Zyklop Speed Ratchet - The World's First Pain Free Ratchet

If you look hard enough, there is usually a way to make an improvement. Despite this fact, it’s often hard to come up with ways to innovate and make longstanding essential tools better if they do a “good enough” job of getting things done. This is why tools like the adjustable wrench or the ratchet – both invented in the 1800s – can go relatively unchanged for nearly 200 years. Mankind gets into a rut sometimes when “the way we’ve always done it” is comfortable and easy enough to justify not making further changes. After all, there is something to be said for “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But that doesn’t always hold true. Our most recent blog addresses how the adjustable wrench finally received an upgrade after all these years, and it’s a move for the better. Like the adjustable wrench, the ratchet also hit a point of stagnation at some point and toolmakers were just fine with it. After all, 200 years with no major breakthroughs must mean nothing else can change, right?

Wrong!

Once again, the Tool Rebels have taken a tool mainstay and found a way to make it new and fresh while simultaneously removing longstanding pain points. Wera has taken the common ratchet and redesigned it from scratch to make the Zyklop speed ratchet. Zyklop, is of course Wera’s umbrella category for most of their ratchets, but the speed ratchet is where they’ve done their best work. With the speed ratchet, Wera has changed the ratchet in such a revolutionary way that it’s surprising no one else has copied them, but it’s not a surprise that no one else has come up with something better.

Whereas the traditional ratchet is overall a grudgingly useable tool, there are times when it becomes frustrating. Particularly when you’re turning something that’s loose and trying to work the action back. The worst thing about using conventional ratchets, though is probably that they’re hard to use in tight spots or at weird angles. The Zyklop speed ratchet solves all of those problems and does more besides. On top of that, it also features the always comfortable to use Wera Kraftform handle.

The features that set Wera’s speed ratchet apart from the traditional ratchet are: 

• Really fast movers – screwdriving is sped up via gyrating mass and the free turning sleeve which accelerate the ratcheting and turning action and make work faster
• Small return angle – The Zyklop uses 72 fine pitched teeth to provide a 5-degree return angle making work faster and allowing work in tight spaces
• Ball lock – The Zyklop locks the socket in place with a small ball joint that can be released with the push of a button on the back of the ratchet head
• Freely Pivoting Ratchet Head – The Zyklop gives you incredible flexibility to work with its flexible head capable of working from five different positions. The head locks on the left or right side at 0-degrees, 15-degrees and 90-degrees and this flexibility lets you work with a secure hold even in tight spaces
• Left/right operations – The thumbwheel on the ratchet head allows you to change the direction of rotation quickly and with practically no effort
• Conventional Screwdriver – Moving the head to 0-degrees (straight up and down) allows you to turn the ratchet the way you would a normal screwdriver. With a special adaptor, you can use the Zyklop with screwdriver bits. Of course, as is shown in Wera’s video, you can use this to quickly turn nuts and bolts with the conventional sockets as well
• Ratchet head – The head of the Zyklop ratchets is designed with ergonomics in mind making it easy on your fingers to turn the head

Each of these features not only help make the Zyklop speed ratchet a practically perfect tool, but it also enables the speed ratchet to take the place of seven tools (six different ratchets and actually probably replaces a ton of screwdrivers), freeing up space in your toolbox.

If you want to get your hands on just the Zyklop speed ratchet by itself, you’ve got a few different options. The Zyklop speed ratchet comes in ¼” drive (also in different packaging), 3/8” drive (also in different packaging), and in ½” drive. If for some reason you’re your 3/8” drive speed ratchet should wear out, you can buy the repair kit and fix it in a few minutes.

If you want to get the Zyklop speed ratchet with sockets and a nice case, that option is available too there are really too many to go through here, however some highlights would include Wera’s ¼” drive 42-piece metric set. This comes with the speed ratchet, sockets, various adaptors and a tough case. You can find a similar set in Imperial too. If you have a speed ratchet already or opt to just get the ratchet itself, you can pick up individual sockets or socket sets as well. Again, there are many different options available so take a look around the shop and find the ratchet and/or socket solution that works for your toolbox.

With Wera’s Zyklop speed ratchet your work will become easier and faster removing most of the frustration you would otherwise encounter. Wera’s redesign of the ratchet is truly revolutionary as would be expected coming from the Tool Rebels, give it a try!