rhft ratchet tooth count . . . . .

[a52-830]

people rave about rhft (round head fine tooth) ratchets here all the time.

but, there doesn't really seem to be a culling of the herd, as it were.

so, do the best rhft ratchets all have a round, knurled handle? is that part of the mystique?

is it the tooth count? is that important at all? i think there is agreement that the "dual pawl" design is a big part of it, does that remove the pull of high tooth count? what is the tooth count of the ones available, and how do they compare?

i certainly have my own tool bigotry, but i like to understand where others are coming from. my allegiances have been known to shift over time. . . . . .

 

[WWheeler]

Knurled or not knurled is a matter of personal preference. Somewhere near 50/50 prefer one over the other. Put me down as one who will not even pick up a knurled handle tool.

The RHFT has a dual integrated floating pawl design that doubles the number of clicks to the number of teeth. You get the strength of a 45 tooth ratchet but the 4 degrees of travel between clicks of a 90 tooth ratchet. The darn things were very reliable. I've picked up many that are several decades old working just fine without any hint of a drop of lubrication left inside. Dry as a bone, as they say.

 

[KMdef9]

Knurled or not knurled is a matter of personal preference. Somewhere near 50/50 prefer one over the other. Put me down as one who will not even pick up a knurled handle tool.

The RHFT has a dual integrated floating pawl design that doubles the number of clicks to the number of teeth. You get the strength of a 45 tooth ratchet but the 4 degrees of travel between clicks of a 90 tooth ratchet. The darn things were very reliable. I've picked up many that are several decades old working just fine without any hint of a drop of lubrication left inside. Dry as a bone, as they say.

This.

Everyone likes a short travel. They work better in tighter areas, something everyone can appreciate.

With all the variations of handles, it's no surprise there's a difference of opinion as it's all personal preference. I don't need the knurled, I wear gloves and keep my hands/gloves as clean as possible. And with flex heads, you can get a much better angle for torque.

 

[Infinia]

so, do the best rhft ratchets all have a round, knurled handle? is that part of the mystique?
.

No, there is No BEST <full stop> its all comes down to reliability , personal preference and feel. A professional might have 'speed' come into the wrench equation which changes the game completely.

 

[WWheeler]

I don't have as many as I once did as I handed down a full set to the next generation just as had been done for me, nor are they my go-to ratchets as much as they used to be. These days I tend to reach for a Snap on 100 tooth swivel or dual 80 when I'm getting dirty, but I do still put them to use sometimes. I'll always have a luv for my RHFTs.

IIRC the 1/2 are 45 tooth, the 3/8 are 41 tooth, and the 1/4 is 35 tooth, and they had 3 tooth engagement for each pawl.

 

[popparoach]

also nostalgia.i grew up using the damn things so there is all that emotional junk.

 

[gdocktor3]

Its all personal preference. For 1/4" a fine tooth round head cannot be beat IMO. I say this all the time, my favorite 1/4" ratchet is my 60t SK 40970 over my 120xp, T72, and all the rest. Now, as we move up the ladder, I prefer pearhead Snap On dual 80's for 3/8" and 1/2" drive. With that said, my long 1/2" drive 15" and 18" flex head ratchet's are SK round head's because of the strength and reliability. as well as low purchase cost. My 3/4" ratchet is also an SK round head for those reasons. I too have round head's in 3/8" but they always get overlooked by the regular length and/or flex head dual 80's. It's all preference.

 

[zkling]

They are neat, but I certainly wouldn't use for a heavy user ratchet. Reality is you can pick up a nicer operating HF pro ratchet, flex head to beat on.

 

[PJNJ]

They are neat, but I certainly wouldn't use for a heavy user ratchet. Reality is you can pick up a nicer operating HF pro ratchet, flex head to beat on.

Every one has a right to their own personal preference but I would take a dual pawl 3/8 and 1/2 Wright over any Harbor Freight offering every single time. Heck I'll take a "low" tooth count SK over a HF offering every time.

 

[zkling]

Every one has a right to their on personal preference but I would take a dual pawl 3/8 and 1/2 Wright over any Harbor Freight offering every single time. Heck I'll take a "low" tooth count SK over a HF offering every time.

And when you destroy your RHFT, have fun finding a replacement or kit for it. Compared to running down to HF and getting a replacement swapped out. Key words heavy user.

 

[PJNJ]

And when you destroy your RHFT, have fun finding a replacement or kit for it. Compared to running down to HF and getting a replacement swapped out. Key words heavy user.

Tad bit sensitive are we? "Key words heavy user" - A heavy user is just as apt to use a Snap On or many other ratchets as a HF ratchet. As I said before, everyone has a right to their own preference.

 

[gdocktor3]

They are neat, but I certainly wouldn't use for a heavy user ratchet. Reality is you can pick up a nicer operating HF pro ratchet, flex head to beat on.

The round head ratchet was invented by SK in 1933. That same design has been turning bolts for 84 years by light and heavy users alike. On top of that, where do you think Husky, Klein, Wright, Blackhawk, etc got their design from? This is my personal opinion, but I'd say most "heavy users" would opt for a SK roundhead over a HF ratchet. Also, SK, Wright, Blackhawk repair kits are regularly available by many distributors and in most cases are sent to you free of charge from the manufacturer.

 

[zkling]

Ah, I was speaking of the craftsman versions, thought those were what the OP was talking about especially after Wheeler posted that picture.