This web page relates to "YANKEE" tools mostly produced by North Bros. Mfg. Co. U.S.A. at their Philadelphia plant which were long renowned for their innovation, reliabilty & quality. The tools featured here are the ones I believe deserve special mention because of the ingenious adaptation of the ratchet mechanism that North Bros. employed so very well.
North Bros. always used that form of their Company name -- never North Brothers -- on their correspondence and tool markings. Similarly, the "YANKEE" marking on their tools was always rendered that way -- never without the quotes or in lower case lettering. Examples of tool markings (as found on No.131A Spiral Ratchet Quick Return Screwdrivers but generally applicable to all "YANKEE" tools):
Early:
(with multiple Patent dates)
"YANKEE" No. 131A
NORTH BROS. MFG. CO.
PHILA. PA. U.S.A.
--------------------
PAT. (xxx)
MADE IN UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA
Later:
"YANKEE" No. 131A
NORTH BROS. MFG. CO.
PHILA. PA. U.S.A.
--------------------
PAT. DEC. 11-23
MADE IN
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
After acquisition of North Brothers by Stanley in 1946:
"YANKEE" No. 131A
®
NORTH BROS. MFG. Co.
DIV. OF STANLEY TOOLS
PHILA. PA. U.S.A.
After c. 1959:
(Stanley closed the North Bros.
Philadelphia Plant in 1959
and moved "YANKEE" Tool production to New Britain,
Conn.)
STANLEY
(cartouche)
YANKEE
No. 131A
MADE IN U.S.A.
I do not remember exactly when it was that Stanley began manufacturing and marketing "Yankee" Spiral Ratchet Screw Drivers in England after they acquired North Brothers in 1946.
I have used North Bros. "YANKEE" tools for many years with great satisfaction -- none have ever let me down. I still use "YANKEE" Spiral Ratchet Screwdrivers, Hand Drills and Bit Braces every day -- some of them are older than I am -- I wish I was in as good a shape as they are!
QUICK RETURN SPIRAL RATCHET SCREW DRIVERS
Top to bottom:
No. 135A Light Pattern
No. 130A Medium Pattern
No. 131A Heavy Pattern
The first "YANKEE" tool I owned and used was a No. 130A Medium Pattern Quick Return Spiral Ratchet Screw Driver soon followed by a No. 131A Heavy Pattern. They were staple tools of the Truck cab and body building trade to which I belonged in the late 1940s -- I do believe every craftsman used one.
"YANKEE" RATCHET BREAST AND HAND DRILLS
"YANKEE" No. 1555 Ratchet Breast Drill
The No. 1555 Breast Drill with its multi-choice ratchet mechanism, dual speed operation and ½" capacity three jaw chuck was the top of the line. Some of the older craftsmen at Tillotson's owned their own personal Breast Drills (although not always this model -- or even "YANKEE") which they would often lend to Apprentices on request.
Breast Drills were used at Tillotson's mostly when building (wood) flat bed truck bodies where large holes had to be bored in hard woods and sometimes in metal fixtures. There were a couple (?) of Company owned Electric Drills available for issue from the Stock Room, but they were mostly used for drilling the holes for -- and installing -- the numerous large wood screws used to secure the floor boards to the primary oak cross-beams. Wide-spread availability and use of electric drills (and electric hand tools in general) did not exist at Tillotsons in the late 1940s (except in the Aluminum body building shop).
"YANKEE" No. 1530 Ratchet Hand Drill
This Hand Drill was highly regarded by many woodworkers who particularly liked its small size, smooth action and ingenious multi-choice ratchet mechanism. I didn't own one of these hand drills until late in my apprenticeship but eventually it became my own favorite. Pictured above is the No. 1530A model, the only difference being the use of slightly stronger material than that used in the 1530 model for some components.
This Hand Drill was very handy when working in such places as cab structures where the restricted space available made the selective ratchet mechanism a very useful feature.
"YANKEE" No. 2100/2101 RATCHET BIT BRACE
This Bit Brace is considered by many woodworkers to be the best one ever produced. Indeed, its ruggedness, dependability and super smooth action have not been equalled by any other.
The No. 2101 Ratchet Bit Brace is similar in outward appearance to the 2100 although the finish is of slightly lower quality. The Bell Telephone System purchased large quantities of this model (they are stamped "Bell System") for use by their Telephone Linemen -- a fine testament to their reliability and overall excellence.
North Bros."YANKEE" tools have not been manufactured for many years, but they still maintain their reputation of being some of the best ever produced.
NOTES AND REFERENCES
-
The No. 135A, No. 130A and No.
131A Spiral Ratchet Screw Drivers were also available
without the rapid return feature as No. 35A, No. 30A
and No. 31A respectively.
- The North Brothers 1931 "Yankee" tools catalog (PDF) download is available at this Rose Antique Tools web page -- the extracts on this page were scanned from a 1930s catalog that I own.
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