There are lots of people on here with a broad range of knowledge. The man asked about re building a ratchet hoping someone might be able to help him out. I don't see how that warrants some of the responses he received.
Frugal enough to be satisfied with something as long as it works properly, I am still using a Bausch & Lomb Zoom 60 bought in 1971 when I first moved to the Yukon. It has endured plenty of bumps and bruises, and also spent some time under the muddy Stewart River during a Spring bear hunting trip. That occasion required a complete disassembly and cleaning in camp that night. It certainly looks its age, but still reads bullet holes at 200 meters and counts growth rings on sheep horns.
About two months ago, I replaced the transmission on our clothes washing machine with one found for the cost of the travel to the local dump and about two hours of my time. That little effort save us about $600. Two days ago, I Jiffy-Sewed an old pair of jeans before I went fishing and trolled up a nice lake trout for dinner.
My 40+ years old Kelty pack frame and bag is going into the mountains on the 17th of this month on a younger back than mine, but will do just fine.
Not difficult at all for me to understand the desire to fix that ratchet. Unfortunately, the throw-away-and-replace paradigm has become so entrenched in our culture that repair is becoming a lost path to perfectly good use of appliances, tools, and other equipment.
Ted
