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CGarage

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Joined
Nov 23, 2018
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3,026
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United States/Switzerland
The USA made SK round heads were great ratchets IMO. For that time! Today the heads are twice as thick as modern choices, but I've kept my SK round heads and occasionally use them when there's plenty of room.


Yeah, 50 years ago, they might have been something.


Time to get with the times.

There are a ton of tool users on here who have a point of reference from tools of yesteryear, as in 50+ years ago, that are no longer best in class or remotely relevant.
 

Mike S.

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Joined
Jan 16, 2022
Messages
269
Location
Charlotte, NC
First tool purchase in a while and first one for 2024.

New hatchet, a dead blow hammer, Capri thin wrenches and the newer model GW locking flex head ratchet.

20240108_183911.jpg

I wanted to love the older 90T version, but that locking mechanism is pretty awful. At least it is on mine. The 120xp seems much better.
 

mikeinri

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Joined
Nov 29, 2019
Messages
8,248
Location
MA
Yeah, 50 years ago, they might have been something.


Time to get with the times.

There are a ton of tool users on here who have a point of reference from tools of yesteryear, as in 50+ years ago, that are no longer best in class or remotely relevant.

Not picking sides, but why not relevant? Sure, there may be improved designs, especially from high priced companies, but that doesn't necessarily make the old ones irrelevant (other than the thread title, I guess).

Mike
 

mikeinri

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2019
Messages
8,248
Location
MA
First tool purchase in a while and first one for 2024.

New hatchet, a dead blow hammer, Capri thin wrenches and the newer model GW locking flex head ratchet.

20240108_183911.jpg

I wanted to love the older 90T version, but that locking mechanism is pretty awful. At least it is on mine. The 120xp seems much better.

Nice! I LOVE my Fiskars hatchet. I do need to sharpen it.

Mike
 

CGarage

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Joined
Nov 23, 2018
Messages
3,026
Location
United States/Switzerland
Not picking sides, but why not relevant? Sure, there may be improved designs, especially from high priced companies, but that doesn't necessarily make the old ones irrelevant (other than the thread title, I guess).

Mike


Not picking sides, either.
Are we cavemen?
Do you listen to music on a tape player?

Modernity and progress is a good thing, especially with tools and an increasingly challenging work and use environment with ever more limited space and access.
 

dscheidt

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Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
2,902
Not picking sides, either.
Are we cavemen?
Do you listen to music on a tape player?

Modernity and progress is a good thing, especially with tools and an increasingly challenging work and use environment with ever more limited space and access.
there are plenty of tasks where access isn't an issue, and using a tool based on other criteria besides 'fits where nothing else does' is perfectly reasonable. I've got slim 10000 tooth ratchets, but I often use older ones, just because the handles are better.
 

AJHD

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Joined
Jan 4, 2020
Messages
3,032
Location
AZ
Couldn’t decide so I got them all. My dealer threw in the F100 “free” and the screwdriver and prybars.IMG_3396.jpeg

Interesting. I haven't seen any of the new ratchets yet.

I also haven't seen my Snap On guy in almost a month and it will have to wait at least another 2 weeks. Killing me.
 

CGarage

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2018
Messages
3,026
Location
United States/Switzerland
there are plenty of tasks where access isn't an issue, and using a tool based on other criteria besides 'fits where nothing else does' is perfectly reasonable. I've got slim 10000 tooth ratchets, but I often use older ones, just because the handles are better.


I do as well. I have 70s and 80s era Snap-on, Facom, USAG, Hazet, etc and use them from time to time.

I won’t be going out of my way to buy or use a SK ratchet. Sorry.
 

Jarhead0408

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Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Messages
5,740
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Who knows?
Lord knows I luv buying tools as much as anyone here


But this ain’t one of them

IMG_5410.jpeg
Cam,

I’ve got several buddies hauling LTL freight up in the Northeast. They’re always complaining about the snow…

…given that I send them Christmas cards I always throw in a couple of beach postcards I pick up in Florida and write “Wish You Were Here!”

One of these days they’re going to catch up with me!
 
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mikeinri

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Nov 29, 2019
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8,248
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MA
Not picking sides, either.
Are we cavemen?
Do you listen to music on a tape player?

Modernity and progress is a good thing, especially with tools and an increasingly challenging work and use environment with ever more limited space and access.

Cassettes were just an awful media to begin with, but they were relatively cheap and very portable.

I listen to FM radio mostly, sometimes YouTube videos, and (GASP!) CDs. Doesn't make me a caveman.

I hate working in tight spaces. That's one reason I drive an SUV. There are places that **** to access on that, of course.


I do as well. I have 70s and 80s era Snap-on, Facom, USAG, Hazet, etc and use them from time to time.

I won’t be going out of my way to buy or use a SK ratchet. Sorry.

Me neither. But, I'm not likely to buy new ratchets when the bunch I already own work perfectly fine.

I'm a DIY guy, not a pro mechanic, and definitely not a collector, FWIW. Otherwise, I might answer differently.


Mike
 

CGarage

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Joined
Nov 23, 2018
Messages
3,026
Location
United States/Switzerland
Cassettes were just an awful media to begin with, but they were relatively cheap and very portable.

I listen to FM radio mostly, sometimes YouTube videos, and (GASP!) CDs. Doesn't make me a caveman.

I hate working in tight spaces. That's one reason I drive an SUV. There are places that **** to access on that, of course.




Me neither. But, I'm not likely to buy new ratchets when the bunch I already own work perfectly fine.

I'm a DIY guy, not a pro mechanic, and definitely not a collector, FWIW. Otherwise, I might answer differently.


Mike



We will have to agree to disagree.

Obviously, you have not been around a Nakamichi Dragon tape deck, which is still capable of producing incredible sound, with cassettes (!!!). Its fidelity is peerless, ~ 40 years later.

I too, listen to CDs still, and continue purchasing them.

No reason to purchase new ratchets when you have working ones, but it might be good for you to expand your horizons and see what technology has evolved and improvements that have been made over the last decade. You may be pleasantly surprised. I say this as someone who owns both new and old ratchets, covering an ~ 80 year production timespan.

I think you are very much missing out.
 

Dave455

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Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
5,821
Location
Sussex, England
20240107_130559.jpg20240107_130609.jpg20240107_130716.jpg

Couldn't resist this Facom box today. Some rust and maybe a couple of rivets missing. Catches need attention.
Think it's quite old.
Those are superb little boxes. Shame about the condition, but worth refurbing.

I think one on the members here has a minty one - it’s shown in the Facom thread.

I have a couple of the slightly smaller ones, but even when I bought the first of these (early 2000’s I think) the boxes you show were discontinued.
A5E703E3-12F8-41EC-B94C-EE992D9BBA54.jpeg

I don’t know why western manufacturers seem to struggle so much to produced decent small steel boxes.
 
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esben57

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 3, 2012
Messages
852
Location
Sheffield. England
Those are superb little boxes. Shame about the condition, but worth refurbing.

I think one on the members here has a minty one - it’s shown in the Facom thread.

I have a couple of the slightly smaller ones, but even when I bought the first of these (early 2000’s I think) the boxes you show were discontinued.
A5E703E3-12F8-41EC-B94C-EE992D9BBA54.jpeg


I don’t know why western manufacturers seem to struggle so much to produced decent small steel boxes.
Found this.
 

lund

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 2, 2019
Messages
797
Location
Michigan
Lord knows I luv buying tools as much as anyone here


But this ain’t one of them

IMG_5410.jpeg
Maybe I will jinx myself in saying this. But sofar in Michigan, we have only had a few light dustings of snow this season with much more rain than snow. It feels like a Southeast winter sofar rather than the upper midwest. Truly surreal. Given the changes over the last decade with 9 out of 10 years top 10 historical record highs, it is amazing that some still doubt the warming.

Snow shovels become a museum piece?
 
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