Tool Talk

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: dimwittedmoose51 on March 27, 2012, 05:30:32 PM

Title: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: dimwittedmoose51 on March 27, 2012, 05:30:32 PM

I swear I've seen this direction shifter on another brand of ratchet, but this one escapes me for the moment.  Humor an old man and tell me what you know about this old beast.  It really works well.  Model 86-200-Y   Pat. # is fairly well worn. 

TIA


DM&FS

Title: Re: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: rusty on March 27, 2012, 05:33:34 PM

Never seen one of those before....

The prefix of the patent number puts it between 1980 and mid 1981....

Ahh...4280379


http://www.google.com/patents?id=lpovAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA2&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

Invented in Texas ;P

Title: Re: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: OilyRascal on March 27, 2012, 06:40:26 PM

I have two - both are "Stanley Workmaster"; one in 3/8" and the other 1/4"  PAT 4280379

Title: Re: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: rusty on March 27, 2012, 07:00:36 PM

The patent is listed as being owned by National Hand Tool in 1991, so it is not impossible there are other makers ratchets with that patent number floating around,  that was right in the middle of the frenzied buying and selling of hand tool companies....

Title: Re: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: dimwittedmoose51 on March 27, 2012, 07:05:47 PM

Yeah, I can't find anywhere on it where it says "Made in the USA" either.  Another weirdo for the rathcet wall.....

Thanks all,

DM&FS

Title: Re: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: lauver on March 28, 2012, 04:30:57 PM

Gang,

Stanley Works bought National Hand Tools sometime around the mid 1980s.  I found some discussion on this at AA a long time ago.  For the life of me, I can't remember which toolmaker this discussion was buried in.

Title: Re: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: kxxr on March 29, 2012, 07:36:53 AM

1/4" version is pictured here: http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=673.0   about half way down the page. Ads for the "Flip-drive" began appearing in the early 80s.

Title: Re: Age Of This Stanley Professional Ratchet??
Post by: beckya on March 29, 2012, 08:45:10 AM

Although I am just starting to build my collection.  I will say that the Stanley tools are quality but a bit expensive.  So far I have never had a problem with them though.  Compared to tools like I would get at - dare I say, Harbor freight - Those are just my use a few times tools