Who Makes The Smoothest Ratchet with the Lightest Back Drag?

Who Makes The Smoothest Ratchet with the Lightest Back Drag? When some people say "smooth" it seems to me you would be talking about the amount of drag in the mechanism. Others may seem to be referring to the audible sound and tactile click of the mechanism ratchets. I very much care about the amount of back drag in a ratchet, because this can affect the ratchet's use and ability to perform some jobs. The amount of noise or the feel of the clicking when it ratchets typical is not something I focus on.

So what attributes can directly contribute to a ratchet "smoothness"? There isn't one single factor that determines smoothness. However, a few of the biggest determining factors that I found are lubrication amount and type as well as wear and usage. Other things to consider are ratchet tool design, tooth count of gear, # of teeth on the pawl, and spring tension of the pawl to gear anvil. Keep in mind that lubrication type can and will affect "smoothness." If you pack a ratchet with thick heavy grease it will make less noise, but in some ratchets won't work as well with grease when compared to light oil.

Some individuals might believe the most important factor for smoothness is a specific brand or a personal bias, others might say that smoothness and feel are overrated. I can personally tell you that after measuring 27 different ratchets in this video with an Inch Ounce torque screwdriver there is a difference and we put numbers against each tool tested so that we can objectively rate who makes the smoothest ratchet. The rest is up to you; properly maintain your tools and get out and use them!