Knipex Insulated Ratchets
By Benjamen Johnson
Even electricians need ratchets, but when you’re working with high-voltage, you can never be too careful. That’s why Kinpex makes both 3/8″ and 1/2″ drive insulated ratchets along with insulated extensions and sockets in both SAE and metric sizes.
Rated for 1,000V, Knipex covers these chrome vanadium ratchets with insulation that meets DIN EN/IEC 60900:2004 standards. The ratchets reverse for both clockwise and counter-clockwise operation, and they feature an extremely smooth ratcheting action.
These insulated tools don’t come cheap. Expect to pay $120 to $150 for the ratchets alone. If you want a ten-piece set including the ratchet, two extensions, and seven sockets, expect to part with $500.
Insulated Ratchet [Knipex]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
March 7th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Cementex makes similar products:
http://www.cementexusa.com/pdf/Ratchets%20and%20Sockets.pdf
So does Willi Hahn
www.wihatools.com
March 7th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Got mine at Grainger. My company has an account so we get the same discount…cost me just about $90.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5MK81
March 7th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Kinda bulky, aren’t they????
try this instead… cheaper:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=63425&group_ID=18272&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
March 7th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I really like the Snap-on ratchets. Instead of taking a normal ratchet and dipping it it Plastidip, they actually used some engineering skills to create a product that not only is less bulky, but probably safer because there’s not coating to wear off.
I do wonder how well the composite drive head would hold up to abuse. Also notice that the insulated sockets have metal inserts.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=72679&group_ID=12881&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
March 9th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I was in Harbor Freight today and noticed that Pittsburgh has a line of composite ratchets for cheap. The 1/2″ one (94587) is about $10. There’s nothing on the package about high voltage ratings and looking up the part number on the harbor freight website gives me this message: “The Specifications for this item are not currently available online, or the item has been discontinued.”
The center of the 1/2″ drive is metal and so is the reversing lever. I’m betting most of the interior ratcheting mechanism probably is metal too. The handle also felt pretty hefty like it had a metal core.
March 10th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Wiha also makes one. Found it at Grainger for about the same price as the Knipex model
http://www.wihatools.com/PDFCatalog/Insulated%20′08%20Catalog.pdf