No Dates on some of my Tools

[macother]

I'm new at this, and this is my first post. I have a beginners understanding about collecting, but I've been using my snap on tools for 50 years. Does anyone know what years lacked date codes?

[snapy64]

the first date codes started in 1927 so from 1920 through 1926 there will be no date codes but even after that and until today not all tools have date codes so sometimes it takes a little looking through catalogs and guessing about when they were made

[J.A.F.E.]

I have some ratchets I bought new in the 70's with no date codes. Some wrenches seem to not be marked - at least going by the ones I have.

[Frank Murch]

Originally the date code was stamped into the tool BY SALES as a start of a one year guarantee. This lasted through 1931. So tools that were not sold (internal use) would not have stamps. Tools sold with no guarantee - say on contract users in factories, do not have stamps. Also these stamps are a reflection of a sales date - tools where excess inventory existed may sell years after they were made (like during the depression and when a lot of stock was made to cover a factory move - both happened) have dates that are later than the manufacturing date - sometimes by several years.

When the the tools switched to lifetime guarantee in 1932 and they kept stamping them, but at the factory and the date code became manufacturing date. Sales had no reason to stamp them because it was no longer the start of a one year period

In WWII most guarantees were not extended - these are stamped E or G. These were sold on a cost plus basis and there was no "profit" to cover returns.

After WWII the stamps were less important, other than wear items with specific exclusions - everything carries a life time guarantee. Snap on still wants to know the age of tools coming back for return, but it is useful to them and not 100% consistent. I think tools sold on contracts (military and industry) small tools and other times when they find it inconvenient don't carry them