Radian Drive Wrench - 3/8" Drive

tooljunkie4 · Jul 5, 2015

I ran across this gearless socket wrench during my road trip. Appears to be NOS, and was found in its box with a heavy coating of dust. Haven't found much information about this online - only scant references by a handful of folks who have / had one.

I'm primarily curious about the range of dates when these were produced, the ownership of the company that held rights to the design, and how this one stacks up against other gearless socket drivers.

What I do know is that it's 3/8" drive, has a pass-through drive spud, and is pressed together. Disassembly / autopsy does not appear possible without doing damage to the cover plates.

What details can you provide?

merbie · Jul 5, 2015

thats cool, how does the mechanism feel?

3baygarage · Jul 5, 2015

Tooljunkie, very nice find with the box.

I don't know much about them either, other than they pop up on Ebay here and there. Have yet to find one myself. I know the tool is stamped USA but is there anything else on the box regrding COO?
Call me a skeptic but these just never scream USA to me. My first look at the package too.
I know you are looking for info, I'm also curious to hear more about these.

tooljunkie4 · Jul 5, 2015

merbie said:
thats cool, how does the mechanism feel?

By hand, it has very little drag. It's new, so I expect that would become even less pronounced with wear. Neat thing is that (and I am making up my own terms for it) there appears to be no room lost in its swing lost to internal play when switching from what would be the ratcheting motion to engagement of the driving motion. Would love to hear that put in clearer terms by someone who is more accustomed to describing the behavior of ratchets.

3baygarage said:
Tooljunkie, very nice find with the box.

I don't know much about them either, other than they pop up on Ebay here and there. Have yet to find one myself. I know the tool is stamped USA but is there anything else on the box regrding COO?
Call me a skeptic but these just never scream USA to me. My first look at the package too.
I know you are looking for info, I'm also curious to hear more about these.

Neither the box nor the tool go out of their way to sell the viewer on the idea that those items were made in the USA. That declaration is simply stamped in steel once.

The Patent Number is 4,603,606. A quick google patent search brings forth a patent date of August 5, 1986, and a few drawings of how this thing is built. What is not made clear is how long this design was offered for sale while that or any other relevant patent was still pending, or how long it remained in production after the middle of 1986. Still curious to see whether or not another company acquired Radian or its intellectual property and applied it to later designs (and how this one compares in function to other designs - regardless of their relationship or lack thereof).

woody 73 · Jul 5, 2015

Tooljunkie4 anyway you could take a few more pictures of the box it came in, looking for more clues always helps me out.

tooljunkie4 · Jul 5, 2015

Shazam.

woody 73 · Jul 5, 2015

looks like bills did not get paid by 1990:

https://www.google.com/patents/US46...a=X&ei=FXiZVb30MYOv-AHK5YCgBw&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA

3baygarage · Jul 5, 2015

Great pics,thanks.

I always wonder if the USA just stands for the patent.

woody 73 · Jul 5, 2015

I bet you are right about that USA is for the patent. the tool being made overseas???

Strouty · Jul 5, 2015

I can tell you that you got the good one, they had K2 versions that were not marked USA. I can remember when I bought mine, it was at a big car show in Carlisle, PA. I am pretty sure it was a little over 20 years ago, my Dad and my brother both bought them as well. I dug through them and found one K3 USA and neither of them cared. Mine is still working today, theirs died long ago. I absolutely love mine, but I do not use it to break things loose or crank stuff tight.

2oolhound · Jul 5, 2015

tooljunkie4 said:
there appears to be no room lost in its swing lost to internal play when switching from what would be the ratcheting motion to engagement of the driving motion. Would love to hear that put in clearer terms by someone who is more accustomed to describing the behavior of ratchets.

I think "backlash" is the most common term. This is also referenced by "degrees of arc swing" Toothed ratchets are restricted by how fine they can make the teeth and pawl before the whole mechanism becomes so loose it slips. Theoretically this type of ratchet should have about 1 degree of arc swing if manufactured under tight tolerances.

The shank between the head and the handle reminds me of SK because of the taper down from the head.

Definitely a cool find with the box and all. Although the box is almost a curse, it would almost make me not want to use it.

woody 73 · Jul 5, 2015

Stouty could you have bought nos from 20 years back? I am thinking at least some 29 years ago when they were made???

Strouty · Jul 5, 2015

woody 73 said:
Stouty could you have bought nos from 20 years back? I am thinking at least some 29 years ago when they were made???

It was a big tool tent, not one of them was in a box, at the time it just seemed cool. It was absolutely new, just no box. He had dozens, but all were K2, well except mine. I think I paid $10 or something like that, I was 16 so it isn't exactly a fresh memory.

Strouty · Jul 5, 2015

2oolhound said:
I think "backlash" is the most common term. This is also referenced by "degrees of arc swing" Toothed ratchets are restricted by how fine they can make the teeth and pawl before the whole mechanism becomes so loose it slips. Theoretically this type of ratchet should have about 1 degree of arc swing if manufactured under tight tolerances.

The shank between the head and the handle reminds me of SK because of the taper down from the head.

Definitely a cool find with the box and all. Although the box is almost a curse, it would almost make me not want to use it.

These ratchets are what they call a sprag clutch design. They are essentially zero backlash and supposedly stronger than a regular ratchet. I don't tempt fate, it is a great tool for tight spaces and I don't want to kill it. The reason it feels like there is no movement when switching directions is because it is one way, the drive gets pushed through the center to change direction. So there is no internal reversing.

superautobacs · Jul 5, 2015

Always a cool find when you get an original, NOS packaging. :thumbup:

There was a member who had a collection of gearless ratchets, including a Radian:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95841

A picture from the OP:

vssjim · Jul 5, 2015

I used to sell them in the late 80's we used to buy them from Tools and Equipment on Hollins Ferry Rd. now part of the Tool Web group or IATN of tool warehouses if they are still there in Baltimore. They were also sold through Eastwood if I remember and I did repair an air ratchet that had Radian Drive head in it as well the only one I ever saw. I had to order the sprag clutch bearing from a bearing supplier so any body could fix the ratchets by pressing head out and ordering a bearing from a bearing supply store they were really simple design but worked very well really and the were made here but the bearing was an INA from Germany if I remember.

Wrenches of Death · Jul 5, 2015

tooljunkie4 said:
I ran across this gearless socket wrench during my road trip.

I've still got one. It's stamped MAC and is in a 3/8" drive palm ratchet configuration. Come to think of it, I've got a tiny little 1/4" drive palm ratchet version around here too.

Mine were made here in the US and work just fine.

I just went and dug the 3/8" drive Mac one out. I didn't see the little 1/4" drive one, sorry. At any rate mine is in a rounded five pointed star shape about two inches in diameter and is marked as follows:

MAC XR1 GL

USA J3 PAT PEND

WoD

3baygarage · Jul 6, 2015

Strouty Good to know that tidbit about USA marked/non-marked.
WoD the Mac palm ratchets just add to the mystery.

superautobacs the Plomb hinge handle/ratchet combo :drool:

' you had to dig up that photo! Where is member oldjacks anyway? Not to change the subject but he posted some cool stuff in several threads I read.

davidcATL · Feb 22, 2017

I purchased one (marked K3) in the early '90's at the Charlotte Auto Fair. It was a similar situation as the Carlisle event described above. Probably someone selling off the NOS after the company died. As a gear head & engineer, it was too cool not to buy. It probably began my 3/8" ratchet collection which now numbers 11.

Michaelparker5914 · Apr 7, 2019

Wow I have something alot like this I think I know the man who came up with the design of this tool back in the 70s or 80s he has like cases of these I'm his shop just laying around I have a few of them

Michaelparker5914 · Apr 7, 2019

Wow I have a couple tools like this I am new to here and I am trying to learn how to post

Moldyjim · Sep 3, 2021

I bought an Allen branded one from Sears 10? Years ago. Still works great. Confused a few people that have borrowed it.

Radian Drive Wrench - 3/8" Drive

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