The Ratchet Collection Thread

[four.cycle]

You're gonna need a bigger basement.

 

[Etchase]

I’m wondering if it is multi-level, B1, B2, B3…. The amount of history it contains is never ending, but what I find amazing is the retrieval time for any random piece seems instantaneous.

 

[four.cycle]

It's grandpa's basement, man. Just like my house.
Total freakin' catastrophe - can't tell if I'm moving in or moving out. Ex-wife told me my house looked like a used furniture store/thrift shop.
But.... I know where everything is - exactly which pile it's in.

 

[59Sled]

Found at the flea market a few months back. 1/2 inch drive without reversing lever.
It's unbranded but the patent number comes up as Duro Metal Products issued 1933.

 

[four.cycle]

^ That "paddle" handle was finally identified as Riverside - sold by Montgomery Ward - manufactured by Indestro. Thread on the Duro/Indestro "pressed flange" ratchet (patent 1902878)

 

[59Sled]

^ That "paddle" handle was finally identified as Riverside - sold by Montgomery Ward - manufactured by Indestro. Thread on the Duro/Indestro "pressed flange" ratchet (patent 1902878)

I realized I never added it to this ratchet thread.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I spent a couple months picking through every ebay listing I could find to get images of different examples - finally narrowed that one down to Riverside after finding a complete-still-in-the-box-from-Grandpa's-basement set in an ebay listing.
(photos: ebay)

the second set contains what appears to be an early Mossberg u-joint:

 

[59Sled]

^ I spent a couple months picking through every ebay listing I could find to get images of different examples - finally narrowed that one down to Riverside after finding a complete-still-in-the-box-from-Grandpa's-basement set in an ebay listing.
(photos: ebay)

the second set contains what appears to be an early Mossberg u-joint:

That's pretty incredible that someone has the complete set still.

 

[genog]

I spied this Kirkland Signature ratchet and was tempted to buy it as a novelty
But.....I have enough novelties
...too many novelties

Interesting in that I never knew Costco sold Kirkland tool sets
Hey, from the Signature Series!
Made by Kobalt?

 

[d42jeep]

^ I spent a couple months picking through every ebay listing I could find to get images of different examples - finally narrowed that one down to Riverside after finding a complete-still-in-the-box-from-Grandpa's-basement set in an ebay listing.
(photos: ebay)

the second set contains what appears to be an early Mossberg u-joint:

I have one of those in my Wards box.
-Don

 

[Beerhippie]

Interesting in that I never knew Costco sold Kirkland tool sets

Kirkland is a Costco house brand.

 

[d42jeep]

I found another Craftsman 3/8” drive ratchet at an estate sale yesterday. This one is a -vv-. No oiler hole.
Cleaned it up.
-Don

 

[genog]

Kirkland is a Costco house brand.

Duh....no sheet?

 

[Etchase]

Duh....no sheet?

I’ve never noticed a Kirkland branded hand tool either. Looks like Apex to me, but who knows.

 

[four.cycle]

Never had any idea that Costco jumped into the "tool" game. I would imagine they bailed out quickly once they saw how crazy it is.

Guess it should be added to the list, no?

Who made that ratchet? Danaher? Apex?

 

[Etchase]

In the naughts, Costco had a nice tool section, at good prices. I don’t remember any Kirkland branded tools though, but Skill, Dewalt, Cresecent, one of the first Snap Op items not from the truck. A seat and a jump starter I think. They still carry a Cat branded jump starter I believe. With that said, I live in Hawaii, so Harbor Freight, and Amazon didn’t ship everything here. Still don’t. My idea of good pricing might be off because of my location.

 

[d42jeep]

Kirkland is a Costco house brand.

In the naughts, Costco had a nice tool section, at good prices. I don’t remember any Kirkland branded tools though, but Skill, Dewalt, Cresecent, one of the first Snap Op items not from the truck. A seat and a jump starter I think. They still carry a Cat branded jump starter I believe. With that said, I live in Hawaii, so Harbor Freight, and Amazon didn’t ship everything here. Still don’t. My idea of good pricing might be off because of my location.

I bought some Snap-on branded ratcheting tie down straps and a flashlight at Costco back then.
-Don

 

[scottybk]

In the naughts, Costco had a nice tool section, at good prices. I don’t remember any Kirkland branded tools though, but Skill, Dewalt, Cresecent, one of the first Snap Op items not from the truck. A seat and a jump starter I think. They still carry a Cat branded jump starter I believe. With that said, I live in Hawaii, so Harbor Freight, and Amazon didn’t ship everything here. Still don’t. My idea of good pricing might be off because of my location.

I think I do remember Kirkland tool sets back in say 2015 or so. They still have tool sets sometimes now (wrenches/ratchets/sockets/bits) but usually they are Dewalt. I don't think these tool sets sell well at Costco. I bet most of them are purchased by women as gifts for men. Nothing really wrong with them, it's just that they're a bit too much for a spare/car trunk set but not big enough for a main set. And too big for like an "apartment" set, plus they lack hammers, little saws, and other junky fake tool stuff you tend to see in those cheapo department store "tool kits" that are aimed at people who have no ability to use any tools period, hence the quality/functionality is irrelevant.

For whatever reason the Kirkland brand private label seems to be fading altogether on hard items. They still use it for the food products and the vitamins.

For example, they had a nice SS cookware set that I believe JA Henckels made, I bought it for the wife for Xmas in about 2019. Basically that same exact set is still told there under the JA Henckels branding. And the quality seems lesser than the one I bought 6 or 7 years ago IMO.

 

[four.cycle]

Here's a Kirkland 12mm combo if you're looking for one. Shipping costs are a bit spendy.

Too funny.. I had no idea they'd done private labeling on hand tools.

 

[d42jeep]

I found another Craftsman 3/8” drive ratchet at an estate sale yesterday. This one is a -vv-. No oiler hole.
Cleaned it up.
-Don

I didn’t realize how many of these had built up in various locations.
3/8” drive.
1/4” drive.
-Don

 

[genog]

I didn’t realize how many of these had built up in various locations.

Yeah......I understand completely!

 

[genog]

Here's a cool Armstrong 1/2" drive that I dug out of my ratchet drawer today

 

[d42jeep]

Might as well add the 1/2” drive ones as well.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Walden 3/8” and 1/2” drive bullet ratchets.
-Don

 

[Highway Bob]

Hello - I am trying to restore my father-in-law's Plumb WF 38T ratchet and the reverse lever and pin are broken off and missing. Anyone have a workable solution? It appears the reversing assembly cog that pushed the dogs for appropriate direction had a rectangular slot and the operating pin passed out of the case and the reversing lever engaged a flat on the pin and was held on with a screw. Can I drill and tap a hole in the cog and locktite a shoulder bolt into it, and devise a lever to index on another flat for the operating lever outside the case? I'm 80 years old and have been making stuff work for a long time - any imput appreciated.

Thanks
Bob

 

[Etchase]

@Highway Bob I think the head of that ratchet is the same as a standard WF-38, but I don’t know. I would pick up one of those as a parts donor. Here is a good look at a WF-38

 

[Highway Bob]

Thank You ETchase - yes I believe it will work for a donor. Well done video too! Thanks again

Bob

 

[3baygarage]

Hi. I guess you can make it work any way you want, but the easiest way as Etchase said is donor.

-Couple points though, if you look for one with an oval head like the one you have (not the figure 8 shape in the video), you can swap the whole plate with the lever and pawl.

-There are also models with countersunk screws like yours or a Craftsman circle U, vs non countersunk.

-Also, if you just need a lever (although it sounds like your pawl is broken), you can take a modern Proto 1/2" lever and grind or file down the back to make it fit, as it has to clear the edge of the oval head like the old Plomb curved levers do.

-A modern Proto pawl is different width and won't pass through the face plate the same.

 

[Highway Bob]

Thanks to both of you for ideas. When the weather warms up, I'll get back on it.

Bob

 

[JonahBrown]

Several similar open ratchets. Top to bottom: Craftsman C-97 short handle, Craftsman C-97 long handle, Snap On reversible P97, Cornwell reversible SR-2, and New Britain’s None Better C-41. The C-41 has very coarse teeth compared to the others and is obviously just similar and not manufactured by Snap On. The Cornwell is definitely different than the P97.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is one with the Lang patent that I didn’t see on BK’s list of manufacturers.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ There's a mess of 'em that I deliberately did not add into the list because they were obviously private-labeled product made by Lang and generally they're not even "tool" companies.
"AER-BEA CO INC" looks to be a government contract supplier - specializing in those "NSN" items.
I've seen that Lang patent number stamped on wrenches for telecom companies, electrical contractors, and even food and beverage distributors. (Go figure on that last one.)

 

[Beerhippie]

even food and beverage distributors. (Go figure on that last one.)

Beverage distributors are probably giving out or selling wrenches for CO2 and/or nitrogen cylinder valves/fittings. Food distros carry bucket and drum wrenches.

 

[four.cycle]

Well... what ever they were doing with them .... I spent WAY too many hours chasing down "who is this company?" on those things only to find out they had nothing to do with "tool" other than they were using them for part of their operations.
I already have more than enough entries in that list that are distributors (as opposed to manufacturers), but it became something of a necessity in order to avoid confusion on the part of the person using the list.

 

[d42jeep]

I didn’t realize how many of these had built up in various locations.
3/8” drive.
1/4” drive.
-Don

Might as well add the 1/2” drive ones as well.
-Don

This recent estate sale find is common as dirt around here but not all are as pristine as this.
-Don

 

[genog]

Here's a later Craftaman 3/8" ratchet
....Made in the USA
I am going to guess......1990's

 

[Lesserstore]

Here's a later Craftaman 3/8" ratchet
....Made in the USA
I am going to guess......1990's

Thin profile ratchet sold from 2003-11 as a standard Craftsman and until 2017 as Craftsman Industrial.
KZ code was used from 2010-11.

 

[genog]

Here's another Craftsman 3/8"
Also made in the USA

 

[chasinfram]

Thought I would throw another “Duluth Steel” in the mix. Three square sockets and five hex. 5/8” twice.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thought I would throw another “Duluth Steel” in the mix.

Very interesting. The ratchet and sockets look identical to those made by Chicago Manufactuting and Distributing. They even have the same foundry mark.

Check it out....(and see post #4 especially)

Chicago Manufacturing and Distributing Co.

c. 1921 Chicago Manufacturing and Distributing Co. If you haven’t been following along, I started a thread on all my ”Early Roaring 20’s” socket sets here. I introduced them all, categorically, and with a group photo, in that thread, but I am devoting a separate thread to each set. The first...

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