Authentic Craftsman RHFT Flex Ratchet? Pics & Poll

[oak_park]

I noticed the below on Ebay. Is it real?

I don't remember seeing a hole in the handle on others I've seen. I suspect its a Easco/KD flex head put on a craftsman breaker bar. Maybe its real and the hole was added later?

I've asked the seller to post a photo of the other side of the handle where the part number would be. The seller could state that there's no part number on the handle. Kind of odd just 2 pictures of a much sought after ratchet too.

What say you? Authentic or Fake?

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I think that ratchet is fake..
Ha for that price you buy a Snap On FLF80
Only a fool would pay that, those ratchet were catalog/online.
They sold for around 35 plus shipping,

 

[Fedwrench]

I would ask him for the part number on the handle or a picture of the rear side of the handle. Only the Breaker bars had hole in the handle for the insertion of round stock to make a t handle.

I think someone attached a ratchet head to a breaker bar handle. 42794 would be the part number of a real 3/8 drive round head fine tooth quick release flex head ratchet. 44363 would be for a 3/8 drive breaker bar.

There's such a cult following now for those ratchets people do strange things to make a buck. A year or so ago when Checker became Oreily's, they blew out a bunch of the old KD round head fine tooth quick release flex head ratchets for like $10 a ratchet and many like new craftsman versions showed up on ebay until people checked part numbers.

The only other option I can think of is if it's really old and the back of the handle doesn't have a part number but, lists like 6 US patent numbers. I'm still suspicious of the hole in the handle. You could visit alloy artifacts (if they're still around) and look at the old sears catalogs. The seller does have 100% feedback

 

[jeffmoss26]

camarotoolman strikes again?!

 

[Buckgnarly]

camarotoolman strikes again?!

HA! I thought the same thing...wonder when he moved to CA?

 

[woody 73]

I also thought of him he must be on the prowl again.

 

[ImportTuner]

I have a 3/8" and a 1/2" RHFT Flex and neither one has a hole on the handle ..

 

[L.Cheapo]

I have a 3/8" and a 1/2" RHFT Flex and neither one has a hole on the handle ..

I believe there was a period of time when the 3/8" breaker bar handles had a hole in them. Perhaps this is one of those handles?

 

[CNGsaves]

+1 for FAKE, FAKE, FAKE !!

Doesn't even look remotely correct . . . FAILS the Smell Test.

The clincher is BuyItNow price of $125 . . . . yeah right . . .

 

[Gogo300]

If it's on the Internet it must be real. The Internet never lies.

 

[zakmartin]

I have an old Craftsman flex head 1/2" ratchet wrench that looks very similar (no thumb ratchet on the front though). It has the same pin handle where it meets the head, though. I bought it back in the early 1990s, I think. It looks a lot like this one:

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Only two pictures???? For that price there should the maximum, I call fake simply for the lack of pictures.

 

[nine4gmc]

Looking at the head alone, I would say the head is really from a flex head ratchet. I compared it to all my RHFT ratchets and mine are shaped different. the handle may be from a breaker bar but

The transition between the head on all of mine indent with that "V: shape and the one he shows is flat, like my standard flex head ratchets(I don't have any RHFT flex to compare).

 

[KnurledNut]

camarotoolman strikes again?!

 

[Finky198]

yup thats an older craftsman breaker bar handle I have that exact one with the hole in my box it's at the back of the drawer

 

[stage20]

its a breaker bar handle someone has converted.

the body of the head almost looks like an sk flex head, but with a craftsman rebuild kit if thats even possible?

something screwy there.

 

[zakmartin]

I'll check the RHFT flex-head ratchet wrench tonight when I'm putting my tools away and will post the model number. I think I have a 3/8" RHFT flex-head as well, but it's one of those awful ones with the plastic selector switch so it's in my loan-out junk tool box. I'll see if I can dig that up too.

 

[kunkernator]

So, lets say it is a breaker bar handle. You would need the flex ratchet to take the head off of. Why do you think they would pull the head but replace the handle? Rusted handle?

 

[stage20]

So, lets say it is a breaker bar handle. You would need the flex ratchet to take the head off of. Why do you think they would pull the head but replace the handle? Rusted handle?

i dont think its a craftsman head. look how much chrome head is and look how small the selector is to known real ratchets. less chrome around the selector on the real ones.

 

[jcfields]

.

 

[Vantastic]

There is no possible way anybody could of ever drilled a hole in the ******* handle.

 

[stage20]

Ill add I don't think the seller is dishonest. He lists it as it looks. He may have picked it up and know nothing about its life

 

[zakmartin]

LOL! I can't believe I bothered to look, but yeah, the ratchet I have is a Craftsman 1/2" RHFT flex head. Manufacture Code is VHH and the Model Number is 44984. It has a quick release button in the center of the head, and under that is a metal directional dial. I probably bought it 25 years ago. It looks like this:

 

[oak_park]

Ill add I don't think the seller is dishonest. He lists it as it looks. He may have picked it up and know nothing about its life

I think the seller is dishonest. I sent him a message via Ebay asking for photos right after it was listed of the handle with part number and he hasn't replied. He also wouldn't start the listing at 75.00 without knowing its value. And only 2 photos? That doesn't pass the smell test with me.

 

[nine4gmc]

Zakmartin, the one you have is a standard pearhead I believe, the one the OP posted is a RHFT.

 

[Mechanical Noise]

No flip side pics showing the tool's part number or the patent dates? Of course not! And the seller KNOWS why!!

 

[mikebaker1129]

I have one of these and mine is marked -v- 42792 U.S. Pats 3467231,3532013 CAN patented -1971
Mine has no hole in the handle and mine does have the spinner on the front.
I had no idea these were so collectible and sold for that much .
I might have to post it up forsale.

 

[zakmartin]

Zakmartin, the one you have is a standard pearhead I believe, the one the OP posted is a RHFT.

I don't think a day goes by when I don't learn something on this board. Cheers!