Hard to find tools

[Fialaja]

Anyone remember Stanley workmaster screwdrivers? These are hardly ever seen on eBay except the occasional single slotted or magnetic insert style...Ditto for the ridged orange handled screwdrivers HD sold awhile back. Anyone have/ ever seen Husky screwdrivers with a snap on style handle?

Ratchetwise, for me it’s the ridged rhft or the Armstrong rhf or a 1/2dr flex rhft craftsman

Why are these so hard to come by? They were obviously mass produced at some point.

 

[80mirada]

I have the Husky drivers with the square Snap-on style handles. They are still my first choice when I need a screwdriver.

 

[ssdave]

I run into those stanleys occasionally, usually the tips are all worn away. Time has erased most of them from the working pool of tools; after all, screwdrivers are more or less expendable items that wear out.

You won't see them on ebay much because nobody wants to pay enough to a seller to buy them and pay for shipping. I throw them in with screwdriver assortments when I get them; usually get about $.25 apiece plus flat rate shipping for a lot of 20 or 30. I've gotten to the point where I use old screwdrivers as tent stakes instead of selling them; they work great for that, the handles makes them easy to insert and remove and the loops won't slid up past the handle end. I've given away sets of them to all my friends to use for that after they see me using them!

 

[davethorik]

I have seen 2 different styles of the Ridgid RHFT 1/2 ratchet, a 15" long normal handle, and one with handle bent 90°, presumably to act as a crank. Just a wild guess, perhaps these only came with one of Ridgid's larger threaders, or some other machine...*pauses to Google*...actually looks like I was right, here is the bent one...
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/915-roll-groover
According to Ridgid's parts list, the 90° bent ratchet is pn 92202.
If you Google that, you will see the newer replacement...appears to be a Danaher/Apex 36 tooth pearhead.

Here is a GJ for sale thread with the 15" Ridgid RHFT, pn 70437:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84517

A ratchet I can't seem to find is a vintage Wright 3429 in 3/8. Unsure of when these were introduced, they have the Tootsie roll rubber grip, fixed head, and the handle is offset away from the head (ratchet on top in pic 2). Current production 3429 are a bent flex head with the Tootsie roll, also unsure when that started.

My personal unicorn is a Herbrand J-9 speeder ratchet. Forget the Craftsman speeder ratchet, this thing is cooler looking. And also, rarer...I think they usually hit $150-$200 on ebay. Maybe one day.

 

[bonneyman]

I run into those stanleys occasionally, usually the tips are all worn away. Time has erased most of them from the working pool of tools; after all, screwdrivers are more or less expendable items that wear out.

You won't see them on ebay much because nobody wants to pay enough to a seller to buy them and pay for shipping. I throw them in with screwdriver assortments when I get them; usually get about $.25 apiece plus flat rate shipping for a lot of 20 or 30. I've gotten to the point where I use old screwdrivers as tent stakes instead of selling them; they work great for that, the handles makes them easy to insert and remove and the loops won't slid up past the handle end. I've given away sets of them to all my friends to use for that after they see me using them!

Dang, that's a bit of info that needs to go into the handymans notebook!

 

[ephotrod]

I have been looking for this magnetic combination square for years, they are not made anymore and never have run across one in the wild. If anyone has one they want to sell please tell me.

Cruise Industrial Controls 18" Speed Square Combo Welding Magnetic Model s-5032

 

[mikebaker1129]

I just found this thread while looking up a Ridgid ratchet I just picked up at the FM .
RHFT Ridgid ratchet bent 90 degrees. Just like the 92202 in the picture posted by Davethorik.
I had never found one before are they somewhat rare?

 

[davethorik]

Hey mike, you lucky dog...lol... I'm just guessing they are, as they only came with the Ridgid apparatus like I posted above. I'm guessing any by themselves were spares, went home in a lunch pail, or outlived the Ridgid tool they came with. I still haven't found one myself.

 

[Snaparxon]

I have been looking for this magnetic combination square for years, they are not made anymore and never have run across one in the wild. If anyone has one they want to sell please tell me.

Cruise Industrial Controls 18" Speed Square Combo Welding Magnetic Model s-5032

I found one in the wild a couple years ago at a yard sale. Very handy.