Snap-on’s Innovative Swivel Head Ratchet
By Chuck Cage
We’ve seen lots of swivel-head ratchets, but we’ve never seen one that swivels in this plane. As PutnamEco – the reader who clued us in to this find — said, you can “start off like a screw/nut driver and finish like a regular ratchet. This is one of those tools you don’t realize you need until you have it.”
It features Snap-on’s now-standard “classic soft grip handle” as well as a slim head and 9-degree ratchet action. The 3/8″-drive version (pictured) runs just shy of $100.
Swivel-Head Ratchet [Snap-on]
August 1st, 2007 at 3:41 pm
I have an S&K just like it that I purchased 30 years ago.
August 1st, 2007 at 3:44 pm
You might not know you need it till you have it, but at $100 a copy, that puts it strictly in the realm of professional mechanics. Any weekend warrior with the dough to buy Snap-on doesn’t work on his own cars. He pays a pro who already has a set of Snap-on.
August 1st, 2007 at 4:24 pm
S-K has made these for years, and http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/owatonna-tool-company.html shows an OTC 1/2 inch drive and states that they were in a 1935 catalog.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:05 pm
SK has been making these for ages
I’m surprised you have never seen one
August 1st, 2007 at 8:20 pm
I’ve seen these in the snap on catalog for years and didn’t think much of them. They actually looked weak compared to the standard swivel head ratchet. But then I saw a mechanic using one at the local motorcycle shop. Eureka- it was fast. The nut drive feature saves time and for some that means money. Yep, if you need an excure these pay for themselves. I have two now, 3/8 and 1/4. They really are amazing and strong.
August 2nd, 2007 at 7:06 am
I have one of the SK models that was purchased by my grandfather over 30 years ago. Still an excellent tool in excellent shape. SK still makes a similar model:
http://www.skhandtool.com/Default.aspx?fusemode=10&pid=42775
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:51 am
Griot’s has had one for a long time in their catalog:
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=28098
$32.99 for the 3/8″ and 3/4 of that for the 1/4″
August 2nd, 2007 at 10:43 am
This brings to mind a tool that I have seen mechanics for big shot motorcycle racing teams use. It is a speed wrench combined with a ratchet head. Picture the above tool with a speed handle and you get the idea. So, you use the ratchet part to bust the fastener loose, then swing the handle out spin it off. Totally slick. Not only have I not found the tool, but I can’t even find a combination of parts to bodge one together. It looks like it could be a Snap on product, but I can’t find it in the online catalog (big surprise). Can anyone help?
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:18 pm
My father has one of these and it’s a great tool. It’s the only swivel-head ratchet I can say that I actually like.
August 2nd, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I actually like tho older square screwdriver style handled one, but they don’t mak ti any more.
T handle ratchet, goto
http://www.pitposse.com/potra.html
August 2nd, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Yes, Facom has been doing this. See http://www.ultimategarage.com/shop/part.php?products_id=634
August 5th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Toptul makes several in thier 72 teeth ratchest including a stubby and a stubby with both 1/4 and 3/8 on same ratchet.
http://www.toptul-usa.com/4-3_3_4th72.htm
August 17th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Snap-On’s newest ratchet is their FLF80 which is pretty awesome. It doesn’t swivel like this but it is on a flex head with 80 teeth and low ratcheting torque (almost none, really) and I already had another SO ratchet so I switched the heads (they’re interchangable, very cool). It’s $100 itself, so with SO you only buy where it really really counts.
March 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 am
Now if we can only get Snap-on to honor their warranty with the Government. We purchased 50 of these about 6 months ago and it took them almost that long to get them all delivered. Problem is some of the first few that arrived started stripping out. The industrial snapon rep sent us an email blaming us that we need to take more care of their tools and that “they don’t warranty stupidity”. Needless to say, our CO was hot and I’m sure that email traveled the world…with the reps name and Snapon logo. Yet he’s still with the company and still won’t back up their “limited lifetime warranty”.