We’ve posted about ratcheting adjustable wrenches from Sears before. Now it looks like they’re selling a more promising ratcheting adjustable wrench from Schroeder. Unlike the laminated steel Reflex, the Schroeder wrench is actually forged from chrome-vanadium steel and heat treated.
The wrench appears to ratchet by using a spring-loaded worm gear that allows the adjustable jaw to move when it turns in one direction and probably jams the jaw against the fastener in the other. A switch on the side of the wrench controls whether the worm gear moves, allowing the jaw to ratchet, or remain fixed.
There’s not much more information about this wrench. For instance they don’t list the length, but the etched scale on the head shows the jaws only open 25mm (1″ wide), so this isn’t a large wrench, maybe a 6″ or a 8″.
After doing a bit of searching, it seems that Sears has a monopoly on this wrench. They’re charging $15 plus tax at the store.
Ratcheting Adjustable Wrench [Sears]