Late 1970s and early 80s was a time when Sears introduced a new house brand line of tools that were manufactured in Japan. They were very inexpensive and I bought a complete set to put in my car toolkits.
With all the postings about offsets and variety in our tool chests, I thought I'd show a few of these older wrenches from the 1970's. They are "SEARS" brand (not craftsman) wrenches that were sourced in Japan. I bought them new in 1976 for my road box. They still reside in that box. Great wrenches and they were less than $10 for each complete set.
As I recall I bought the complete set (open-end metric and SAE sets and box-end metric and SAE) on sale for under $25.
Nice tools and they show up on e-bay regularly for just a few bucks. I usually buy them and use them in my emergency car toolkits. Way better than HF offerings.
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0121Medium.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0120Medium.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0118Medium.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0119Medium.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0115Medium.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0114Medium.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0112Medium-1.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0116Medium.jpg)
(http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/goodfellow_2004/misc/PICT0117Medium.jpg)
Absolutely nothing wrong with them. I bought a set of the DBE I think in the late 70's or early 80's. The amount of offset worked better than the flatter Craftsman ones for some jobs. I buy loose BF Japaan wrenches when I find them at estate sales or swap meets because I have a problem. I hoard tools.
If I'm not mistaken these wrenches ( some definitely were ) were made for Sears by KTC who makes the very respected Koken tool line.
I believe they might have also manufactured the Fuller brand adjustable wrenches I have from my grandfather.
Could be KTC, but I can't remember exactly anymore. "BF Japan" stamping was a code, but it was an internal code to Sears and there is no history as to the OEM.
You have me off to Ebay, looking at these last night. Do you keep a cheater pipe in with them?
Trying to figure out tools for my niece.
Quote from: goodfellow on Mar 06, 2025, 06:35 AMCould be KTC, but I can't remember exactly anymore. "BF Japan" stamping was a code, but it was an internal code to Sears and there is no history as to the OEM.
Somebody once told me BF meant Bernarn Fuller, as in Fuller who was the main US importer of KTC manufactured tools.
My FULLER adjustables don't have any of the typical KTC manufacturing markings on them though.
Elroy has several BF Japan tools that came from Sears. Specialty tools like distributor and brake breeder wrenches. They're quality was A-OK.
I had a set of Sears combo wrenches like these in SAE. Shorty style, used 'em hard till I broke out the Bonney's. Good users.
I bought a couple of adjustables from my local Sears store (probably late '70s). I remember getting them home and being disappointed that they weren't Craftsman! But they've been good wrenches throughout the years, although they're main use involves bending and straightening stuff.
coo.jpg
side1.jpg
side2.jpg
Quote from: MikeF on Apr 12, 2025, 03:56 PMBut they've been good wrenches throughout the years, although they're main use involves bending and straightening stuff.
coo.jpg
side1.jpg
side2.jpg
Same here my adjustables rarely get used for what they were intended for lol
Quote from: Muddy on Apr 26, 2025, 08:12 AMQuote from: MikeF on Apr 12, 2025, 03:56 PMBut they've been good wrenches throughout the years, although they're main use involves bending and straightening stuff.
coo.jpg
side1.jpg
side2.jpg
Same here my adjustables rarely get used for what they were intended for lol
Threatened to be beaten over the head by your spouse? That would be a good thing they rarely get used for that, LOL
Still have a set of those adjustables in the road box. Sears sourced some really good import house brand tools back then for folks who didn't feel they needed Craftsman.
We forget that although the price of Craftsman tools was affordable, back in the day they were often not in the budget for many DIY guys. Cheaper tools like imported Sears sets, Bernz-O-Matic, Great Neck, imported Crescent, J.C Whitney, etc.. and the many hardware and retail chain house brands were often the norm for Harry Homeowners. Cheap Japanese and later Taiwanese tools ruled that lower end market back in the 1960's and 70s
As an aside, when I was cleaning out my garage a few years ago I came upon a cheap Taiwanese 40pc socket set from J.C Whitney that served well for many decades and eventually wound up as a go-to quick fix set that we kept in one of the kitchen drawers. It still had the price sticker on it -- $8. I think I bought two of them at the time and gave one to my girlfriend to keep in her car.
I had a feeling that I had more Sears branded tools in my stash. The adjustable wrenches reminded me that I had put some of those tools in my Cadillac's emergency toolkit. Sure "nuff" -- found these two water pump pliers and the adjustable wrench in that car. The Sears water pump pliers came in a boxed set that included needle nose and a slip-joints.The needle nose were either lost or stolen many years ago, but the slip joints still survive in my daughter's 2005 Highlander emergency toolkit.
Great affordable quality tools that certainly have proven their worth. Let's hope some of the mid-tier contemporary Taiwanese tools that HF sells will hold up just as well
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/bae437b7-86f6-4a7e-ac8d-0ec8f6bd99f7/cf65f570-aca8-41a1-aa68-bb9954e36308.jpg) (http://"https://hosting.photobucket.com/bae437b7-86f6-4a7e-ac8d-0ec8f6bd99f7/cf65f570-aca8-41a1-aa68-bb9954e36308.jpg")
I believe these Fuller adjustables here are the same OEM as those sold by Sears.
(https://i.postimg.cc/W47RZsJv/20250501-183605.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/TyhHMM97)
I know I have a few of the "Sears" wrenches (combo). I think they are in "The Island of Misfit Wrenches" drawer.
But I can't get to that drawer right now.