Quality Tools?

[southerniltractor]

Hello folks,

Since buying my tractor and Ram 2500 truck (which always needs wrenching on), I discovered my vast tool collection does not go large enough to cover many repairs, and I need impact tools. I've been looking for some quality tools of the larger persuasion and struggle to find anything made in America.

All of my hand tools are SK and Craftsman, with a sprinkling of Snap On and a few other off-brands. The SK, Craftsman, and Snap On are all made in USA. Thinking Craftsman would do, I visited my Sears Hardware store and discovered all the Craftsman sockets, most wrenches and all power tools are made in China or other far away places. SK are not sold anywhere near here, and the prices I've seen on line are scary, while Snap On tools are well beyond my fiscal ability to purchase.

I don't dislike quality imported parts/tools. For quality, I look for USA, Korean, Japanese and German parts/tools. I have never purchased anything made in China that made me go, "Hey, this thing is great!". I do have an old metric 3/4 inch drive set from HF that I've used a couple times over the years. It is clunky, but it works. All that said, I won't buy Chinese tools unless I have no other choice.

What I'd like to find are high quality tools, regardless of origin, you all recommend. I'd love to find a tool source out there that is both affordable and made in USA - like Craftsman of old. Ideas anyone?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[adventure bob]

If you look closely nearly everything is made in far away places. You're lucky now if the stuffs made in china, their quality is higher and their people are making decent money. The garbage products are coming out of Africa and Asian countries you've never heard of. Affordable and made in America? Probably dependent on what you consider affordable. I like Facom, but theyre less available here in the US. I tend to use Craftsman because the warranty and the availability of Sears stores. I used snap on, but you have to wait for the snap on man to exchange them unless you're a commercial customer. I like the Kobalt stuff, you can find the tools made by Williams (snap ons manufacturer). Some of the Kobalt stuff is crap but some is exactly snap on.

 

[Arc weld]

I think Snap On makes most of their own hand tools. They source things like welders but have never heard that someone else makes their hand tools.

 

[mikehaugen]

Snap-on can be ordered right from tbeir website.

S-k can be found reasonable online, try www.tooltopia.com. I like Armstrong wrenches, proto also makes great tools.

For ratchets... snap-on or matco. One of those things where once you use them you don't want anything less. I gave up on craftsman a while ago when they started outsourcing more and more.

Pliers and diagonal cutters I like knipex (Germany) and klein. The original channelock brand for t&g pliers.

 

[spruce Deere]

I REALLY try to buy made in U.S.A tools. Most of my tools are also craftsman, S-K, some proto and like southern says a few or "sprinkling" of snap-on odds and ends. I cut NONE of my tools slack when in use, and have had different sockets literally explode, wrenches snap, bend, pry bars ending up with a permanent bends and ratchet guts fall apart and out. Most of the catastrophic fails of tools have been with OLDER china, india or japan stuffs. Some of which I did buy for 'sacrificial' use or 'tool customization' for a special need.

I do have a growing amount of napa brand evercraft tools though.... They are affordable, warrantied at and carried by napa and there quality is VERY good. Evercraft line of tools are made in Taiwan.

One would be surprised at the quality of taiwan, china or japan tools anymore. Like my 3/4 dr. Evercraft set. The ratchet is a little hoaky but I have yet to break it, the sockets are top notch and I have yet to break any evercraft tool but did put a nasty bend in a 3/4 in breaker bar and to my surprise, napa warrantied it!!

I have other evercraft tools such as a flex head 3/8 ratchets, couple wrenches and a few specialty sockets. They are all very good quality. For availability, affordability and quality I would check out the evercraft line of tools. They have served me very well and are affordable.

I know a mobile heavy equipment mechanic who has a fleet of the newer Pittsburgh/harbor freight tools. He says, They are not so junky anymore, I'm starting to keep my better tools at the shop and using more of the pittsburgh things out in the field where there is a chance of physically loosing a tool... I'm not out so much to replace one of those compared to anything elts.

 

[southerniltractor]

Hello all,

It looks like there are no affordable American tools anymore. With the demise of Craftsman - sourcing Chinese product - I don't find anything out there I can justify the cost made in USA. I did order a Pittsburgh 3/4 drive set from Harbor Freight and a sprinkling of impact sockets from the same place. I haven't used these tools yet, but will let you know how they work when I do. I continue to search for a good Impact wrench, and more impact sockets.

All that said, I will check out my Napa store for Evercraft tools.

Really miss the quality of my old tools.

 

[EddieWalker]

I gave up on Craftsman over ten years ago. Just not what they used to be.

For really large wrenches, look at Tractor Supply. I'm pretty sure they are Chinese, but I've never had a problem with them. I have a pretty big dozer and a full sized backhoe that I wrench on all the time, and have used a 4 lb sledge hammer more then once to get something to loosen up.

My bigger impact sockets are Proto, and my smaller set is from Napa. I don't know where they are made, but after many years of abuse, I've never had one fail. I have broken half in and 3/4 inch breaker bars, but never a socket.

For smaller sockets and wrenches, I've become a fan of Kobalt at Lowes.

Eddie

 

[oosik]

My really big tools - 3/4 and 1 inch drives - are Proto. Otherwise, its Snap-On, Proto or Mac. These three have a lifetime warrantee. I would really like my tools to be made in the USA but you know how that goes. I have found one thing - if you are having difficulties breaking normal sockets - go to the same manufactures but get their impact sockets. I dare say you will have a lot less socket breakage using impact sockets with hand drivers.

 

[crazyal]

Craftsman still sells sockets made in the USA. It's even imprinted on them. All of my Craftsman sockets have the size and other information stamped into them. I've read reviews on the new easy read sockets is that the chrome can flake off and along with it the size of the socket. Also with Sears not on sound ground right now their lifetime warranty may be short.
Sears.com

 

[TomSeller]

Craftsman still sells sockets made in the USA. It's even imprinted on them. All of my Craftsman sockets have the size and other information stamped into them..

Agree. I bought a fair amount of Craftsman about a year ago and I was able to get nearly all of it made in USA. Some was overseas, but not much. Maybe where they make the bulk of it has changed, I don't know. I have not given up on Craftsman yet.