Craftsman stamps

Very interesting pair of photos rjdankert. Sharp eye and good spotting! Double oval and a single oval all within the golden jubilee anniversary stamp timeframe. Did Sears stretch out this commercial marketing ploy for many years in order to milk it for all it was worth or did the Craftsman logo suddenly change midway through 1936?
 
Love that stamp! Nice present for sure.
It seems that the Golden Jubilee's are not at all uncommon. Must have made them for more than one year?
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Very interesting pair of photos rjdankert. Sharp eye and good spotting! Double oval and a single oval all within the golden jubilee anniversary stamp timeframe. Did Sears stretch out this commercial marketing ploy for many years in order to milk it for all it was worth or did the Craftsman logo suddenly change midway through 1936?

I have two of them. They are both single ovals. They are simply too common to have just been offered for one year or they sold very well. One is stamped F6 under the poll. I think they other one I think is stamped also but can't make it out.
 
I recently picked up another 'sing-song' stamp Craftsman tool, this one a framing square.

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Astute observers will have picked up the 2 'screws' in the angle of the square.

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This is a take-down square. The 2 screws are actually cams that will release the 2 sections of the square. There's also a pin in there which I haven't ever seen in a take-down square. These were prized among carpenters who couldn't fit a traditional framing square in their tool box. The take-down square solves that problem. They are still sought after by collectors and carpenters. Many have been dinged and dented by being pounded back together when dirty or rusty. This one appears to have avoided that while accumulating some rust and light pitting.

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Note the different patent date on the back as on the front. Undoubtedly for 2 different innovations used in this square.

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The edge view shows that the legs of the square are tapered to become thicker at the intersection and allow for the connection.

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After cleaning with the brass wire cup brush.

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I haven't attempted to disassemble it yet. I have it soaking with penetrant. I'll try it tomorrow. I'm looking forward to adding this to my tool kit.

I don't know if this tool is pre-Sears or post-Sears. I've recently concluded that the 'Craftsman' name which Sears-Roebuck purchased in 1927 belonged to the G.N. Cushman Co. of Champagne Ill.
 
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I recently picked up another 'sing-song' stamp Craftsman tool, this one a framing square.

1.jpg



Astute observers will have picked up the 2 'screws' in the angle of the square.

2.jpg



This is a take-down square. The 2 screws are actually cams that will release the 2 sections of the square. There's also a pin in there which I haven't ever seen in a take-down square. These were prized among carpenters who couldn't fit a traditional framing square in their tool box. The take-down square solves that problem. They are still sought after by collectors and carpenters. Many have been dinged and dented by being pounded back together when dirty or rusty. This one appears to have avoided that while accumulating some rust and light pitting.

3.jpg



Note the different patent date on the back as on the front. Undoubtedly for 2 different innovations used in this square.

4.jpg



The edge view shows that the legs of the square are tapered to become thicker at the intersection and allow for the connection.

5.jpg



After cleaning with the brass wire cup brush.

6.jpg

7.jpg


I haven't attempted to disassemble it yet. I have it soaking with penetrant. I'll try it tomorrow. I'm looking forward to adding this to my tool kit.

I don't know if this tool is pre-Sears or post-Sears. I've recently concluded that the 'Craftsman' name which Sears-Roebuck purchased in 1927 belonged to the G.N. Cushman Co. of Champagne Ill.
That's a nice old square there.
BTW this is totally unrelated, but have you ever heard of happi time ?
I had an old cheap hacksaw that broke which said happi time on it ( I figured china ) After seeing USA on it I googled it and found out it was actually a product line from sears used on many various things from dolls to tools and everything inbetween.
I never would've thought sears to use such a stupid sounding name, but I was wrong.
 
It was probably designed to be twisted with a coin. A penny fits it perfectly and will stick in the slot with a gently push. I've found pictures on the web of cam slots that are worn out. These look fresh. I want them to stay that way. That's why I won't mess with it until the penetrant (Aero Kroil) has time to work.
 
The better vintage squares I have all have the tapered blades. They actually function better. They didn't miss a trick back then or take any short cuts to produce the best tools they could.
I have a couple of Stanleys with thickness-tapered blades. It definitely makes them easier to wield but must have been a laborious production step that was discontinued when lesser expensive offshore competition arrived on the scene. None of the rafter or carpenter squares I've bought new (including a beautiful stainless steel with machined edges Japanese one) over the past 40 years have tapered blades.
 
FWIW, I only saw that 'wave' Craftsman logo in the first years (1928) catalog. They seemed to go right to the double oval stamp after that. Makes me wonder if some of the 'wave' Craftsman tools out there were made prior to Sears acquiring and chaneging the Craftsman brand.


Did this question ever get an answer? If the "wave" logo was used on tools before Sears bought the brand?
 
Not to my knowledge. By the number of tools we see it seems they had to have been making them for numerous years.
 
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