Another tool story

[wayne R]

Thought i would follow on from Rolfs item on tools.
In my opinion this is the best made phillips screw driver ever made.
Yes made in good old USA,----the make is  Apex Daytona,the plastic one about 20 years old is a later version of
the original wooden handle version,that is 45 years old.
They are 12 inches long, and last a life time, because when the tip wears out, you just buy
new 4 or3 inch tips available anywhere, held in with spring clip.
The extra length gives you incredable power and strong on extra hard screws to remove.
The wooden ones, i purchased 6 of these from US,  40 years ago , when i managed a Aluminuim
window workshop in NewZealand and i kept this one all those years.
I dont think they are available now, but if you ever see these old  ones for sale grab it, you wont regret it.

[stickandrudderman]

When I was 18 my father bought me a craftsman tool kit.
I still have some of those tools and they are still as good as ever.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hi Colin,

I bet that tool kit from your Dad helped to make you one of the best Pagoda/Pagode Mechanics

Dieter

[neelyrc]

When I was 18 my father bought me a craftsman tool kit.
I still have some of those tools and they are still as good as ever.

I suspect that the craftsman tool kit Stick's father bought for him was not a kit of the "Craftsman" brand that we know in the USA.  In the USA "Craftsman" was the store brand of Sears Roebuck and Company (the brand is now owned by Stanley Black and Decker) and was a high quality, but economical tool  with a life time, unconditional guarantee.

In the 1950s as a teenager I first started wrenching on motorcycles and then on cars, mostly flathead Fords.  I bought myself a Craftsman brand tool box, a set of Craftsman 1/2" drive sockets and a set of Craftsman open end wrenches.  When I had a little  spare money and as I tackled more complicated work I would add tools, usually Craftsman.  I stall have the box and most of the original tools.  See picture of the box with some of the tools below.

[Mike Hughes]

That's a great toolbox, Ralph! You've got a wonderful set of decals there, too! That basic Craftsman box had changed very little by the time I bought my first teen-age driver's tools and box in 1970 - only the removable tool tray was painted same silver gray as the exterior and the handle on the lid was plastic instead of rolled metal.  It just barely fit in the space between the fuel filler neck, spare tire and chassis rail in the trunk of my first MGB and has been well used in many cars over the years.  Like you, I've still got most of those tools, but started out with 3/8 drive sockets.

[stickandrudderman]

I suspect that the craftsman tool kit Stick's father bought for him was not a kit of the "Craftsman" brand that we know in the USA.  In the USA "Craftsman" was the store brand of Sears Roebuck and Company (the brand is now owned by Stanley Black and Decker) and was a high quality, but economical tool  with a life time, unconditional guarantee.

My Father was a steward on Concorde and was in America every week so yes, it is this brand I'm referring to.

[neelyrc]

Stick, please accept my apology for suspecting otherwise. 

Being a gift from your father, I am sure your Craftsman tools have great sentimental value in addition to their utilitarian value.

[waltklatt]

I'm also joining Stick in the ranks of just losing my father-1/21/2019.
Will collect all of his tools and sort them out, keeping most and leaving a good set with my mother's house.

It's a joy to see the worn, scratched and nicked surfaces of the old tools.

Walter

[Mike Hughes]

I'm so sorry to hear of your father's passing, Walter.  I suspect in days to come sorting through the tools will bring back a lot of fond memories of times shared passing them to and working with him.