Cushion Grip or Full Polish?

joshboogie · May 11, 2008

OK I'm just wondering if I should go with the Cushion or Full Polish Gearwrench ratchets?

Cushion
http://www.gearwrench.com/catalog/ratchets_and_sockets/ratchets/cushion_grip/

Full Polish
http://www.gearwrench.com/catalog/ratchets_and_sockets/ratchets/full_polish/

I don't have the funds for SO ratchets so I'm probably going with these. Just curious if there is any benefit to either one.

Merkava_4 · May 11, 2008

You could probably get the real thing on eBay for less than the retail price of those Taiwanese knock offs ...

Ducroix · May 11, 2008

Personally I would go with full polish but it probably would be up to how it feels to you

wilbilt · May 11, 2008

Merkava_4 said:
You could probably get the real thing on eBay for less than the retail price of those Taiwanese knock offs ...

I enjoy your posts, Merkava, because you are so subtle.

:beer:

chappys4life · May 11, 2008

Merkava_4 said:
You could probably get the real thing on eBay for less than the retail price of those Taiwanese knock offs ...

I agree for what you are paying just watch ebay for good so deals.

PoorOwner · May 11, 2008

I like full polish... I hate any soft handles when they picked up enough grime and deposit back to your clean hands... then you get the dark finger prints on your project.. much easier to clean with full polish.

Uncle Buck · May 11, 2008

I might go for a hard plastic handle, but I am not a big fan of the soft handles. I have a couple and they are just so so to me.

Merkava_4 · May 11, 2008

I gotta couple of those MAC ratchets with the hard plastic handle; they are VERY comfortable; I highly recommend them. :beer:

Uncle Buck · May 11, 2008

Merkava_4 said:
I gotta couple of those MAC ratchets with the hard plastic handle; they are VERY comfortable; I highly recommend them.

I have always found those ratchets to be very tempting looking!

wilbilt · May 11, 2008

I have alway liked them as well, but I have to say...that is not a tool box, it is a shrine!

tite681 · May 12, 2008

joshboogie said:
I don't have the funds for SO ratchets so I'm probably going with these. Just curious if there is any benefit to either one.

Nice alternative for us on a budget. I like the polished.

Merkava_4 · May 12, 2008

tite681 said:
Nice alternative for us on a budget.

If you're on a budget, just get one SO tool at a time. There's no law that states you have to run out to Sam's Club and buy the latest 10,000 piece Chinese tool set that's made out of melted down led sinkers ...

tite681 · May 12, 2008

Merkava_4 said:
If you're on a budget, just get one SO tool at a time. There's no law that states you have to run out to Sam's Club and buy the latest 10,000 piece Chinese tool set that's made out of melted down led sinkers ...

Craftsman is US made. Is that a better alternative for the budget minded?

billymade · May 12, 2008

LOL! Lead sinkers, he said lead sinkers! :lol_hitti

CatfishXpress · May 12, 2008

Hey Merkava,

I think I see a little spot of grease on that third ratchet from the top. :pimpflash

you have to look real close,

Merkava_4 · May 12, 2008

You mean the one with the black handle? That be the F832. It doesn't have any grease on it, but you can plainly see the white scratch on the handle. I don't know how that got there, but I use that ratchet for everything; it's a workhorse.

eschoendorff · May 12, 2008

It's all personal preference. I have ratchets with the comfort grip and without... I like both styles.

BigSean just bought the comfort grip GearWrench ratchets and he seems to really like them... maybe he'll chime in...

Underdog · May 12, 2008

hholmberg said:
I might go for a hard plastic handle, but I am not a big fan of the soft handles. I have a couple and they are just so so to me.

I own SO hard plastic handle tools and like them, never tried soft handle yet. My only concern is how long they'll last with dunking them in oil and solvents found around the shop? The hard handles seem not affected after many years.

Merkava_4 · May 12, 2008

wilbilt said:
I enjoy your posts, Merkava, because you are so subtle.

Thank you sir ... always a pleasure. :beer:

joshboogie · May 12, 2008

I understand that SO is the superior tool here. I'm just looking for other alternatives. For the work I do and how often they would get used I think buying all SO stuff would be a waste for me. To be perfectly honest I don't really need another set of ratchets I just want to try something new. I think I'm going to order 1 Gearwrench ratchet and see if I like it and how it compares to a SO. I tried to find somewhere local that actually had one in stock but apparently no one stock the ratchets. Which doesn't make me feel good if it were to ever break but then again I only see the SO guy once every 2 weeks so there's not much difference.

Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to get the full polished one for starters. I can pick a 3/8 stubby up on Amazom.com for about $25 shipped. Believe me I've spent $25 on worse stuff in the past.

tite681 · May 12, 2008

joshboogie said:
Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to get the full polished one for starters. I can pick a 3/8 stubby up on Amazom.com for about $25 shipped. Believe me I've spent $25 on worse stuff in the past.

I just got my Gearwrench polished ratchets today from Amazon. They look good and feel solid. Polished grip feels good; very similar to my other ratchets. Maybe try a standard length ratchet. There's really nothing to grab onto on the polished stubby. Here are some bad pics from my phone.

Merkava_4 · May 13, 2008

I see a couple of real ones mixed in with the fakes. :lol_hitti

billymade · May 13, 2008

They sell Snapon on Amazon.com now?!!! LOL! :lol_hitti

tite681 · May 13, 2008

Yeah they do look somewhat alike. I posted these pics up mainly to show the grips.

billymade · May 13, 2008

I don't think it is somewhat, I think they are almost a "clone"; if you look in the gearwrench catalog, they even use a picture of a Snap-On ratchet as a comparison on how their design is "slimmer"! If you just glanced at one, I think it could be easily mistaken for a Snap-On! The designers are definitely looking at Snap-On products, at the very least as a influence and at the most a flat out copy!

sjotis · May 13, 2008

You can't go wrong with those GearWrench ratchets.... they're the Danaher NGR design. They'll outperform the SO and with a slimmer profile....

joshboogie said:
I understand that SO is the superior tool here. I'm just looking for other alternatives. For the work I do and how often they would get used I think buying all SO stuff would be a waste for me. To be perfectly honest I don't really need another set of ratchets I just want to try something new. I think I'm going to order 1 Gearwrench ratchet and see if I like it and how it compares to a SO. I tried to find somewhere local that actually had one in stock but apparently no one stock the ratchets. Which doesn't make me feel good if it were to ever break but then again I only see the SO guy once every 2 weeks so there's not much difference.

Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to get the full polished one for starters. I can pick a 3/8 stubby up on Amazom.com for about $25 shipped. Believe me I've spent $25 on worse stuff in the past.

sjotis · May 13, 2008

Merkava_4 said:
I see a couple of real ones mixed in with the fakes.

Watch out for the crack-on addicts... they're dangerous

joshboogie · May 13, 2008

sjotis said:
They'll outperform the SO and with a slimmer profile....

Outperform the SO? How?

wrenchr · May 13, 2008

joshboogie said:
Outperform the SO? How?

They are comparing their 60 tooth to snap ons 36 tooth ratchet :thumbup:

PoorOwner · May 13, 2008

Don't fret on your purchase choice..

Use the money you saved to buy more goodies for your cars :thumbup:

if it breaks send it back, lifetime warranty..

joshboogie · May 13, 2008

PoorOwner said:
Don't fret on your purchase choice..

Use the money you saved to buy more goodies for your cars
if it breaks send it back, lifetime warranty..

Good point. I do have a Nissan Hardbody in need of a C-notch and air ride. lol

JayL · May 25, 2008

tite681 said:
I just got my Gearwrench polished ratchets today from Amazon. They look good and feel solid. Polished grip feels good; very similar to my other ratchets. Maybe try a standard length ratchet. There's really nothing to grab onto on the polished stubby. Here are some bad pics from my phone.

Are these KD Ratchets the same as the ones above.

http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.co...8-385B-4BFB-AD81-B1240EF043DA}/qx/product.htm

eschoendorff · May 25, 2008

Those GearWrench ratchets really look good... I'd love to try them one of these days....

dxdexter · May 25, 2008

JayL said:
Are these KD Ratchets the same as the ones above.

http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.co...8-385B-4BFB-AD81-B1240EF043DA}/qx/product.htm

They should the same company makes them, probably in the same factory, just a different name forged.

sjotis · May 25, 2008

That's actually a GearWrench set for sale at that website, not a K-D set. Because of the GearWrench association with K-D, many distributors accidentally use the K-D brand.

Cushion Grip or Full Polish?

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