Proto SpinFlex, Proto Ratchet, Blackhawk Screwdriver

[RenegadeEngr]

Alright got some new tools from eBay. The SpinFlex is a pretty nice ratchet and seems to be of good quality. I'm not quite sure how much I like the operation of how the handle works for rotating position but we'll see how it works out. The Proto 3/8'' I got is nice but I'm not quite sure it is assembled as tight as it can, I wasn't impressed with the play of the ratcheting mechanism. It needs to be disassembled and greased until I can tell whether I'm satisfied. Proto stuff is nice, and I don't want to sound like a record, but the Williams 3/8" I have is the best ratchet I have acquired so far. eBay has been quite dangerous lately as I have acquired alot of tools to evaluate. The Blackhawk Screwdriver set is my favorite purchase so far. Very good quality, weight, and craftsmanship. I would recommend them to anyone who can't afford spending a ton of money on sets from SK, Wiha, Klein, etc. I might have to take these ratchets into the lab for some tests one of these days because I want to get to the bottom of this "quality ratchet" topic as companies slowly alter their product, or move manufacturing to china. Is there a consumer reports type organization out their that takes more of an engineering approach to tools rather than just testing which 9.6V screwdriver is the best?

 

[eschoendorff]

Is there a consumer reports type organization out their that takes more of an engineering approach to tools rather than just testing which 9.6V screwdriver is the best?

No, not really. LOTS of anecdotal "evidence" out there though.


BTW... my 3/8 Proto has some play in it too... if you get to the bottom of the issue,post up what you found. Mine is in the garage and it's to freakin' cold to go out there and fiddle with it right now

 

[wilbilt]

BTW... my 3/8 Proto has some play in it too...

I offer the following as a possibility. No evidence to suggest it is a fact.

There have been a lot of Stanley/Proto/Blackhawk/etc., "NOS" tools on ebay lately. I suspect that many of these items came from large lots auctioned at liquidation.com and others like them.

What if these tools are rejects, seconds, and otherwise less than #1 quality?

I have two of the 3/8" Big Dawgs from eBay. Different sellers, and no issues with either one. I have also bought various lots of SPB sockets and wrenches from different sellers, and have noticed some anomalies.

An excessive grind here, a misplaced "PROTO" stamp there, a batch of sockets missing any stampings whatsoever...you get the idea.

A lot of Stanley screwdrivers, not a single one marked with a country of origin...except for that one with the "Assembled in USA From Global Components" tag...which had an obviously mis-formed and reject blade.

I am not saying this is the case for all of these tools, just putting it out there...

 

[Fedwrench]

I'm sure most of the Blackhawk and some of the proto stuff is no longer in the company's current catalog and is sold as obsolete. As with all Ebay products, it's buyer beware. There can always be something wrong with whatever you buy. It's just harder to resolve with online auctions. Be cautious, checkout the seller's feedback, and ask questions before bidding. If it doesn't feel right, pass. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

 

[fourfeathers]

I think that Blackhawk set is made in England. Seemed decent quality, but the damn tips are PAINTED to look grit-blasted! The shanks are clear-coated. Pretty cheesy.

 

[RenegadeEngr]

Yulp, I definately think it was from Liquidation.com. I almost bought 100 of these ratchets the other day from them to do the same thing. They say their is a 1% quality variance on the lots but I'll tell you what, I'm sending it back to Proto if I can't get it right. Time to start holding people and companies accountable as consumers.

As for the screwdriver set. I'm trying to get all of the old Blackhawk stuff I can before Stanley destroys them. These screwdrivers are quite good, I agree they're not the best looking set but I think they will stand the test of time better than most other alternatives at $14.71 on eBay.

 

[Merkava_4]

I've got a Blackhawk #2 Philips like the one in your set; seems to be good quality and it is does have "ENGLAND" stamped in capital letters in the rubber grip covering. I keep it in the kitchen drawer and its dedicated assignment is to be ready whenever I need it to remove the two screws that hold the metal plate on the bottom of the household vacuum cleaner.

 

[eschoendorff]

Well, my Proto ratchets are bad enough to send them back to Proto... just wondering if anyone else noticed the same thing and had any solutions.

 

[MAD]

I have a set of Stanley branded made in England screwdrivers that look nearly identical to those Blackhawk ones except mine have yellow/black handles. They have been bouncing around in my truck box for long enough that I can't say how long I have had them. No problems with mine after a fair amount of use.

 

[Merkava_4]

I don't see how Stanley can afford to pay those English people to make their screwdrivers; seems like it would be a terrible financial hardship for the company.

 

[RenegadeEngr]

I've got a Blackhawk #2 Philips like the one in your set; seems to be good quality and it is does have "ENGLAND" stamped in capital letters in the rubber grip covering. I keep it in the kitchen drawer and its dedicated assignment is to be ready whenever I need it to remove the two screws that hold the metal plate on the bottom of the household vacuum cleaner.

Wow, I'm delighted you have a BlackHawk screwdriver in your main fleet in the kitchen. I was hoping you had the resources their so you wouldn't have to grab your Allied set in the garage. Good strategy!

 

[eschoendorff]

Stanley has been making tools in Sheffield, England for years... in fact the new Fat Max impact drivers were made there up until a short time ago. I wonder if they closed the facility? Maybe Jononon knows...

 

[RenegadeEngr]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ndexURL=1&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
Uh oh....Stanley did it....Blackhaiwan

 

[RenegadeEngr]

So after working on the Proto Ratchet a bit I decided to send it to Proto. The allen screws that hold the assembly together were a tad bit loose, after tightening them up I realized the ratchet did not have much play in it. I took the darn thing apart and put it back together and it still sounds like hell and there is a tad bit of play in the shank. Mailed it back to Proto, it'll be interesting to see what they do, I sent them a nice note!

 

[engnerdan]

If you pull down on the handle of the 3/8 spin-flex does the handle lock in (not rotate)? I just got a 1/4 spin-flex and at first I thought the handle was going to piss me off until I pulled on it and it poped (into the detent) and locked in place. It only does this at 3,6,9,12 o'clock postions.

BTW - I have purchased several of the confort grip "big dawgs" off ebay in the last months and have been very impressed with all of them. Mine appear to have had slight flaws like the proto stamp was off center on one, and the handle was slightly rotated on the other (which is fixable).

-Dan

 

[RenegadeEngr]

If you pull down on the handle of the 3/8 spin-flex does the handle lock in (not rotate)? I just got a 1/4 spin-flex and at first I thought the handle was going to piss me off until I pulled on it and it poped (into the detent) and locked in place. It only does this at 3,6,9,12 o'clock postions.

BTW - I have purchased several of the confort grip "big dawgs" off ebay in the last months and have been very impressed with all of them. Mine appear to have had slight flaws like the proto stamp was off center on one, and the handle was slightly rotated on the other (which is fixable).

-Dan

Yulp, the handle locks. The Spin-Flex ratchet works quite well.

The Big Dawg I could probably of fixed if I wasn't within 100 miles of my shop but I'm kinda looking to see if Proto will make me a customer for life or not.

 

[Stuey]

Stanley has been making tools in Sheffield, England for years... in fact the new Fat Max impact drivers were made there up until a short time ago. I wonder if they closed the facility? Maybe Jononon knows...

Stanley's FatMax chisels and their "demolition screwdrivers" were made there as well, but not anymore. Some big boxes have mixed stock, but I think that they abandoned operations there some time ago. The quality doesn't seem to be that different though, and at least their packaging is honest *cough* unlike Irwin *cough*.

 

[Jononon]

Stanley Tools, Sheffield, April 2007.

On a more positive note, Stanley do still have a plant in Hellaby, near Rotherham.