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Early Craftsman Series (generally pre-1946, some exceptions): BC = unknown U.S. manufacturer, ca. ? - ? BE = New Britain and some Hinsdale, ca. 1931 - 1947 BT = unknown U.S. manufacturer, ca. 1936 - 1938 Cxx = New Britain and probably Hinsdale and Fulton, ca. 1930 - 1936 CI = probably Fulton, ca. 1930 - 1945 CF = Herbrand, ca. 1930 - 1936 C8 = JP Danielson, ca. 1930 -1936 F-circle = possibly Lectrolite, Miller Falls, or KD, ca. 1949 - 1964 G-circle = possibly Lectrolite, ca. 1949 - 1959 perhaps as late as 1964 H-circle = New Britain and some Hinsdale, ca. 1931 - 1947 K-circle = SK, ca. 1935 - 1949 perhaps as late as 1984 N-square = unknown U.S. manu., ca ? - ? P-circle = Wilde, ca. 1945 - 1960 S-circle = Kastar, ca. 1960 - 2008, perhaps earlier V-circle = unknown U.S. manu., ca. ? - 1985 U-circle = Plomb, ca. 1944-1948 The following section details what we currently know about the modern series codes. Much of the information for this section was taken from the personal tool inventory of Mr. Gary Lauver, consisting of approximately 450 Craftsman tools which were purchased between 1960 and 2008. As you can see, there is still much that we do not currently know. Modern Craftsman Series (generally 1946 and later, some exceptions): BF = probably Daido, possibly Hozan, Japanese made, ca 1969 - 1987 C = unknown U.S. manu., ca. 1991 D = unknown Chinese manu., ca. 2002-2008 DJ = Mitutoyo, Japanese made, ca. 1968 E & EE = Stanley Works, some U.S. made, some Taiwanese made, ca. 1982 - 1991 F = Danaher, ca. ? - 2008 G = Danaher, ca. 1990 - 2008 G1 = Danaher, ca. 2000 G2 = Danaher, ca. ? - 2008 GD2 = Danaher, ca. 2008 - ? GK = Danaher/Kingsley Tools Division, ca. 2003 - 2008 GK-A = Danaher/Kingsley Tools Division, ca. 1999 - 2003 GK-F = Danaher/Kinsley Tools Division, ca. 2007 - 2008 GK-G = Danaher/Kingsley Tools Division, ca. 2007 - 2008 GK-X = Danaher/Kinsley Tools Division, ca. ? - 2008 H = Danaher/Holo-Krome Division, ca. 1994 - 2008 HZ = likely Danaher, ca. ? - 2008 I-circle = Parker Mfg Co, ca. 1985 - 1986 K = SK division of Facom, ca. 1985 - 2004, could still be NOS on the shelves K1W = Danaher, ca. 2007 K3V = Danaher, ca. ? - 2008 K3X = Danaher, ca. 2007 -2008 KR = Danaher, ca. ? - 2008 KU = Danaher, ca. ? - 2008 KV = Danaher, ca. ? - 2008 KW = Danaher, ca. 2002 - 2008, probably earlier KX = Danaher, ca. 2002 - 2008, probably earlier L1X = Danaher, ca. 2008 - ? M6W = Dahaher, ca. 2007 - 2008 P = Wilde, ca. ? - 2008 PR = Pratt Read, ca. 2002 - 2008 Q PR = Pratt Read, ca. ? S PR = Pratt Read, ca. 2007 - 2008 T PR = Pratt Read, ca. 2007 - 2008 U PR1-3 = Pratt Read, ca. 2008 V PR = Pratt Read, ca. 2007 - 2008 W PR = Pratt Read, ca 2007 - 2008 T1V = Danaher, ca. 2006 - 2007 T2W = Danaher, ca. 2008 T3W = Danaher, ca. 2008 T5V = Danaher, ca. 2008 T5W = Danaher, ca. 2008 T5X = Danaher, ca. 2008 V = Moore Drop Forge, ca. 1945 - 1968 perhaps earlier V (continued) = Easco, ca. 1969 - 1989, perhaps as late as 1991 VA = Armstrong division of Danaher, ca. 2002 - 2008, perhaps earlier VF = Danaher, ca. likely early 1990's VG = Danaher, ca. 1994 - 1995 VH = Danaher, ca. 1994 - 1997 VJ = Danaher, ca. 1994 - 2008 VK = Danaher, ca. 1996 - ? VL = Danaher, ca. ? - ? VM = Danaher, ca. ? - ? VN = Danaher, ca. 1999 - 2001 VP = Danaher, ca. ? - ? VQ = Danaher, ca. 2001 - 2004 VR = Danaher, ca. 2002 VS = Danaher, ca. 1995 - 2003 VT = Danaher, ca. 2006 VU = Danaher, ca. 2005 VV = Danaher, ca. 1990 - 2007, perhaps later VW = Danaher, ca. 2002 - 2008 V^(2nd V inverted) = Danaher, ca. 1992 - 2008 VVN = Danaher, ca. 2005 VVS = Danaher, ca. 2003 VVT = Danaher, ca. 2004 - 2005 VVV = Danaher, ca. 2008 VVW = Danaher, ca. 2008 VVX = Danaher, ca. 2002 - 2008, possibly earlier W = probably SK Hand tools, post-Facom , ca. 2005 - 2008 WF = Western Forge, ca. 1965 - 2008 WF ll = Western Forge, ca. 1969 WF K = Western Forge, ca. ? WF L = Western Forge, ca. ? WF R = Western Forge, ca. ? WF U = Western Forge, ca. 2008 WF V = Western Forge, ca. 2008 WF W = Western Forge, ca. 2002 - 2008 B WF = Western Forge, ca. ? C WF = Western Forge, ca. ? D WF = Western Forge, ca. 1993 - 2000 E WF = Western Forge, ca. ? F WF = Western Forge, ca. 2003 J WF = Western Forge, ca. 1995 K WF = Western Forge, ca. 1995 L WF = Western Forge, ca. ? M WF = Western Forge, ca. ? N WF = Western Forge, ca. ? Q WF = Western Forge, ca. 1990 - 1995 T WF = Western Forge, ca. 2002 - 2008 V WF = Western Forge, ca. 2002 - 2008 W WF = Western Forge, ca. 2002 - 2008 X WF = Western Forge, ca. 1965 - 2008 + WF = Western Forge, ca. 1965 - ? * WF = Western Forge, ca. 1965 - ? ∆ WF = Western Forge, ca. 1966 - ? □ WF = Western Forge, ca. 1965 - ? X = probably SK Hand tools, post-Facom , ca. 2008 - ? Z = Mayhew, ca. 1966 - 2008 3 = Kastar, ca. 1991 4 = Kastar, ca. 1992 [ = Kastar, ca. 2002 - 2008 possibly earlier .(Dot) = SK, ca. 2008 " " (Tools with no series code) = multiple U.S. manufacturer's including Allied Tool, American Tool, Danaher, Greenfield, Jore Corp, JS Technology, Kastar, KD, Lisle, Mayhew Steel, Midwest Snips, Milbar, Stanley Works, Stride Tool, Sturtevant Richmond, Ullman Devices, Vermont American, Western Forge, and Facom and other unknown foreign manufacturer's, ca. 1986 - 2008 Feel free to review, comment, and provide evidence of series codes, manufacturers, and/or dates not shown above. Post away! * Note-- items in red are recent updates. □ ∆ + __________________ Compiled by Gary Lauver