Dual Flex-head ratchet?

[Southern Forester]

twenty years ago, I came across a Stanley 3/8 inch double-flexing ratchet that was not that different from the one in the link below. At the time, it was made by Popular Mechanics, which was Walmart's Stanley line, and soon it became simply Stanley, and as a result could also be had as a Husky ratchet. I have a Stanley, my dad's Popular Mechanics version I gave him before he died (a machinist, he thought it was the bee's knees). I also gave one to my grandfather in Stanley guise (he was once head of maintenance at Eglin Airforce base) and he loved it.

It has since been discontinued by Stanley and Husky and is only available in no-name or Pittsburgh in a slight different design. I liked it so much that I built one using a flex-head Williams 3/8 drive ratchet on a Snap-on WAM18FL exposed ratcheting handle (that has the two pivoting points). Is this kind of ratchet made by anyone other than Pittsburgh and, if not, why did it fail? I found them superb at reaching things on my 1995 Chevy 1500 as well as my Jeep Cherokees and Mazda Tribute.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-8-in-Dri...837023?hash=item48a64ef25f:g:KXkAAOSwhqhaONuq

 

[Empty Pockets]

It looks like it could certainly come in handy in some tight spaces

 

[plinker]

Menards has them under the Preformax line, not exactly top of the line stuff, probably ok for some stuff though.

https://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/hand-tools/ratchets-sockets/performax-reg-3-8-drive-flexible-ratchet/p-1444428114677-c-9159.htm?tid=-2769397886978685150&ipos=21

 

[gdpolk]

I've got the Pittsburgh version of this one. It is my least used ratchet in the box, but the few times that I needed it, I would gladly have paid 3-5x what I did for it. It makes a few awkward places easy to get to.
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-heavy-duty-flexible-ratchet-96369.html

Another weird ratchet from Harbor Freight that I've come to love as a specialty tool is the one below. Its really good at getting into places with thin gaps to work in. It has saved me a few times from some unnecessary difficulty.
https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-38-in-drive-long-reach-dual-flex-head-ratchet-67994.html

I'm not a huge fanboy of the Pittsburgh ratchets but these two specialty designs are some that I've found incredibly useful and the build quality of them is adequate in my opinion for their infrequent use.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I think I could heat and bend a used Craftsman ratchet every time I needed one of those, and be $$ ahead.

 

[Southern Forester]

Well, the price of the one I showed is way too high. I spent something like $15 each for the Stanley or Husky ones. Here's a photograph showing what I am talking about. It's about like the Menards/Pittsburgh, but not the same.

 

[619DioFan]

I have the hf dual flex ratchet. one of my favorite tools. 72teeth. wish I could find one in 1/4 inch drive. the long double flex ratchet from hf that is 3/8 on one end and 1/4 on the other is a favorite as well.

 

[bonneyman]

I made one in 1/4" drive out of two old breaker bars and a loose ratchet head. Don't use it often, but it does come in handy in certain tight spots. I'm willing to bet the same can be said of a 3/8" drive version.

 

[unslow1]

I've got the Pittsburgh version of this one. It is my least used ratchet in the box, but the few times that I needed it, I would gladly have paid 3-5x what I did for it. It makes a few awkward places easy to get to.
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-heavy-duty-flexible-ratchet-96369.html


Another weird ratchet from Harbor Freight that I've come to love as a specialty tool is the one below. Its really good at getting into places with thin gaps to work in. It has saved me a few times from some unnecessary difficulty.
https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-38-in-drive-long-reach-dual-flex-head-ratchet-67994.html

I'm not a huge fanboy of the Pittsburgh ratchets but these two specialty designs are some that I've found incredibly useful and the build quality of them is adequate in my opinion for their infrequent use.

I have both of these and really like them. The double flex has made changing spark plugs a lot easier on my cars with large tube headers.

 

[7avalon7]

I have both of these and really like them. The double flex has made changing spark plugs a lot easier on my cars with large tube headers.

Another thumbs up for the HF double flex. It is a bit longer which is nice for leverage as well. I been meaning to pick up the other ratchet (long ratchet with the flex 1/4 and 3/8) but I just do not go to that part of town often - I need to make a note so I remember.

 

[Southern Forester]

I made one in 1/4" drive out of two old breaker bars and a loose ratchet head. Don't use it often, but it does come in handy in certain tight spots. I'm willing to bet the same can be said of a 3/8" drive version.

I did somewhat the same with a Williams 3/8" ratchet and, with the few Taiwanese versions, am in good shape with them. They are such useful ratchets I kind of expected them to be available in ready-made form from the big guys (Mac, Snapon, Matco, Cornwell, etc) particularly since they would require absolutely no re-tooling to manufacture. It really is just a Lego kind of job to make them.

 

[bonneyman]

I did somewhat the same with a Williams 3/8" ratchet and, with the few Taiwanese versions, am in good shape with them. They are such useful ratchets I kind of expected them to be available in ready-made form from the big guys (Mac, Snapon, Matco, Cornwell, etc) particularly since they would require absolutely no re-tooling to manufacture. It really is just a Lego kind of job to make them.

I think it's a price-point thing with the big manufacturers. What seems like a small modification to us might be a big dollar assembly change to them. And with our modded tools being one-offs so much of the time, they feel that the cost to make only a small number of such and such tool won't justify the factory changes.
The Taiwanese, however, see a need and fill it. Their costs are probably alot lower and it allows them to shift production profitably.
Just my .02.

 

[Southern Forester]

The thing is, they manufacture all sorts of niche tools. This kind would be an easy one to manufacture as it requires no specialized parts, only an additional step in assembly. Obviously the demand is not great enough for them to manufacture them (since it appears they do not). Otherwise, they'd be everywhere.

But then, the perceived demand for reversible ratcheting combination wrenches was not high enough for the big guys to make them, so the Taiwanese made literally tons of them and millions of dollars before our side of the great ocean got into gear.

Of course, it might merely be a case of patents. The Taiwanese manufacturer might have owned the patent for the wrench, licensed it to Stanley for distribution through their brands and channels, and for some reason Stanley ceased importation but the manufacturer still owns the patent. If that is true, then 25 years is almost up in any case. The Chinese Menards and Pittsburgh Pro versions are different (and inferior in design) from the Husky/Stanley/Popular Mechanics versions.

In the end, it could also simply be the sometimes lethargic inertia that companies oft have which keeps them from making turns or changes. They may be waiting to see if a Chinese versions develops market share before "doing it better, doing it here" themselves to ****** up a market. Though, I suspect, were Snap On to make one and introduce it with some fanfare, they'd take off.

In any case, it is simply a case of curiosity and of time on my hands pondering things. I'm well stocked with these kinds of wrenches, having made my own "US version" that works great in addition to the stable-mates from Stanley.

 

[four.cycle]

What seems like a small modification to us might be a big dollar assembly change to them. And with our modded tools being one-offs so much of the time, they feel that the cost to make only a small number of such and such tool won't justify the factory changes.

When a manufacturer starts stamping out widgets, it's not profitable or cost effective unless they're doing massive production runs - they have to stamp out thousands of units.
There's a lot involved in making stuff: dies have to be re-tooled, machines have to be set up, line employees have to be trained.
Looking at that unit I would not imagine that it would be a big seller, but that's just me.

I would think it easy to understand why a manufacturer would choose to not jump into the fray with a "new" item that hadn't already proven to be a seller. Think of all of the hundreds of "new and improved" tools that have been introduced over the years that were complete duds: "ratcheting" open-end wrenches, "dog bone" wrenches, etc.

 

[Southern Forester]

In the case of these designs, there would be no change in dies or re-tooling. Training wouldn't be a significant issue as the process for assembly would require no new steps. Supply to assemblers would be changed in that an additional part would be included in construction. All the companies already make a flexible-head ratchet. The parts exist to make it double-flex already. What can a single-flex do better than a double?

It may simply be lethargic large-operation inertia. After all, it was Gearwrench who brought us the reversible ratcheting combination wrench (which was the logical step up from the older, open-sided ratcheting type wrenches manufactured forever here). Now everyone offers one. That design was a complete change in tooling etc, so much a change that they are still virtually all Taiwanese in manufacture (considering Armstrong is now gone). Yet everybody offers one.

I have seen hyper-specific tools from the big guys that couldn't have been large production runs. I have a Snap on double-jointed alignment ratcheting wrench like the one pictured below that is a perfect example. It is simplicity itself to install a standard ratcheting head onto that body. No new machining. No new dies. No new training. This tool is virtually already what I describe but in a vastly more specific mode. If it is useful in this application, would not a true reversible ratchet wrench in this mode be even more so?



https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Snap-On-Too...-Adjustable-USA-Made-/192359541328?rmvSB=true

 

[PR1Gneon]

Made this one with bent handle.

 

[jgromada]

my first inclination upon seeing this and visualizing it being used is that my flare nut crowfoot sockets could work just as well

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/610yDNFGzcL._SL1500_.jpg