Some more SK drop in teasers..
- Thread starter Kamanhart
- Start date
cowboy73
Well-known member
I have been waiting for those to come out. I wonder what the price will be for the kits.
LB-1911
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Thanks for the info - Part Numbers are a good thing.
Edit to add -
10-17-17
Edit to add -
10-17-17
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Sloper0204
Well-known member
Am I in the minority in that the SK with low tooth count suits me fine? Usually if I'm pulling on an SK its in a semi-industrial environ and short swing arc isn't even a consideration.
With that said, I'll probably grab a few of these just to shake them out and see if they are better than sliced bread.
With that said, I'll probably grab a few of these just to shake them out and see if they are better than sliced bread.
i have mixed feelings about these. if the back drag is low great. if its too high then the feel of the ratchet is off. i have a older williams dual pawl round head that is smooth and low drag and a newer wright dual pawl round head that has too much back drag, which i do notlike
I wouldn't even consider them to be particularly low. 60, 40, and 50 teeth suit me fine.
Sloper0204
Well-known member
Exactly.
The more I think about it, I'll most likely buy a drop in 3/8 drive to give a fair shakeout on. I prefer my 1/4 to have less tooth count anyway.Rileysan
Well-known member
I don't think you are in the minority. The old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" may apply, but if you don't already own a fine tooth ratchet, this seems like a good idea. I like the fact the selector is visually different - which should make it easier to differentiate a standard ratchet from a fine tooth ratchet.
As for the other comments about back-drag, has that been a big problem for other manufacturers? Even my Harbor Freight 1/4" drive fine tooth ratchet performs very well with little back-drag.
I won't be first in line to buy these, but I would like to give one a try after I've read a few real world reviews.
BRian
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MaverickDMD
Well-known member
Just to be clear, these just drop into an existing SK round head??
mikebaker1129
Well-known member
How much ?
I am highly interested.
I am highly interested.
HanShotFirst
Well-known member
Okay that's just an outstanding idea. I hope they are still just as tough as the old school SK ratchets, which have been indestructible for me personally. I am SO interested.
Loscaldazar
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Messages
- 2,385
Yes, except for the Tuff 1 designs (Facom).
The tooth counts may work for some here, but I've seen way more complaints about SK roundheads being too low in tooth count by many members here (and online). This is a cheap(er), easy(-ier), and more efficient way to take an already great design and update it for us. It should make them much more competitive in the market, at least for those that like roundheads.
It also means that the discontinued rotohead SK ratchets will now be fine tooth. That'll make them even more popular I imagine. I know the Tuff 1 rotoheads sold for a good premium above the normal rotoheads because they were 72T.
The Fall
Well-known member
Thanks for posting. I love SK roundheads (I've got six of them -- some inherited, most bought new) and considering how ubiquitous/cheap they are you can just throw one of those mechanisms in there if the price is right. The tooth counts are fine by me on the old design (especially 1/4" ratchet), but it'd be cool to try out. I'm glad to see SK is still invested in this design.
Exactly.
SK ratchets are actually bizarre as the tooth count goes UP as the drive size goes down. Logic would tell you they're dropping teeth as the pawls gets smaller but its the opposite. The 1/4 have 60 teeth, 3/8 40 teeth, 1/2 50 teeth. I think the 3/4" drive breaks this trend and goes back to 72 tooth however.
Anyway, point is your SK 1/4" actually have the most teeth.
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I think you have your halves and three eighths mixed up there.
ihateminimumwage
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2012
- Messages
- 3,960
If done right, these kits will really wake up the old 3/8" drives that were always far clunkier than their 1/4" & 1/2" counterparts. I sold off my 3/8" SKs and replaced them with the smaller head fine tooth Tuff1 ratchets for exactly that reason.
Looking forward to seeing the results when these are available and see some use.
Looking forward to seeing the results when these are available and see some use.
kythri
Well-known member
Or, conversely, it just looks like a higher tooth count version of the classic SK ratchet mechanism...
SK does take credit for inventing the round-head ratchet.
nelstomlinson
Well-known member
SK is promising some very promising new stuff. If only it didn't take them S O L O N G to actually release them.
jakemac
Well-known member
I'm not overly enthused, but I'm definitely intrigued.
Curiosity may get the better of me once they're released.
Curiosity may get the better of me once they're released.
davethorik
Well-known member
To get a higher tooth count they'd have to redesign the handles. The new drop ins probably have dual pawls.
Wright did this with their round head ratchets in what, the late 60s? It's about time SK caught up.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Ok, so how much taller is the x frame direction switch on the drop in? I really don't want to make the ratchet head any thicker. 
Ok, so how much taller is the x frame direction switch on the drop in? I really don't want to make the ratchet head any thicker.
Same thing occurred to me. Thought to myself that they should of made it like the Hazet round head then I figured if someone cared about thickness they wouldn't be using an SK ratchet to begin with.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
In this press release from 10/2/17, the direction switch looks like it has a lower profile. This might be one of those SK deals where you don't know what it looks like until you're holding it in your hands.
https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/...t/20977821/sk-hand-tool-llc-dt-ratchet-series
I find it odd that they started with 1/4 drive too.
https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/...t/20977821/sk-hand-tool-llc-dt-ratchet-series
I find it odd that they started with 1/4 drive too.
HanShotFirst
Well-known member
In this press release from 10/2/17, the direction switch looks like it has a lower profile. This might be one of those SK deals where you don't know what it looks like until you're holding it in your hands.
https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/...t/20977821/sk-hand-tool-llc-dt-ratchet-series
I find it odd that they started with 1/4 drive too.
I do too...Seems 3/8" is THE place to start. That's the most common drive, and it will net you the most sales. Also, that means you'll get a better "test" of the design, much quicker into the field, much quicker feedback.
On the link you gave, the selector looks galvanized...not very good looking at all.
There's some good and bad with SK's reluctance to bring out new products.
Good - Warranty...Not likely to run into the "we don't make/import that one anymore". Most things that make it into their catalog tend to stay in their catalog...not all, but most.
Bad - They fall well behind the times.
HanShotFirst
Well-known member
SK has been plagued with...well I won't go so far as to say "poor leadership" but, less than great for sure. They have been victims of "corporate raiding" in buyouts where the parent company just sucked off the profits, didn't invest in the company, and didn't do any innovation. Honestly, most companies that are victims of that suffer much worse than SK did.
It's very clear SK has cashflow problems (most companies do to some degree)...but they have it bad enough that they struggle to bring new original designs to market.
This new "innovation" is WAY the heck over-due. Honestly, I'm not "bothered" by their 42 tooth ratchets at all; they have always served me well. They are some seriously tough ratchets.
My SK is my favorite 1/4"...don't know why, just love the little thing...even more than my SnapOn 1/4".
In 3/8" it's kinda hard to beat a Dual 80, so SK isn't my fave...But I'm very intrigued by their new Pear Head Ratchet: https://www.harryepstein.com/blogs/tag/new-sk-ratchet/
On paper it looks like it's right up my alley...has most of what I'm looking for in a ratchet. I'd love to see them do some sort of a comfort grip in that ratchet...but please do some grip other than their screwdriver grips...something more like SO or HF's comfort grips.
I have 3 or 4 SK 45170 3/8" ratchets, so I'll be interested in AT LEAST on, if no 4 or 5 of these kits...if they work out well. So hope they look better than they do in the photo, and I hope they retain the legendary SK toughness.
plinker
Well-known member
Money problems doesn't really explain much. Personally I think R&D management is a bigger issue. Case in point they design X-Frame wrenches with 'unparalleled strength' then start with short combos instead of a nice intermediate or long double box.
Design a new ratchet, release a short 3/8" drive that everyone has 3-4 of already instead of starting with a 10" or flex.
Then they move on to bragging about a new innovation instead of fleshing out the last one.
JohnDeere1
Banned
Awsome!!! I want them bad now can't wait and it will mark the ratchets look better as well they are doing a great job.
Sanny81
Well-known member
On SK’s Twitter they said the DT Ratchet is available today.
https://twitter.com/SKProTools/status/919727689895940096
https://twitter.com/SKProTools/status/919727689895940096
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HanShotFirst
Well-known member
Brilliant marketing...
Says it's available today, no link to buy...and not an easy item to find on their web site.
I did see that the 1/2" mechanism is on their web-site under "coming soon": https://sktools.com/shop/800740-2-1-2-dr-dt100.html
Price $37.80. Turns your 50t 1/2" ratchet into a 100t mechanism. I have to say, I don't really have any complaints about my 1/2" or 1/4" SK's, tooth counts are just fine IMO. It's the 3/8" that really needs the upgrade, and who knows when that will be available, and at what cost. Presumably the price is the same or slightly lower than the 1/2" mechanism.
As best I can tell, the 1/4" ratchet is available now, but no mechanisms are available. Also noticed that today's notification on Twitter, the mechanism selector looks chromed, and the 1/2" mechanism shown on their web site has that pot-metal/galvanized look about it (looks like ****).
Look, I'm a bit of an SK fan...their tools have always served me well. But I have to say, this is not a real great product launch. Looks like I'll probably be waiting a good while before I can upgrade my 45170.
Says it's available today, no link to buy...and not an easy item to find on their web site.
I did see that the 1/2" mechanism is on their web-site under "coming soon": https://sktools.com/shop/800740-2-1-2-dr-dt100.html
Price $37.80. Turns your 50t 1/2" ratchet into a 100t mechanism. I have to say, I don't really have any complaints about my 1/2" or 1/4" SK's, tooth counts are just fine IMO. It's the 3/8" that really needs the upgrade, and who knows when that will be available, and at what cost. Presumably the price is the same or slightly lower than the 1/2" mechanism.
As best I can tell, the 1/4" ratchet is available now, but no mechanisms are available. Also noticed that today's notification on Twitter, the mechanism selector looks chromed, and the 1/2" mechanism shown on their web site has that pot-metal/galvanized look about it (looks like ****).
Look, I'm a bit of an SK fan...their tools have always served me well. But I have to say, this is not a real great product launch. Looks like I'll probably be waiting a good while before I can upgrade my 45170.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Has anyone contacted Jori at Epstein's to see if he can get you pricing & availability for the drop ins?
Epstein's has always been pretty good about getting access to new SK tools.
If I wanted one, that's who I would contact
Epstein's has always been pretty good about getting access to new SK tools.
If I wanted one, that's who I would contact
zoomieport
Well-known member
nelstomlinson
Well-known member
If I try to navigate to that through web site, I find all three sizes are coming soon, as you said.
I'll try Jori. I need several. Well, I want several.
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