I have 14 different ratchets in my drawer as i speak. Their different lengths and different teeth..some flex some not. They each have a different purpose . I work on big trucks and tractors. And yes they are laid out perfect. Polished each packed with greese and a touch of oil. I even have a small piece of steel wool to polish out any scratches !!
At the moment I have 17 ratchets (4x 1/4", 3x 3/8" and 10x 1/2"). I am trying to sell 5 1/2"s and awaiting one new 1/2", a Gedore 1993 U-2 'Magic Edition' (which are the yearly promo offerings and in this case clearing out last stock). That 1993 U-2 is one (or the) last Gedore ratchet that is (completly) manufactured in Germany!
From the 10 1/2"s I have 5 in the same model. 3 of them are refurbished, 2 are brandspanking new. But that's because I used to work as a salesman in the toolbusiness. When my employer and we 'split up' (to put it in a nice way), I kept them. They weren't on any stock anyway... Rest is all different: Brand/type/number of tooth. Great to have some choice!
Mine are also freshly greased and clean. Do not polish them but keep them really clean. Small but important difference.
About greasing your ratchets: Make that the first thing you do when you buy a new ratchet and repeat it on a regular basis, depending on usage. I know first hand that getting a well greased ratchet from the factory is not always gauranteed. I have seen warranty claims with ratchets that had no grease at all in them up to too much grease!
I use a normal purpose grease, like bearing grease. At the moment JD Grease-Gard Premium, which a dealer (a former customer of me) gave to me. Why this one? It's thicker so it wont run out of the gears and makes your ratchet quiter compared to ratcehets with thinner greases and oils. Yes, your ratchet can be quiter with a thicker type of grease! The more 'metallic' your ratchet sounds, the thinerer grease they used in the factory!
Regular cleaning out the old grease and replacing it with new will cut down on the wear & tear of your ratchet because you clean out all the metal chips that come from your gears. Cleanin that gunk out and putting new grease in is THE best thing you can do to preserve the inners of your ratchet apart from not using it at all!
How much grease is enough? Simple: Put a generous amount of grease on the gears, mechanism and so on. Assemble your ratchet WITHOUT the closing plate. Make about 5 360's in one direction. Clean out the grease that oozes out the gears and so on. Repeat process in opposite direction. Finally close your ratchet. This procedure ensures that you have enough grease to keeps things lubed but not to much have it running out our ruining the inners.
I hope it was helpfull for y'all....
