Ratcheting wrench experts - best guess on OEM

Ign said:

The reversibles sucked 10+ years ago. I haven't touched a GW reversible since. Fool me once...... The SK's of the same era were phenomenal and still serve me today....they were reversible too so "we had the technology," but GW - the alleged inventor - sure as hell couldn't figure it out. Today, GW's stuff is just flat out over-priced and VERY over-rated (particularly on this forum) unless you can get it on deep discounts (like the present Sears flex heads at $30 or less).

And since I have very little need or desire for non-reversing wrenches, that means I don't have much need for GW

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As Fedwrench has pointed out elsewhere, those SK's were made by Kabo.

Reversegear was in fact referring to the deep discount sales when he stated GW was great for the DIYer. Keep in mind he also said GW Taiwan was definitely better than GW China.

As a person with 2 U. S. Patents and two Westinghouse Invention Awards (this is for the really good stuff they didn't want to divulge with a patent) I can tell you that the company you work for (apparently in his case a company bought by Gearwrench) owns your patents. So calling Gearwrench the inventor of the wrench is completely correct. You get listed as the inventor on the patent application but the company owns the patent which is fair since in my case they paid me to invent stuff (in my case semiconductor stuff).

FWIW, I started notes on the various ratcheting wrench OEM's about 6 years ago...last updated probably a 3/4 years ago. So, it was current at that time:

DANAHER EMPIRE:

The GearWrench name is a registered trademark owned by EASCO (Danaher took over EASCO in 1989); Danaher *enforces* the trademark and name:

-Lea Way (REVERSIBLE rat wrench):
GearWrench/Craftsman/Mastercraft/Kobalt/Matco, Hazet, Beta(?)
Snap-on and Blue-point rat. wrench (not sure what type)

-Sata China (non-reversible: single direction; flex; etc.)
GearWrench/Craftsman/Mastercraft/Kobalt/Matco, Hazet?
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STANLEY EMPIRE:
-Hi-Five (rat. wrench):
Stanley brand, Husky, Blackhawk, Proto, Facom, SK

*Hi-Five supplying King Tony or Teng?

Chiro (rat wrench):
Stanley

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Kabo:
Matco (Danaher; Matco became a division of Danaher in 1996?)
Mac Edge (Stanley: Stanley bought Mac in 1980)
SK (rat wrench)
Blue-point
Crescent
Napa
KTC
TONE
Pedros
Berner (some)
Ega Master


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Cendai:
Blue-point and Snap-on (per Reversegear)

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Infar (Gear Tech Brand):
Harbor Freight, Kastar, TOP, DEEN (incl. regular wrenches)

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Ru-Shine (rat wrench):
Rotar

Ru-Shine/Quan Tian (ratchets/torque wrenches):
Deen


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Chang Loon:
Princess Auto, Gray, Unior

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Ye Ten Tool Co.: http://www.benchmark-tool.com/yeten/
SEK for ratcheting flarenut wrench


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Williams Tools supplies Stanley, and parts for Snap-on/CDI (digital TQ wrench)

dnschmidt said:

As a person with 2 U. S. Patents and two Westinghouse Invention Awards (this is for the really good stuff they didn't want to divulge with a patent) I can tell you that the company you work for (apparently in his case a company bought by Gearwrench) owns your patents. So calling Gearwrench the inventor of the wrench is completely correct. You get listed as the inventor on the patent application but the company owns the patent which is fair since in my case they paid me to invent stuff (in my case semiconductor stuff).

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While it is likely you have a contract or workplace policy that states in some form that that the patent, usage and ownership rights to any invention resulting from your employment belong to your employer, such is not universally true. An employer may or may not have a legal interest in an invention, even if the invention was created on company time. Moreover, an employer would almost never own or have an interest in an invention created by an inventor on his own time and unrelated to his employment.

In addition, an inventor may (and may be required to) assign the rights to an invention and/or patent to his/her employer or other person or entity, but that does not make the assignee the inventor.

notlob said:

An employer may or may not have a legal interest in an invention, even if the invention was created on company time.

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The exceptions existing, but being of the type that prove the rule.

T45 said:

The exceptions existing, but being of the type that prove the rule.

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I respectfully disagree. A legal analysis for laymen:

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/who-owns-patent-rights-employer-inventor.html

notlob said:

I respectfully disagree. A legal analysis for laymen:

-you signed an employment agreement assigning invention rights, or

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This is why BigCo has a legal and Hr Department.

If you really want to double check, I'm sure you can google the case in question. for years, GW used to have the patent number stamped on the tool. So you can check the inventor, but almost surely the patent was assigned to the company/parent corp.

Ok a few shots. I apologize for the one pic per post

They come shrink-wrapped as such: (clearly marked Taiwan COO)

Cases unwrapped (I show the cases only because SOMETIMES these molds remain the same across different brand stampings). Also much like some better plastic toolboxes the latch lifts up then swings down

Foam inside for shipping. Nice touch actually

More of a "U" than a V throat on the 3/4"

Close up of 1/4" and 3/4". I'm impressed by the relatively minimal OD of the ratcheting end, making it easier to drop onto fasteners that are close to other obstructions

Backside of same wrenches.

Action feels good (but they're Taiwanese ratcheting wrenches so no surprise there). I dunno, at $150 for both sets delivered I'm happy

Those look nice, and for larger 22 piece set you did well on the price...

If you have a minute to measure the 10mm outside ring diameter, that will give you a good objective test on fitments. 19-20 is really good. 21 is normal high quality. outliers are 18 or 22+ IRRC.

Non ratcheting comps - 14mm is a socket, 15mm is a typical snap on combo, 16mm middle of the road for mid range brands.

IMHO, those shapes look nice and no lobster claw silliness on open ends.