Craftsman BE ratchet

[Northwoods]

Traded a guy for a female C-man BE rat yesterday.  Just a little different (and less common) than most.
Four things:
It is in nice chrome.
It has a round shank and coarser knurling than most.
The finish around the head is not as nicely ground as I would expect.
The name is not underlined.  At all.

There seems to be a contradiction here.  If the slightly more modern look and the chrome finish suggest post-war, why the poor grinding job?

[leg17]

Possibly simply a 'Monday or Friday' tool.

[EVILDR235]

Maybe a ratchet that didn't go to war due to the war ending. Then the tool maker plated it to make it more desirable to buy. Just one of many possible reasons why it was made the way it was. I have seen and have had many Plomb WF marked tools were some were plated and some were not. Some had poor grinding on the tool and some are perfect.

EvilDr235

[Northwoods]

  The more modern look: the round shank and the lack of the C underline would add credence to your theory.
Kinda like me.  I was dragged off to the military just in time for the war (not the war we have been referencing)  to start winding down.  I'm thankful that they did not chrome plate me, however.

[Bill Houghton]

  The more modern look: the round shank and the lack of the C underline would add credence to your theory.
Kinda like me.  I was dragged off to the military just in time for the war (not the war we have been referencing)  to start winding down.  I'm thankful that they did not chrome plate me, however.

Bronzing is more appropriate for people, I think.  More discreet.

[d42jeep]

Alloy Artifacts dates the non underlined logo early sockets as made between 1927 and 1933. The 1/2” drive sockets in this picture are pre underlined logo.
Don