JS 3/8" Ratchet: Any good?

[bonneyman]

Came across a ratchet today. Didn't buy it, because I've never heard of the brand before. JS 12000 USA. Looks very much like the S-K 45175 fine tooth currently in the Classifieds. It was in fair shape, ratchets in both directions.
Any good?

 

[Mickey O]

That's a $250 dollar ratchet, how much was it?

 

[bonneyman]

I didn't ask, because I have too many ratchets already. But I'm sure I won't have to pay that much. Guess I'll have to go back there, eh?

 

[Mickey O]

I didn't ask, because I have too many ratchets already. But I'm sure I won't have to pay that much. Guess I'll have to go back there, eh?

I was just kidding, I've never heard of the brand or name, I tried google and didn't come up with anything. Someone here probably knows of it.

 

[bonneyman]

I was just kidding, I've never heard of the brand or name, I tried google and didn't come up with anything. Someone here probably knows of it.

Don't be yanking my chain like that! The chiropractor already gets enough of my money!

 

[Fedwrench]

It looks like an SK ratchet because it is an SK ratchet. In the mid 1980's SK supplied some ratchets and breaker bars to government contracts but they were branded JS for some unknown reason. Perhaps, removing the ability to warranty said tools as SK.

 

[SCscoutguy]

It looks like an SK ratchet because it is an SK ratchet. In the mid 1980's SK supplied some ratchets and breaker bars to government contracts but they were branded JS for some unknown reason. Perhaps, removing the ability to warranty said tools as SK.

Thanks for this information. I bought a 1/4" driver handle at the flea market Saturday that was just marked JS 11130 USA on it and I was trying to figure out who made it. I guess it is probably the same deal as the SK ratchet being a gov't tool?

 

[HankMurphy]

With the background you mention, I would not be surprised to discover that this is sold by Jensen, and was subcontracted to SK by them. I think Snapon owns Jensen now.

 

[PowderKeg]

The few JS tools I have (ratchet and a few sockets) look to be sourced from Stanley - the sockets almost definitely. The 1/2" round head ratchet (with no model number, only "JS USA" on it) I'm guess-timating is a Stanley - it's definitely not from SK. It's identical to a Sears 1/2" ratchet that's stamped from Taiwan.

 

[Coach James]

"I didn't ask, because I have too many ratchets already."

Ok, you lost me here. Can someone translate this statement? All I see is a jumble of letters.

Coach

 

[bonneyman]

It looks like an SK ratchet because it is an SK ratchet. In the mid 1980's SK supplied some ratchets and breaker bars to government contracts but they were branded JS for some unknown reason. Perhaps, removing the ability to warranty said tools as SK.

You'all are great! Lots of good info, helpful insights.....and much needed humor!

 

[sk farmer]

i agree with the sk affiliation. i never saw a ratchet but i saw a whole bunch of extensions in a tool stand at an ag show. my fiend picked up a few and they are identical to his sk other than the js rather than sk stamping.

 

[Mickey O]

Don't be yanking my chain like that! The chiropractor already gets enough of my money!

Sorry, I thought you'd figure I was joking right away. If it makes you feel any better I went to the flea market today and screwed myself out of some boat fuel tanks that I've been looking to get for a very long time. I spotted them and figured I'd ask about them on the way back because I didn't feel like carrying them around (didn't think to have the guy hold them). My girlfriend says lets look at them now, I said nah, they ain't going anywhere. So on the way back I don't see them, I figure I'm in the wrong aisle, nope, I ask the guy who I think it might be, it was him, "just sold both of them minutes ago, you probably just passed they guy". He tells me I could have just left them with him and picked up on the way back, doh! Did get a flex head Easco RHFT K-D tools 3/8" ratchet though, still I'd have rather gotten the fuel tanks. Lesson learned, see it, like it, buy it immediately.

 

[olds394]

"I didn't ask, because I have too many ratchets already."

Ok, you lost me here. Can someone translate this statement? All I see is a jumble of letters.

Coach

 

[dieseldodge01]

Thanks for this information. I bought a 1/4" driver handle at the flea market Saturday that was just marked JS 11130 USA on it and I was trying to figure out who made it. I guess it is probably the same deal as the SK ratchet being a gov't tool?

That driver looks like one made by New Britain, has a drive end in it to make it into an extension.

 

[bonneyman]

Well, after all the buzz about the ratchet, I went back and got it. Here it is:

Disassembled, cleaned, and lubed. Very fine ratchet action.
Guess I'll now have to find a place to store it in.

 

[sk farmer]

yup, sk tuf1 ratchet. no doubt about it, nice score.

 

[Indy_500]

Are you guys sure that JS has no affiliation with Thorsen? that pic above of the yellow 1/4" driver handle, well i got the same exact thing except it's a thorsen. the grooves in the handle are the same i swear

 

[HankMurphy]

"I didn't ask, because I have too many ratchets already."

Ok, you lost me here. Can someone translate this statement? All I see is a jumble of letters.

Coach

What he meant to say was:

I'm holding off on buying more ratchets until I get a larger box.

 

[64merc]

Are you guys sure that JS has no affiliation with Thorsen? that pic above of the yellow 1/4" driver handle, well i got the same exact thing except it's a thorsen. the grooves in the handle are the same i swear

As with other rebranded tools, JS tools were probably sourced from several different manufacturers over the years. I've seen some sockets before, and they looked like Stanley to me.

 

[bonneyman]

What he meant to say was:

I'm holding off on buying more ratchets until I get a larger box.

Uh, yeah - that's it!

 

[olds394]

Yeah, this JS 11000 is pretty good.

Sure looks New Britain to me.... 1/4 inch drive.

 

[bonneyman]

A buddy of mine picked it up off my workbench and commented that he could use a fine tooth ratchet. So I sold it to him for $5. He was happy!

 

[Mickey O]

Just ran across some JS stuff in one of my old toolboxes, some sockets and a swivel, all USA made and look to be decent quality.

 

[SCscoutguy]

I picked this up at the flea market last week. It is a New Britain made 1/2" ratchet marked JS 1300 USA. I think I now own every brand NB made these ratchets for now.

 

[PowderKeg]

I picked this up at the flea market last week. It is a New Britain made 1/2" ratchet marked JS 1300 USA. I think I now own every brand NB made these ratchets for now.

So how many brands have you found? So far I've got 18 in hand, with 3 more (now including the JS you posted) seen. That's a total of 21 with the New Britain Kilness patent gut design. With my latest find (a Proto Challenger), I'm now wondering how many of these might have actually been made by Stanley after they acquired at least some of the remains of NBM.

Kilness patent round head brands:
American Forge
Blackhawk
Bluegrass
Champion Sparkplug
Crescent
Giller
Husky
JS
Litton
Mac
Matco
Mustang
NBM
New Britain
OTC
Penncraft
Proto Challenger
SP 45
Sparta
Thorsen
"unbranded"

 

[SCscoutguy]

So how many brands have you found? So far I've got 18 in hand, with 3 more (now including the JS you posted) seen. That's a total of 21 with the New Britain Kilness patent gut design. With my latest find (a Proto Challenger), I'm now wondering how many of these might have actually been made by Stanley after they acquired at least some of the remains of NBM.

Kilness patent round head brands:
American Forge
Blackhawk
Bluegrass
Champion Sparkplug
Crescent
Giller
Husky
JS
Litton
Mac
Matco
Mustang
NBM
New Britain
OTC
Penncraft
Proto Challenger
SP 45
Sparta
Thorsen
"unbranded"

I have all of those except the SP 45, Crescent and I have a proto challanger ratchet that is very similar but is not a NB design. I have also never seen a Thorsen marked NB made ratchet.

 

[SCscoutguy]

I have all of those except the SP 45, Crescent and I have a proto challanger ratchet that is very similar but is not a NB design. I have also never seen a Thorsen marked NB made ratchet.

Kind of strange I found a SP 45 and a Thorsen made New Britain ratchet on the same trip to the flea market today to add to my New Britain made ratchets.

 

[SMKS]

Kind of strange I found a SP 45 and a Thorsen made New Britain ratchet on the same trip to the flea market today to add to my New Britain made ratchets.

Weird, I've never seen a New Britain ratchet rebranded as a Thorsen. What company didn't New Britain make ratchets for?

 

[SCscoutguy]

Weird, I've never seen a New Britain ratchet rebranded as a Thorsen. What company didn't New Britain make ratchets for?

Yea like said above I had never seen or heard of one until Powderkeg talked about them above. I still have never seen any Proto Challanger ratchet made by NB though.