Snap-On: Early Sockets and Drive Tools
![[Snap-On Early 5/8-Drive Ratchet]](Photos/tools/snapon_58dr_ratchet_logo_cropped.jpg){kind=logo}
The Bold Logo from An Early 5/8-Drive Ratchet.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Snap-on is one of the largest and best known makers of hand tools today. This article will look at the development of the company during the 1920s, covering its first ten years of operations.
Company History
The Snap-On Wrench Company was founded in 1920 by Joseph Johnson and William Seideman, with its initial location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company's founding principle was the superiority of interchangeable socket tools over the current fixed (or "tight") socket wrenches, and their first product was a modest collection of five drive handles and ten sockets.
Patents
Trademarks
Tool Identification
Snap-On tools are generally clearly marked and consistently numbered, but the tools from the 1920s are the exception to this rule. These early tools were marked in several different styles, or not marked at all, making it somewhat tricky to identify them. This article will look at some examples of early Snap-On tools with different marking styles. and will attempt to develop guidelines for estimating the date of manufacture.
Manufacturing Dates
Beginning in 1927 Snap-On introduced a system of date codes and started marking sockets (and other tools as well) with the codes. The date code was generally a single digit (later, a symbol or character) to indicate the year of production, with the digit sometimes preceded or followed by a dash. For 1927 through 1930 the system was very simple: one of the digits 7, 8, 9, or 0 indicated the year. In later years though, symbols and script styles were added in order to extend the system, and you'll need to consult a date code chart to determine the date. Date codes were applied in 1927 and later without regard for the socket marking style.
In its early years the date code system had a very specific function: tool warranties were of limited duration at the time, and the date code determined the start of the warranty period. As a result, date codes were applied more consistently at this time than in later years, after Snap-On had started offering a lifetime guarantee on its tools.
Early Snap-On Sockets
The first sockets offered in 1920 were available in 1/2 (square) drive only, and were broached for either single-hex (6-point) or single-square (4-point) openings. Additional drive sizes were offered later, 5/8-drive in 1923, 7/8-drive around 1924, 9/32-drive in 1925, and finally 3/8-drive in 1928. Double-hex (12-point) and double-square (8-point) broachings were introduced in 1927.
The very earliest socket markings were certainly minimal: according to folklore, the first Snap-On sockets (and drive tools) had only size markings, or no markings at all! Such sockets would be difficult to identify and authenticate if found, but could be compared to known marked examples for an indication of possible Snap-On origin.
The earliest standardized marking for sockets consisted of an "S" and "O" overstrike to indicate Snap-On, together with the socket size in fractional notation. (The size marking was usually on the opposite side from the S/O-Overstrike.) This marking style was used up until about 1923.
Around 1924 Snap-On began marking sockets with their full logo instead of the S/O-overstrike. Snap-On also introduced a socket numbering system at about the same time, which consisted of the abbreviation "NO." followed by the model number, a variation on the size expressed in 32nds. For example, a 1/2-drive 6-point socket of size 7/8 was marked "NO. 280", the "28" being derived from the 28/32 size. Sockets marked in this fashion will have the model number, Snap-On logo, and fractional size, all on the same side of the socket.
The above numbering scheme was simple and useful, but apparently it was not implemented consistently, as some sockets continued to be marked with only the Snap-On logo and fractional size. This state of affairs wasn't just a temporary delay in adding the model numbers, but persisted through to the end of the 1920s, so that examples of both styles can be found with late date codes.
As a result of these changes, we can recognize three basic marking styles for the early sockets: the S/O-Overstrike, the marked but un-numbered sockets, and the model-numbered sockets. Even this is a bit of an oversimplification; in a large collection of early sockets, there may be a number of other recognizable changes in design and marking.
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