Any of you guys ever buy a complete Stanley Handyman H23 kit?

[schnitz]

The reason I'm asking is that I think the kit I bought a couple weeks ago is complete (the owners manual was included, so the original owner must've been pretty unhandy!).  If any of you have, I'd like to compare a list of contents.

[schnitz]

I'll rephrase the original question.  Have any of you guys ever seen a kit like the one I've got?  I'm beginning to think it's a mighty rare kit.  I've got a guy at work that is into old tools and such, and he says he's never even heard of a kit like mine. 

[Dakota Woodworker]

A lot of tool manufactures sold kits of tools for all skill levels and of course stanely had some dandies.  I'd be interested to see some photos of you kit if possible, just to get an idea of what it contains.

[schnitz]

I'm still trying to figure out how to upload pictures to this site, but as soon as I figure out how, you'll see 'em.  I've got a lot of pictures of my vintage stuff on my Iphone, but I'm thinking I need to transfer them to my computer, then onto the site.  Hopefully in a day or two.

[schnitz]

For now, here's a link to the thread I started on Woodworkingtalk.com that has a couple "teaser shots"...http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f12/how-did-i-do-39530/

[ron darner]

After seeing the kit, I recognize it, a bit; I have seen ads for the router and planer set, I think in Home Craftsman magazine from the early 1950's.  The general shape of the router suggests the H15 / H25 / H45 series (from light- to heavy-duty, in same order).  The "H" in the kit number supports this, too.

[schnitz]

Cool, I had thoughts when I bought it of doing a good cleanup and flip for profit, but the more I toy with this, the more I think I'll hang onto it.  Different piece of "tool history" if you will.

[OilyRascal]

I cover most of The Home Craftsman issues from 40s and 50s.  I did not find the H23 kit (not saying it isn't there, just that I didn't see it in my rush of looking through my stock).  I did however find the H21. 

Here is an ad. for the H21 Drill Kit from The Home Craftsman, December 1954

[rusty]

The part numbers are interesting. Hunts / Craftsman wood service co catalog from 1952 shows the router, electric plane attachment and a bizzare router to bench grinder adaptor, but none of the part numbers have an H prefix. The router is R8a, the plane J38...

Oddly also, the electric plane references 'No. 8 Motor'....hmm

Do you suppose Stanley redesigned everything on the sudden inspiration it should be interchangable?

 ---

GA-21 - Convert your expensive router into a cheap bench grinder....
(One wonders who they were selling this to, I mean, you have an electric plane, and a router, so you have no irons and chisels to sharpen, right?)

[john k]

I remember asking my dad why he didn't have more power tools, and he would mumble about how expensive they were.   The $67.50 price  on that saw, wow!   For the average working blue collar that was over a weeks wages.   For just one tool.   I see the subtle dig too on the bit about the handsaw,  back when: If we put a motor on something its better!, Right,,,, Right??   Maybe not.  Funny, today nice handsaws sell for decent money, and early electric tools can barely be given away.  Most of the time.