Hand tool question??

[Maxify55]

Most kids today wouldn't know, nor care, which end of a wrench goes in your hand.
Much less which way a nut is to be turned BUT put a GameBoy/PS 5 in their hands & the light comes on.
My tools and shop will make one heck of an Estate/Garage Sale.
None of my kids took to manual anything.
It's sad. I would've liked to pass on some of this knowledge of machinery & farming but I guess most of us are just buggy whips.
Practical but not much call for them anymore.

 

[oosik]

Life IS strange. My son has a Masters degree in computers and electrical engineering. He tries to repair his truck and his Harley Davidson. It just is not his cup of tea and I will usually end up helping. This is so the vehicle(s) will run again. My DIL has no mechanical skills at all. I have two great grand daughters. I swear to God - one will end up as a Master Mechanic. She has the knowledge and forethought to understand how a mechanical device comes apart and how it will have to go back together. I always save a project so when they all visit - she can help. She is a real born wrench twister.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I started out with a couple of old open end Craftsman wrenches I purloined from my Dad; some Chinese made disposable sockets, an old hacksaw and some screwdrivers and odds and ends I had picked up in the street (I have acquired several items this way). Garage sales were a great source for old, but high quality tools. I ended up buying the best quality tools I could afford when I needed them, and ended up with sufficient tools as time went on. Most of the junk has ended up in the trash long ago; the cheap sockets usually were stripped out the first or second time I used them. I still have my Dad's old Craftsman wrenches; I'm pretty sure he acquired them back in the '40's and '50's. Mom gave me a hammer for Christmas about 1965; still have it, but with new handle.

 

[SJay]

I started getting all my hand tools organized in a new Harbor Freight tool box. Got a lot of Texton tools. Nice tools, complete sets, and excellent warranty.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

When my daughter first got married, my SIL was always borrowing my tools. One Christmas, I went to Harbor Freight, bought a tool box and filled it with my idea of a starter kit. A hammer, some screwdrivers, wrenches, hacksaw, vicegrips, etc. I'm pretty sure he has replaced those el cheapos by now though.

 

[4570Man]

This is one of those situations where it's"different strokes for different folks". If you are satisfied with Harbor Freight,just go in there and buy what he need's because there's nothing else lower in quility or price. Personally,I wouldn't use Harbor Freight tools if you bought them for me.

Coming from someone that’s never used them apparently. The harbor freight sockets and ratchets and tool boxes are pretty good. I’m not a big fan of their wrenches. I’ve not had any of their battery tools but I think they’re a big step up from their Chicago electric days.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

My first vehicle was a military Jeep - 1965. My first metric and SAE socket sets were SnapOn - 1965. I still have both sets. I now have metric & SAE in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" & 3/4" . They are SnapOn, ProTo and Craftsman. All my socket sets are over 45 years old and will be passed on to my great grand children.

My open end and closed end wrenches are all ProTo. I've found that quality hand tools save money. Nothing ever snapped, cracked or broken.

Why on earth did you buy Metric tools in '65?

Nothing (here) was made with metric hardware then? All the Japanese stuff was considered "junk" then.

 

[Yjmoose]

Thank you for all the replies.
I found a great deal on a starter craftsman starter set that includes a basic socket set in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in both sae and metric. Some basic combo wrenches in both SAE and metric and some other odds and ends. A very good foundation set, I think it was 224 pieces, normally $229 on Black Friday sale for $99. He will definitely need to add to it, but this is a great starter set. I checked on the craftsman website as I had heard they were requiring an original receipt for tool exchange and that is not the case. For hand tools and mechanic tools they will still swap at any stocking (ie Lowe’s) retailer.
We don’t plan to break tools, but it is important to me to know the warranty is valid and useful.

 

[jaxs]

Coming from someone that’s never used them apparently. The harbor freight sockets and ratchets and tool boxes are pretty good. I’m not a big fan of their wrenches. I’ve not had any of their battery tools but I think they’re a big step up from their Chicago electric days.

I've used them enough to know I won't reccomend them over other brands. But that's not why I'm replying to your assertation. I advised op to buy tools he has used and been satisfied with,NOT what I buy. Why did you feel the need to hike a leg on that advice?

 

[bigtiller]

Why on earth did you buy Metric tools in '65?

Nothing (here) was made with metric hardware then? All the Japanese stuff was considered "junk" then.

Maybe he worked on European cars like this one I learned to drive in, a '55 Renault.