Old Craftsman Tool

[broker-len]

think this is a       BRACE     what year was this offered

[C Carl]

Here abouts we called it a speed handle in my day. Have they gone obsolete ?   -   CC 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

C Carl is correct.  Speed handle. I have a couple in my toolbox.  Handy item.

 

  Ben

[61polara]

Yes, it's a speed handle.  One was in the large Craftsman set that I was given as a high school graduation gift in 1971.  Very handy until I bought an air ratchet.

[FLYER15015]

I bought one in 3/8ths drive and one in 1/2" drive in 1963 @ Sears.

Still use both.

 

Mike in colorado

[Frank DuVal]

Speed wrenches are still included in new Flight Line tool kits from Snap-On and Proto.

 

I do not know what year that Craftsman speed wrench is from, the handle is different than the currently available model.

[Marty Roth]

I still have my Dad's Speed Wrench from the early 1950s (or maybe late '40s?)

Edited August 7, 2019 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[padgett]

I have a 1/4 and a 3/8, don't think I have a 1/2.

[plymouthcranbrook]

I have a 1/2 inch just like that one I bought in 1971. I might have used it 3 times.

[lump]

Before small, lightweight pneumatic impact wrenches become commonly available, EVERY mechanic had speeder wrenches in their boxes. 

 

You can look up the vintage of this Craftsman speeder on the Alloy Artifacts tool history website. Certain clues, like the number of lines stamped into the handle of wrenches, helped determine the age. And stamped-in letter codes, (IE: "V" or "VV," etc) identify the manufacturer who made that tool for Sears. Those mfr code letters are broken down on Alloy Artifacts. Here is a link: http://alloy-artifacts.org/

[edinmass]

We always called it a speed wrench. I still have the one I bought when I was twelve years old. I’ll admit I am a dinosaur, but I use the small electric battery tools today. I never cared much for the air tools unless parting out a car. The hose was always in my way, And I never felt I had good control with them. Today I have at least ten different battery pack powered tools, plus the shop vac and blower. Can’t live without them now.

[47Monarch]

It's a speed handle up here in Canada as well . Still have and use mine 

[tripwire]

My dad was into woodworking and used a brace as a drill. It looks like a speed wrench only it has a chuck on the end instead of a square end to attach sockets.

 

Wes in VT

[Bush Mechanic]

We call it a speed brace in Australia. Use it most days. 

[oily rag]

1 hour ago, tripwire said:

My dad was into woodworking and used a brace as a drill. It looks like a speed wrench only it has a chuck on the end instead of a square end to attach sockets.

 

Wes in VT

I have my Grand Fathers cordless dill (brace) set in a canvas pouch. In it there is a nut driver he made for square nuts.

[60FlatTop]

Has me wondering which tool I used less, the speed wrench or the sliding T handle.

[Zimm63]

Got a couple of them around.  Haven't used them in years.

 

[GARY F]

I still have mine that came with a craftsman socket set I bought in 1957. Never used it.

[Paul Dobbin]

I have one too, but it was probably my father's tool. I think the Craftsman Rachet Wrench made it obsolete

Edited August 7, 2019 by Paul Dobbin
added a thought (see edit history)

[Bill Stoneberg]

I find them very useful for taking off oil pan bolts and  any other collection of the same sized bolt or nut.

[Curti]

  Air tools have made them obsolete.

[kings32]

I bought mine in  1966 have used it many times ,still use them restoring cars they work great. Kings32

[Bill Stoneberg]

16 hours ago, Curti said:

  Air tools have made them obsolete.

No,  not in my garage.  I have a compressor and use air tools but for some things hand tools are still my tool of choice.  You know when your goig to cross theread or strip something by hand. You dont always know that with air tools or the battery powered tools.

I still like to work with hand tools.

[Bhigdog]

Along with  speed wrenches I have a 3/8 and 1/2 breaker bar. Haven't used the breaker bars in years especially since i bought air impact wrenches. I had to remove the front calipers from my 69 Vette. a couple of days ago. WAY tight bolts and no way to get my impact wrench on them. My 1/2 breaker bar and a 6 point impact socket was just the ticket........Bob

[Jim Bollman]

Looks a lot like the speed wrench I bought in the early 70s. Can't remember the last time I used it.

[Bill Stoneberg]

9 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

Along with  speed wrenches I have a 3/8 and 1/2 breaker bar. 

 

Bob   I have a 3/4 inch breaker bar and sockets too that I bought long time ago when I was working on 4 WD trucks.  It comes in handy to turn engines over too. Not used much anymore.

 

[R Walling]

 I have used the speed wrench in the late 50's but nothing beats the large "T" handle with the fixed 2' extension for removing Ford flat head bolts.

[Vila]

I frequently use my speed wrench for putting in phillips head wood screws and the sliding T handle  with a 9 inch extension and socket for nuts and bolts.

 

I am not a fan of cordless tools.  I would rather use pneumatic tools or electric power tools with a cord that have an endless amount of electricity provide by the nuclear power plant attached to the other end of the cord.

 

 

 

[lump]

I collected older US and/European-made tools for some years, and I have quite a few of the older "speed wrenches," as I grew up calling them. Not long ago I decided to sell some of the excess tools, to make room in my shop for things that I need for restoring my collector cars. I took several older USA-made name-brand speed wrenches to local swap meets & flea markets, priced them at $5 or less. Don't think I sold more than one or two out of the pile. Sad.