Thought I'd show off

[Even 11]

So I just had a birthday a few days back, I got one gift that I thought you guys might appreciate. Its an S-K Frankenstein set (1/2" dr, 1/2"-15/16" 12pt. and a 4" Extension) He says he has owned it since the mid to late 80s and has only ever used it sparingly. It was actually his truck kit for a while. The ratchet shows a little wear but most of them look like new!

-Dane

 

[patrickw10]

havent seen that ratchet before anybody have any info on it.

 

[RRmech]

I remember that S-K ratchet!
Back in the 80's, Trak Auto was selling S-K tools.
I'm not sure if that particular ratchet was a standard stock item or not?
Trak Auto went out of business in the 90's.

Steve

 

[gatewaysysop]

That is slick. I have never seen the whole set that goes with the ratchet before and I'd be surprised if I was the only person that hadn't seen it. I've always been tempted to pick up one of those ratchets, they just look so unique.

Really cool, thanks for sharing the pics!

 

[lbgradwell]

I have never seen the whole set that goes with the ratchet before and I'd be surprised if I was the only person that hadn't seen it.

You're not; I've never seen one of those sets either...

Cool!

 

[NY Old Guy]

Neat. What's a Frankenstein set??

 

[Davefr]

I have that ratchet. It has a very coarse action but is very strong.

I thought I heard that it was marketed for utility lineman, industrial vs. automotive.

 

[bushpilot]

interesting !

 

[lbgradwell]

What's a Frankenstein set??

A ratchet with that bolt-through-the-neck look...

 

[lauver]

That is slick. I have never seen the whole set that goes with the ratchet before and I'd be surprised if I was the only person that hadn't seen it. I've always been tempted to pick up one of those ratchets, they just look so unique.

Really cool, thanks for sharing the pics!

That makes 3 of us. Somewhere in my files I have a copy of the patent for this ratchet design. It's an old patent, and owned by Wright. Wright was known to make tools for other companies. In fact, I have one of these ratchets with the WardMaster brand on it.

It's possible that this S-K ratchet was made by Wright and branded for S-K. Another possibility is that the patent protection may have expired and S-K simply helped themselves to the design and manufactured the ratchet. In either case, this is the first time I've seen the "Frankenstein Ratchet" with an S-K logo on it.

Also, based on the S-K logo design on the tools and the box, I'd say this ratchet was made sometime during the S-K/Facom years (ca. 1985 - 2005).

If I can find my copy of the patent or a link to the patent, I'll post it here later.

 

[SCscoutguy]

I have owned a few of the Frankenstein ratchets but like all the others I have never seen one in a complete set. That is a great gift!

 

[Bull]

Nice, Dane, nice. I've seen one other such set, on eBay. But that's it.

The ratchets are just a cool design, no doubt about it.

 

[Even 11]

I remember that S-K ratchet!
Back in the 80's, Trak Auto was selling S-K tools.
I'm not sure if that particular ratchet was a standard stock item or not?
Trak Auto went out of business in the 90's.

Steve

Steve;

Hi jacking my own thread here, Trak Auto was bought out by Northern Auto, which was in turn bought out by Checker, which was in turn bought out by O'reilly Auto. So technically they are still around.....kinda. Before Checker (CSK) was bought out by O'reilly we still sold S-K as a secondary line, after Powerbuilt. Thought you would like to know. Thanks for adding that though.

-Dane

 

[cruiser808]

Dane, that is one sweet set.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

i knew a guy a that had just the ratchet. it never was the best looking ratchet, but it was very strong. lasted a long long time. first time i've seen a whole set.

 

[sk farmer]

That makes 3 of us. Somewhere in my files I have a copy of the patent for this ratchet design. It's an old patent, and owned by Wright. Wright was known to make tools for other companies. In fact, I have one of these ratchets with the WardMaster brand on it.

It's possible that this S-K ratchet was made by Wright and branded for S-K. Another possibility is that the patent protection may have expired and S-K simply helped themselves to the design and manufactured the ratchet. In either case, this is the first time I've seen the "Frankenstein Ratchet" with an S-K logo on it.

Also, based on the S-K logo design on the tools and the box, I'd say this ratchet was made sometime during the S-K/Facom years (ca. 1985 - 2005).

If I can find my copy of the patent or a link to the patent, I'll post it here later.

lots of misinformation her lauver. quite a few of those rats around. they come up for sale here on a regular basis. they may or may not have been made by wright but it was long before the facom years. matter of fact it was gone by the time facom took over. i would put it at late 70's to early 80's. it was also not a part of the regular sk line. it was part of the "custom" line. most of it was very similar to sk but slightly differant and had the sk logo with an arrow on each side of the sk name. it was sold in auto parts stores and the like at a cheaper price point, almost always in some sort of packaging that could be hung on peg hooks like other items. that logo made it into later production and was found up until the very end on tuff1 ratchets and beaker bars.

 

[Even 11]

I feel like I need to tell the whole story of this tool kit. My friend was using the ratchet to take the tires off of a Dakota he just bought. I happened to walk next door (His Girlfriend is my neighbor) during this and commented something along the lines of "Cool Frankenstein ratchet" While Aaron was a tool guy, he's not as obsessed as many of us here are, myself included. He looked puzzled, I showed him why the ratchet was cool to me. He proceeded to go to his toolbox, retrieve another 1/2" Ratchet and handed me the S-K. He said "Wasn't your birthday a couple days ago?" (He was at the party and knew full well it was.) The rest of the kit was on the ground and he told me he'd bring the extension over in a few minutes. I traded him a Proto Extension for it and that kit is one of the prizes of my collection.

-Dane

 

[Even 11]

Dane, that is one sweet set.

Thanks Cruiser!!

-Dane

 

[lauver]

So I just had a birthday a few days back, I got one gift that I thought you guys might appreciate. Its an S-K Frankenstein set (1/2" dr, 1/2"-15/16" 12pt. and a 4" Extension) He says he has owned it since the mid to late 80s and has only ever used it sparingly. It was actually his truck kit for a while. The ratchet shows a little wear but most of them look like new!

-Dane

skfarmer,

I could be wrong, and will be glad to correct my observations if I am wrong. Did you overlook the above piece of information in the original post?

 

[sk farmer]

i recently bought several new sets of bonney wrenches even though they have beeen out of business for years, nos. i will stand by my opinion that his set even though it may have been bought in the mid to late eighties fits in that time frame . it is completely plausible that it sat on a shelf in a store for 5-to 10 years before it was purchased. i don't think any of those singles or sets were ever fast movers. matter of factly as recently as the last year or so i knew of a store that had one of those peg pack wrenches hanging in a display. i have seen peices of sk wayne in odd sizes in some old hardware stores and we all know that was made in the 60's and early 70's.

 

[mrholeshot]

Fisrt time Ive seen that ratchet in a set.

 

[Bull]

I have recently seen two new or lightly used socket sets wit these ratchets on eBay. Cool stuff.

 

[gatewaysysop]

I have recently seen two new or lightly used socket sets wit these ratchets on eBay. Cool stuff.

Probably the ones I bought. Couldn't help myself, had to have 'em.

They were all indeed untouched, never used. I got both the 1/2" and 3/8" sets in their cases (also spotless) as well as a 1/2" still in the peg-pack off the shelf, unopened. Here's the peg pack single, as I don't think many have seen these before. And yes, I opened it as you can probably tell. So much for making a fortune selling it to a collector decades from now.

 

[Even 11]

Right on, Nice Rats GSO! How much did you give for them? I don't think i have ever even heard of a Frankenstein 3/8". I wonder if there is an S-K Frankenstein 1/4" or 3/4"?


-Dane

 

[gatewaysysop]

Right on, Nice Rats GSO! How much did you give for them? I don't think i have ever even heard of a Frankenstein 3/8". I wonder if there is an S-K Frankenstein 1/4" or 3/4"?


-Dane

Got the peg pack single 1/2" Frankenstein for $22, 3/8" box set (17 piece) for $39 and the 1/2" set (10 piece) for $43. All told, I think I made out good, considering they were literally unused, brand new condition, even the cases. Not a spec of rust on them, ratchets have never seen a socket on the drive end either. Talk about right place and right time.

 

[otis66]

So I just had a birthday a few days back, I got one gift that I thought you guys might appreciate. Its an S-K Frankenstein set (1/2" dr, 1/2"-15/16" 12pt. and a 4" Extension) He says he has owned it since the mid to late 80s and has only ever used it sparingly. It was actually his truck kit for a while. The ratchet shows a little wear but most of them look like new!

-Dane

I have this set. I have never used it. I bought it in the late 80's.

 

[otis66]

I gotta go out to the garage and find my set like that. I have not seen it in a loooooooong time. I didn't know they were so rare.

 

[Walterchang]

Dude I love my Frankenstein 3/8's. That is my go to ratchet. I found a 1/2 a few weeks ago and the guy wanted $50.00. I refused I got my 3/8's for $5.00

 

[johnnybentwrench]

Happy belated B-day. Nice set, it's nice to see complete sets

 

[gatewaysysop]

Dude I love my Frankenstein 3/8's. That is my go to ratchet. I found a 1/2 a few weeks ago and the guy wanted $50.00. I refused I got my 3/8's for $5.00

I'm almost embarrassed to admit I paid about that much for a 3/8" Frankenstein on eBay some time ago, before these sets and the other single 1/2" came up.

That one was well worn but cleaned up really nice. I plan to use it regularly, it definitely feels nice in the hand and super strong.

 

[Walterchang]

I finally got the 1/2 drive off the same guy for $15.00!

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

There was definitely a 3/8". I'm reasonably certain that I've seen a 1/4" drive version too.