An very important and possibly divisive topic!

[Old Busted Hotness]

Opinion time! Which way is the RIGHT way for a ratchet flipper to swing?

These are all set for CW rotation. But the flippers go different ways. Drives me nuts. The two Craftsman and the two Powerbuilt stubbies run the same as each other, but the two Kobalts don't.

My opinion, FWIW: The top of the flipper should indicate the direction of travel. So the Craftsmen, BenchTop and Kobalt 3/8 are correct, and the others are wrong.

You might think your thumb should indicate the direction of travel, and the Kobalt 1/2 and Powerbuilts are correct.

All votes will be counted fairly.

[Zaphod's Heart of Gold]

When you say set for CW rotation they are all set to tighten a standard RH threaded bolt?

Honestly I'd have to check mine, my Tektons are all consistent in the same direction and I believe match the direction of all my previous Kobalt ratchets as well but off hand I cannot tell you which way is what, I pop a socket on and check then flip if I need it to go the other way. I do like your collection of quick release ratchets though, I have used QRs for years and bought a new set to match. What they give up in head depth (very little in the case of my new Tektons) they add in secure holding and the ability to remove a socket with greasy hands which I always seem to end up with

[Jarrett]

I click mine back and forth until I find the right way.

[Old Busted Hotness]

@zaphod-s-heart-of-gold Correct, they are all set to tighten a RH thread.

I suppose I'm spoiled. My first ratchet (back in 1980) was a Craftsman QR and those are all I've ever used. I suppose there are people who think all QRs are wrong, and rotating a tab at the center is the only correct way. My air ratchet does that, and you turn the center left to make it go right. That don't make no sense.

[Urambo Tauro]

@old-busted-hotness I grew up on Craftsman. It feels more natural to me for the switch to point in the direction that I can apply pressure.

And I always put my ratchets away set for loosening, as that will likely be the direction needed next time I take one out of the drawer.

[Tripper]

It doesn't matter, I'll have to check at least twice anyway.

[Zaphod's Heart of Gold]

@old-busted-hotness said in An very important and possibly divisive topic!:

@zaphod-s-heart-of-gold Correct, they are all set to tighten a RH thread.

I suppose I'm spoiled. My first ratchet (back in 1980) was a Craftsman QR and those are all I've ever used. I suppose there are people who think all QRs are wrong, and rotating a tab at the center is the only correct way. My air ratchet does that, and you turn the center left to make it go right. That don't make no sense.

Round heads are still preferred by some people, I believe SK and Proto make high quality ones but they are not my preferred style. Obviously a roto head has the selector on the back of the rotating mechanism as well.

But there are lots of pear heads with a selector lever that are non-QR; snap-on, matco, gearwrench all make non-qrs as standard and a couple of those are considered industry leaders in the US

[LooseonExit]

@Old-Busted-Hotness Much like a USB it's always the wrong way the first time. But I'm a flipper head guy...

[Ed]

Flipper should indicate direction.

@old-busted-hotness said in An very important and possibly divisive topic!:

Opinion time! Which way is the RIGHT way for a ratchet flipper to swing?

All votes will be counted fairly.

There are serious irregularities in your flipper consistency. We'll need a recount, un-doctored video demonstration, doctored video demonstration, and a few commissions to determine if this was rigged.

Unless I win, in which case, it's cool.

[frinesi2]

It's like a USB plug. It doesn't matter which way it's set, it's the wrong way.

[Ed]

@frinesi2 USB-C will change your life

[Zaphod's Heart of Gold]

@frinesi2 It's easy - whatever you were doing before, flip the lever. Then flip it back because after you were done with the last task you already flipped it.

[Bandit]

Flippers? Nah, I'm all about dials!

[AdverseMartyr]

@bandit Yes, that way it is never set for the wrong direction at first... instead, it's stuck in the middle, and you can fight with it for 30-40 seconds in the freezing cold only for it to unlock the mechanism the way you don't need it to work.
Then it freezes in the middle again, and you give up to go warm your hands around a cold beer because that's not frozen, but your fingers are.

[Old Busted Hotness]

@adversemartyr And you have no visual indication of which way it's set to begin with.

[ibRAD]

Definitely flipper head. Point it the way you want to go, and then go!

[Shop-Teacher]

@old-busted-hotness I have never given a moment's thought to this. I don't even look, I just try the ratchet when I grab it, and see if it's going the right way.

[KAC]

@old-busted-hotness TIL there's more than one way for ratchet flippers to swing.

[Jb boin]

I never thought it was not "standard", which to me is the other way around compared to what you think is right.

Or simply go for a dial :

[MM54]

None of them. The round tab on the back should rotate, not some tiny little switch that will get caught on things in the middle of working in a tight space.

[Longtime Lurker]

@old-busted-hotness It doesn't matter. If it truly mattered you would have checked before you bought your ratchets. If it truly mattered to you would sell your "wrong" ones and buy new "correct" ones.
Just for the record here are mine, set for CW rotation. All the switches turned opposite to the direction of travel.

[Old Busted Hotness]

Bump for the night crew.