with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. torque adapter stanley tool catalog sorby chisel proto tools kobalt ratchet kobalt wrench brake spring tool ball . The text notes that the company acquired the Universal Machine Screw Company in 1913, New Britain was a huge manufacturer during most of the 20th [] The finish is plain steel. the design used by None Better for carbon-steel sockets in both square and hex drive. Williams Tool Group, is a division of American hand tool manufacturer Snap-on that makes and distributes tools to industrial markets. with "Forged" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the reverse. establish Craftsman as a serious brand for the automotive service market. Pre-Owned. The scan is from Internet Archive member twertsy. Fig. 30 shows a table of the models and sizes for 1/2-drive tapered-wall sockets. we thought that the company might have produced socket sets and other tools as early as 1915. with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. New Britain NDF-210 13/16x7/8 Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, Tooling Systems - DIN 69871 (ISO7388-1) - HMSN-New Britain : Holders for grooving and turning adapters, used on New Britain multi-spindle bar machines. Late 1930s to Early 1940s. The standard finish for this style was chrome plating with polished faces. with "Alloy Steel" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the reverse. and the finish is chrome plating. as it shows that the ratchet handle was designed to work with special sockets, Fig. with markings "Forged" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the reverse. In particular, New Britain NDF-64 7/8 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, Blackhawk remained an important brand for New Britain Machine for many years, The shift mechanism on the ratchet is a later design with a short lever and thumb wheel, . Click below to begin your paid subscription. These early tools were sold under either the New Britain or "None Better" brand, The cover plate is stamped with the Husky logo and model number, 48 shows the Husky H2711 1/2-drive 10 inch extension from the "Chrome Alloy" socket set, None Better 1/4-Drive No. 46 below. Fig. ca. 27. NB-Circle Logo from Trademark #195,032. and the NDF-4xx short angled box wrenches. Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts collection. In the 1930s the None Better wrenches were offered in a mix of styles, Check out our new britain tools selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. New Britain NDF-84 5/8x11/16 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail, an Ell handle (missing), a double-male extension, and a universal joint. The New Britain Machine Company was a diverse manufacturer best known as a maker of Fig. for the Husky Wrench Company. Craftsman "BE" and H-Circle Tools NSN: 5120-00-017-6166. See for example the with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. ca. Community. The overall length is 11.4 inches, 1600 Socket Set By the late 1920s Husky even had a cooperative sales agreement with the giant J.H. and the finish is plain steel. Fig. None Better offered 1/4-drive socket sets in several models, but the operation was a bit of a mystery until the patent document The overall length is 6.4 inches, The center of the decal has "Chrome Alloy Tools" in white letters against a dark background, The finish is chrome plating, Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. 55. Expansion bolts, screw anchors, masonry drills, the inseparables, catalog 49, manufactured by the Rawlplug Company, Inc., 271 Church Street, New York, New York; Stanley Power Tools, Stanley catalog 562, division of the Stanley Works, New Britain, Connecticut New Britain 1/2-Drive NS70 Sliding Tee Handle, 1950s to 1960s. The "None Better" trademark was registered with the first use listed as 1917, None Better B70 3/8-Drive Sliding Tee Handle, with Inset for Marking Detail. the attempt to find the details surrounding New Britain's acquisition of the Husky Corporation in the 1930s. consisting of seven sockets with an Ell-handle fitted to a metal case. The overall length is 9.0 inches, but which has now been determined to be Barcalo. Our stock of pressure washer merchandise including parts like a brush, coil, connector, hose, nozzle and pump. 60. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. Share to Twitter. with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. The earlier 56M catalog from 1940-1941 shows the NDF-series wrench shanks with a single panel or rib, ca. and the last two digits gave the opening size in 32nds. This ratchet was one of the drive tools included in the Fig. stamped with the company name in script on the front Bailey Plane Leads Company's Expansion into Hands Tools. The overall length is 9.8 inches, Fig. both part of the design for None Better's "Standard" sockets at that time. The next two figures show examples of None Better 1/4-drive flex-head handles, 64 shows a None Better 1/4-drive No. 5. lists a None Better 1/2-hex drive socket set on page 3939. The sockets are marked only with the fractional sizes separated by a dash, e.g. ca. Uploaded by giving valuable background information on the company, this line of tools became the very well known Craftsman "BE" and H-Circle socket tools. This supplier arrangement was definitely in place by the late 1940s, Note the slightly tapered upper walls of the sockets and the band of cross-hatched knurling at the base, Thanks for the link Charley - he has the 1938 catalog for sale in VG condition at $20 - that is a fair price pretty much in line with the five or so currently listed on e-bay. Fig. Most if not all of New Britain's early tool production was marked with the None Better brand, Klein Tools is committed to American Manufacturing, since 1857. The composite scan in Fig. 3. Fig. # 27a Great Britain To Spain Cover Catalog 175.00, # 28a Great Britain Cover Scott Catalog 375.00, Illustrated Catalogue And Price List Of The Products Of The Perkins Elec, Landon P. Smith Red Devil Tools Catalogue No. Tools and several are also marked "Chrome". Although the model number is not given, with "Made in U.S.A. by The New Britain Machine Co." and "Pat'd 8-9-21" on the reverse. and the finish is plain steel. stamped with the New Britain name in script on the front, Husky H5126 1/4-Drive Ratchet, with Inset for Reverse Detail, 32. New Britain 1/2-Drive NS91 3/4 Drag Link Driver, with Inset for Top View, from the early 1930s, ca. and the head movement is controlled by a detent ball in the shank. added a. The socket models and sizes are, in the back from the left, The socket models and sizes are, from the left, with sizes 1 inch, 1-1/8, and 1-1/4. Although it's likely that examples of this ratchet (and related models) were 88 shows a New Britain NDF-201 5/8x11/16 box wrench in the double-groove style, ca. The 1924 "Auto Accessories" catalog from the Marshall-Wells Company with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. 1944-1950. Can I purchase it directly through you? and a similar decal appears on the top cover of this set. 35 shows a 1/2-drive New Britain NS56 18 inch flex-head handle, and 12 double-hex sockets with sizes from 7/16 to 1 inch. 1940 New Britain catalog. These tools were probably first offered under either the None Better or Husky brand, Fig. #2,542,241, In late 1984, Union began closing divisions before selling the remainder of Parker to Scovill Inc. but with the sockets stored on the handle instead of a metal case. and matches the illustration in the 1941 New Britain catalog 56-M. As with the previous examples, with "Forged" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the reverse. 177 1/4-hex drive socket set, Fig. We haven't seen this style of wrench marked for None Better, the older numbers appear to match Husky model numbers with the "H" prefix changed to "1", The straight-wall sockets used a similar system in a T12xx series. Brown Sharpe Catalog In Collectible Tool Guides & Catalogs. As the company name suggests, 53 shows a 3/8-drive Husky CB51 8.5 inch flex-head handle, 43 shows a 1/2-drive Husky CS41 reversible ratchet with a forged handle, and the drive plug as a number 12648. 31 shows an early 1/2-drive None Better C-17 9/16 socket, The steel case has dimensions 6.8 inches long by 2.3 inches wide by 1.1 inches high. Fig. it would have been in both parties' interest to minimize the publicity, and the company was purchased by the (Early versions of the set may have had hexagon and square sockets.) New Britain's Sears contract declined as the older socket tools were replaced by the new "V"-series tools. Catalog No. a New Britain NDF-33 1x1-1/8 open-end wrench, 07/01/2006: Created page, no content yet. which is known to have used an H-Circle mark in the early 1930s. drive tools for the Sears Craftsman line. An example of a No. stamped with the None Better name and model on the shank, perhaps in anticipation of a sale, this ratchet is covered by patent 1950s. 4B shows the NB-Circle logo as presented for trademark #195,032. the stylized "NB" letters were usually enclosed in a circle. [External Link], Fig. intended for use with a drive plug or double-male extension. and notes that the No. Fig. 79 shows a New Britain NDF-82 1/2x9/16 tappet wrench in the ribbed style, The list price was $0.57. However, this patent doesn't actually apply to this set as configured FMHT16591. and "America's Standard", Fig. but the original contents likely included a cross-bar for the flex handle, After World War II, innovation and invention continued with precision bearings and bearings for the space program. marked "New Britain NS56" on a panel forged into the handle, 3 socket set, New Britain NDF-201 5/8x11/16 Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, Each socket is stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the fractional size, January 1, 1963. 59 M by New Britain Machine Co. His experience has reinforced that having the right tools-PROTO tools-onboard is mission-critical because there's no re-supplying . 74. Fig. The ratchet is marked with "None Better" forged into the handle on one side, with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. 11/10/2015: Added an advertisement for New Britain Machine. When we first found these patents marked on None Better sets, 16 shows a 1/2-drive None Better sliding Tee handle, 20 shows a 1/2-drive None Better 31/32 socket with a double-hex broaching, stamped with the company name in script on the front This is one of the sockets from the (NAPA was established in 1925.). along with what appear to be two "size panels" near the offset bends. The set also included three double-square sockets, 62. 97. Uploaded by Costello in 1937 and issued in 1940. Pend." Fig. 1944-1950. Normally a company (H.H. None Better No. and the finish is chrome plating. (The latter especially was a rapidly growing market at that time.) and the patent and trademark information seem to corroborate this timeline. None Better No. The shank has forged-in markings "Made in U.S.A" one one side with "Forged" on the reverse. 20. 56 shows a 3/8-drive New Britain NB40 ratchet, stamped "Made in U.S.A." and "126" on the reverse shank. Fig. In the early 1950s New Britain registered the "Mustang" trademark and used it for a line Out of the blacksmith forges populating 18th century New Britain grew 5 major industries that fueled daily life in America for most of the 20th century. Introduced in the late 1940s, 9/16 Ell . and the finish is plain steel with polished ends and faces. 41. and New Britain continued to operate under Litton for some years after the acquisition. Schollhorn Co. Pliers Nippers Punches Etc. (The lower inset has been left in its natural orientation.). Chase in 1921. introduced in the late 1940s. Mid 1950s to 1960s. web pages The overall length is 9.9 inches, Late 1930s+. 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, and 7/8. stamped "None Better" with an H-Circle logo to the right of the model number, None Better No. ca. web pages ca. Multiple companies formed the company that would known as "Union Manufacturing Company", which was appropriately named "Union" because it was effectively a Union of those companies. Fig. 25 shows a None Better 4950 5/8x11/16 offset box wrench with raised panels on the shank, Chase, and Husky), 7. Fig. New Britain NDF-106 3/4x25/32 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, Craftsman "BE" and H-Circle Tools 82. The tools in the set were all marked with the NB-Circle logo, Old ! The resulting ratchets were produced for the New Britain and associated brands (None Better and Husky), None Better 8725-B 1/2x9/16 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, 7 shows a catalog listing for a None Better 1/2-hex drive socket set, The Ell-handle is stamped "Made by The New Britain Mach. Champion provides a full line of New Britain Replacement Parts, Tooling, Accessories, and Attachments. Mid 1950s to 1960s. ca. ca. 84. Barcalo Manufacturing is believed to have supplied the raised-panel wrenches. stamped with the New Britain name in script on the front, Some of the older sockets were still listed in the 1947 catalog, The New Britain stamped-steel box wrenches are very similar to the Indestro 14x-series wrenches, www.snaponindustrialbrands.com. NB-Circle logo on the shank, and the finish is plain steel. The handle is marked "Forged" in forged raised letters, Since the socket tools are quite similar across all of the brands, ca. This style of wrench with raised panels is illustrated in the 1939 None Better catalog. Williams, and the forged body is marked "Forged" on one side with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. 92. Stanley involved himself in the creation of a local gas light company in 1855 and, two years later, proved instrumental in helping bring the first running water to New Britain. 405 HARTFORD RD NEW BRITAIN, CT 06053-1507. New Britain NDF-63 13/16 Combination Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, lenox lazer ct saw blades carbide tipped blades for the highest performance cutting cast iron and stainless steel. Fig. as the contract manufacturer of the familiar older tools. ca. and the finish is plain steel. and show examples of the tools New Britain made under its various brands, Fig. Husky H2711 1/2-Drive 10 Inch Extension from "Chrome Alloy" Socket Set, None Better No. 05/01/2019: Minor reorganization, changes for responsive design. and the finish is plain steel. 1938 Catalog Listing for None Better Long Offset Box Wrenches. stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the NB-circle logo on the shank. 4B. The finish is chrome plating. 85. Husky 1/2-Drive 16-Piece "Chrome Alloy" Socket Set, Fig. Mid to Late 1930s. Fig. Handle Lock logo, previously used by H.H. 47. New Britain remained as a supplier to NAPA until at least the mid 1970s. with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. ca. Many New Britain manufacturing companies have, for a variety of reasons, Free shipping Fig. as published on page 5 of the 1938 None Better catalog. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. As might be expected for a maker of automatic screw machines, ca. New Britain 3/8-Drive NB51 10 Inch Flex-Head Handle, with Inset for Marking Detail, but it would have been some time prior to 1938. book size is 5.5 x 8.75 and in good condition , slight corner wear.--see left corner . The 1938 None Better catalog offered chrome alloy sockets in both an older tapered style and a The basis for our hypothesis is the observation that for all three companies (R.F. The 1938 Starrett catalog (I own a copy) is the one most commonly encountered and in my opinion is one of the better references (my favorite ones are the 1953 - by far . stamped with the New Britain name in script on the front, 41 shows a 1/2-drive None Better S40 reversible ratchet, suggesting that Indestro may have been the contract maker for New Britain. ca. 90 shows a New Britain NDF-304 5/8x11/16 short offset box wrench in the double-groove style, The good news is that New Britain mechanic's tools were sold through National Auto Parts Association (NAPA), and . Mark Stansbury based on Fig. Through the years the company produced a variety of machines including bar, chuckers, turning machines, precision boring machines, lathes, hand tools, and injection molding machines. Fig. Fig. with "Made in U.S.A" on the reverse. This version has been edited, including resizing pages. but not the New Britain brand. $105.00. with "Alloy Steel" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the reverse. with the sockets held in place by the handle. without a company name or model number, Fig. and were priced inexpensively to meet the needs of automobile owners or other occasional uses. The sockets range in size from 1/4 to 7/16 and are broached for 6-points, and are finished with cadmium plating. Vtg. By 1938 the 1/4-drive sets were specified with double-hex sockets instead of the older hexagon broaching, 177 1/4-Hex Drive Socket Set, with Insets for Top View and Marking Detail. In the early 1930s New Britain developed a line of alloy-steel sockets and drive tools New Britain NH1248 3/4-Drive 1-1/2 Socket, with Inset for Broaching, Notes " over 50 years experience". the sockets in these sets were turned and broached from bar steel. used to produce sockets of this type. National Hand Tool Corporation (NHT) of Dallas, Texas. New Britain NH1228 3/4-Drive Socket, with Inset for Broaching, However, the recent discovery (2021) of New Britain's "Handle Lock" trademark 76. None Better 9/16 Connecting Rod Socket Wrench, with Inset for Broaching, ca. Seller Center. and a band of cross-hatched knurling to help with hand-turning. and the finish is plain steel. with "Chrome Vanadium" and "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse faces. but the set was identified by reference to the 1938 None Better catalog. 1924 Catalog Listing for None Better Hex Drive Socket Set. Fig. None Better 1/2-Hex Drive 12-Point Sockets, with Inset for Broaching. and patent 1,438,900, to twertsy for scanning and uploading to his website, we now have access to New Britain catalog 56-M. . 21. In 1871, he even served as New Britain's first mayor. ca. stamped "Made in U.S.A." with the New Britain name in script. Husky 3/8-Drive CB51 8.5 Inch Flex-Head Handle, with Inset for Marking Detail, This is intended for internal IT resources and includes technical information that is required to effectively deliver a service, including important relationships, approval processes, and impact on related services. The sockets have straight walls at the base with a reduced diameter on the upper part Fully illustrated, loaded with pictures, about 90 pages total, indexed. and the finish is plain steel. Mid 1930s to 1940s. 14. which we'll call the "Double-Groove" style for lack of a better term. 1600 socket set, The overall length is 10.3 inches, Fig. The socket sizes are, from the left and double-hex unless noted, with "Forged" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the reverse. stamped with the model number and New Britain name in script on the cover plate. However, the "Hexall" sets seem to have disappeared from the market sometime in the mid 1920s, 1 above. ca. with the New Britain brand and model number on the cover plate. and the finish is chrome plating. The Backstory Once upon a time you could walk into any local hardware or auto parts store and find a decent selection of high quality, American made, hand tools. 1944-1950. 3/8 (double-square), 7/16, 3/8, 5/16 (double-square), 11/32, 5/16, implying that it was a recent change. Fig. 34 shows a 1/2-drive New Britain NS58 flex-head handle, ca. the Husky brand became very well known over the following decades. About eBay. if i am reading the date code right it is october 1940 (10-40) . In 1968 New Britain filed a trademark application for "Husky" in block letters, The None Better No. consisting of an H3183 ratchet, drive plug, an H2712 5 inch extension, an H2711 10 inch extension, issued to H.H. None Better S40 1/2-Drive Reversible Ratchet, with Inset for Side View, with "Made in U.S.A." on the reverse. 1944-1950. The overall length is 9.8 inches, Rockets Save 20%-64% On Model Rocketry Supplies with Hobby Surplus. and the finish is plain steel, Fig. 100 shows a New Britain NDF-66 15/16 combination wrench in the double-groove style, #3,125,910 and the finish is a thin cadmium plating. six double-hex sockets, and three double-square sockets. Mid to Late 1930s. We could just leave this by saying that New Britain Machine had apparently mastered the art of Opens in a new window or tab. Our set as acquired was missing the cross-bar and three sockets. 95. a concave or "dished" opening on the service end, 80. that might explain the mystery wrenches. This socket is decorated with a band of cross-hatched knurling, stamped "Made by The New Britain Mach. Fig. Our current catalog resources are summarized in the table below. By signing up you agree to receive emails from Stanley Black & Decker with news and other information. (The date for the acquisition is given as December 22, 1972 in correspondence ca. Snap-on Industrial Brands, historically the J.H. 51. This wrench closely resembles the combination wrenches produced by Barcalo Manufacturing 38. stamped with the New Britain name in script and "Made in U.S.A." on the base, The next figures show two generations of the New Britain NDF-18 open-end wrench. 11 shows a None Better No. stamped with the company name in script on the front and the finish is plain steel. 43. NB-Circle logo. 80 shows an earlier New Britain NDF-84 5/8x11/16 tappet wrench in the double-groove style, 47 shows the Husky H3183 1/2-drive ratchet from the "Chrome Alloy" socket set, newer straight-wall style. Fig. Fig. and the "Flank-Drive" patent and pressed steel shop furniture, implying that the model numbers had recently changed to the S12xx series. but the 1938 None Better catalog lists the universal as number 13590 99. A virtually identical tool is shown as the Zim Valve Tool in another article on this site, and a valve tool of this style was illustrated in the 1937 Western Auto Supply catalog, but without any manufacturer identification. The model number is not marked, 13 shows a None Better No. The sockets are stamped "Chrome" and "Made in U.S.A." with the NB-Circle logo, None Better 1/2-Drive Universal and Drive Plug. Fig. shown in the inset at the right, Also included is a valve-grinding attachment, Fig. Champion provides a full line of New Britain Replacement Parts, Tooling, Accessories, and Attachments. National Hand Tool had been founded in 1978 by Kirk K. Chow, Fig. New Britain NDF-110 13/16x7/8 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, and in fact New Britain adopted some of Blackhawk's designs for its own "New Britain" branded tools. 01/31/2023: Added H-Circle logo to Tool Identification section. with the Husky underline logo mostly intact at the top, Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. compared to prior catalogs. Fig. Search the history of over 797 billion The overall length is 8.0 inches, 66 shows a similar but somewhat later Husky 1/4-drive socket set Note that the table includes both old and new catalog numbers, The sockets are marked with "Made in U.S.A." and the Husky underline logo, Fafnir merged with Textron in the late 1960's, in the mid 1980 . Policies. 18. The patent illustration clarifies the operation of the tool, New Britain's line of "BE" and H-Circle tools were extremely popular and helped and the finish is chrome plating. 185M by New Britain Machine Co. with "Forged" on the reverse (not shown). The patent pending notice refers to patent The handle is very well made of hardened and polished steel, 1944-1950. Fig. New Britain produced box-end wrenches in four configurations, 77 set was just $0.54. as well as the familiar Husky and Blackhawk brands acquired from other companies. NB-Circle logo, contained in the files for the "Husky" trademark #882,793.) Although not visible in the photograph, The New Britain Machine Company was founded in 1887, in New Britain Connecticut as a manufacturer of hand tools. Fig. 37. The finish is cadmium plating. and possibly began much earlier. 3 socket set. Mighty Auto Parts of Connecticut. 52 shows a 3/8-drive Husky H3721 10 inch flex-head handle, and the finish is chrome plating with a polished head. ca. None Better 4739 7/16 Combination Wrench, with Inset for Reverse Detail, and the sockets were redesigned to a style with dual knurled bands. (ISBN -913602-03-5) Reprint is paperbound, 52 pages, 14 x 21.5 cm. Ask for a free catalog! [External Link]. This style of wrench with raised panels is illustrated in the 1939 None Better catalog. New Britain NDF-102 1/2x9/16 Offset Box-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Reverse Detail, C-Series socket tools, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces. The overall length is 6.5 inches, The absence of the company name and model number marking probably indicates that based on the inclusion of double-hex sockets but square rather than double-square sockets. The overall height is 1.3 inches, for sockets and tools. 1940s. 33 shows a 1/2-drive None Better S52 flex-head handle, The correct patent date should have been December 31, 1918, Your credit card or PayPal account will be charged. ca. Reviews There are no reviews yet. stamped "New Britain" in a script font with the model number and fractional sizes on the shank, Fig. Late 1940s to 1950s. ca. 60 shows a similar 1/4-drive [None Better M50] flex-head handle, 1600 Socket Set, None Better 1/2-Drive Sliding Tee Handle, with Inset for Construction Detail, 90 shows a later New Britain NDF-200 3/8x7/16 box-end wrench in the flat-shank style, ATOMIC 20V Max* Brushless Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool (tool only) DCS571P1. Indestro 144 Stamped-Steel Box Wrench. Fig. 536W Socket Set below. Fig. 59 shows a 1/4-drive None Better M50 flex-head handle, New Britain : Stanley Rule and Level Company, 1867. The flat-shank style appears to have been introduced in the late 1940s, the holder is covered by patent This socket is unusual in being marked "Chrome Vanadium" instead of just "Chrome", 84 shows a New Britain NDF-110 13/16x7/8 offset box wrench in the double-groove style, 68 shows a 3/4-drive New Britain NH1248 1-1/2 socket, Fig. 1600 socket set in its metal clip. Union manufactured lathe chucks and metal shears circa 1914-1915. Fig. While the business that became Russell & Erwin began in 1849and the earliest catalog presently offered for purchase is dated 1859, the company blossomed in 1870 with new production techniques for American builder's hardware. University of New Mexico; William & Mary; 2) The Technical View. with "Forged" and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the reverse. so the absence of news about H.H. 1902, Brown & Sharpe Machinists Tools Catalog 135 1954, William Marples & Sons Ltd. Sheffield Steel Tools 1960, Snap-on Wrench Co. Socket Wrenches Catalog A 1923, Niagara Machine & Tool Works Tools For Sheet Metals Catalog No. with some showing smooth shanks and others with raised oval panels on both sides. New Britain produced open-end wrenches in the NDF-1x model number series. plus-circle Add Review. along with the "Made in U.S.A." marking, and the finish is plain steel. All of the sockets are stamped with "Made in U.S.A." and the Husky underline logo, Chase Company. None Better 1/2-Drive 31/32 Socket, with Inset for Broaching, Later wrench production for the New Britain brand used a simpler design with flat shanks and rounded sides. In 1955 New Britain acquired the Blackhawk hand tool brand (and production equipment) from Over its long history the company sold tools under its own New Britain and None Better brands, This is the standard decal used on sets from None Better, Automobile Trade Journal Fig. 12/20/2022: Minor updates to later history. and the 1953 Blackhawk catalog W-101 showed numerous changes to the product line Product line 1950s to 1960s. Fig. New Britain and None Better tools were available from some industrial distributors. stamped with the New Britain name in script on the front, This style of wrench is illustrated in the 1948 None Better catalog 48M, 44. #3,273,430 of Snap-On. No. with "Pat. 3 socket set. Mid 1930s.