Blackhawk is an American brand of

hand tools A hand tool is any tool that is powered by hand rather than a motor. Categories of hand tools include wrenches, pliers, cutters, files, striking tools, struck or hammered tools, screwdrivers, vises, clamps, snips, hacksaws, drills, an ...

. It is currently a sub-brand of the Proto division of the

Stanley Black & Decker Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., formerly known as The Stanley Works, is a ''Fortune'' 500 American manufacturer of industrial tools and household hardware, and a provider of security products. Headquartered in the Greater Hartford city of Ne ...

History

Blackhawk Manufacturing was founded in 1919 in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

as a subsidiary of the American Grinder Company (later named Applied Power Corporation). It made automotive tools, such as

wrenches A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning. In the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand ...

and sockets, and a number of specialty tools. Blackhawk introduced a number of innovations to conventional drive tools, such as the "Lock-On" system of locking sockets, gearless ratchets, telescoping ratchet handles, and 7/16" drive tools. Many of these designs were developed by engineers Edward Pfauser and Sigmund Mandl (the latter notable for having founded the Husky Wrench Company prior to working for Blackhawk). Tools from the mid-20th century had distinctive

art deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

styling and remain highly collectible. Blackhawk also partnered with the Armstrong Bros. Tool Company in the late 1920s through the late 1940s to produce a range of open-ended wrenches under the "Blackhawk–Armstrong" label. Blackhawk also produced Blackhawk Jack brand floor jacks under the Blackhawk Mfg. Co. name including a handy 1-1/2 Ton heavy steel wheeled model. In the early 1950s, the Blackhawk hand tool line was acquired by the

New Britain Machine Company New Britain Machine Company was a tool company that was headquartered in New Britain, Connecticut. The company started to sell woodworking machines, sockets and drive tools. New Britain was the main supplier for National Automotive Parts Associat ...

. In the 1970s,

Litton Industries Litton Industries, Inc., was an American defense contractor that specialized in shipbuilding, aerospace, electronic components, and information technology. The company was founded in 1953 and was named after inventor Charles Litton Sr., who was ...

purchased New Britain. In the 1980s, National Hand Tool acquired parts of Litton's erstwhile hand tools division, including the Blackhawk and Husky brands. And in 1986, the Stanley Works acquired National Hand Tool, and with it, the Blackhawk brand.

Gallery

Image:Blackhawk ratchet.jpg, A Stanley-era Blackhawk round-head

ratchet Ratchet may refer to: Devices * Ratchet (device), a mechanical device that allows movement in only one direction * Ratchet effect in sociology and economics * Ratchet, metonymic name for a socket wrench incorporating a ratcheting device * Ratc ...

. Image:Blackhawk quick-release pear-head ratchet.jpg, A modern Blackhawk pear-head

. Image:Blackhawk mechanic's tool set.jpg, A mechanic's tool set. Image:Blackhawk satin-finish wrench set.jpg, A set of combination wrenches.

References

External links

Stanley Proto web site

{{Tool manufacturers Tool brands Tool manufacturing companies of the United States Automotive tool manufacturers Manufacturing companies established in 1919 Stanley Black & Decker brands American brands 1986 mergers and acquisitions