Thanks for this video series and this video specifically. I inherited a bunch of Craftsman tools from my dad and it included "version 2" 1/2" & 1/4" ratchets with a matching (?) set of V series standard 12pt sockets. I had never seen a craftsman ratchet without the quick release button before. I honestly got one of my modern 1/2" craftsman impact sockets stuck on the 1/2" ratchet because the ball bearing in the ratchet went into the hole in the side of the socket. Couldn't pull them apart for the life of me. I had to push the ball bearing in with a punch to get them apart. lol. I assume my dad bought them new because he was in his mid-20's when they were being sold (thanks for the 'for sale' dates, btw), and he wasn't a tool collector or anything like that.
Glad you are enjoying the series! If you liked this, you'll like what is coming down the pike. I've been working on a significant "reboot" of this entire series over the last several years. There will be never before seen pieces as well as some of the ones I didn't have the first time around. New information will be presented in a more streamlined fashion with significantly better video quality. I'm hoping the wait will be worth it.
Great videos! Very detailed and informative. Since originally watching these i have collected almost all the 3/8 models from the boxhead to the low profile 60t. Love the videos and old craftsman tools
Thank you! I'm finally working on the "reboot" of this series, so if you already liked what you have seen, I think you'll enjoy the new ratchets, updates/corrections, and new information! Are you focusing specifically on 3/8? Focusing on one size can be nice for space, cost, and ease of access concerns, but you are missing out on some rather interesting pieces only found in 1/2" and 1/4".
You know your toolology. I'm blown away by the ratchet collection you have. Hopefully someday I can have a collection like yours soon. I do the same thing you do , I handle all my tools with gloves even though they are virtually indestructible they are precious to me. One set I really want is the stainless steel. Well keep making videos and I'll keep watching. I'm looking forward to seeing more pieces I never seen before and learning as much as I can. thanks man
I'm glad you like the series. You may be interested to know that I am currently working on a reboot of the series, where I make things more concise, add new information, correct errors, etc. I wear the gloves because I have an anti-corrosion agent I put on all of the tools. That was the reason why I've worn gloves. I used the surgical chuck, since I was filming everything on my wife's table. After doing the first few videos, I stuck with the format.
It wasn't a Brander it was a punch and was no heat and they didn't stamp tour ratchet they had a drawer of rebuilt ratchets that were rebuilt and would just swap you and that was done at a later time and you could end up with an older model ratchet you got just whatever they had on hand. I think they done this in 70s-80s but not exact on date, Snap On did the same sort of thing and just rebuilt ratchets at the factory and would supply the dealers with them for warranty replacement and they stamped theirs as well. Thanks for the videos
Special ratchet I have not seen, I have a 3/8 inch one that I have that I have not seen, it is a yet,no number,v double line,it appears as a spark plug or a Palm with a t handle??? what have I got, Eck usmc
Alex, is there any chance you could film what you have and send me the link to the video? I'm happy to help. I am just having a hard time visualizing what you are speaking of.
Man i don't know how much looking you had to do to find these fine examples. It must have had to be quite a bit. Most of these i've seen are roached ! I really enjoyed the video. Great job!
+AbandonedSC Thanks! You are right, it was surprisingly difficult. Each was individually sourced, which made finding them time consuming and more expensive. Most of the examples I have seen were pretty roached too! I suspect that the longevity had to do with the metallurgy philosophy at the time. It just goes to show you that even though you may begin with the same starting materials as other ratchets moving forward, the process to get that tool is just as critical.
Right. I would agree. Also the care and storage conditions plays a crucial role in the shape the tool is in. These were sold as the "working man's tools" which means most of these were stowed in non climate controlled garages and shops and tool boxes which we all know, isn't metals best friend. In these cases maybe you found the ratchets someone tossed in a drawer by chance, or was otherwise not used to a large degree. In any event, they were certainly fine specimens outside of the normal conditions these are in now days.
Very true. There are a few examples from the 1930s that I can't wrap my head around how of nice condition they are in. If life has taught me anything it is to prepare to be surprised. Just when you think you found the best, the rarest, or the most desired something comes along and blows that out of the water. As time moves onward, I'd almost think that you'd see a logarithmic drop off in finding what I would call "very good to excellent" condition pieces. The further you move backward, the more challenging, more expensive, and potentially rarer the pieces become. Anyone can get an appreciable number of the collection in beat up condition. This is a video series, so I'm heavily reliant a visual presentation. I wanted to find representations that would tell the story and be as close to my "very good to excellent" condition as possible. At the moment, we are missing (9x) ratchets to complete the entire collection. Most of the nine are stragglers, where they didn't have a "family" and were likely either a prototype, extremely low quantity, or a contract that lasted a mere year or less. I will make mention of what we are missing at the very end. It is likely that I will move from rigorously looking for those unique ratchets to occasionally doing so once the final video is complete.
Visual presentation in my opinion has definitely been achieved. I think you may be right about time In looking online i found a few good examples in this series right away. The most common being 1/4 drive.That makes sense, assuming it would get used the least. In the case with ratchets that are rare if you can't find them A picture may have to suffice.Then if you obtain the said ratchet at a later date, you can always add a video in. Sometimes you just can't find the imposable. be it being loaned, donated or purchased.
I agree with your assumption about the 1/4. They are usually the easiest to find in the best condition. Your plan about the rare ratchets is a good one!
Speaking of "Survivor" ratcheting wrench design, that first catalog you showed had the 3/4 wrench design which was probably made by S-K. They make them exactly the same today as far as I know. Probably still in the USA too.
You are absolutely right, the Craftsman Circle K & BM Round Head Ratchet is still being made but exclusively as an SK branded ratchet. The 3/4" "Boxhead" ratchet is, to my knowledge, the only Craftsman branded ratchet that has maintained the "Craftsman" name on it, while maintaining the primary design, despite minor modifications. If you would like to learn about the round head ratchet you mentioned, check out the "Circle K / BM Ratchet" history and tear down video.
I have the 1/4" ratchet set I got from my grandfather, came with a 1/4" breaker bar and t handle deal, sounded like in the video it didn't come with the breaker bar? It's all in the same small craftsman metal case
Do you have another video that is a bit more in-depth on the 3/4" model? I recently picked up a 44801 and would like to know more about it. It has the staked in selector switch, phillips head assemble screws and the quick release.
Excellent question Jason! You are absolutely right, the 3/4" didn't get much coverage when I made these videos originally. Honestly, I wasn't completely pleased when I originally made these videos, since I was, in a way, a bit rushed to make them. For a long while, many people were donating their tools, time, and even money to the project, so I wanted to give those kind folks who went out of their way to do that something for their efforts. While the information is good, I didn't get to prepare for things in a fashion that I would have liked. Also, my own personal life played a factor as well. This is why the project suddenly stopped at ~80% completion. For the last 3 years, I've been finding additional information, obtaining missing ratchets previously not shown or only shown in pictures, and slowly preparing to create a significantly higher quality "reboot" of this series. After a few computer crashes, filming in 4K RAW then switching back to 1080p just for time/data storage sake, etc., I'm finally getting to the point, soon, where I will have a viable product that will hopefully put this baby to bed. I hope you and everyone that supported the channel and this project will have something they can enjoy!
Sounds awesome, I'll look forward to it... as I'm sure others will as well. Also, I forgot to mention that my 44801 has the oil port on the top too. Leading me to believe that it must be an older unit.
Hi again. Somehow I forgot to add in the last text around the glove comment I was curious of what kind of protective lube you use on your tools ? Years ago CRC made a spray lube protectant specifically made for tools ( CRC Tool Guard ) They discontinued the product so now I use Lucas Chain and Sprocket lube and it works really well. Another thing , any tips on how long it took you to collect such a vast amount of tools and where ? Every time I even see certain Craftsman tools that you hardly ever see, I try to find them and hope I can get them. Thanks again.
I use Super Lube, due to its lubrication and detergent properties. It is fairly easy to acquire too. You can learn more about how to get started with tear down and maintenance in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aL3nMQTNoek.html I had two rules for myself when attempting to acquire the tools used in the videos: First, get tools as close to "new" as possible, as the entire point of the series is to discuss facts but ALSO display what pieces actually existed within the Craftsman brand. If you or I lived in 1945, what would an example of X or Y ratchet have looked like new. Second, if I could not find "new" examples, at the very least find an intact functional examples. Approximately 70-80% of the tools were bought privately, where the other 20-30% were acquired via donations through members of tool forums. Of that 20-30% a majority of those were of the more common variety of Craftsman ratchets. Few were in "Excellent condition and most were in "Good" to "Poor" condition. I sent those examples to a plasma spectrometer to learn their composition. Unfortunately, those examples were destroyed in the process. At the moment, donations have slowed down significantly, but that corresponds with my activity level here on RU-vid and the need for specific pieces, which makes sense. Currently, I am working on rebooting this series with various improvements with better examples or new examples of Craftsman branded ratchets. I'm hoping to start releasing these videos sometime in the next few months. Thank you for the question!
@@GearWolf hello again sir, I was wondering about the anti corrosion protection you have mentioned before to protect your ratchets, what are you using? Does it spray on? Brush on? I have researched several, but was just curious what you had good results from.
i have a 3/4 ratchet like the 1st gen your showing ,, no quick release just flat head... i would like to find a rebuild kit for it since the selector is broken. any suggestions ??????????
Hmmm, that will be difficult. That variant was made for a short period of time. Unfortunately, you may have to use a modern replacement...for now. If I had to guess, your odds of finding an original unused Craftsman 3/4" repair kit would be very low. Out of all of the rebuild kits from that era, I've only been able to find a small handful, and they were stupidly expensive. eBay will likely be your best bet. Good luck! ^_^
I thought most Craftsman ratchets was produced by Easco and Danaher Tool CO. the adjustable wrenches and some pliers by Wilde , Pratt and Read screwdrivers and nutdrivers pry bars punches by Wilde
Yeah, the specific ratchets in this video are made by Moore Drop Forge, which was absorbed into Easco, which was absorbed into the Apex Group, which is a part of the Danaher Corporation. You are correct that all Craftsman tools were made by some of the best in the business.
