Hey guys!
Speaking of
Tools of Japan, here are a couple of low-profile offset bit ratchets. I initially thought that these things would be rarely needed specialty tools, but it seems I use them around the house pretty often.
I put the shortest P2 bit that fits in each of these tools to allow comparison of the clearance.
Japanese brands, in order from left to right:
Anex 425 (COO Japan)
Koken R810A (COO Japan)
SK11 SRD-210 (COO Taiwan [?])
Vessel TD-76 (COO Taiwan [!])
And for comparison, at the far right, the classic VIM HBR3
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Some side views to compare access:
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Rear views to show the direction switching mechanism:
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The Koken with the supplied (proprietary) bits and metal storage box:
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The Anex has a nice strong magnet to hold the bit, the direction switch is easy to use and unlikely to be actuated accidentally. On the downside, the ratchet feels rather coarse and the backdrag is quite high.
The Koken has by far the lowest backdrag, and it comes with a cute metal box. On the downside, it's the most expensive, it doesn't reverse (you have to put the bit in from the opposite side), you can only use special Koken bits (which are hard to order separately, even here in Japan), and the ratchet wheel is smaller than the side plates, so it's hard to turn it with your fingertip. Also, for some reason, the opposite end has a 5/16" non-reversing 6-point ratchet on it. Oh yeah, it's also the worst in terms of access.
The SK11 is the clear winner in the access department. It's only 13 mm (0.51 inches) from tip to the back plate. On the downside, the ratchet is coarse and the backdrag is pretty high.
The Vessel has reasonable backdrag, the reversing lever works smoothly, and it also comes with two bits in the handle. Nothing particularly negative comes to mind.
The VIM is really tiny, it has a quick-spin disk, the ratchet feels like it has a really high tooth count, the head is slightly offset, the opposite end is a nonratcheting 1/4" 6-point box wrench that holds bits firmly, and the tiny direction lever works quite well. Backdrag is pretty high though.
I've found that I tend to grab the VIM most often. The SK11 is by far the champ for access, but if access is really that tight, I wonder how you expect to back the screw out. The Koken feels like it has only 1/4 the backdrag of all the others and comes in a nice storage box. It's hard not to like it, despite its eccentricities. The Vessel and the Anex are good-quality tools that are easy to recommend.
