Tool Brands to watch for:

[Clayon]

I just thought that it may be a good thread idea to bring up a thread about some good tool brands to watch for that aren't as main stream as Craftsman, Mac, and SnapOn.

I recently had a conversation with a old timer who used to be a Mac tools rep who was telling me about how the Stanley company worked. He said Mac was the high end Stanley brand aimed towards the automotive industry and Proto is the brand marketed to industrial shops that do heavy equipment work, and mine shops. According to him Proto and Mac are the same quality stuff, just some of Mac stuff is nicer with fancier handles, etc. A good thing about knowing this is often you can pick up Proto tools cheaper then Mac tools used because it is less popular of a brand.

If anybody else has info like this, or about a certain tool brand that we may not know about that is really good, please post that info in this thread.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[massacre]

I have heard so many stories like this over the years, not sure which ones to believe lol.

Blue Point tools are now made in China, this is kind of a bummer to me. I have some old BP stuff that my Grandfather gave me and I still use those tools every day and they are great quality. I believe in buying American made whenever possible but it's getting hard to do so anymore. My tools are 90% Snap On which is fine but some of their stuff is just SO expensive. I am a fleet mechanic and believe me Snap On tools really do make a huge difference when used all day every day, but you're going to pay top dollar.

 

[vwfan79]

Just for those that didn't know Blue Point is Snap Ons less expensive brand, although still a good tool. Matco also has a secondary brand called Silver Eagle. Harbour Frieght sells Pittsburg tools which are very reasonably priced and are life time warranty, I have a set of 1/2" drive impact sockets I've been using for 3 years now and not one issue, they get used all day every day too. IIRC I only payed $50 for the set of standard and metric sizes.

 

[chipper]

Old mechanic friend I have swears by Cornwell ?

 

[Clayon]

I've hear good things about Cornwell but never have had any. I am a machinist at a shop that does lots of millwrighting and my stuff is mostly Mac and Proto stuff with some westward stuff for the time being. I've found some westward stuff such as wrenches and air tools to be okay and they are pretty good about there lifetime warranty too.

The old Blackhawk tools made by the Stanley company are pretty good, but they are now made in China.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stangrcr1]

When I first started working on stuff as a teen, my parents bought me a Master Mechanic socket set from True Value hardware. The ratchet broke after a few years and was replaced with Craftsman, but otherwise regularly used for the past 30+ years.

 

[KustomKartKid]

Old Craftsman is pretty good stuff...I wouldn't take the new China stuff for free. My kid has one of the old gray hammertone/ red drawer boxes from the 60's, it's filled with old Craftsman stuff we buy at swap meets.

They seem really great until you go back and pick up a Snap-On wrench..no comparison really but the prices are out there. I bought my Snap-On stuff back in the 70's on the $50 weekly payment plan...could never afford it today.

Proto is good stuff..a guy gave me an old Proto spud ratchet like the iron workers use...black oxide finish, has a ratchet head on one end and a tapered pin on the other for aligning holes. This one came off the assembly line of the long gone GM motor plant here in Linden.

If it held up on the line all those years I'd say it's gotta be a pretty good tool.

I had another one where the ratchet only turned one direction....clockwise. There was no reversing lever. I guess they figured nobody would steal a one-way ratchet. I can't find it now...:shrug:


.

 

[Boomstick]

I have a few sets of pre-war Blackhawks. They're absolutely fantastic. 80+ years & they still work hard. That, and having been soaked in oil & grime all of their lives has kind of seasoned them the same way you would a cast-iron frying pan. There is really nothing like OLD American steel.

Second in line are Snap-On, Proto & Blue-Point. Blue Point from what I remember is the budget Snap-On. All are excellent products.


New Crapsman stuff is marginally better than Harbor Freight. I get them for free or next to it, I break them a little more than the previous owner did & throw them in the scrap pile.

 

[Inventorpardue]

I have a wildly varied collection of hand wrenches, some unlabelled. Much of it bought as needed, some came from around here where railroad people retire. In my boxes are hand tools with names like old Craftsman and Husky (KK is right, the old stuff), Mac, Matco, SnapOn, Krauter, SK, SK-Wayne, Proto, Industro, PowrKraft, Cornwell, Bonny, Williams, Utica, Wizard, Kobalt, Milwaukee, Ford, Velcheck, Blackhawk, K-D, Plomb, Wiha, Xcelite, Hazet, Thorsen, P&C (aircraft/military), Stahl-Willie, and Armstrong.

 

[massacre]

I gotta say I am a big fan of the Snap On flank drive plus wrenches, they really grab well on the open end, better than most.
I also have some Blachawk, proto, Williams, Mac, old Craftsman etc. all of them work great.

 

[cpt.slow]

I have heard so many stories like this over the years, not sure which ones to believe lol.

Blue Point tools are now made in China, this is kind of a bummer to me. I have some old BP stuff that my Grandfather gave me and I still use those tools every day and they are great quality. I believe in buying American made whenever possible but it's getting hard to do so anymore. My tools are 90% Snap On which is fine but some of their stuff is just SO expensive. I am a fleet mechanic and believe me Snap On tools really do make a huge difference when used all day every day, but you're going to pay top dollar.

theres more forigen parts in a usdm ford than a usdm honda. ford engines are built in england too

 

[Boomstick]

theres more forigen parts in a usdm ford than a usdm honda. ford engines are built in england too

Wrong, Canada builds most of Ford's drivetrains & chassis'.

Weirdly enough, the canucks seem to do a really good job for a third world country. :wink:

 

[rmm727]

To me, you want a brand that is warrantied for life that doesn't break all the time and is easy to exchange. I have had Craftsman all my life but lately I will get sets that are good deals and guaranteed. I have always wanted a Snap-On set but they are too much money. I don't make money with my tools so it doesn't make sense for me to spend that kinda money. I also have been concerned about tool truck drivers that want to nit pick a warrantied item.

 

[massacre]

To be honest, you don't need Snap On everything, but some of their stuff is just really good, like their screwdrivers and wrenches are some of the best I have ever used. Their ratchets are also a favorite of mine.
Our Snap On rep is great, call him he is right there no hassle with exchanges, he will make deals, etc. I can see where having a crappy rep would sour people on Snap On tools though.

We also have a more generic tool guy that comes by every week. He sells Lisle and stuff like that. He has great prices and is also a great and very knowledgeable guy.
So if I need say a hubcap remover or remote hose clamp pliers, I buy from him since it doesn't have to be Snap On in that instance.
So basically IMHO there are some tools that are worth the money and some that aren't.
Keep in mind that I make money with my tools so I approach it differently than others may.

My Father is also a mechanic and my Grandfather was a machinist so there have always been tools around since I was a little kid lol.

 

[paul_probus]

I only skimmed through the replies, so I don't know if this has been mentioned but Napa branded tools. I can't for certain say that they have stayed the same all these years later, but Napa was made by Easco(?) who was one of the manufacturers that made handtools under the Craftsman name and their own name (occassionally the local Napa I frequented in my HS and college days would get a replacement wrench with the Easco name instead of Napa and there were other auto parts stores near me that carried Easco branded tools). Same warranty as Craftsman. The way I found out was that my dad and I were there and they had a tool we needed, so rather than run to Sears (or Sears may have been sold out, can't remember), my dad asked how much it was, I remember the price was competitive to Craftsman, so he bought it and the salesman gave the shpiel about the warranty.

I don't frequent Napa nowadays, so I can't exactly say that they even carry their own line of tools anymore, much less MIA tools. :shrug:

However, this list is good to keep in mind if you run across a used tool dealer. I noticed most tend to charge almost new prices for used name brands but if you run across a little known brand that is/was HQ (like Napa branded tools or even Easco since few heard of them) you may find a bargain because most will want the Snap-On/Mac/Craftsman.

Paul

 

[Newoldstock]

I have a mixture of mostly Greenlee, Gray, Craftmans, Mastercraft, Bacho and Kingdick assort quality tools from other companies .

Some are very old and some are fairly modern.
How good they are depends on how well you treat them

Honestly the Gray stuff can be all over the place for quality.
Sear tools used to be very good ( but a little crude ).

Nearly everything is made in China.

I think the place where tools fall apart is in alloy and heat treating.
Use garbage and no amount of heat treat will make a good tool of it.
Or good steel is nothing with out correct heat treat.
This is where cheap Chinese and to a lesser extent other tools fall down.
My King dick stuff inspite of war measures has lasted over 70 years.
I do have some snap on and SK as well as the Bacho that have great steel and heat treating.
With care these will last you a lifetime and more.

 

[Frank Davis]

I use Snap-On, Mac, Cornwell and Williams....Snap -On is the first wrench I reach for, but all good......I just recently picked up a "Caterpillar Servicemans Tool Kit" service (truck) box that was made by Blackhawk 1938-50....It is as heavy as a box full of tools, when EMPTY!....has the badge on the front and decal on the inside, pretty cool.

 

[Andrewp]

I think I remember reading somewhere that Williams is owned by snap on. I think the article said that the ratchet parts are even interchangeable on the newer stuff. could be wrong.:shrug:

 

[markus]

clayon, no Matco :shrug:

come on, I figured they were big up there in the great white north Eh? they somehow sent my Matco rep the canadian Flyers one time and he didnt notice that he was passing them out in the shop. I made him buy me the shirt :laugh:

far as some stuff that multiple vendors seem to use, I noticed stuff like the tap/die sets and thread chasers, things like that many times are actually the same. My new sets came off the Matco truck and are labled Matco but if you compare some of them they are same sets that even snap on offers and ultimately look like maybe Irwin is the main source :shrug: I want to say the Snap on rep told me the drill bits are usually Irwin as well.

That's not to say you actually get a better deal because of the name, I've seen matco sets selling for cheaper than one labeled craftsman before.

on the Blue point and silver eagle stuff, anything hand tool that they sell in either matco or snap on I would not touch, some of that stuff is flat out embarrassing especially the wrenches. the specialty stuff marked with that name is usually pretty good, and you dont have a choice most of the time. I dont know if its branded that way to make the BP or SE lines look more complete or because they are made in the US or what though.

Matco uses some German companies for some of their pliers and screwdrivers, My Matco screwdrivers are Whitte, I preffer them over my snap-ons for grip and feel, I kept all but one snap on set only becuase they have the spot to put a wrench on if needed. One of my Matco pliers sets is Knipex, its one of my older sets though, I grab from it more than the newer set, they work better even though they are beat.

 

[Boomstick]

I just recently picked up a "Caterpillar Servicemans Tool Kit" service (truck) box that was made by Blackhawk 1938-50....It is as heavy as a box full of tools, when EMPTY!....has the badge on the front and decal on the inside, pretty cool.

That's when you know it's good :smile:


Heavy, old tools are the best. One of the local kids (an American Picker's wannabe) wants all of my really old Blackhawk stuff BAD. It's too bad that he's thinking he'd get them for scrap price (even though he really wants them in the WORST way).