Cleaning Up Old Sockets

I?ve been trying to complete a set of older Craftsman 1/2 drive sockets - found a few on eBay, but they came with a previous owner initials. I?d already tried the dremel buffer, simple bench grinder, even headlight polish, but on these I used a 3M Deburring Wheel on a bench grinder. Takes a little patience, but the outcome was worth it to me. I?m sure I?ve removed some of the vintage plating, and for some that may be a bad thing ? but for the ones in this collection, they?ll never be out in a tractor box, pickup truck or dropped in the snow or dirt again.


<image src="http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/photos/mvphoto13016.jpg"/>

<image src="http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/photos/mvphoto13017.jpg"/>
 
yikes, i did not know i was vintage. got my first set of craftsman tools with those sockets at age 15, just 55 years ago. still have all of them plus some. nice job on the finish.
 
are you collecting craftsman tools? I have a bunch(extras) of old craftsman sockets thrown in a box.Maybe I should send em to you.Or start my own 'collection'.
 
Sounds like a totally paranoid previous owner or the guy worked with a bunch of thieves. What you have done is remove the chrome finish. Going to rust.
 
The craftsman's I bought for school in the late 70's when engraved the outer plating then will peel off and cut you ! The older ones dad has don't seem plated but chrome made into the steel ?
Your's look like the older ones too.
 
Some of my dad's sockets had his initials on them, seems like it was easy to get them confused when working in shop with other mechanics.

I like seeing them.
 
well, from what I see offered at auctions and yard sales, engraving tools is actually fairly common. And, of course, some surface product has been removed -- but for me that potential for rust won't be an issue, as they'll not see mechanic service again.
 
collecting: yes, to an extent - none of the newer china made stuff, though. happy to see what you have and can make an offer --
 
thank you. Think my first set of sockets came from Monkey wards in the late 60's - screwdrivers from sears and some wrenches too. Lately, its been P&C, Herbrand, Craftsman and other brands seem to be filling up my shop! And about a drawer full of Gellman wrenches, too!
 
I once worked in a shop with the boss and another mechanic.
The boss had his name on his tools the other mech and I had
our initials on ours.
The boss was Sam, the other mech was MAS and my initials SAW.
at the end of a project we had to look close to see whose tool
were whose.

Steve A W
 
When dad went to Milford tech school. All the students engraved their name on their tools. Still have several of his original sockets.

Today if you engrave a socket it removes the warranty.
 
Search You-tube, some guy down in Oz "restored" a 1/2" drive Stahwille socket set to carry in his Land Rover, he had a Amazon sourced plating kit that allowed him to touch up the plating on the sockets after he dressed them up to look nice again.
 
I too collect mostly old Craftsman "V" tools. I avoid any tool which is engraved. So far the sellers on Ebay will indicate in the description if the tool is engraved.
 
(quoted from post at 07:57:49 03/17/18) Sounds like a totally paranoid previous owner or the guy worked with a bunch of thieves. What you have done is remove the chrome finish. Going to rust.

As if they were any worse off with the scratched-in initials...

...and apparently you have never worked anywhere that you were required to provide your own tools such as an automotive garage or machine shop. You scratch your initials into anything you don't want to disappear, because otherwise you will never see it again. Your fellow coworkers have a habit of "borrowing" tools and not returning them.
 
oh the places I've been had control markings on their tools -- but for these older sockets, for my sets, I wanted to be 'clean'.
 

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