What the heck do I have???

[Russ T. Toolz]

Greetings gentlemen. New guy here. I need your expert help in identifying a ratchet. Of course I've searched and read and learned all I could before bothering y'all but I'm still flummoxed. I understand that there are date codes on Snap On tools but I've never really seen any mention of just WHERE these codes are located nor if it is in a consistent spot. I recently ran across the ratchet pictured here in a friend's tool box. Along with this Snap On ratchet he also had a Plomb War Finish stamped ratchet and plenty of other high end American made tools. Seems my friend's Dad was a PBM mechanic in dub-dub two and these were his tools. I've searched for a GF70S model but can't find much. I did find one exactly like this ratchet listed on the British Ebay site but the description didn't tell me much. Is the "G" in the GF70S model number the "G" (Government) date code? What does the "S" mean. It appears that this ratchet has the industrial finish of the government model so best I can tell, until you experts steer me in another direction, is that this is a F70 made in 1945. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[agmechjake]

"G" designates industrial finish or black oxide coating rather than chrome. The date code could be stamped in the ratchet body or between the on/off or no stamp at all.

Found this: http://collectingsnapon.com/catalogs/ca ... gPage=2466

[Russ T. Toolz]

Thanks agmechjake. So if I understand this correctly the "G" in GF70S indicates a black industrial finish, the F70 is simply the model, but then what does the "S" indicate? The link to the catalog you posted was very helpful and through a keyword search I was able to find the exact model (GF70S) in the 1971-1979 catalogs. Other earlier catalogs have GF70(?) models followed by other letters and appear to have the same specs. I guess my remaining question is, was this exact model, the GF70S only made in 1971-1979? I can not find any other markings or date stamp on the tool to indicate the year it was manufactured and up to this point I haven't found it listed in any older catalogs. Thanks for your help.