 1 Rim-Wrench" and "Made in U.S.A.", with a "Pat. Dec. 4, 1923" patent date.

The overall length is 18.3 inches in the operating position and 19.4 inches when fully extended.

The rotating socket cluster has openings 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, and 7/8, all with hex broachings. In operation, the socket carrier slides to the end of the shaft to unlock the sockets, and the desired opening can then be rotated into position. When the carrier is moved back, the end of the shaft locks the socket cluster in place, and the tool is ready for use.

The patent date refers to patent #1,476,058, issued to J.B. Drahonovsky and assigned to American Grinder Manufacturing, the parent company of Blackhawk. Additional patent notations were marked on the rotating hand grips for the well-known patent #1,574,136, issued on February 23, 1926. These notations were too worn to photograph here, but examples can be seen seen in later figures.

Other examples of later 4-way rim wrenches can be seen as the Walden 1452 4-Way Multi-Socket Rim Wrench and Bog 415 4-Way Multi-Socket Rim Wrench.