SK crazy tooth counts on ratchets

[toolaholic]

Does anyone else find sk tooth count on their ratchets to be unique. The 1/4 drive ratchets on the latest catalog I have are 60. Ok so far so good. The 3/8 drive ratchets are mostly 40 tooth(low count and odd number, after 36 is 45 then 60 and do on). Why 40? The 1/2 drive ratchets listed include a 42470 fixed head 48 tooth ratchet . Really a 48? And the 1/2 drive flex 42472 is 50 teeth.And even weirder their 3/4 drive ratchet is 72 tooth. The 3/8 and 1/2 should be 72. The finest tooth ratchet in their line up is s 3/4 drive? Wow! I have the 1/4 drive 40970. It is my go to ratchet for light torque jobs. 60 teeth and only 4.5" long. I have thr flex head 40972(60 teeth) but prefer the Armstrong 10-994 locking flex head. I have the 3/8 bent flex head 3770(40 teeth) that I use to change plugs.

 

[2oolhound]

Thanks for the post, now I want their 3/4.

Didn't SK basically invent the fine tooth ratchet back in the 60's?

I have a few oldies and they're finer toothed than most for their era. Not sure why they wouldn't continue the trend today though.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

Try comparing them by handle length instead of drive size. Having a higher tooth count on a long handle ratchet helps reduce and normalize the hand travel distance between ratchet clicks.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I'll have to look at that when I next need to take my SK ratchets apart.

Don't wait up.

 

[1950mercury]

There tuff ratchets are 72 tooth

 

[toolaholic]

There tuff ratchets are 72 tooth

Yes they are. My current catalog doesn't list them anymore. They are nice ratchets!

 

[Fedwrench]

The tough one ratchets are no longer made by the Ideal owned SK.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

The tuff1 were based on a Facom patent and design, so when they sold SK they took it with them, and Stanley owns it now.

I own and use both the standard SK round heads and several of the tuff1s and like them both.

 

[Fedwrench]

The tuff1 were based on a Facom patent and design, so when they sold SK they took it with them, and Stanley owns it now.

Everybody says that but, the tuff1 may have used the same heart shaped spring and pawl gear as the Facom internally but, it definitely wasn't a Palm Control ratchet and that patent should be long expired. I think it's that the current Ideal owned SK wants to simplify their ratchet offerings to ease manufacturing issues. Just like they no longer offer the roto ratchet which was an SK original. On a side note, the pre Ideal owned SK was hawking their own version of the Palm Control ratchet after SK and Facom parted company.

 

[shamrock12]

The 1/2 drive ratchets listed include a 42470 fixed head 48 tooth ratchet . Really a 48? And the 1/2 drive flex 42472 is 50 teeth.

Looking up in their (S-K) current catalog, I see where they've listed 48 tooth for 42470 ratchet and 50 tooth for 42472 flex head ratchet. I thought that was odd so I checked them out and found they both are 50 tooth. I should note my 42470 ratchet is from pre-Ideal period while my 42472 flex head is current period (post-Ideal). I honestly don't see how they would go through the trouble to change from 50 to 48 tooth so my bet is that "48 tooth" as noted in the catalog is a typo and should have instead read as 50 tooth.

 

[dutchgray]

SK catalogue lists the same part numbers for the rebuild kits for the 1/2" ratchets so they have to be the same.

 

[dutchgray]

Everybody says that but, the tuff1 may have used the same heart shaped spring and pawl gear as the Facom internally but, it definitely wasn't a Palm Control ratchet and that patent should be long expired. I think it's that the current Ideal owned SK wants to simplify their ratchet offerings to ease manufacturing issues. Just like they no longer offer the roto ratchet which was an SK original. On a side note, the pre Ideal owned SK was hawking their own version of the Palm Control ratchet after SK and Facom parted company.

The way I see it, SK either lost access to the Tuff 1 mechanism through licensing issue, parts supply or just wanted to simplify their product range. I have a couple of SK own palm control ratchets (1/4" drive ) they are not as nice as the Tuff 1 or Facom.

 

[AmishFury]

Looking up in their (S-K) current catalog, I see where they've listed 48 tooth for 42470 ratchet and 50 tooth for 42472 flex head ratchet. I thought that was odd so I checked them out and found they both are 50 tooth. I should note my 42470 ratchet is from pre-Ideal period while my 42472 flex head is current period (post-Ideal). I honestly don't see how they would go through the trouble to change from 50 to 48 tooth so my bet is that "48 tooth" as noted in the catalog is a typo and should have instead read as 50 tooth.

it must be a typo because it would require retooling and a separate rebuild kit part # for the fixed and flex

just confirmed my diamond logo 42470 is 50 tooth