Vintage Craftsman 1/2 " Butterfly " Flying V " Torque Wrench Ratchet - [Holy Grail]
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:738788 | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
| Brand: Craftsman |
Welcome to the Craftsman USA Ratchet History Project eBay page!
If you are looking for a Vintage Craftsman 1/2" Butterfly "Flying V" Torque Wrench Ratchet, you've come to the right place!
Here is what you get:
- The torque wrench has its original oil port- The torque wrench is free of "owners" marks- The torque wrench functions like it was brand new- Cosmetic condition of the torque wrench is NEW- Cosmetic condition of the torque wrench's selector is NEW
- The torqu...e wrench has been disassembled, cleaned, inspected, & lubricated
Officially, they were designated internally within Sears as the "Butterfly" ratchets and were offered through the physical Sears Catalog from 1959 through 1966. Among enthusiasts, they are commonly called the "Flying V" ratchets, as their selector design was very much in alignment with the "V" flair found on everything from cars to guitars.
These ratchets sport a variable drive system based on the size of the ratchet, which was common for the era. The 1/2" Butterfly ratchet sports a 32 tooth gear with 2 tooth engagement per side pawl. The 3/8" & 1/4" Butterfly ratchets both sport a 24 tooth gear with a 2 tooth engagement per side pawl. While these ratchets did have an inventory number within the Sears Catalog, it was not imprinted on them. Sears often reused the same inventory number for corresponding size ratchets regardless of their pedigree during this time.
It is often difficult to find ratchets within this family that function appropriately, are in good cosmetic condition, and have selectors that are not destroyed. Typically, selectors are in poor condition due to the metallurgy technology of the time, where they were made of a softer stainless steel.
This torque wrench was co-developed by Moore Drop Forge and Utica Tools back the early 1960s. It was the first adjustable, self contained, ratcheting torque wrench offered under the Craftsman banner. The Craftsman "Flying V" Torque Wrench Ratchet is the MOST difficult torque wrench to obtain in the Craftsman family. Why is this the case? This torque wrench was released only for ~6 months in 1966, where it found itself competing for space against the Craftsman "Intermediate" and "Quick Release" ratchet families all at the same time. By this point, Sears was transitioning to the aforementioned platforms, where the Flying V ratchets were being discontinued. The Flying V torque wrench was exclusive only to a small Craftsman brochure, which was circulated to businesses, parts distributors, fabrication shops, etc.
There is a good reason why you never see these available or in this kind of condition. They were produced in low quantity and most that were purchased were used, abused, and discarded. The product number, 4444, can be seen in the photos, which was specific only to this torque wrench. If you are a Craftsman ratchet collector, this is a HOLY GRAIL piece!
Proceeds will help toward the cost of A/V equipment, editing, and other aspects of the coming higher quality "reboot" of the series.
Paypal is the only method of payment accepted. All items are shipped within 1 to 2 days after payment. You will be promptly notified of every step of the shipping process. I am known for my excellent packaging practices, so rest assured your item(s) will arrive as advertised. Contact me with any questions you have about this specific auction or any questions about Craftsman ratchets in general. I'll have happy to answer anything you'd like to know. Also, should you have any concerns, reach out to me first.
**If you would like to learn more about the Craftsman Butterfly "Flying V" Ratchet family, be sure to check out my "Craftsman USA Ratchet History: Long Lever & Butterfly Selector Ratchets (2nd Gen. Raised Panel)" video on YouTube! ^_^ **
*DISCLAIMER: Portions of this auction description are word for word from my up coming book: Craftsman Tools: An American Lexicon. Using this auction description for personal or commercial monetary transaction is prohibited other than myself, the publisher, Sears, or Stanley Black & Decker.*
If you are looking for a Vintage Craftsman 1/2" Butterfly "Flying V" Torque Wrench Ratchet, you've come to the right place!
Here is what you get:
- The torque wrench has its original oil port- The torque wrench is free of "owners" marks- The torque wrench functions like it was brand new- Cosmetic condition of the torque wrench is NEW- Cosmetic condition of the torque wrench's selector is NEW
- The torqu...e wrench has been disassembled, cleaned, inspected, & lubricated
Officially, they were designated internally within Sears as the "Butterfly" ratchets and were offered through the physical Sears Catalog from 1959 through 1966. Among enthusiasts, they are commonly called the "Flying V" ratchets, as their selector design was very much in alignment with the "V" flair found on everything from cars to guitars.
These ratchets sport a variable drive system based on the size of the ratchet, which was common for the era. The 1/2" Butterfly ratchet sports a 32 tooth gear with 2 tooth engagement per side pawl. The 3/8" & 1/4" Butterfly ratchets both sport a 24 tooth gear with a 2 tooth engagement per side pawl. While these ratchets did have an inventory number within the Sears Catalog, it was not imprinted on them. Sears often reused the same inventory number for corresponding size ratchets regardless of their pedigree during this time.
It is often difficult to find ratchets within this family that function appropriately, are in good cosmetic condition, and have selectors that are not destroyed. Typically, selectors are in poor condition due to the metallurgy technology of the time, where they were made of a softer stainless steel.
This torque wrench was co-developed by Moore Drop Forge and Utica Tools back the early 1960s. It was the first adjustable, self contained, ratcheting torque wrench offered under the Craftsman banner. The Craftsman "Flying V" Torque Wrench Ratchet is the MOST difficult torque wrench to obtain in the Craftsman family. Why is this the case? This torque wrench was released only for ~6 months in 1966, where it found itself competing for space against the Craftsman "Intermediate" and "Quick Release" ratchet families all at the same time. By this point, Sears was transitioning to the aforementioned platforms, where the Flying V ratchets were being discontinued. The Flying V torque wrench was exclusive only to a small Craftsman brochure, which was circulated to businesses, parts distributors, fabrication shops, etc.
There is a good reason why you never see these available or in this kind of condition. They were produced in low quantity and most that were purchased were used, abused, and discarded. The product number, 4444, can be seen in the photos, which was specific only to this torque wrench. If you are a Craftsman ratchet collector, this is a HOLY GRAIL piece!
Proceeds will help toward the cost of A/V equipment, editing, and other aspects of the coming higher quality "reboot" of the series.
Paypal is the only method of payment accepted. All items are shipped within 1 to 2 days after payment. You will be promptly notified of every step of the shipping process. I am known for my excellent packaging practices, so rest assured your item(s) will arrive as advertised. Contact me with any questions you have about this specific auction or any questions about Craftsman ratchets in general. I'll have happy to answer anything you'd like to know. Also, should you have any concerns, reach out to me first.
**If you would like to learn more about the Craftsman Butterfly "Flying V" Ratchet family, be sure to check out my "Craftsman USA Ratchet History: Long Lever & Butterfly Selector Ratchets (2nd Gen. Raised Panel)" video on YouTube! ^_^ **
*DISCLAIMER: Portions of this auction description are word for word from my up coming book: Craftsman Tools: An American Lexicon. Using this auction description for personal or commercial monetary transaction is prohibited other than myself, the publisher, Sears, or Stanley Black & Decker.*
