Several new-looking Dewalt ratchets just popped on Amazon. A search for the model numbers doesn’t turn up much, suggesting that these are brand new SKUs – either new designs or open stock versions of ratchets previously included in Dewalt’s mechanics tool sets.
The new Dewalt ratchets 72 teeth, for a 5° swing arc.
Advertisement
Styles include:
- Stubby
- Quick-release
- Flex-head
- Bi-material grip
Dewalt product materials mention a low-profile selection lever switch, contoured handles with anti-slip grooves, and chrome vanadium steel construction.
Pricing puts these at the upper low-end, or lower mid-range. The 3/8″ ratchet, DWMT81097, is priced at $20. In comparison, a 45-tooth Proto is $44 at Amazon, Gearwrench 84T is $30, and a Crescent 72-tooth is $15.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
First Thoughts
I don’t want to sound negative, but I also don’t want to mince words. Dewalt is coming out with new ratchets… who cares? Why should I buy these?
I have always told myself that Dewalt mechanics tools were a good value. And they still are. But they’ve never had the best ergonomics, features, or pricing for what you get.
Advertisement
6 years ago, Dewalt boasted about their adjustable wrenches. They’re good, but I’ve seen horrible corrosion test results (conducted by a competitor), and they weighed a lot more than competing models.
Who was Dewalt aiming to compete with? According to them, Crescent.
With these new mechanics tools, I find myself struggling to understand their market. That’s happened to me about other Dewalt hand tools as well recently.
Professionals? Are pro auto mechanics, aerospace techs, and industrial types using these tools?
Dewalt has updated their mechanics tools a number of times in recent years. Does that mean they keep getting the designs wrong?
I’m happy to see Dewalt expand their variety of tool and open stock lineup.
But on the other hand, I only ever see their mechanics tools at Dewalt media events.
Stanley Black & Decker has their Mac, Proto, and Blackhawk pro-grade tool lines, and there are even more brands that are popular overseas, such as Facom, USAG, and Sidchrome. At the lower end, Stanley and Stanley FatMax. Where does Dewalt fit in?
Are they aimed at “value-minded pros?” as Porter Cable tools have sometimes been described as being designed for?
Don’t get me wrong, Dewalt mechanics tools are perfectly fine. But I find myself completing the following sentence:
You should buy these Dewalt ratchets if…
Dewalt seems to have been moving away from a “these are heavier, and so they’re aimed at construction tasks” type of mentality.
The ratchet’s heads are said to be slimmer, and the handles definitely look and feel slimmer.
I feel like I should care more about this expansion. You know what? I think I know what the problem is. Dewalt doesn’t seem to care very much about their expansion. It seems that way because there hasn’t been much fanfare around Dewalt’s mechanics tool releases. Maybe they’re saving it for Craftsman.
Would you buy one of these new ratchets?
Darth
No. I find myself as a DIY type person leaning to the Husky brand rather the Dewalt, even though I have yellow for my power tools.
Micheal
I purchased a Dewalt Mechanics set last Thanksgiving. The reason for the purchase was the Black Finish and Gold writing. As my eyes are no long once they were, I find these very easy to read. Sadly though, the use of the tools made me sad.
With that, I would never purchase them again. My 25yo Craftsman tools are far superior. I would not even tinking about comparing these to my SnapOn, Matco and other tools.
Phil
I have Craftsman tools that were new in the mid 70’s and they’re still my go to tools. Especially impressed with the ratchets from that era which have held up fine for well over 40 years now.
Chris
I’d get a flex head if it was available with the bi grip. Just because.
A W
Nope.
For aerospace tools, Proto, Mac, or SK.
For use around the house, I want something with an easy lifetime warranty. Craftsman back in the day, and Kobalt now.
satch
Stuart, I think you asked the pertinent question; You shoukd buy these DeWalt ratchets if?… And the immediate answer is, I couldn’t begin to tell you why.
This is the main thing that frustrates me about SBDC. Shoehorning product brands and lines into areas where there is simply no overarching plan or demand. I don’t know anyone offhand who owns DeWalt hand tools of any stripe. Imcannotmimagine these selling well.
I think they misunderstand the market at times. Guys tend to associate certain brands with pro or premium status and others as mid range or entry level. SBDC has beaten us to death with DeWalt as their pro cordless lineup. So if you are going to introduce mechanics tools to go along with them, then why not reach into one of your pro lines of existing mechanics tool manufacturers like Proto?
Brand the tools DeWalt Pro by Proto or something similar. Give guys a reason to invest in them. Selling Husky grade ratchets to me is not an atteactive option. No matter whose name is on them. As an catch-all question, what is your sense of these power tool brand mechanics tools? Are they really a draw?
Stuart
I’ve been having good experiences with my USA-made Dewalt screwdrivers. Those could very well be made at the same factory as Proto and Mac screwdrivers.
Power tool brand mechanics tools? I can come up with all sorts of theories. But I think it comes down to brand loyalty. If someone likes using a brand’s cordless tools, and maybe also their hand tools, that brand has a competitive advantage when it comes to selling mechanics tools to the same user.
Jared
I think you hit the nail on the head Stuart. This is about capitalizing on Dewalt’s brand recognition. Both pros and home owners associate Dewalt primarily with great quality power tools. If you’re walking through a store and need a ratchet – or just happen to see one on sale – the perception of Dewalt as a quality brand can bleed into this alternate product line and drive a purchase decision.
Framing it that way might sound devious, but so long as Dewalt is producing a good quality mechanic’s tool (even if it’s not the peak value in the given market space) then it doesn’t detract from their brand and they can capitalize on the good reputation they cultivated from their primary product line.
Steve
These two posts are where you hit the nail on the head.
While pro auto/aircraft/industrial/ whatever mechanics are going to buy their hand tools from the trucks and industrial suppliers and get those pro brands, even though they, and building trade pros, may use Dewalt for power tools. But the average consumer who buys Dewalt power tools to be like the pros sees Dewalt hand tools at retail, associates them with pro level quality from the brand name, and buys those. I know someone who brought a big Dewalt hand tools set for this reason.
This is what they are doing, they are going after brand loyalists and/or playing off the strength of the brand name. As long as they keep the brand’s image up they would be stupid not to capitalize on it in every associated category they can.
Look at Blaine’s Farm & Fleet (by me at least), their hand tools in open stock are Dewalt, Craftsman, and store brand. In an environment like that I’m sure Dewalt hand tools sell well.
Harry
Yes, i will buy the flex heads in 1/4 and 3/8 drive along with that stubby 3/8 for starters. Why? because I want to. I like this series of ratchets with the thinner, non quick release head. they are a vast improvement on the heavier, shorter quick release models that were their first generation ratchets. If you look at the dewalt round head ratchets, you can see that they borrowed the ratchet head & action from USAG and the Dewalt round head ratchets are Italian made just like their USAG relatives. Perhaps you have become tool numb after always seeing new tool after new tool being released. Do you feel this way about the Milwaukee 90 tooth ratchets and their square based socket sets coming out later this year? I’ll use these ratchets in a professional setting to see how they hold up. The other Dewalt mechanics tools I have serve me well. I was saddened to see Dewalt switch from an anti slip open end on their long pattern combination wrenches to a regular open end though. I still like the wrenches. I think SBD would be well served rebadging Dewalt mechanics tools as Craftsman. I like new tools and having more options.
Stuart
I don’t think I’ve seen the round head ratchets, but I was under the pretty strong believe that the teardrop ratchets were all made in Asia.
I wouldn’t say that I’m numb about new tool releases. But when I hit a roadblock when wondering who would/should buy something, it makes me think about how such a tool fits in the market.
I like Milwaukee’s wrenches quite a bit, but to me their ratchets and sockets are still unproven. I have a test sample of the 12pc set that launched previously https://toolguyd.com/milwaukee-swivel-ratchet-socket-set/ , and I don’t find myself ever reaching for it. I prefer standard height sockets unless I need deep sockets, and the socket’s square shape hasn’t come in handy yet.
Milwaukee’s mechanics tools are somewhat “me too” in nature, but they are different enough to better answer the question “who should buy this?”
Milwaukee is also only growing into the mechanics tools market. Stanley Black & Decker has a firm foothold, and strong branding. There’s not enough marketing “glue” connecting these tools to Dewalt branding.
If someone says “sell me on these tools,” I’m not given much to say. They’re… Dewalt branded, and that’s about it.
More options are good. But with these, I’m left not numb, but maybe unimpressed.
Sco Deac
You can see the round-head, and a few other new ratchets at https://www.dewalt.com/en-us/products/hand-tools/mechanics-tools-accessories
I am also confused, however, with the why on this marketing. Before the Craftsman acquisition, I could see the business plan to put a recognizable name on hand tools in a national retail distribution channel. I think that is where this was heading, they even released DeWalt push mowers. With Craftsman, however, SBD, seems to have filled that niche. Maybe it has to do with broadening the distribution for SBD while allowing for Craftsman to have “exclusive” partners in different channels. Maybe you can’t get a Craftsman socket at Home Depot, but you can get a DeWalt.
Tug
For me even though I don’t turn a wrench for a living, its Snapon, Mac, and Matco mainly. Used
to buy SK which have always been good, have lots of older craftsman stuff, and some German brands. Facom quite good too.
Snapon is pricey, but I often buy their specials like buy a set of sockets get a free ratchet. They have sales every month and a $129 special that is often a grest buy. Another plus is my Snapon guy warranty’s old tools bougjt st flea markets snd garage sales. He recently rebuilt a ratchet that I got a while back for 5$ with new guts. Works like a new ratchet.
Gordon
SBD seems to be going for market dominance via confusion. People are going to be so overwhelmed by the number of choices that they will either pick a brand they already have, or just pick at random. Given that SBD owns a large percent of brands, the odds are in their favor.
Chip
Let me clarify, I am not their target demographic.
I won’t buy a wrench, hammer,prybar,or level from SBD,Kobalt, Huskey ,or Milwaukee.. unless it’s a need it now situation.
My tools make me money at work,and save me money at home on repairs.
I don’t have time to try to try warranty something that is discontinued/upgraded/downgraded.
My Stabila level,snap on wrench,knipex pliers,etc… will last a long time,and I can get it repaired or replaced with an equal tool.
If you can’t afford the best new,buy it used,or buy it cheap from Harbor Freight.
Don’t buy it for the color.
Nick o
100 percent agree. Also hard to beat HF freights lifetime warranty on hand tools. For their mechanics line it’s hard to beat.
Unless I’m going with a German tool with unique features (like a bit ratchet) I’m going with a harbor freight option. Just saying. Hard to pay extra for a brand I’d associate with something else (Milwaukee, DeWalt, etc I think power tools not hand tools)
fred
Maybe its about shelf/rack space at various retailers that sell SBD brands and wanting to offer a presence that will sell instead of the competition. So as an example Home Depot sells Husky (used to be a Stanley brand) as their house brand and maybe Dewalt as an alternative. Lowes sells Kobalt as their house brand – with Craftsman as an alternative. SBD then maintains a presence in both big retailers – while selling the Stanley brand at Wal-Mart.
To Gordon’s point – I think that GM once thought that way about their car brands – and that having a plethora to choose from would likely generate more sales and/or market dominance – or at least that the odds would be stacked in their favor. When there were real difference between the GM car brands and there was little foreign competition that seemed to work. When the buying public started to realize that some small Cadillac was just a Chevy with some fancy trim the marketing stratagem may have started to unravel. Maybe some of SBD’s brands will go the way of Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saturn.
The yeti
All the unique parts of GM … well except for GMC itself
RC Ward
And Sear’s…………….
Eric
I own a Dewalt socket set think it’s like a 190 piece set or something can’t remember but anyway the first time I put my hands in the ratchet I loved them I like that they’re heavy I like the feel and I like how smooth it works the sockets on the other hand not the best I’ve ever used I’d say older craftsman is the best sockets I’ve used but I like these ratchets more than any I’ve ever used
Hilton
I won’t buy them now but only because I already bought a 3/8 Dewalt ratchet on an Amazon DOTD and some sockets the previous year. I’m just an occasional weekend warrior in terms of car maintenance though.
George
I would look at them if they are made in the usa.
jayne
I like all of them. Over the years I have bought odd sockets of many different brands All have served me well. Maybe next Black Friday if the price is right…………….
Jim Felt
So, Stuart, are some of these “Dewalt” ratchets still Italian made as a gentleman above stated?
Stuart
I doubt it.
The 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ round head ratchets are $26, $34, and $35 at Amazon. The new teardrop quick release ratchets are $17, $20, and $23. They are most likely made in Asia, as with most of Dewalt’s other mechanics hand tools.
Harry
The Dewalt 3/8 round head ratchet I got from Amazon two weeks ago says made in Italy on the plastic bag it came in.
The pear head ratchets are Taiwan made.
Steve
They make a pretty good Dozuki saw, but otherwise I’ve stayed away. Mainly because Milwaukee has put some great hand tools out recently…I also use Milwaukee for power tools….I guess if I had more Dewalt then I might try to match everything for a complete set. As mentioned, some things are just better when done by certain brands…Proto ratchets, Wiss Snips, etc. are time tested. Simply badging things in yellow and black works to a certain extent but in the end I think quality suffers.
Rcward
They have to compare very well with any Craftsman hand tool that is for sure. But that’s not saying much
Paul K
I don’t think they’re selling them to consumers, sure eventually I guess if you really want one. I think they’re “selling” them to purchasers for retailers and wholesalers as a method to market position SBDs other brands of ratchets – the ones they actually want to sell to consumers. Maybe?
Framer joe
I always ask Stewart , ” where are they made?” …..first , that’s the most important question.
Next , I’m heavily invested in DeWalt 20v max (which was number 1 in most catagories for the last 3 yrs) and Flexvolt , which is still unmatched.
But, Milwaukee and DeWalt are just trying to get floor space, and flood the market with name recognition.
There are plenty of low end brands for cheap people, and guys that want quality tools buy Mac,Matco,Proto,Snap On, SK , Bahco, Knipex, or German brands..that won’t change….
These are for Diy fan boys, because they are not good tools ……” But I’ve had good experiences using Milwaukee/DeWalt tools” yah, you can have the same quality for less buying husky,HF, etc…but no Sorry they are no where near the quality of pro tools
Stuart
I don’t know, they’re not out yet, and SBD likely isn’t prepared to talk about them.
I’d bet they’re made in Asia, as with many of Dewalt’s other mechanics tools. That’s not a bad thing – Dewalt hand tool quality is typically quite good.
For what Amazon has these ratchets listed for, I cannot imagine that they’re manufactured outside of China or Taiwan.
Redcastle
I can understand why you are very keen to know the source of a tool however it is increasingly the case that even with high priced German tool manufacturers part of the product line is produced outside Germany with Knipex being one of the few that still manufactures only in Germany and even they will come under increasing pressure to move at least part of their production to lower cost sites to remain “competitive”. So the skill will become in identifying those brands which are so committed to protecfing their reputation that they produce a high quality product regardless of the physical location. Within my lifetime Japanese manufactured goods have moved from being consdered as the equivalent of the lowest level goods produced in China today to being one of the most highly regarded.
fred
In the post WWI era – the Japanese had a reputation for producing tin toys and other goods much of which were junk. Many in Japan decided that they wanted to do something about this. After the arrival of W.E. Deming in 1947 ( ostensibly brought over by MacArthur to assist in the upcoming census) he was invited to teach statistical process control to Japanese engineers and industry leaders. Deming transformed how the Japanese approached manufacturing to emphasize quality. Deming’s principals for using a statistical approach for quality control in manufacturing – were said to have been widely used in US War production – but it is said that they fell into disuse in the post war boom times in the US. Pity – since these techniques – newly embraced (in the 1950’s and 1960’s ) by the Japanese – helped in their growth in electronics (Akio Morita is said to have attended Deming’s lectures) and auto manufacturing – allowing them to compete with – and then overtake some US industries
fred
I made Deming older (he was only 18 at the end of WWI) – should have said Post WWII era
TonyT
Btw the roots of SPC actually go back to the 1920s at Western Electric
(I’m currently trying to finish some way overdue custom SPC software so first I had to learn about SPC myself)
fred
Walter Shewhart – a mentor for Deming – is sometimes considered the father of statistical quality control – was the brains behind this work at Western Electric (he started there in 1918)
One might credit him – in part – for why the old Bell Telephones and telephone equipment was so reliable.
I studied TQM and six sigma techniques in seeking ISO 9001 certification for one of our businesses.
Redcastle
Fred When six sigma gained traction in the UK it was presented very much as a Japanese based system (fashion driven) and it took some time for Deming’s contribution to be acknowledged. I remember a town called U.S.A. which was supposedly the home of many of those products or at least that was the basis on which they were stamped. The BBC produced a documentary series on three traditional Japanese industries manufacturing kimonos, pottery and swords. Each interesting for different reasons however all focused on the hand crafted element. The economics for the swordsmith did not add up on the basis of the swords produced however the revelation that their sword business allowed them to charge thousands of dollars for kitchen knives was a game changer. Not a six sigma black belt in sight.
fred
We hired a six sigma black belt to help get us through our ISO 9001 certification. No Baldridge awards or Deming prizes for us – but the training and continuous follow through on quality stood us in good stead. We also tried to transfer over the principals to our other businesses. When you see call backs to fix things, returns of fabricated items fall to zero – and repeat business increase – its hard not to credit your quality programs.
fred
BTW
“Usa is a city located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1967. On March 31, 2005, the towns of Ajimu and Innai were merged into Usa. Wikipedia”
Also according to Wikipedia:
“There have been false claims that products made in this town and exported to the US in the 1960s carried the label “MADE IN USA”, for it to appear as if the product was made in the United States.[2]”
Redcastle
Fred I was not in any way being negative about six sigma or its practitioners and could not agree more about the desirability of the outcomes you achieved using it. If i gave that impression it was not my intent. With regard to the made in USA entry in Wikipedia it very specifically mentions goods exported to the USA, in Europe in the late Sixties USA made products not just tools but across the board were held in high regard and it was always told to me that Europe was the target market, however it may have been an urban legend.
fred
@Redcastle
I did not take you comments as a negative.
I like to think that I’m pragmatic and analytical enough to look at processes like TQM and Six Sigma in a dispassionate way – not getting caught up in some “drinking the Koolaid syndrome”. The fact that you use these and adjust as you go along – Demming’s “Plan, Do, Check, Adjust” to seek continual improvement – does, however, seem to work. The Japanese Kaizen (not the foam that Stuart has posted about) – along with Six Sigma principles – do remind you to focus on the long-term – even when market forces seem to be poised to “eat your lunch” and tough times might suggest a need to look for a quick buck.
My partners and I were blessed in a way by having parents who grew up during the Great Depression. They instilled in us the notion to “save for a rainy day” and live frugally – so when others needed to lay off workers and sell businesses off – we were in a position to buy and rehire folks as conditions improved.
Redcastle
Fred I believe you may be selling your partners and yourself short. To identify and implement systems such as six sigma to produce the sort of results you sought and achieved reflects a kind of determination and clarity of thought that is often not part of a management team’s decision to enter into this type of project (any kind of externally originated plan not just six sigma). The majority of my working life I spent as a banker and a substantial part of that in restructuring clients who had failed. Time and time again consultants had been hired, plans created which either contained a fair amount of fairy dust or were a thinly disguised way of having “outsiders” to blame for unpopular decisions. As part of the restructuring process I would try to identify successful companies in that sector and pretty much universally one of the key factors was mangement truly understanding their business (often enough to recognise what they did not know) and making decisions based on that knowledge. My father who is eighty five in November and still goes in to the office at least twice a week still has the first penny he ever earned and certainly tried to engender in us the values you spoke of and I am trying to do the same with my own children.
TonyT
Redcastle,
I think you’d enjoying reading the obituary of Eric Lidow, one of the co-founders of International Rectifier (now part of Infineon):
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1262997
fred
Redcastle:
Your comments remind me of a humorous skit that I once saw.
A new general manager (GM) is just coming on board and seeks the advice of his predecessor who is being “retired” (aka let go).
He asks for advice in dealing with the board should things go awry.
His predecessor tells him that he’s prepared 3 envelopes – numbered 1, 2 and 3 to be opened one at a time – should circumstance warrant.
Business seems to go well for the new GM for a year or so – then problems seem to arise. He opens the first envelope – and it says: “blame it on your predecessor”
Things seem to improve for a while – then a year or so later the business is in another crisis. The GM opens the second envelope and a note inside says: “hire a consultant and restructure the business”
The restructuring appears to work for a year or so more – but then inexplicably there comes a major downturn. So the GM opens envelope #3 – wherein it says “prepare 3 envelopes”
Nicholas B.
Perhaps I am just “old school” or as some of the younger and sadly older generation sadly use this term incorrectly “bigot” for wanting to keep manufacturing local and domestic. Obviously that isn’t racist and quite bluntly, I do not care what race is hired, as long as they are legal and willing to work. Bluntly put, globalism has killed FAR more jobs than this has ever could or will ever create. So called “free trade” is almost never fair for the middle class or even for upper middle class usually. Exporting is great, yet when there is more imports, this in turn creates an imbalance; yet there has been an imbalance for decades.
To those who will call me a “conspiracy theorist” or crazy, let it be known, I used to work in several manufacturing plants that used to produce items here in America. Even have a Masters degree and have yet to depend on the government despite being unemployed multiple instances. Job killing regulations didn’t help much either and let me tell you, I have nothing against regulations that generally are for the betterment for others, yet few are such. Most are to maintain a monopoly and stifle any real opportunity for competition in the free market place.
There was a time and perhaps as in recent years this might come back, taking pride in your country as a whole wasn’t considered bad, nor should you be ashamed of being an American. Sadly, a vast deal of Americans seem to have no issue with the destruction of their country in the justification of political correctness or “diversity” as they call it. Sure history isn’t perfect, yet if you study history objectively and not cherry pick what you do not like about this, there is a sincere opportunity to learn from this. Selectivity serves no one except those that want to whitewash history and create false narratives.
Sure globalism does make sense as other countries, China for example has far less regulations and the pay rate is significantly much less. Most don’t care about this as this isn’t happening in America and or they just don’t care, yet human rights abuses run rampant as does child labor and the Chinese government won’t address this due to their legitimate structure. Those Americans that hate America wouldn’t last a day in China, North Korea, Russia or any any non western country, as they take the liberties and laws in USA for granted. No where else in the world is there a first or second amendment.
Companies/corporations that once made a product here domestically aren’t outsourcing usually due to quality, “skilled labor” or my favorite buzzword phrase “they’ll do the work Americans refuse to do”, usually this is because of cheap labor. Hence why so called American companies LOVE visas, globalism and have disdain for competition. Some I’ve personally spoken to brazenly admitted this without any remorse if this creates more unemployment, as long as they keep their typically high salary, nothing else matters.
For decades I warned against this as I was lucky enough to have mentors when I was younger that foresaw this shift. First this was the automotive industry, then the steel industry, electronic/IT industry and eventually this will take over even the insulated industries/jobs that haven’t been truly impacted yet. Some thought I was crazy to think once Irwin/Rubbermaid bought out Vise Grip the entire production would eventually shut down the Dewitt plant and that Nicholson would offshore all files as well. Sadly I was right then and I wish I wasn’t.
Believe me, I wish more products were made in USA and I’d like to think other countries citizens would say the same about their country. Interventionism hasn’t helped anyone except for the powers that be to be blunt. Why in earth should America be helping other countries when we have our own share of issues to address first and foremost? Open communication and reciprocal deals are fine, yet I truly think our nation cannot survive in the long run if we continue to believe the falsehoods of globalism.
Kevin Franklin
I figure that I will invest in the slim and stubby versions now offered. I own a couple of sets of Dewalt mechanics tools that I keep for travel and emergency use and I do like the quality of the products. I am a retired body tech that relied on Snap-on, Cornwell and Matco for most of my hand tools and while they are not of that quality, I do like them. The Dewalt sockets and extensions are very well made and would be a great choice for the above average DIY user. The ratchets are a bit heavy but they are smooth. I gave my grandson a set to use in his Auto mechanics class at school and he has no complaints.
Nathan
I will need to heft one of the new offerings again – I’m still on the search for a new ratchet or 2.
But I’m mostly leaning towards SK for the most used 2 and cheapo for other use.
I like the new husky high tooth model . I currently have german low tooth models – and I’m not impressed at all due to the slop in them. (I believe they are 40 tooth). strong, light, and thin absolutely.
I’ll give them another look but I don’t expect much
Hang Fire
After much fiddling and a few minor injuries, the only Flex Head ratchets I will own are locking head. Dewalt’s does not appear to lock. I am loving my NAPA locking flex head with a very small head (for getting in tight places).
All those divots and interior angles on the handles hurt on hard pulls.
I’m not even going to try to be excited.
Johhny
Dewalt seems to be the heaviest ratchet among other brands. The closest ratchet in weight pulls 20% lighter. E-Z RED, for example. And you know, it’s probably a good idea
Jake
*blows of the dust* ….. Well I haven’t tried the ratchets, but I recently ordered a 9-pc set of metric double box-end offset wrenches, to add to my travel kit, that are pretty nice, and that came with a nice high quality roll pouch.
The chrome is good; sizes are stamped; typ length; they have noticeably narrower beams than most other brands, and also noticeably square-er edges, (probably an experiment on using less steel), but I don’t typ use offsets all that often, so I don’t foresee the narrower/square-er beams being a concern.
Only downside to the nice heavy canvas roll pouch….is that the wrench pockets are clear plastic—like the Stanley Proto pouches—which will undoubtedly harden and crank over time.