Plomb Rat Clone??

[dimwittedmoose51]

Have had this ratchet in the "Drive Tool" stash for a while, but decided to take it apart to clean and oil it today.  Found some very strange/primitive markings on the inside of the top and bottom plates that make me wonder if they are indeed stampings from the Plomb factory.  The plate with the switch's markings look a lot like 4 Plomb arrows.....don't they???....or am I just under the influence of "hoping they are".  The other plate is a little more difficult to discern.   they both have 4 marks though and they were both inside the housing and not exposed to the naked eye externally.  This rat had some really strange looking beige colored grease in it too.  That's a first for me ......

 The ratchet handle has a single "O" on it and nothing more, but my Plomb 3/8" WF series rat and this one appear to be identical in every other way.  Any thoughts from the gurus on this rat would be appreciated.

DM&FS

[lauver]

DWM,

Those markings on the inside of the top and bottom plate look like they could be number stampings (i.e. 4 digit model number).  Whoever did the stamping did a poor job of it though.

It is a dead ringer for a Plomb WF; perhaps generic contract production.   

[scottg]

This has got to be a Plomb ratchet! How can there be any doubt?
I am sure it was merely ordered plain so a hardware chain like  (Bellknap) Blue Grass or  (LF&C) Universal could put their house brand sticker on it and call it theirs.
   yours Scott

[dimwittedmoose51]

I  guess you'd have to look at both plates with a magnifying glass to see any hint of the "arrows". The fact that both pieces had 4 marks was a good start......lol   Thanks fellas and may the next one have the right lettering....



DM&FS

[v8garage]

I have ratchets in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" like that. I have always just considered them to be Plomb ratchets without markings. Probably made under contract.
V/8

[lbgradwell]

I, too, have a 1/2" version...

[dimwittedmoose51]

This ratchet was particularly difficult to get back together...ie getting the pawls, springs, and actuator lever all in place.  Patience was a virtue, but it got to be a pretty thin virtue after just so long.  I'm starting to remember to take a digital photo of the ratchet with the plates off so I have reference when they go back together.  I have lived and learnt!!!

Does anyone know of the proper screw fittings for this series of rats?  Mine came with regular slot pan heads and nuts on the threaded plate side. Wisely(or foolishly), I ground the excess thread off so everything was flush and no nuts needed.  Usually that's a sign of some hack cross threading the threaded plate, but these ere in perfect condition.  Someone had obviously been inside that rat prior to me, as that beige grease was nothing like the MoS2 paste I've found in most of my Plomb rat acquisitions.

DM&FS

[lauver]

DWN,

I am always pleasently surprised when I take a vintage ratchet apart and find any semblance of lube.  Typically they are either dry and badly rusted, or the lube is dry and contaminated beyond recognition...  just a caked on mess of hard gritty stuff.

I once bought a brand new Proto ratchet and upon testing it, I found it noisy and stiff.  I took it apart and discovered the inner assembly was completely dry; no lube of any type.  I applied a thin coat of SuperLube grease and reassembled it; upon retesting it was quiet and smooth... as it should have been.

Go figure...

[dimwittedmoose51]

Lauver:  Proto spends al ltheir time and energy on fancy chrome plating and hi tech metallurgy,  nothing in the budget for lubricant...
BTW, I've been using 3 in 1 oil, but those ratchets will see very little service as workers....

DM&FS