Ratchets (with pictures)

[kxxr]

   Williams trio.

  Recently acquired by me. Haven't even used them yet, but I do like the look and feel. They're beauties with a serious, heavy feel and finish of black oxide.  One thing I did notice for those interested, the two smaller ones both have USA stamped on them, the big one does not.
    No special facts, so I'll paste what the company says: From the "Industrial Supply Company" website: Enclosed head is sealed. Forged one-piece. 36 tooth gear with 10 degree of engagement. Single Pawl ratchet design for tighter tolerances between pawl and gear to reduce metal fatigue and slippage under load. Does not require as many working parts, reducing possible breakage and parts to repair. Easy access reverse lever allows user to change working direction quickly and easily with only one hand. Lifetime Warranty, Made in USA, Manufactured by Williams, now a Snap On company.
  I have a few others.

[J.A.F.E.]

Those ratchets are very nice and quite a bargain. Nicely done kxxr.

Williams is a subsidiary of Snap on but there is more connection with those ratchets than just corporate ownership. The guts are Snap on and come out of the now no longer available (with a few exceptions) 936 series. The rebuild kits will interchange either way. The forging gives some clues in the head details and the handle is sort of a retro early round SO handle design. I have a couple and they work well and are comfortable to hold and use.

[kxxr]

Good to know about the repair kits. I got a good deal on these off the auction site for $13.33 each, shipped.

[kxxr]

Here's another group. No markings but the circle on the handle of the one, it's 3/8 drive, assumed to be Plomb. The little 1/4 drive came to me with wire looped through the holes to hold it together. I had trouble finding screws to fit. I found the right diameter but they need to be shortened.

[kxxr]

A few more favorites, all quarter inch drive. First is an SK 40970 fine tooth, about 4 and 1/2 inches long. It was my dad's. AA says most of these SK ratchets will have the later patent number on them as SK started stamping Pat.No. 2232477 in the early 1940s. If it is as old as I think it may be, my dad would have gotten it when he was pretty young, maybe even from his dad, and he hung on to it for a long time. He would have been a teenager in 1941.

Next is a 5" Cornwell with only 1 H for markings other than the Cornwell USA name itself. The Cornwell shape, weight and balance might be my favorite over all. Today anyway.

Here's a Snap On MV70, only about 4 and 3/8" long, pictured next to the SK for comparison.

[kxxr]

Here's the 'giant' of the bunch, also pictured next to the SK for size comparison, a Stanley Workmaster 'FlipDrive' from the 1980s I think. It was new in 1983 and looks brand new today. A neat ratchet with an easy switch to flip with your thumb. It says 8G 000 with a Pat.No. on the other side but no USA anywhere. I don't know where this ratchet falls within those misunderstandings Stanley had with the Government. Maybe someone looking can say whether 1983 was USA likely or not. Cool ratchet either way.

And, a NAPA USA NM43 J, alongside the SK and a Craftsman USA 43174. Some tri-wings are imported and are known for weak innards, but this one says "USA".

[kxxr]

Here's the other side, top to bottom: Craftsman, NAPA, Stanley, Snap On, Cornwell, SK.

[kxxr]

Here are a couple of nice additions to the 1/4" group; a Mac MR5 and a brand new looking Matco AR3T along with another Plomb 3/8" 5249 with good honest wear but smooth function and no rust. I did a little horse trading for one of those Taiwan 40 some piece sets in the plastic box (20 pieces are allen wrenches) that I have been kicking around the garage for years. The shopkeep gave me $15 credit for it so I got the 3 ratchets for $12 bucks out of pocket. I think he was happy to get something he'll have no trouble selling at twice the price or better and I am happy with my new ratchets. Win / Win
Anyone know the vintage of the 2 newer 1/4" ratchets? The MAC has a shallow engraving on the head but the Matco looks fresh out of the package.

[benjy]

here are a couple of my ratchets...both made by britool...

[kxxr]

Don't see the Britool variety very often. Nice.

[kxxr]

Anyone recognize the maker of this "Master Pro" brand? Is it an Easco design?

[kxxr]

[kxxr]

more ratchets:
Husky, Sparta, Craftsman, SK Roto, Craftsman, Mac Sabina

Cman, Cman, Powerbuilt (I know but it's cute), Proto, Cman, Hammered Cman, KD, and.... yay!! a stainless!

[bonneyman]

Anyone recognize the maker of this brand? Is it an Easco design?

The Master Pro is a Stanley-made sliding pawl design very much like the Craftsman Quick Clean style (which was also Stanley made). I have one - and like it! - and it's pictured in the ratchet thread.
Is yours 3/8" or 1/4"?

[kxxr]

Anyone recognize the maker of this brand? Is it an Easco design?

The Master Pro is a Stanley-made sliding pawl design very much like the Craftsman Quick Clean style (which was also Stanley made). I have one - and like it! - and it's pictured in the ratchet thread.
Is yours 3/8" or 1/4"?

Ah, Stanley. Does it come apart like the Quick Clean? It is difficult to tell the size of that ratchet because I botched the resizing of the photos, but it is a big ol' war club half incher. What vintage would you say these are?
I should say that when I started this thread, I didn't realize that there was a "the ratchet thread" or I would have just put these there. I had seen the title of it, and thought the focus was on dis-assembly. You may have noticed that I have changed the title and the proposed strategy of this thread from it's original state once I noticed a reference or two to "the ratchet thread". It was not my intent to 'compete' with an existing project ...
I'll just keep adding photos and info here as I get them and maybe this can be 'the other ratchet thread'.