Ratcheting Midget Socket Spinner

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up this 1/4-inch drive spinner this morning at the flea market and I was surprised to see that it was ratcheting and reversible.

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The discoloration on the handle, which I assumed was caused by it being made of pyralin and offgassing, was so bad I could barely make out with my reading glasses that it was an OXWALL. As it turns out, the discoloration was just white gunk. The spinner cleaned up nice.

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I’m no tool snob, but I do associate OXWALL with other consumer grade economy-line (i.e., cheap) and even gimmicky tool lines (e.g., G.M. Co., etc). Suddenly though I have a little more respect for them and this tool. It’s well made. The shank is steel. And it works just fine, on nine (9) teeth, in both directions. I just tried it out with some Walden sockets. I actually like it. It’s clever and useful, especially I can foresee for a lot of lightly torqued fasteners in quick succession. I am totally guessing that it’s 1950’s or possibly 1960’s vintage.

Of course I’ve seen ratcheting tools with a ferrule and shank before – North Brothers/Stanley and Upson screwdrivers, for example, and maybe most famously. But I can’t recall seeing a reversible ratcheting 1/4-inch drive socket spinner handle before. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe this is just a blind spot. I don’t buy modern tools. My knowledge and experience with tool technology sort of ends with tools made before 1950 or so. And I can say with near certainty that I am not aware of any reversible ratcheting midget socket spinner from any of the major tool brands (e.g., Snap-On, Plomb, Williams, Bonney, Walden, New Britain, etc) before then.

So when did they first show up? Are they still made? Who made them besides OXWALL? Did/do any of the major tool makers make them? And if so, was/is it a similar design?

 

[Richard Cranium]

Have never seen on that ratchets

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Have never seen one that ratchets

Thanks, Richard. Now I don't feel so out of it!

 

[d42jeep]

I've never seen one either. It looks kind of like the ratcheting control of some Yankee screwdrivers. Cool find!
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've never seen one either.

Now I feel completely exonerated from ignorance!

It looks kind of like the ratcheting control of some Yankee screwdrivers.

Very similar if not exactly the same.

I haven't done any patent research yet. I may stay lazy and just let this roll for awhile and see what turns up.

 

[davethorik]

Snap-on sells the TMR4 present day, that has the handle of their ratcheting screwdriver with 1/4 drive shank. I prefer to use mine over nut drivers, unless I need the center hole to clear a long stud.

 

[Provincial]

Showing my age, but I remember screwdrivers with that ratcheting mechanism. I don't recall a 1/4" drive version. All the ones I remember were "economy" brands.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Snap-on sells the TMR4 present day, that has the handle of their ratcheting screwdriver with 1/4 drive shank.

Thanks much for the tip, Dave! (Putting the gearing up in the handle is certainly an improvement over the bulky housing around the shank and I like the dial selector.)

I poked around in the catalogs on Collecting Snap-On. They didn't have a TMR4 or any other ratcheting 1/4-inch drive spinner before 1990, which is the last catalog on that site.