Snapon (brand) question -vs- others...

[Captain Dirty]

I try to stay away from China made products in general and I will spend more for a quality USA made product.

The Chinese are perfectly capable of making good stuff, but with three millennia of mercantile (money-making) culture, they will not trade away more than they are paid for.

I was in the local box store and found two packages of the store's brand 3/8" plastic tubing. The wall thickness of the tubing made in China was noticeably thinner than the wall thickness of the tubing made in USA. My take is that the US manufacturer made the tubing to specification, plus or minus some tolerance; the Chinese manufacturer made it to spec also--o.d. minus the tolerance, i.d. plus the tolerance--knowing he could get the most length from a ton of plastic. He was probably confident his machinery would perform to his new, more stringent specs (and that if there were a problem, the buyer would probably let him get away with it). I speculate that, had I unrolled the Chinese-made coiled tubing, the length would have been the nominal length less the contracted tolerance.

 

[Captain Dirty]

I have some [tools] made in Taiwan and they aren't bad.

Perception, perception, perception.

Some years ago my industrial supplies store tried to sell me a JET drill press saying "This is a good one--made in Japan, not the current junk coming from Taiwan" Later I heard a similar pitch, substitute "Taiwan" for "Japan" and [mainland] "China" for "Taiwan".

 

[atsah]

IMO, Taiwan made products are of better quality than most things made on the mainland. Just from what I see of products I have looked at. I have tire chains on my tractor that are made in China, they aren't the best but they aren't bad either for what I paid for them. I was simply stating that I try to stay away from China made products because I believe the quality is low on most things they make, the second reason is I like to spend money on things that employ American workers as much as possible as long as I'm not getting totally ripped off in doing so.

 

[Captain Dirty]

There are a few [tools made in USA]. Even Master Mechanic is now made here..

A few years ago Stanley-Proto got into false advertising trouble. Their Proto (industrial quality) wrench sets were "Made in America". In "America" Mexicans (?) "Made" the sets by inserting individual wrenches that had been forged in China into the pouches of tool rolls. Note the ubiquity of "Assembled in ______ from globally sourced components" on many packages now.

 

[Richard]

One thing Snap On has going for it is the warranty, find a truck and swap it out. However Craftsman, Rigid and several others have a great warranty too that I've not had a complaint about.

That's another point... around here, all the Sears stores are closed. I happen to have a 10" (1/2" drive) extension that needs replaced. Lowes carries Craftsman now...walked in with it.... NOPE, you gotta call or go to CRAFTSMAN(R) Tools, Storage, Lawn & Garden Equipment and make a claim.

I reached out to them and am still waiting for a response. I have a fear that the spiral is starting to head down the drain for their service.

Too bad too, I've got some Craftsman stuff that I've owned for more than 40 years (and like it, feel it's good stuff)

 

[atsah]

I've got some Craftsman stuff that I've owned for more than 40 years (and like it, feel it's good stuff)

Me too. Most things I have made 40 years ago is good stuff.

 

[Richard]

No doubt anything with the snap on name is gonna be a great tool.

However....once you venture outside standard ratchwts, sockets, and wrenches....I think equal or better quality can be obtained and at a better price point.

I agree with the previous poster. Light blue handle channel locks.....best I have found in an "actual" channel locking pliers.

I'll go down the list.

Adjustable (crescent) wrench...Fuller is the best/smoothest operation I have ever used.

Screwdrivers...whatever's cheap. Because they get abused. Used in ways not designed. For actual screws, there's power tools for that

Pipewrenches.....ridgid aluminum

Battery tools...Milwaukee
Air tools...IR
Electrical tools...Klein is good. But they make cheaper "entry level" stuff too that isn't as good. Greenlee strippers and cutters are great too.

Electrical screwdrivers...wiha

Locking pliers (vise grips)...I like the original. Not fond of everyone's new twists on locking/unlocking mechanism, or auto-asjusting

Hex keys...(Allen wrenches) I like bhondus

Files...Nicholson

Punches and chisels....Hargrave

Ratcheting wrenches....hard to beat gearwrench

Don't use much pliers. Maybe a needle nose every once in awhile. And for what/how I use them there wouldn't be an appreciable difference between HF and snap on

Not having read the rest of the comments, I just wanted to say you pretty much nailed my question (thank you)

I'm specifically looking to get some (what are they called??) "angle cutters" that might cut a wire at 45 degree angle and the straight on type with no angle cut... that's the specific item on my mind.

As a side comment, I have some Vice-Grip (brand) vice grips.... don't know how to describe it and don't have time to search for it, but these have a triangle type opening that if you put it on a nut, will SOLIDLY grab the nut on three sides, disallowing it to rotate & round out on you.

I was at the store (HD) and bought it on a whim. The gal said "Did you know we have a set of them on sale for $2.00 more?" (or something like that)

I wasn't interested in buying MORE since one was enough.

All I have to say it "OMG" it has become one of my go-to tools. Especially, when pulling nails. (I live in a log house, wife loves to re-do trim & such so puling finish nails is part of my life) These make pulling finish nails VERY eash since they have a rounded head. You can grab the nail and just roll the vice grips as they pull it out.

(not buying a Snapon brand there!!)

 

[ddbackhoe]

That's another point... around here, all the Sears stores are closed. I happen to have a 10" (1/2" drive) extension that needs replaced. Lowes carries Craftsman now...walked in with it.... NOPE, you gotta call or go to CRAFTSMAN(R) Tools, Storage, Lawn & Garden Equipment and make a claim.

I reached out to them and am still waiting for a response. I have a fear that the spiral is starting to head down the drain for their service.

Too bad too, I've got some Craftsman stuff that I've owned for more than 40 years (and like it, feel it's good stuff)

Knipex for pliers, definitely. I just picked up some sonic tools and I like what I see so far.

SONIC Tools: Professional Tools. Professional Technicians.

 

[Richard]

Found it. Turns out it's a "locking wrench"

This has become my absolute "go to" tool when I need to grab something

The Original™ Locking Wrenches - Tools - IRWIN TOOLS

 

[Richard]

Regarding the vice grip above.... I have since kept my eyes open and finally found a set (small, medium & large) and bought it giving me TWO large ones and one small, one medium.

I gave the wife the medium so she would think she's got a cool tool (she's got a little box of "her" tools but not knowing one thing from another, is happy with the cheapest tool she can find....after all, a hammer is a hammer, a wrench is a wrench so if she can get a FULL set of wrenches for $15, she's all over it.... I don't think she's actually ever used anything like that and if she has, she's never rounded something off to understand the value of nicer tools)

Still, we both really like this vice grip. I essentially 'never' touch my others, always go to this one.