What Happened to Round Head Ratchets

[countryroad82]

I would have hoped he used a tire spoon instead.

As for lug nuts, I never had a problem using a 3870 for them except with a multi-foot cheater. So I would assume there's more to the story.

I would hazzard a guess it had about a 4' cheater on it seeing as how the handle was bent plus the head exploded. He's an idiot, cordless 1/2 drive IR impact laying on the shelf and he grabs hands tools. This is why he's not allowed unsupervised!!!

 

[sk farmer]

lots of hate for round heads here.

first off, i have never had a round head change directions during a job. almost every pear head i have ever used has changed direction either by hitting it on something or accidently moving it with my hand.

i also get a laugh out of people who own a ****** roundhead, put up a picture of it and then proclaim that all round heads are junk because of it.

using that logic. i should put up a picture of a crafty pear head and proclaim that all pear heads are junk.

 

[GuyllFyre]

Terribly sorry but I only said that I hate the ones I own.
Now that I know how ****** they really are, no wonder I hate them.
I never said ALL round heads were junk,
Learn how to read.

 

[thesilverone]

that's okay, more RHs for me

 

[nicksmurf111]

The best Craftsman RH was the v code 44977, in 1/2 drive, which has pushbutton release, and a grooved spinner disc just above the square drive. It has 44 clicks, presumabely 44 teeth since the clicks don't sound like the dual pawl design like on the williams Superratchet. It has a nice, smooth action and I'll rate it as the best RH just ahead of the Williams Superratchet.

I picked up a Craftsman 44977 recently. It a VERY nice ratchet. It has dual paws, but I can barely differentiate between the two clicks, but it does click twice. I think some dual paw ratchets are either more out of sync than others, or maybe some have offset toothed pawls and are assembled backwards (if the latter is the case, I need to pay more attention).

 

[PowderKeg]

I picked up a Craftsman 44977 recently. It a VERY nice ratchet. It has dual paws, but I can barely differentiate between the two clicks, but it does click twice. I think some dual paw ratchets are either more out of sync than others, or maybe some have offset toothed pawls and are assembled backwards (if the latter is the case, I need to pay more attention).

The Craftsman RHFT ratchets like yours (made by Moore Drop Forge/Easco and made/branded for several others as well) do have offset dual pawls to achieve the tight/small degree handle arc of a "fine tooth" ratchet. The last Bonney (and other Kelsey-Hayes/Triangle era brands) round head ratchets also have offset pawls but aren't quite as "fine" IMHO as the Easco made ones (still very nice though). Wright's round head dual pawls also.

 

[thatonedude]

My main rachet is a mac flex round head designed by facom

 

[ChevyEFI]

I would hazzard a guess it had about a 4' cheater on it seeing as how the handle was bent plus the head exploded. He's an idiot, cordless 1/2 drive IR impact laying on the shelf and he grabs hands tools. This is why he's not allowed unsupervised!!!

That's about what it took me to break the square off mine one time. You shouldn't allow him near anything, ever!

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I had a set of SK's that I never grew too fond of. I liked the 1/4", but preferred pear heads in every other drive size. The only round heads that I have now are a Wright 3/4" drive and a Wright 3/8" drive in 1/4" body. The little Wright is a nice ratchet, but likes to self reverse with the lightest of pressure on the switch. It annoys me, but I don't use it enough to replace it with a pear head. My Snap On swivel heads are technically round heads and they are badass, but I still prefer a Dual 80 in other ratchet variants.

 

[bonneyman]

The Craftsman RHFT ratchets like yours (made by Moore Drop Forge/Easco and made/branded for several others as well) do have offset dual pawls to achieve the tight/small degree handle arc of a "fine tooth" ratchet. The last Bonney (and other Kelsey-Hayes/Triangle era brands) round head ratchets also have offset pawls but aren't quite as "fine" IMHO as the Easco made ones (still very nice though). Wright's round head dual pawls also.

10-4 And Bonney never did offer QR.
for some, but I never cared.

 

[Adam.C]

I think you guys are missing the point. Round heads originally had large gears with lots of fine teeth. They couldn't make a small fine toothed gear without the teeth becoming too small and weakening the mechanism. The old round heads were designed for low torq applications where their fine teeth would allow installations in restricted spaces quickly. The other advantage was low back drag, also helpful for installations.

Remember that the alternatives were 24 to 36 tooth ratchets with single tooth engagements with high pawl spring rates (to prevent skips) and consequently stupidly high back drag.

This is why the dual 80 ratchet is such a big deal. It has the strength of a very coarse ratchet, but has low back drag and a small rachet angle. All this and a compact head shape. Simply put, the old round heads are now essentially obsolete. Dual 80 is really that good.

A few companies still make super fine ratchets (including snap on) and these can be good to have for low torq removals and installations where you can't fit a gun. But they are no longer dramatically better than a Dual 80.

 

[redbarron57]

I have SK round heads and I like all my RH ratches better than the pear head. However they both have their uses. Ilike my SK 1/2 drive RH better than any of my other ratchets. \I have a snap on and a caftsman 1/2 drive pear heads, That SK puts both of them to shame.

 

[ajchien]

I like my round heads. However, my experience is with the Williams superratchets, SK, Indestro, Bonney and the Craftsman RHFT versions.

Seems like everything I have before year 2000 is round head, and after is pear head.

 

[Trey T]

I have a 20-yr-old Greatneck roundhead 3/8" ratchet and it works fine, just a little bulky.

 

[NC-Shaun]

When I first started to collect tools (this is back when dinosaurs ruled the Earth) most ratchets were round headed. The only exceptions to this rule that I knew of at the time were Snap-On and Proto. Indestro, S-K, Wright, Blackhawk, Bonney and my favorite ratchet of all time the Williams SuperRatchet where all round headed. Now everything is pear headed. Why? What happened to cause this change? I'm keeping my SuperRatchets until I die and if there's a way to take them into the afterlife they're coming with me. Why are pear shaped heads the current favorite?

Noticed that Home Depot sells round head ratchets in Husky brand yesterday.

 

[espyking83]

LOL round head ratchets are garbage. Just cause you like them makes you some kind of bad *** wrench ?? LOL.

Another Airframer that thinks he is the ****....

Ermahgerd round head ratchets are garbage because I might have to select the direction before I put it on the fastener!!

LOL

 

[TOOLFREEQ]

snapon has a 100 tooth round head that's very nice but the head is substantially bigger than the previous 72 tooth which is my favorite round head I've ever used! My preference is still pear head because of the selector accessibility, which can be difficult to switch on a RH when you have on gloves or have greasy hands. I like to palm the ratchet as well and seems to be impossible to do on a RH with out switching the selector. Round heads have found a good niche on roto head ratchets.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Good thread.. I have a couple, and like the others have to "think" about switching cw/ccw, whereas on the pearl shaped its a fairly automatic ~ no thinking situation. I have gotten pretty good at flipping the selector with one finger if in the right orientation on the RHs I have..

Of course, this is all a conspiracy from the tool manufacturers to get us all to purchase two sets of each RH + PH...

 

[1foxracing]

Long live the Wright Tool round head!

 

[bonneyman]

I keep finding nice round heads. My latest acquisition was a 1/2" EASCO full polish to finish off my triple play of those. Dang they are nice!

 

[Fedwrench]

I keep finding nice round heads. My latest acquisition was a 1/2" EASCO full polish to finish off my triple play of those. Dang they are nice!

Wow!! Paint brush handled Eascos!!!

I don't think I've ever seen a complete set of those. You would have better luck finding a unicorn or dinosaur eggs.

 

[bsaint]

I bought a Snap-On FN100 a couple years ago because I just had to have the classic, planning on using it as 2nd ratchet for those times you have multiple ratchets out for doing a job. Well turns out I use that ratchet a TON. Between that and my old school F732, I find myself using my dual 80s as my 2ndary ratchets.

 

[WJD]

.I do not know how the pear heads came to dominate, little more meat in certain areas for stronger ratchet maybe?? IDK...

Overall, I do like my round head s-k ratchets a little more than the craftsman pro ratchets. I just rebuilt my 3/8 tuff1 ratchet and having to use the crapsman pro or the evercraft 3/8 dr for a bit was very happy to get back to the ol' tuff1.....

I have an OLDER S-K pro 1/2 dr round head that just seems to feel better in a good pull which is, I think, due to a bigger 'round handle compared to the 1/2 craftsman pro. Not to mention the S-K has finer teeth and more clicks...

I do like the quick release feature of the pear headed crapsman, but that is merely my own preference.... But I usually grab the round head ratchets most of the time.

 

[bonneyman]

Wow!! Paint brush handled Eascos!!!

I don't think I've ever seen a complete set of those. You would have better luck finding a unicorn or dinosaur eggs.

Thanks! I forget which one of the smaller ones I got first, but, after getting both 1/4" and 3/8", I put off buying a trip of the new Craftsman Professional full polish rats. When the 1/2"er came up for water two weeks ago, I struck! Very happy with them, they are very comfy.

 

[d.mcfarland]

.I have an OLDER S-K pro 1/2 dr round head that just seems to feel better in a good pull which is, I think, due to a bigger 'round handle compared to the 1/2 craftsman pro.

My 1946 Wright pear head has a larger round handle with smooth knurling that feels so good. I would agree that the handle design has a lot to do with the overall design excelling.

 

[Packard V8]

I was discussing this with a full-time engine guy who's working ratchets every day for the past thirty years. He and I agreed the S-K round heads were the sturdiest, longest-lasting ratchets we'd ever used.

Having tools in three different locations, I can get by with Craftsman sockets in my basement shop and second garage, but I send the ratchets down the road as fast as I get them and put S-Ks in there as I find them.

jack vines

 

[bonneyman]

I was discussing this with a full-time engine guy who's working ratchets every day for the past thirty years. He and I agreed the S-K round heads were the sturdiest, longest-lasting ratchets we'd ever used.

Having tools in three different locations, I can get by with Craftsman sockets in my basement shop and second garage, but I send the ratchets down the road as fast as I get them and put S-Ks in there as I find them.

jack vines

S-K

 

[mrvm]

Anyone wanting but not necessarily needing a Round Head ratchet can check out the CM 1/2" ratchet @ $7.99

CM Professional and probably USA



http://www.sears.com/craftsman-prof...l-use-1-2-in-drive-full-polish/p-00940064000P

 

[thesilverone]

those tri wings are junky

 

[nicksmurf111]

Anyone wanting but not necessarily needing a Round Head ratchet can check out the CM 1/2" ratchet @ $7.99

CM Professional and probably USA

Junk.

 

[JBradley500]

I changed the leaky P/S pump on my car today. Afterward I realized I used my standard length and stubby SK round heads and never thought about grabbing anything else. I like the feel and sound of them. They just scream sturdy.

 

[jcfields]

.

 

[defektes]

I only use my SK round heads here at work, on occasion I bust out the Snap-on when I want to piss off my co worker. (He tried to buy it from me, but it was my dads.)

 

[tall_will]

Long live the Wright Tool round head!

I have a Wright Tool 6-point socket set with round head ratchet that I LOVE and got for a song. I'm kind of jealous of your collection there!

Honestly, I'm a weekend mechanic that works on woodworking machines as well as my 1966 2-door Chrysler New Yorker and can't claim to be a professional mechanic. However, I love that Wright set and don't generally care if there's a bit of play in the mechanism.

This isn't to suggest that other posters who feel differently and have different needs don't have valid arguments; only to say that I don't require the precision they need.

BTW: I'm a new poster to the board. I'll update my profile for you all ASAP.

 

[sonvolt]

I'm not sure what happened to roundhead ratchets but I used my New Britain 45 all day yesterday

 

[WJD]

My 1946 Wright pear head has a larger round handle with smooth knurling that feels so good. I would agree that the handle design has a lot to do with the overall design excelling.

I would like to get a 3/4 dr. S-K ratchet, then I will have the full line of S-K round heads

S-K round ratchets are just a darned good tool. Comfortable and can do the heavy grind day in and out and I paid less for my S-K's than a snap-on and have gotten VERY long service life before a rebuild was needed from S-K...Sorry for the rant

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

The 3/4 SK is a little short, but it is an excellent ratchet I love mine. Which they made a long handle version, like they do for the 1/2

 

[defektes]

"Tri-wing" refers to a Stanley design. The linked ratchet is a Danaher design that's still used for Craftsman torque wrenches (though still not very well regarded; I use a set as my primary ratchets for years without any trouble, for whatever that's worth).

I have a older Stanley tri wing, and the best feature of it is the knurled spinner on top. It is in 1/4 drive and only seldom used at home, to be honest never had a issue with it.

 

[Deadsquiggles]

My SK 3/4" fine tooth ratchet came in a couple days ago. It may be an inch or two shorter than others but 19" is still enough to put a decent amount of torque on something. I might buy another ratchet from another brand, maybe some thing longer and with less teeth.
And here's a picture of the SK for shits and giggles.

 

[RedneckWelder]

If you like that SK and may want longer then why don't you get the Wright 42" 3/4 drive ratchet..