Mystery Ratchets??

[Ricky Joe]

New Britain...New Britain...New Britain

And Herbrand, Snap-On, Firestone, Blackhawk

 

[AntiqueBen]

I need help from all our Craftsman buffs. Does anyone know the story behind this 1/2 ratchet? The mechanism can be removed with no tools by pressing in on the quick release harder than normal. Interesting ratchet, but kinda "gimmicki" at the same time. I don't think this ever caught on (as it's marked PAT. PEND). I saw a guy on YouTube that said it was only offered in the 1988 Sears catalog & it was the most expensive ratchet offered. I'd be a little shocked if that was true. Does anyone know anything about this one, or how long it was offered??

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Gearwolf may may know. Looks kinda gimmicky to me as well

 

[bonneyman]

Ben, that looks like a Craftsman Quik-Clean ratchet. Just like the name sounds - made for quick and easy cleaning and lube. I don't think it lasted too long in production.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Thanks. I think I heard mentioned Quik-Clean before. The other question is was it USA made?

 

[AntiqueBen]

Found this in the 1988 Sears tool catalog. Looks like only the flex heads in 1/2" drive were more expensive than the Quick -Clean. Would love to find out how long the Quick-Clean was offered. Not sure how to find out though.

 

[3baygarage]

Imported like the polished tri wings. There's also a Blackhawk and Proto I believe. I think the Proto has the red sticker on the head. All part of the Stanley wool pull IMO. Still a neat ratchet though.

 

[3baygarage]

Blackhawk kit on eBay.

 

[Lesserstore]

The last catalog I can find the "Quick Clean" ratchets in is the 1991 Sears Spring/Summer catalog. I've seen some marked Taiwan but others not. If they ever weren't made entirely in Taiwan, it was only heat treatment, knurling, and chroming that was done in the U.S. According to a 1992 court case where National Hand Tool (Div. of Stanley) sued the U.S. Government over having to mark tools with Taiwan, those operations weren't enough to qualify as a substantial transformation.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Found these beauties today. A Craftsman 1/2 RHFT ratchet, Craftsman quick release & a Walden Starwheel palm ratchet. I'm a little puzzled on the quick release. It is model # 44985. I have an earlier # 44975 with the oil port and the quick release stud that comes out of the end of the stud. The 44985 has no oil port & no stud coming out of the end of the drive, but it's marked Patent Pending? Why would the newer model number be marked Patent Pending & with the double lines like the older models?? I believe there are oil port models with patent #'s & this is a non-oil port with patent pending? Also, not sure what era the Walden palm ratchet is from? Pretty unique ratchet. Any thoughts out there on these?

 

[four.cycle]

The Kipton patents date from 1952 and 1954. (US Patent 2620001 Dec 2 1952 & 2672066 Mar 16 1954 George C. Fratz and Paul W. Sandrock / Canadian Patent CA522892 CA524280)(Kipton Industries manufactured one of the first "palm ratchets".)

Just a wild guess, but I'd guess the Walden unit is a contemporaneous cousin.

I don't know anything about Craftsman.

 

[Cruzan80]

The Craftsman Pat Pend is about the newer patent, so they could get around the original version that ended in a lawsuit. Someone made a whole thread researching all the ins/outs. Newer patent doesnt have an extending anvil part.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I would like to read the thread on that. If anyone has the link to that I would appreciate it.

 

[d42jeep]

I would like to read the thread on that. If anyone has the link to that I would appreciate it.

I don’t know if you will find what you are looking for here, but I sure learned a lot about Craftsman ratchets from this study.
-Don

Craftsman Teardrop Ratchet (1956-1993) Type Study ©

Craftsman Teardrop Ratchet (1956-1993) Type Study ©

papawswrench.com

 

[Cruzan80]

Found the one I was thinking of...

Craftsman RHFT Ratchet Type Study 1968-2009

I was raised on the Craftsman Brand with my step dad in his garage workshop; as an adult I have continued our Craftsman USA tradition. I was gifted my first Craftsman Mechanic set in 2005 but since realized the Craftsman golden years were much earlier. Recently I learned of the RHFT ratchets...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[AntiqueBen]

I've been trying to look up the history of when Craftsman started selling their 3/4" socket set. I've seen a "BE" ratchet so I know it goes back to the 40's. Have they offered a 3/4 set through every evolution of ratchets or only a few sets with only a couple types of ratchets? AA doesn't offer much info on this & all the type studies I've seen seem to always leave out the 3/4 drive. I was going to order a 3/4 set that had an early quick release ratchet, but I found an older set with the older non quick release ratchet with oiler on top. The ratchet, sockets & entire set is marked =V= & with pointed A's. I decided to buy the older set. Does anyone have a resource on Craftsman 3/4 ratchet & socket set history??

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Started in late 30s, made by sk. Here is a bm set

 

[AntiqueBen]

That's an awesome set oldtuleguy. I like those underline sockets. Wander when they went from 7 sockets like in your set to 13 sockets? I guess the first ratchet was the BE version. I think I'm going to try and piece together a type study on 3/4 ratchets at some point. I'm interested to find out how many 3/4 rat versions there were. Most of the historical info I'm finding (outside of the Sears catalog) is on all the other drive sizes. I'll post some pics when I get my set this week.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

There was a ratchet as well, it's an sk 3/4. Also a circle k version. The ratchets were made by sk and had either a circle k or bm code. After the war at some point craftsman switched their 3/4 kine up to moore drop forge, I think in 50s.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I noticed in the Sears 1960 catalog they offered 2 different types of 3/4 ratchets. The one in the set looks like a quick release, but without the quick release. They also offered a Flying V 3/4 ratchet that could be purchased separately. I've never seen a Flying V 3/4 ratchet, actually I didn't know they even existed. Does anyone know about these? They must not have made to many since the quick release came out a few years later. Post a pic if you have a Flying V 3/4 rat. I haven't looked much yet, but I can't find a pic online anywhere yet.

 

[Cruzan80]

I.am.wondering if this is another catalog "artistic licence" area. It is listed eith the other ratchets, and they may not have cared enough to call out the lack of a flying V selector on just the 3/4. They definitely made pear-heads before the QR feature, after the box/oval heads.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Seems like something gearwolf would know. Maybe pm him.

 

[3baygarage]

They didn’t do 3/4 with a V selector. I would say it went unmentioned in the catalog as Cruzan suggested.

 

[3baygarage]

The first illustration is wrong too. Must have been modeled off a 1/2” ratchet due to having the head with smooth back side. 3/4 pears always had the rear of the gear exposed. Plus the lever too. Drawing looks like a 1/2” all the way.

 

[AntiqueBen]

The catalog seemed very specific. It said the 3/4 flying V ratchet was 18 1/4" long (which is a different length compared to other 3/4 rats) & it was 6lbs. 8oz. And the ratchet in the pic of the 3/4 set might be the raised panel long lever ratchet. I know there are some artist discrepancies on some things but did Craftsman advertise & list specific information on tools they never produced?

 

[AntiqueBen]

My 3/4 set came in today & I'm pleased. This set looks like it hasn't been used much at all. I just need to clean the ratchet up a little. Everything is a matching=V= set. I could have got a set that had an early quick release ratchet but I went with this set because of condition & I like the older (pre flying V) ratchet. I'm guessing this set is from the early 50's? Do you guys think I have the era right?

 

[AntiqueBen]

Deleted

 

[Cruzan80]

The ratchet didnt change (afaik) for the lifetime of that style. So it is after SK stopped making them for Sears, and before the QR came out for the 3/4. Dont know how to narrow it down any more than that. So 1950-1970'ish?

 

[AntiqueBen]

I'm kinda going on Gear Wolf's type study. This style ratchet was before the Flying V (1959ish) & of course the QR came out after in the mid to late 60's. I think he has only done a video (type study) on the first BM & SK 3/4 Craftsman versions. I think he said these raised panel =V= rats were from the late 40's thru the 50's until the Long Lever & Flying V came out. I'm just not sure if this also relates to the 3/4 drive as well. I would assume so?

 

[Cruzan80]

No, they never did a long lever version of the 3/4. All the way thru the recent move overseas, they had the same size/style of head, with the recessed lever. Just added QR, once it became popular (not sure when the 3/4 got QR).

 

[grover26]

These Duro/Indestro ratchet’s drive is fixed with a female drive on the selector side and a male drive on the opposite side. That is what makes these reversing ratchets so versatile. No need to mess around with a removable plug. I believe that the ratchets with the removable plug are earlier.
-Don

These Duro/Indestro ratchet’s drive is fixed with a female drive on the selector side and a male drive on the opposite side. That is what makes these reversing ratchets so versatile. No need to mess around with a removable plug. I believe that the ratchets with the removable plug are earlier.
-Don

I'm a retired refrigeration mechanic. We had 1/4" drive Duro-Chrome sets with the male/female ratchets as shown. Female drive was for use on compressor service valves, similar to a conventional refrigeration service wrench. Along with normal 1/4 drive sockets, set included packing gland sockets, also for use on service valves. I have a similar Williams set in 1/2" drive with removable plug; Fit the service valves on larger compressors.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I've been looking for a box for my 3/4 socket set. When I saw this I had to scoop it up. This steel box is a monster & weighs a ton. Built like a tank. Inside the lid is a parts list for a gun of some type & padding on the other end of the inside lid. I think my socket set will now survive a dynamite explosion It looks older than turn of the century. I can't find these old part numbers online anywhere. I know this is a ratchet thread, but does anyone have an idea what this box is??

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...does anyone have an idea what this box is??

Spare parts box for a 20mm AA gun.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Wow...I wasn't expecting a box for a 20mm anti-aircraft cannon! Cool history. If only this box could talk. Did you recognize the part #'s? Thanks Lugz. Check this out. Not something you see everyday on a ratchet thread

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Did you recognize the part #'s?

No. I figured military and guessed WWII. Poked around some until I found some matching parts. Manual is online. Go to 'Gun Tools and Accessories' on page 204.
https://archive.hnsa.org/doc/gun20mm/index.htm

 

[AntiqueBen]

I picked up this old Goodell-Pratt Co. ratcheting brace I guess it would be called? The fact its ratcheting & reversible by the small metal knob, wouldn't this be considered an early version of the ratchet as we know it today? I'm familiar with the typical standard brace, but this is shaped more like a ratchet. It has a patent date of August 13, 1895 (patent no. 544,411). I guess you could have stuck an early socket extension in this & used sockets on it. Just curious where this fits in the time line of the invention of ratchets.
Pre-socket ratchet??

 

[AntiqueBen]

Someone somewhere along the line I'm sure had to have used this brace like this before ratchets as we know them came along. I'm guessing it was originally meant to use drill bits for drilling holes.
Any thoughts.....?

 

[AntiqueBen]

Found this Wizard 1/2" yesterday for $5. Excellent shape. It is stamped patent # 2,686,582. On the handle is stamped H2833. You can tell this is Duro, but DATAMP list manufacturer as unknown. They do list the Assignees as Duro though. I thought that was odd. I am surprised at how tight & heavy the mechanism & the tri-wing selector is. I have a lot of Duro-Indestro, but for some reason this feels different in the hand. It also seems to be fine tooth as well. I'll have to post a pic of it next to all my other Duro-Indestro's.

 

[d42jeep]

Duro-Indestro were definitely supplying plenty of tools to Western Auto. Although my drive end is different, the handle pattern is pretty much the same.
-Don

 

[AntiqueBen]

It looks like this is Duro-Indestro's only tri-Wing selector ratchet. Is that the case??