Hello all,

My name is Brad Taylor and I was hoping you could help me find out some info on the following tool chest. The box is located in Canada but may have come from the US as my grandfather had a home in Mesa, AZ.

I thought this was kind of neat. My grandfather gave me this over 25 years ago when I was a kid. I am sure it was old then... It got thrown in the attic of my mom and dad's and was forgotten about until last weekend. There was nothing in it put the key for the lock.

The plate claims it was made by Blackhawk, which I don't know a lot about. I think they made quality tools at one time. It weighs a ton but I think I am going to use it on top of my older roll around.

What do you think?? Any clue as to how old it is or what was in it originally? I would really like to know what it came equipped with and how old it is.

Thanks

Can't help much but here is a site about the tool co.

home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/blackh...nnovation.html#intro

Here is another board that focuses mainly on tools.

members5.boardhost.com/insidetools/

This is where I learned about BillH and the Alloy Artifacts site.

Cat sells a big variety of boxes listed in their One Safe Source book of all sizes but they only have the Cat name on them so I,m not sure who makes them today.Blackhawk years ago made very good tools but I can,t say for sure if they are in business anymore or not being away from the shop for quite a few years & don,t need tools anymore to buy, got too many now. The only two tool men that came around each week selling tools were a Snap On dealer & a Mac tool dealer.There was another guy that came around but sold a variety of all kinds of tools but not just one brand.He did sell S-K ratchets that we all preferred over the higher priced Snap On & Mac & they weren,t as good a ratchet for heavy work abuse as the S-K that we found.Also what we liked about S-K was they had finer ratchet teeth inside so you could work them better in closer places.The heads on the S-K was a little larger diameter than others but really didn,t bother too much.Most of my sockets are either Craftsman or
Mac but have the S-K ratchets & one Snap On !/2" drive long handled one that I think was my dad,s. I,m sure in the later years these other ratchets have improved in quality.

Thanks for the replies gentleman. I will continue my search for some info on this box and what came in it.

Brad Taylor

Hi Brad,
the Servicemans Tool Kit was originally announced in a Service Magazine (S/M) in 1935:- info from S/M June 25 1947. Looking through S/Ms your Box appears to be a type 3 unit as shown in S/M Feb. 6 1940. The type 2 unit shown in S/M Dec. 28 1937 has one draw and a large and small lift out tray. A type 4 unit as shown in S/M June 25 1947 has 3 small draws down the left side.
That unit appears to have had some TLC.Treasure it! I have willed my 2 1969 vintage tool boxes, with tools, to my grandsons.

Hope this helps
Regards Eddie B.

Brad - That's a nice toolbox, and is a classic Caterpillar-supplied item from their dealers, from the late 1940's. Blackhawk made fine products, in the shape of tools, toolboxes and workshop equipment. I still have a 12 ton Blackhawk bottle jack, that I purchased in 1965, and its still got another 40 years left in it, yet.

That toolbox is in amazing condition for its age. I've purchased numerous Cat toolboxes, and worn them out, many years ago.
Cat commenced selling Cat toolboxes, and branded Caterpillar hand tool sets, in the mid 1940's.
They were all made by the best U.S. tool companies that Cat could find - companies such as Snap-On, OTC, Blackhawk, etc.

You will find that that toolbox is listed in Cat literature from the 1940's and 1950's .. such as the Service Magazines.
That toolbox was sold as the "Caterpillar Servicemans Tool Kit" in the late 1940's, and came with a basic set of hand tools.
It would have been quite expensive in those days, and a major investment for any mechanic or Cat owner.

I have been through my tool guides and Service magazines, and can't see that particular toolbox listed, when it was released.
What I did find, was an article (and a small picture - see below), in a Dec 1951 Service magazine, picturing your toobox, telling of a replacement lock and key group, that became available, for the toolbox.

In an earlier Service Magazine, there should be a 'news' article, telling of the release of the 'Tool Kit' .. and a list of the hand tools that came with the kit.
That is a great item, in excellent condition, and is a worthy addition to an antique Caterpillar collection.

img251.imageshack.us/img251/6031/cattoolboxcr6.jpg

Brad - Ahh .. Eddie beat me, while I was typing up the previous post .. but now I can beat him, with more comprehensive info ..

I've found the toolbox and all its contents listed in the 1953 Caterpillar Service Tools book.
It's listed as the 8F2890 Caterpillar Servicemans Tool Kit .. and it's a very comprehensive set. Not only is the Cat tool P/N supplied, but also the P/N of the tool vendor. If you had all these tools still, you'd have a very valuable set.
Just having a toolbox in that condition, from that era is remarkable, though. Most would have been worn out thoroughly by now.
The toolbox as as shown in the Service Tools book, is a little different design to yours .. with a different number and size of drawers. However, I'd say it's the original Blackhawk toolbox, and yours is a little later model, with a slightly changed design.

img251.imageshack.us/img251/8337/cattoolbox2mh8.jpg

Oz and ED that is great info!!!

I really appreciate it. As you have all noted the box is in great shape. It has the odd scratch and dent but nothing too major. I was going to use it for all my specialty tools for my HJ61 Toyota Land Cruiser, but now with a parts list I might start the strenuous task of collecting the original tools for it.

Thanks again.

Hi team,
not trying to out do Ozdozer, this is added in the intersts of spreading relevant info around the ACMOC community.
Brad your box would have been available as a seperate part to the Tool Kit also, as were my 2 empty boxes.
The S/M Feb. 06 1940 showing your exact box as part of an improved Servicemans Tool Kit P/No 6B1533 as costing, "the special nett price to servicemen of $70.00 f.o.b. Peoria still applies." The tool kit P/No appears to change with each update.
Outsiders to the older Cat literature system are amazed at how many places (publications) that data on the same subject can be found, it takes growing up through the old systems to learn where to find what ever. The old Master Index was always a good place to start.
Regards Eddie B.