How do your ratchet handles work?

[JimAttrill]

In many years, I have owned and used many makes of ratchet handle. All of them, whether Britool, Stahlwille, Snap-on etc had the following way of working: if you click the lever to the left, that is to go cw, ie. to do up a nut, and to click to the right to go acw, to undo the nut.

Recently I have bought a King Tony socket set, seems to be very high quality, possibly made in Japan, and the ratchet handle works the other way round, which I find confusing after all these years - must be 45 or so by now.

Is this some weird Jap standard, like having the indicators on the right of the steering wheel? I was always convinced that the 'normal' method was intuitive, the other way seems wrong to me.

Maybe I should buy another ratchet handle, but good ones are very pricey.

ps by intuitive, I mean clicking the lever cw to go cw and vv seems to make sense to me.

[Vanny]

my feeling is that the setup should be lever left for loose, lever right for tight (lefty loosey, righty righty), since that is the was most fittings do up. My tool box has a mix of US ratchets (that use this system) and UK ratchets that are the opposite way round. These days i find there is such a mix that i just check as i go unless i know for definite which way the ratchet is setup.

[JimAttrill]

Funny, I remember Snap-On ratchets being the same as Britool and the others. It's just that I thought that this was a useful standard for once.

[Les Henson]

I have 6 and just to be a bit sad, I checked them. They all work the same way - flick the lever to the left to do up and to the right to undo.

Les.

[FridgeFreezer]

I have a couple of different ones and at least one works the opposite way, but it's too cold out there to go and check

[paintman]

And my Facom one has a disc on top that you turn instead of a lever.

[stravaigin]

I have a mix too. The problem I find with the "wrong" way is that its too easy to inadvertently switch direction, especially working in a confined space at arms length where you cant see whats going on, 3am and my shift finished at 2 and the hob nobs were finished at 12 but the dam machine is needed for a life or death mission at fist light!

[bluespanner]

I find cheap nasty japanese ratchets work the wrong way. My Armstrong and Snap-On ratchets both work the right way and I get very confused when using the other type.

[landmannnn]

Is this some weird Jap standard, like having the indicators on the right of the steering wheel? I was always convinced that the 'normal' method was intuitive, the other way seems wrong to me.

Indicators on the right hand side of the wheel is the proper standard. You change gear with your left hand and indicate with the right.

[bluespanner]

Indicators on the right hand side of the wheel is the proper standard. You change gear with your left hand and indicate with the right.

I thought it was: mate changes gear, beer in left hand, steer with knees and fag in right hand?

[Guest noggy]

All you old boys!!

how can the direction of the switch on a ratchet be confusing?

if the bolts/nut comes out/off and you want it to go in/on, just flick it the other way!!

amd les, i cant believe you went and checked your ratchets

[BogMonster]

King Tony

Isn't that something normally said about a former prime minister? As in

'King Tony

I think you are right, and I think all mine work the way you say.

[Handy_Andy]

I thought it was: mate changes gear, beer in left hand, steer with knees and fag in right hand?

and Mobile tucked between sholder and ear...

[JimAttrill]

Q: how can you spot a hired car?

A: goes round corners with wipers on when it isn't raining.