Author Topic: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet  (Read 4738 times)

Offline coolmercury

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S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« on: March 31, 2019, 04:08:46 PM »
I have had a user S-K ratchet like this one in my user box for years as it often comes in handy.  However, this one is an S-K Wayne with the patent number and apparently less common.  Picked it up as a choice at an auction yesterday.  And yes, I didn't pay much for it as everyone present was only interested in Snap-on.

Offline ken w.

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2019, 04:54:36 PM »
I've had a few of them. SK doesn't make this anymore. I sent one in because of chrome peel and they sent me a regular flex head in exchange. I like these.

Offline bonneyman

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2019, 07:53:13 PM »
Yeah, alot of people are Snappy-centric and don't even look at anything else as beneath them. Which is fine with me - leaves more quality tools for me to grab!

I bought a roto-head from Phil some years ago. Nice tool, interesting design. But it sat unused in my shop for about 2 years so I ended up selling it.

Offline lauver

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2019, 09:07:37 PM »
Bman,

Great score, excellent vintage, and VG condition :-\

You done good on this one.

I've got a couple of GearWrench roto-head ratchets that I picked up at Sears when they had a 50% off sale.  They work great in many tricky situations but also work well as a standard fixed-head ratchet when there's plenty of room.  I've also used them as a ratcheting spinner handle when the mood struck me.  Cool stuff!
When my wife leaves me, my dog dies, and they repossess my home, I'll still have my tools.

Offline Davethorik

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2019, 08:52:42 AM »
I have an SK in a diamond 3780 with the patent number. These are great rats, SK should bring them back. And they should make a 1/4 version.

Offline bonneyman

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2019, 10:29:11 AM »
I have an SK in a diamond 3780 with the patent number. These are great rats, SK should bring them back. And they should make a 1/4 version.

IDK, but I think S-K's new owners IDEAL are moving in the "bring out new" designs rather than bring back old troopers. JMHO of course.

Offline GNAP

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2019, 11:54:39 AM »
I have an SK in a diamond 3780 with the patent number. These are great rats, SK should bring them back. And they should make a 1/4 version.

IDK, but I think S-K's new owners IDEAL are moving in the "bring out new" designs rather than bring back old troopers. JMHO of course.

Probably hard for modern management to re-introduce a product, that didn’t sell well enough the first time around
jack

Offline fatfillup

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2019, 04:00:45 PM »
I love rotohead ratchets and have several in the personal collection.  3 snappys live on my tool cart and I actually bought them off the truck well before I started selling tools.

The SK's are nice and have sold everyone I have come across but sadly, I think GNAP is right, they didn't sell well new as I don't see many on the used market.

Offline GNAP

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2019, 04:50:40 PM »
I have somewhere between 15-20 of them, most people found them big, cumbersome and quirky (a gimmick). My brother ran a hardware store, he was a SK rep, he bought one of them for store stock, I bought it as part of the hardware store closure sale, it had been on display for 20+ yrs, with little or no interest.
jack

Offline thesilverone

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2019, 08:41:53 AM »
love me some roto heads

Offline bmwrd0

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2019, 07:16:09 PM »
People love them, but I don't use my regular flex head enough to justify one.

Offline Davethorik

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2019, 10:08:15 PM »
Here is my 3870.
Marked with patent 2,977,824 granted to SK powerhouse ratchet designer T. Rueb (who also invented and improved the SK round head) on April 4, 1961.

This one isn't the prettiest with plating wear but works great, she's not afraid of getting her hands dirty either...finished a brake job on my Accord after my brand new Proto XL ratchet I was using broke.

I think I read somewhere that after Symington Wayne bought SK and Lectrolite in 1962, there was a delay to retool production lines to stamp tools SK Wayne. This delay was 1 or 2 years.

The gentleman I bought it off of purchased it new in the spring of 1963. So who knows if it was a leftover from original SK, or an SK Wayne made with the old tooling. I've only seen a couple other examples like this leading me to believe there aren't many. Idk if I'd say rarest Roto...

Probably the rarest Roto I've seen was a JC Penney stamped version in a red/translucent plastic pouch (from the brief period of time SK made tools for Penneys). It came with something else small, maybe spark plug sockets or an extension. Someone over on the journal had one, it was NOS in pouch and very drool worthy.

Offline Uncle Buck

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Re: S-K Wayne 3/8" flex/swivel head ratchet
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2019, 12:45:25 PM »
I love roto heads so much. I have an SK in 3/8 drive, my favorite roto. I could not justify the cost of roto heads in truck brands so I bought HF roto heads in 1/4 and 1/2 from HF before Gearwrench came out with them. Honestly, the HF are fine tooth and the only bad part about them is the hokey HF handles. But ya, roto heads are great stuff, real goodness there!
You boys better hold on cause I'm gonna have to stand on it!