Ratchet.......what is your preference?

[Mr. Tool]

Just throwing this out there.....based on a simple question.


When choosing a ratchet, regardless of make or model, manufacturer, etc., nor length short or long handle or size 1/4" 3/8" 1/2"..... which type of ratchet do you prefer to use when called for to use......


1.) A ratchet with it's bare metal handle?


2.) A ratchet with a handle (regardless of what material, rubber, wood, etc.)?


3.) Doesn't matter...which ever one is closes to you to use?


As for myself well my choice is bare metal.

Too bad though that they don't make ratchets with acetate handles.

To me I view tools with acetate handles like I do naked women, they are my weakness!


Thanks in advance to all who post their answers!

 

[wretched73]

I prefer bare metal. Easiest to clean

 

[Snakebyt]

i prefer extended length with a comfort grip type handle

 

[MTNSleder]

I like 3/4 inch ratchet with a 8 foot cheater pipe.

 

[GTO]

Bare metal FL80

 

[ex-x-fire]

I prefer to have a battery & motor in my ratchet.

 

[Tallpilot]

Comfort grip!

 

[woody 73]

I seem to be losing some feeling in my old body as i get older, but in the dead of winter with not much shop heat in my small man cave a rubber type handle works best.

In the dead of summer give me all metal. If the job calls for lots of spilled oil then the type of ratchet with the knurling work best in my slippery hands.

 

[Wamsutta]

I prefer either a comfort grip, or a metal handle that has no cut grooves or knurling. The one exception is 1/4 drive; I prefer knurling on that size.

 

[bob15]

Bare metal

 

[davethorik]

I prefer knurled, but I'm picky about it...my favorite so far is from Wright. Not too aggressive but still grippy. Few SK i have seem to be too sharp. Otherwise bare steel all the way, although some handle contours I like better than others, love Cornwell but not as big of a fan of Snap-on.

Generally speaking I don't like soft grips, as they tend to look like *** after some use. Hard handle are ok, but I only have one out of almost 50 ratchets, I just don't gravitate toward them. I have a couple Wright Tootsie Rolls which fall kind of in between the 2, they are rubber but harden over time. I like them, but don't have many...prefer their knurling.

Wood handles? Other than maybe Nepros, I can't say I've seen any factory rats with wood. Custom, yeah...someone posted a wood handled Williams in the custom ratchet handle thread yesterday.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Bare Metal.

 

[Mr. Tool]

.....Generally speaking I don't like soft grips, as they tend to look like *** after some use......

......grabbin' ***!.......

 

[Schurkey]

I had an '80 Honda Civic. One day I'm driving, and it occurs to me that except for my key ring, I cannot see metal from the driver's seat. Everything I can see, everything I can reach to touch...is plastic (or glass.)

From that moment, I've cherished metal and wood. Now, lots of metal gets covered with paint (more-or-less plastic) and wood typically gets coated in something (Polyurethane stain is just plastic.) Yet it "seems" more honest and natural.

I'm not saying it's logical. I'm saying I love metal-handled tools.

I've got a few plastic-handled ratchets including a Snappy comfort-grip or three. But I'd have preferred that those ratchets had metal handles--I didn't buy them because they had plastic handles, but despite the plastic handles.

 

[jd_1138]

I guess metal as it's easier to clean. Though I've been using the hell out of my little HF Pro swivel head 1/4 ratchet lately. It has a comfort handle. I think it was all of ten bucks with coupon. It's green. Newer version is red I think. I like how it's easy to zip fasteners on and off by turning the handle into a driver.

My other ratchets are SK roundheads with metal handles.

 

[Snaparxon]

I like the old Matco/ Wright made contour square handle. Easy to clean, no knurling, and square so it doesn't twist when my hands are oily.

 

[MaverickDMD]

I like the idea of longevity so I don't like soft handles although I have many. Plastic always deteriorates over time no matter how well the tool is treated. Acetate is similar in that no matter how well a tool is treated, any unforeseen accident with it and the handle will carry that scar forever, suggesting that the tool was somehow abused by its owner.

I therefore prefer metal handled ratchets, knurled, bare or otherwise. If it's cold out, the cold metal is unpleasant I agree, but donning Mechanix gloves solves that issue. And bare metal is always easiest to clean and maintain.

 

[JBradley500]

I basically only buy metal handles becuase I am not a full time mechanic with a tool truck guy to replace them but I really do like using the matco 88 with comfort grips. I might buy one someday just in normal length locking flex 3/8 even though I’m overstocked with nice ratchets.

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

Bare metal

 

[todd2008]

I like the comfort grips on the long flex heads mainly because those are the only comfort grips ones I have so far. Time will tell how they stand up.

 

[Jarhead0408]

Fhlf80 does it for me.

 

[DerekV]

I like both comfort grip and bare metal equally. 50/50 tradeoff.

Comfort grip somewhat annoyingly catches grime and adds a little bulk, but the extra cushion is so nice sometimes.

Bare metal is nice, sleek, and easy to wipe off, but "isn't comfort grip" [emoji38]

 

[toolmutt]

If the task involves grime, grease, oil, etc, I'll use bare metal for easier cleanup. If it's a "clean" job, handle me.

 

[JR7]

Bare metal. SK 40972 is my go-to.

 

[Ratchet.]

Bare metal for sure.. though hard plastic or acetate handles are ok, have an old 1980s Hazet and a Irimo with hard black plastic handles which i do like, but seems other than some snap-on ones no one fits those type of handle these days.

I really don't like rubberized 'comfort grips' as they get grubby and look tatty very quickly, particularly in the industry i work in, and despite what the manufacturers say they don't stand up well to having oils/diesel on them.. (and i always clean my tools before putting them away)

 

[L.Cheapo]

Snap On hard plastic handle. Not as cold as metal, large surface for big hands to reef on, doesn't damage things you accidentally swing it into while ratcheting. I've tried the equivalents without the plastic handle, and I don't like them. Same goes for the comfort grip. The plastic just fits my hand right.

 

[crewchief888]

most of mine are bare handle,
but,
my most used is a long flex head comfort grip, followed by a stubby

 

[anndel]

Snap on bare or comfort grip handles. I like them both.

 

[M_George]

I've been using the same SK Wayne round head since 1971 when they had a special on the sets at tech school. Served me well all these years, no reason to change now.
But I did upgrade it with the DT80 kit. Prefer the knurled handle, doesn't get slippery when my hands get greasy.

 

[SuperCat]

I'm not a pro anything, I'm just a garage hack, but I like the SK 45170 round head, bare metal, knurled grip 3/8" ratchet for just about everything. Good grip, easy to clean, rugged, never had a problem ever, fits almost anywhere, about 40 teeth. I am thinking about getting the DT80 kit to double the number of teeth, but it ain't broke, so why fix it? Oddly enough, I don't have a lot of SK tools, but I pick up what I can when I see a good price on used stuff.

I have a few "comfort grip" ratchets, but it always feels like trying to stuff a baseball bat into the engine bay to me. When you have room, they're fine, but room is always in short supply. Unfortunately, that's the story of my life - and my garage.

 

[Htscheg]

Bare metal snap on for me!

 

[WWheeler]

Most used to least used:
M12 cordless 1/4 & 3/8
Comfort grip, swivel head.
Comfort grip flex head.
Full polish flex head.
Full polish non-flex/swivel.

 

[Tennessee Cattleman]

Bare metal, preferably a Snap-on Duel 80 chrome.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

Chrome handle on all my ratchets.

 

[johndeereman]

I like my comfort grip's. Although i do have some bare metal handles but they tend to be cold.

 

[mudflap]

SO hard handles have always been my favorite, or..SK knurled...really anything except smooth chrome.

 

[CR888]

I will use anything in a pinch but for best feel and control I really like my Wera Zyklop ratchets with satin finish and the 'joker' style handles. The shape of the metal handle is more important than the material IMO. Composite style ratchets feel good in the hand too.

 

[bobcatdan]

SK round heads or 36 tooth snap on.

 

[Mgdoug3]

Most of my ratchets are bare metal. The rubber grips just feel awkward in my hands. I prefer a knurled grip too and because of that most of my ratchets are SK. My GW 120xp are great ratchets but when you get a little oil on them and can only one one hand with an extension, it's hard to keep the handle from spinning.

 

[JazzBlueRT]

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