Smooth-handled Proto LA 5449 Ratchet??

[The Copilot]

removed

 

[woody 73]

Could it be that someone in the factory had some free time to kill and made it on their lunch break for a friend?

 

[Carla]

I'd guess that it was 'lunch-box surplus' for some 'Plomb tooler' worker who just preferred a smooth handle, without the usual knurling.

It could be, I suppose, a very rare factory prototype, or 'test piece' for a planned rubber or plastic covered handle model, which never went into regular production, so its a fabulously wonderful Plomb/Proto collectible too.

Pick whichever idea which appeals to you.......... : )

cheers

Carla

 

[Straightgrain]

Whatever the case, it was a good find!

 

[twertsy]

Yeah, that's pretty cool and I've never seen one. It'd look nice on my Proto display board though......

 

[bluebolt]

Made for use in a "clean" environment where the knurling would be hard to remove contaminants from?

 

[rancherbill]

There are lots of variants of the 5449, take a look at this thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26197

 

[twertsy]

I really wish I knew the history of this smooth-handled 5449. The eBay seller, who was from Alabama, stated in the auction listing that this ratchet was "backroom inventory from hunting tackle store closeout." While I certainly could buy that this tool might come out of a store maintenance toolbox (lots of signs and marks from being used), it certainly is not new-old-stock (NOS) inventory of any kind. So there is obviously more to the story and I wish this tool could talk and tell me where it has been.

Can't tell you how many times I've thought that.

 

[bluebolt]

Is it possible it is stainless steel?

 

[FJ 432]

Thinking out loud....

Did Proto ever place a plastic/rubber cover on any of its' ratchets?

 

[3baygarage]

Copilot, I have a smooth handle Proto as well . I found it locally. It's posted somewhere here. I remember sending a PM to Chopper when I found it because I thought I saw one in an old pic of his Proto ratchets but there wasn't . I will add a pic when I find it. I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple before but not in a while.

My first thought was someone removed the knurling but it looks too natural for that.

Good find,now I'm about certain they were sold this way

 

[3baygarage]

I found it. Check out post #36 in this thread. I had forgotten all about the Proto LA thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162328&page=2

 

[twertsy]

I have several "Proto style" ratchets that have no name on them but are smooth handled. I'm going to assert that this wasn't originally a Proto branded ratchet (although it was made by Proto) and someone replaced the face plate.

 

[3baygarage]

Very cool. Yep, yours and mine are twins! Even have the same pointy little depressions around the screw heads. I'm wondering now if the smooth handles were some sort of a special order item? I certainly can't find them in any of the catalogs.

Twins!
Huh, those exact same squared off holes. Didn't notice that on yours so thanks for pointing it out. At first I thought someone used it as a hammer and damaged it in that area, then I realized both holes were that way. It seemed possible maybe the screws were crimped in there but I'm not sure they really are crimped. Another strange feature.