branding on tools

[a52-830]

i just got a great deal off ebay, a proto 5949 1" drive ratchet.

50$+12$ shipping.

so, it arrived today. it is in new shape, and it appears similar enough to other images i have found, and identical to the image on the auction. the reason i had to check was that this massive tool, that weighs about 15 pounds, includes no marks on it at all. no COO, no Proto name, no part number.

to be honest, this is not the first tool that i have gotten from what i consider to be an upper level brand that has arrived with no markings on it at all.

i understand when i get cheaper tools that are unmarked. they are saving that 25 cents not having their name added, because it is not worth it to them. i dont understand, though, how someone like proto, or gearwrench, the other vendor whom i easily remember getting something from without markings on it, can decide to save that 25 cents.

i assume that this is a proto ratchet. it is certainly no different from the one pictured, or ones pictured in other ads. i would feel better about it, though, if it identified itself as such.

 

[2oolhound]

Sounds like a copy to me. I don't use 1" tools but I can't see Proto doing that. I'd email or call proto to check what they say.

 

[3baygarage]

Since it is Proto, in this case someone usually says "Flip the faceplate around and look for a name on the other side".

If no name at all, I would be contacting the seller to ask why it wasn't described as so.

 

[woody 73]

I hate to even say it but it does not sound good $50 dollars sounds almost to cheap, unless the cover is on the wrong side and indeed it does say proto that would be the good news. If you do not see the mark of proto that would be raising fire alarm bells for me.

As an old geezer (me) I never assume anything been around long enough too see all kinds of things. post up some pictures open it up and take pictures of the internals and get back with us. Worst case it is not a proto but still a good usable ratchet.

 

[a52-830]

i will try to remember to get images tomorrow.

for now, here are some ebay auctions.

here is an older ratchet, clearly marked proto:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161668103666

here are some others, listed as new, that appear identical to the one i got:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291807397889

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381694282893

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381641026122 (note the seller on this one is zoro.com)

there are others, but you get the point.

here is the listing, with the same image, on zoro.com:

https://www.zoro.com/proto-hand-ratchet-1-in-dr-26-in-l-j5849/i/G2639253/

so, i think that it is likely the real thing, since zoro sells a lot of proto tools, and it seems unlikely that they are selling that wrench from a knock-off distributor.

but, as i said, this isn't the only unmarked tool i have bought recently. . . . .

 

[ssdave]

I did a search for proto on ebay listings that were completed, and yours ($50 + $12 shipping) didn't come up. Did the listing say it was Proto?

 

[mikebaker1129]

Just an FYI,on one of my latest Proto ratchet repair kits from Zoro was in a Proto marked package,but the face plate has no markings what so ever on either side.
This was a 3/8 kit for a 1/4 body.

 

[gdocktor3]

I'm assuming you meant part number 5849 because 5949 is a 1/4" ratchet. It should have "PROTO 5849" markings on the inside ratchet handle. A 1" ratchet is a big piece of metal. A real mans tool. When people see it they say "whoa, that things sweet. Who makes that?" I really doubt Proto would make a tool that big and forget, or just not, put their name on it.

Of course, I could be wrong..

 

[Gmonkee]

Contract batches for tool kits may or may not be branded. Sometimes for warranty denial and other times so the buyer plays his product name bigger than his suppliers.

There are many possible reasons.

Not saying it's a not a knockoff but rather it's far more probable to be overstock from a contract run for some big company.

 

[woody 73]

It could be overstock and if it breaks (I would think not being a 1" model), you could not get any warranty service but...you could always buy any proto kits.

OP why did you not buy that first ratchet in your link that was marked on the handle? Was it to save even more money for the unmarked one?

 

[a52-830]

I did a search for proto on ebay listings that were completed, and yours ($50 + $12 shipping) didn't come up. Did the listing say it was Proto?

this was the one i got. i offered 50$, and they agreed. i was the second one sold.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172280184366

from the paperwork i received, it does not appear to be an individual. there was a lot of "corporate speak" on the packing slip.

 

[a52-830]

It could be overstock and if it breaks (I would think not being a 1" model), you could not get any warranty service but...you could always buy any proto kits.

if the proto repair kits were not more than i spent on the ratchet (they start at 85$ on ebay) i might buy one to just be safe.

OP why did you not buy that first ratchet in your link that was marked on the handle? Was it to save even more money for the unmarked one?

because that was 60 something plus 35 in shipping for a used one that looked well used, and i offered (effectively) 62$ for a new one. it *seemed* like the smarter move at the time.

besides, the photos for the new one either just showed the head, or showed only one side, depending on the listing. the one i bought used a real photo they took, which encouraged me that they really had one, rather than playing "drop ship roulette". it just never occurred to me that proto would sell a ratchet without their name and a part number on it. more research seems to indicate that they do. as i noted, i can't imagine that zoro.com is buying grey market tools and selling them as proto tools, but the image they are using on the web site is the same one as the one i bought.

i suppose i could call proto up and just ask . . . . . .

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I'm assuming you meant part number 5849 because 5949 is a 1/4" ratchet. It should have "PROTO 5849" markings on the inside ratchet handle. A 1" ratchet is a big piece of metal. A real mans tool. When people see it they say "whoa, that things sweet. Who makes that?" I really doubt Proto would make a tool that big and forget, or just not, put their name on it.

Of course, I could be wrong..

My 3/4" drive Proto ratchet that I bought new in 1970 has ProTo 5649 on the face plate only.. No markings whatsoever on the main part of the ratchet.

I agree that it was an unusual thing to do.

 

[rsanter]

If it does not say PROTO on it, that is not saving them 0.25, as that item is not warrantable by them even if they made it.
Often you can buy large lots of tools from a manufacturer so you can either put your own brand label on it or include it with a kit or something.
They can buy it cheaper and still be selling a quality tool.
If it does not say PROTO on it then technically it is not a PROTO tool

Bob

 

[four.cycle]

Contract batches for tool kits may or may not be branded. Sometimes for warranty denial and other times so the buyer plays his product name bigger than his suppliers.

There are many possible reasons.

^ this should be considered a possibility.
might have been manufactured for a private-label account. might have been manufactured for a military/GSA contract.

there are all kinds of Duro/Indestro ratchets out there lacking markings indicating part number or manufacturer's name (see HERE: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36699 )

I have an old Walden 1/2" drive ratchet with no markings on it at all.



Coincidentally another one almost exactly like mine was listed on Ebay yesterday: http://www.ebay.com/itm/20165098711...e945fd01826&bu=44465042911&cp=1&sojTags=bu=bu

 

[a52-830]

ok, i was wrong about the ratchet. it does have proto markings on it, although i could not see them when i unwrapped it.

i decided to do as suggested, and open it up to see if there was something on the back side of the face plate.

when i put it on the bench, and turned on the 40" LED stoplight that hangs about a foot above, i noticed markings on the "tang", or, as proto refers to it, the "male plug" (which is removable to make it a "female" wrench). then i noted that there was a stamp on the face plate.

there are still other tools i have that are unmarked, but i was wrong about this one.

as someone here keeps saying, the thread is useless without images, so i attached the two i took today.

so, i think i did ok, getting a new proto brand 1" drive ratchet for 62$.

 

[woody 73]

Yes you did ok as a shade tree guy I don't use any large tools so I had to pass on a well used and abused 1" ratchet for $90.00 dollars...Darn guy would not even come down on 4 well used sockets after I spent some time going through all his trash.

Good job!