The Ratchet Collection Thread

[3baygarage]

I believe it was sold under Ward’s Riverside brand, but possibly others. It was mfd. by Duro/Indestro.

 

[r_olson_06]

Definitely Duro on OEM.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.

 

[Gear Wolf]

Cross post.
A Snap On L-67 and have been elusive as a CF-87 Craftsman for me. This one is definitely a top 10 on the rare ratchet list for me.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.

Ryan, you aren't giving your L-67 the credit it deserves. While it may seem hilarious to say this, the CF-87 is common compared to the L-67. Yes, finding even a broken CF-87 is very rare, let alone one that works AND looks nice. Yet, even describing the L-67 as "uber" or ultra rare doesn't really do the ratchet justice.

Simply put, take good care of it. There are not many functioning examples in nice cosmetic condition remaining.


For your viewing pleasure, here is grandpa, father, and son together in order. They are only four 1/2" Gagne mechanism ratchets made by Snap On. The 1/2" Flex isn't shown here.

View media item 104722

 

[RubiconJK]

Skyway post 1 of 2: I'll admit that when I saw the below ratchet, I knew I had to buy it just to be able to take it apart! This is a Skyway Precision Tool Co 3/8" drive torque ratchet, Model ST 750. As I was searching GJ for references to Skyway I found very little except some discussion on the JO-Line thread as both companies were based in LA. I have several of the JO-Line ratchet type wrenches and will say that this Skyway operates much the same and clockwise only. As you might see, there is a USAF number marking and a couple other markings. The patent referenced is dated 1944, but that must be earlier than this piece as it likely shows a "generic" prototype and I'm going to guess that multiple variants were covered under this one patent. I'm hoping someone can possibly shed some light on the USAF number as I would love to know more about the application for which this was intended.

 

[RubiconJK]

Skyway Post 2 of 2

 

[Provincial]

I found an unmarked 1/2" drive ratchet Friday. It has no markings on it whatsoever! Must have been built for the CIA so it would be untraceable!

I started through this thread trying to match it up, and on page 22 I found a 3/8" drive version that was marked Walden Worcester. So I know the maker, but not the model number.

It has a polished chrome head, but the handle and shaft are plated but not polished. I wonder if it had a molded plastic handle over the steel forging? I am guessing that it was made soon after WWII, since the one on page 22 was unplated and thought to be wartime.

It works smoothly, but the finish is scraped up on part of the head. Kind of interesting, and hard to identify.

 

[r_olson_06]

Skyway post 1 of 2: I'll admit that when I saw the below ratchet, I knew I had to buy it just to be able to take it apart! This is a Skyway Precision Tool Co 3/8" drive torque ratchet, Model ST 750. As I was searching GJ for references to Skyway I found very little except some discussion on the JO-Line thread as both companies were based in LA. I have several of the JO-Line ratchet type wrenches and will say that this Skyway operates much the same and clockwise only. As you might see, there is a USAF number marking and a couple other markings. The patent referenced is dated 1944, but that must be earlier than this piece as it likely shows a "generic" prototype and I'm going to guess that multiple variants were covered under this one patent. I'm hoping someone can possibly shed some light on the USAF number as I would love to know more about the application for which this was intended.

That thing is a beast. I wouldn't have left it behind.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.

 

[RubiconJK]

On a whim I continued some searches on Skyway over on the General Tool discussion forum here on GJ and low and behold found a couple things. Here is a link to the post on an old Skyway thread over there which includes another link made on the A. Plomb Calif. Tool thread which references a possible tie between Skyway and Plomb! I've sent a PM to T56 Impala who had initiated both of the previous discussions and awaiting a reply. What a coincidence if Skyway and Plomb are in fact connected. Also wondering why the A. Plomb thread isn't on the Vintage tool forum?
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8570361&postcount=9

 

[3baygarage]

Posted a 1/4 ratchet earlier in this thread, but the company seemed to specialize in torque related products.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6959877&postcount=772

 

[d42jeep]

I found an unmarked 1/2" drive ratchet Friday. It has no markings on it whatsoever! Must have been built for the CIA so it would be untraceable!

I started through this thread trying to match it up, and on page 22 I found a 3/8" drive version that was marked Walden Worcester. So I know the maker, but not the model number.

It has a polished chrome head, but the handle and shaft are plated but not polished. I wonder if it had a molded plastic handle over the steel forging? I am guessing that it was made soon after WWII, since the one on page 22 was unplated and thought to be wartime.

It works smoothly, but he finish is scraped up on part of the head. Kind of interesting, and hard to identify.

Here is the similar one I bought from Alloy Artifacts.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Don, I think the handle on mine is longer, at least in proportion. Is yours 1/2 or 3/8 drive?

 

[d42jeep]

I’m not where it is but I believe that it is 3/8” drive. It does look smaller than yours proportionally but obviously the same design. I forgot that Username had one as well before I checked back to that early post. Is yours a match to the 2816 in the 1948 catalog?
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Don, you are spot on! Dimensions are identical, so it is a 2816, but why no markings? Perhaps built for a contract? CIA Black Ops?

Edit to Add: I suspected that this was a post-WWII wrench because of the design and finish. By 1950, more modern designs were making their introduction.

I did see this ratchet last Summer, but passed because I didn't want to deal with the package price. The price got lowered to where I could justify buying the package.

 

[CJnCincy]

Noob here....starting with completing the Husky lineup left to my by my dad. I'm guessing these are '60s?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

No pics? Here are some various pepperdine patent ratchets, including a plomb, several armstrongs, a chromex and a williams.

 

[LesserSon]

Little snafu this morning. Took apart a dirt-choked, recently-acquired Blackhawk 34935, stamped with Luther E Kilness patent 2981389. I can see a ball (#34) in the patent drawing, but did not notice one in disassembly. Cleaned, lubed & back together, except that ball. It still works, but I bet the selector would be a lot crisper if it were there. I’ll check places it may have dropped, but I was very careful at the point it would have jumped out. Possibly, today isn’t the first time this rat has been apart.
Pics, if anyone’s interested.

 

[Provincial]

Last week I bought a couple of "grab" bag boxes at a sale. I found this BERNZ0MATIC ratchet in one of them. 3/8 drive, and made in Japan, so not a desirable collectable, but the first socket tool I have ever seen with this brand.

I made the lettering stand out by squirting a little Brake Cleaner on a rag, softening the tip of a China Marker by dabbing it on the wet rag, and filling the lettering with the softened black wax. I then used the wetted rag to gently remove the excess wax on the chrome surface.

I use a similar method with white Lumber Crayon on lettering with dark surfaces.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice ratchet ls. I have one that recently started skipping i need to take apart. Provincial I have a few odd benzomatic pieces. They seem similar to some century and globemaster stuff i have come across. Decent quality Japanese stuff. None of it has broken yet

 

[Provincial]

I notice there was some Taiwanese Bernz0matic that sold recently on Ebay. They probably moved sourcing from Japan to Taiwan to lower costs. Probably just consumer grade. As I said, not "collectible" but interesting.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Cool logo.

 

[Shelbylex]

I recently got this one as a part of a deal with my friend buying tools for me based on poor pictures site unseen. Will need some cleaning before it will join it's relative which I acquired earlier this year.

 

[Silverbear07]

So much fun to see these old ratchets.

 

[outofbounds]

Little snafu this morning. Took apart a dirt-choked, recently-acquired Blackhawk 34935, stamped with Luther E Kilness patent 2981389. I can see a ball (#34) in the patent drawing, but did not notice one in disassembly. Cleaned, lubed & back together, except that ball. It still works, but I bet the selector would be a lot crisper if it were there. I’ll check places it may have dropped, but I was very careful at the point it would have jumped out. Possibly, today isn’t the first time this rat has been apart.
Pics, if anyone’s interested.

I also have dirt choked, semi-seized version of the same ratchet, Lesser Son. No idea if the mysterious orb resides within. If you pay the $7.75 Mail tab, you're welcome to take a flyer on what I have here. PM me if interested.

 

[Draftpick1]

Some new additions, Easco RHFT still in the wrapper. Probably not many like that around. And some Craftsman, MAC RHFT torque wrenches

 

[r_olson_06]

Some new additions, Easco RHFT still in the wrapper. Probably not many like that around. And some Craftsman, MAC RHFT torque wrenches

[emoji106]

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[r_olson_06]

Picked up the ever elusive 1/2" RHFT Flex Head Craftsman. 2 one I found in the wild now.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[Draftpick1]

Picked up the ever elusive 1/2" RHFT Flex Head Craftsman. 2 one I found in the wild now.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

Nice those have gotten hard to find now

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice find!

 

[jabberwoki]

Here`s an early attempt?

 

[davethorik]

Here are some recent finds.

NOS Western Forge no. 5815 1/4 ratchet (made by Wright)

Lightly used Crescent LT70 in metal box with sockets.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up this obscure oldtimer at the flea market this morning. Gearless. No moving parts, actually, and it doesn't take sockets, it turns nuts and bolts (and in this case, big nuts and bolts) directly. The ratchet action comes from the design. The flat nut or bolt engaging surfaces inside the head merge into cam surfaces inclined outward. So, turn, idle, wiggle, and regrip, turn, idle, wiggle, and regrip, etc. Patented (1,832,185) November 17, 1931. Called the National Ratchet Wrench and manufactured by the National Lock Washer Company in Newark, NJ. Not the type of ratchet wrench usually seen here, but no better place to put it. Spud end. Probably made for RR, sandhog, or bridge work.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's the factory and some close-ups of the markings. After serving its time literally building our country from the ground up, I plan to give it a prominent high and dry spot to hang out in waxed and deserved admiration somewhere in the Lugzsonian.

 

[350XinNY]

Here are some recent finds.

NOS Western Forge no. 5815 1/4 ratchet (made by Wright)

Lightly used Crescent LT70 in metal box with sockets.

I have a similar Crescent set but in 1/2" The case isn't as clean as yours. Nice find!

 

[350XinNY]

My S-K 42470 Trio...

I have come into these 3 ratchets over the years. The oldest one was $1 at a yard sale. The SK-Wayne I bought on ebay. Unfortuantely, it has a big grind mark in it that wasn't pictured well. The other S-K was given to me at a yard sale as it was broke; the spring was messed up inside it. As you can see, S-K sent me a new mechanism for free for that one! I purchased the DT100 double tooth upgrade and was going to put in the S-K Wayne, but it's the smoothest of the three! Looks like the Pat Pend has a smaller access area to the clip.

Couple Questions...
1.) Is my Pat Pend a black oxide WWII era or just beat up? The ratchet area has some shine to it, but might not be the original to the handle?

2.) The one I got for free (bottom)... I put the new mechanism in, but kept the original selector in it. What year would that be? I haven't seen any that have the number first, then the S-K diamond in the middle.

3.) Is it possible to "rat" ratchet that Pat Pending with the DT100? Or is that ratchet faux pas?

Bruce

 

[d42jeep]

Re: My S-K 42470 Trio...

I have come into these 3 ratchets over the years. The oldest one was $1 at a yard sale. The SK-Wayne I bought on ebay. Unfortuantely, it has a big grind mark in it that wasn't pictured well. The other S-K was given to me at a yard sale as it was broke; the spring was messed up inside it. As you can see, S-K sent me a new mechanism for free for that one! I purchased the DT100 double tooth upgrade and was going to put in the S-K Wayne, but it's the smoothest of the three! Looks like the Pat Pend has a smaller access area to the clip.

Couple Questions...
1.) Is my Pat Pend a black oxide WWII era or just beat up? The ratchet area has some shine to it, but might not be the original to the handle?

2.) The one I got for free (bottom)... I put the new mechanism in, but kept the original selector in it. What year would that be? I haven't seen any that have the number first, then the S-K diamond in the middle.

3.) Is it possible to "rat" ratchet that Pat Pending with the DT100? Or is that ratchet faux pas?

Bruce

I think that your patent pending ratchet is dark finish and wartime. I believe that you can install any of the pieces from one ratchet to another. In the second pair of pictures the ratchets go from older to newer even though they all have the Diamond marking. The clips are much more difficult to squeeze on the earlier ratchets.

-Don

 

[350XinNY]

Re: My S-K 42470 Trio...

I think that your patent pending ratchet is dark finish and wartime. I believe that you can install any of the pieces from one ratchet to another. In the second pair of pictures the ratchets go from older to newer even though they all have the Diamond marking. The clips are much more difficult to squeeze on the earlier ratchets.

-Don

Cool. Thanks Don. I looked through about 100 active ebay auctions right now, and only found one other listed that had the 42470 1st and then the SK diamond in the middle and USA last. Looking closer at my ratchets, the access slot size on that one is between the Pat Pend (Smallest) and the SK-Wayne ratchet (Widest). Maybe this was like 1959-1960 right before SK turned to S-K Wayne? The font is larger too on it, and I notice the SK-Wayne ratchets have larger and smaller font variety as well.

Bruce

 

[bonneyman]

Here are some recent finds.

NOS Western Forge no. 5815 1/4 ratchet (made by Wright)

Lightly used Crescent LT70 in metal box with sockets.

What a find on that Crescent LT70 set!

 

[ooba tooba]

My old Walden 4060. Apparently one of three found on a shelf in an old hardware store.

 

[jptopdwn]

beautiful Walden rachet!!! Great find!

 

[ooba tooba]

beautiful Walden rachet!!! Great find!

Thanks! I do like to use my tools, and I like “patina” as well, but there is something cool about a 50 or 60 year old tool that looks new out of the box too.