SK 45177 Ratchet

[cruiser808]

Hi everyone - just won off of ebay a used SK 3/8 ratchet with the composite handle. Now, I have several SK ratchets, but this is the only one I've ever seen with a "comfort grip" type of handle. The auction was a "buy it now for a$17.50" auction and after several days, no one was biting. Yes, that's a high price for used SK 3/8 ratchets, but it had the comfort grip handle and the shipping was FREE. I live in Hawaii and believe me, shipping is a killer to all of us here. I lurk ebay all the time and $5-6 priority mail is the norm for ratchets sent to Hawaii,if they will even send it to us at all. So for me, the ratchet was $11 to 12.50 my cost.

So, I get the ratchet with lightning fast shipping and while it works just fine, the head wobbles just a little too much for my taste and I need to clean it anyway. I have a $.99 sk 45170-9 kit that I bought at a swap meet as a back up in case I needed a rebuild, so I took apart the ratchet and installed new guts to the 45177 just to get that "new feel".

Now, for $18.49 and decades of searching fot that perfect fit, I got my absolute favorite go to 3/8 ratchet. The reason I post this is that I have high end USA comfort grip ratchets from Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Proto, and Wright and have concluded that peoples ratchets are a very personal thing. My hands are large with short fingers, thus this SK fits me like a glove. And it's US made!!!! Hey, I'm a happy guy with my favorite ratchet, how about you?

 

[Fedwrench]

I don't know why those green handled ratchets didn't sell better than they did. SK sold those ratchets in 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive. I have a 3/8 model and you're right about it being comfortable to use. Enjoy your ratchet

 

[oxycodone]

Don't know if I've ever seen one of those... have a pic?

 

[eschoendorff]

Don't know if I've ever seen one of those... have a pic?

That would be nice... I'd love to see one of those too

 

[Fedwrench]

Here's a picture. I think they were on the market in the late 80's or early 90's. It's basically a SK professional series 3/8 ratchet with a green plastic handle.

 

[eschoendorff]

That is a really unique handle... it looks, well, not like I expected. Is it a factory handle, or did someone add it after the fact?

 

[oxycodone]

Thanks for the pic... I've definitely not seen one of those before. Pretty cool!

 

[Fedwrench]

That is a really unique handle... it looks, well, not like I expected. Is it a factory handle, or did someone add it after the fact?

That's a factory handle that even has SK embossed on it. It's pretty comfortable.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I bet that ratchet did not sell well at all, I am not at all impressed with the handle either!

 

[krusty the clown]

kinda reminds me of the old wright comfort grip. i always thought the looked cheap.

 

[wrenchr]

kinda reminds me of the old wright comfort grip. i always thought the looked cheap.

Same here!!!

 

[eschoendorff]

kinda reminds me of the old wright comfort grip. i always thought the looked cheap.

Somehow I think that my wife would have a completely different appreciation for that ratchet....

 

[Rickster]

I have an SK 1/2 in drive breaker bar with a handle that is the first breaker bar in my tool box I reach for due to the comfort handle. The handle looks different than the one you have on the ratchet.

 

[cruiser808]

Wow - you're a tough crowd. And for my next post........... Hey, I guess I have to find a new best ratchet. Oh well, I gave the ratchet to my wife for the kitchen drawer. She seems to like it very much.

Anyway, I hear there's a new Snap-on ratchet out, f80?. Has this been discused on this board? ...j/k.

So honey, what do you think? Auh... Honey?? Honey???

 

[oxycodone]

I have an SK 1/2 in drive breaker bar with a handle that is the first breaker bar in my tool box I reach for due to the comfort handle. The handle looks different than the one you have on the ratchet.

I have one of those - weapon of choice.

I think the ratchets look pretty cool - gonna have to keep my eye out for one or two... unless one of you wants to sell me yours.

 

[wilbilt]

Somehow I think that my wife would have a completely different appreciation for that ratchet....

My wife would probably use it to stir paint.

 

[krusty the clown]

Wow - you're a tough crowd. And for my next post........... Hey, I guess I have to find a new best ratchet. Oh well, I gave the ratchet to my wife for the kitchen drawer. She seems to like it very much.

Anyway, I hear there's a new Snap-on ratchet out, f80?. Has this been discused on this board? ...j/k.

So honey, what do you think? Auh... Honey?? Honey???

at least we are some of the best mannered a$$h@les in internet message board history

 

[cruiser808]

Amen to that Krusty! Hey, you guys are pretty cool. I think I 'll stick around. And hopefully, I can contribute to some auto restoration ideas.

 

[eschoendorff]

Oh well, I gave the ratchet to my wife for the kitchen drawer. She seems to like it very much.

So honey, what do you think? Auh... Honey?? Honey???

OMG!!!! You did WHAT???

 

[64merc]

Personally, I think that ratchet looks pretty cool. I know I would buy one. And I really really like that breaker bar! I didn't even know they made one like that. Most of the breaker bars with comfort grip handles are cheap crappy ones.

 

[sk farmer]

here is a bump for the non believers.

sk did make a green hard handle ratchet.

 

[Fedwrench]

I didn't realize there were doubters

I'm not sure what happened to mine. It's been more than a while since I've seen it.

The handle is probably bulky for today's standards but, the taper made it a joy to use back in the day before 60-120 toothed ratchets. I think the handle would have been better suited to their long 3/8 drive ratchet.

definitely a trip down memory lane looking at the member's names.

 

[sk farmer]

I didn't realize there were doubters

I'm not sure what happened to mine. It's been more than a while since I've seen it.

The handle is probably bulky for today's standards but, the taper made it a joy to use back in the day before 60-120 toothed ratchets. I think the handle would have been better suited to their long 3/8 drive ratchet.

definitely a trip down memory lane looking at the member's names.

a couple of members in the sk in 2025 thread were proclaiming that sk had never made a green handle ratchet. my answer was that info was incorrect. i doubt they made many but they for sure exist.

 

[bonneyman]

I, too, was unaware of this S-K ratchet. Looks like the same dark green color you see on a certain era of S-K screwdrivers.

 

[Steve_P]

Wow, I've never seen an SK ratchet with a plastic handle like that; and in the late 80s I worked at a shop that was actually an SK dealer. We didn't stock anything, or at least not much, but could get anything from their catalog. I could get anything at dealer cost, but of course I had no $ to actually take advantage of it, other than one ratchet. I remember looking thru the print catalog as I ordered one of the 3/8 drive long handle Tuff style ratchets from it. I don't recall anyone that I worked with using any brand of plastic/rubber grip ratchet at that time because the thick heads allowed for larger handles and grips. I still like occasionally using my old SK round heads with the large diameter knurled grip.

 

[Shocker]

I have one in 1/2"