Quality Tools?

southerniltractor · Nov 24, 2013

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 · Nov 24, 2013

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 · Nov 25, 2013

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 · Nov 25, 2013

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 · Nov 25, 2013

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 · Dec 6, 2013

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 · Dec 7, 2013

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 · Dec 7, 2013

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 · Dec 8, 2013

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 · Dec 8, 2013

crazyal said:
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.

94BULLITT · Dec 8, 2013

southerniltractor said:
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.

Napa now sells Carlyle tools.

Professional Hand Tools & Quality Auto Tools by Carlyle Tools - NAPA

Craftsman tools were never that great. Check ebay or pawn shops for snap on tools, you can get some deals. I am not sure what you would do about the warranty on a Snap on tool.

spruce Deere · Dec 8, 2013

My local NAPA is selling carlyle tools also. They still have and stock evercraft sockets, wrenches, ratchets and other hand tools. Napa will still warranty my older New Brittan tools they use to sell as I found out when a 9/16-3/8 dr. socket blew-up into to exactly two pieces a couple years back. Napa has not sold there New Brittan line for a LONG time now...

ModMech · Dec 8, 2013

I've got a BOX full of Snap-On brand tools and I have owned at least some of every brand. In the end, as a "professional" mechanic, I got tired of buying them twice so I settled on Snap-On.

I used NAPA brand tools, made in the USA, for a number of years. The ability of the runner to deliver a replacement was very handy and the pricing was good. Tools were pretty good, but it is TRUE, you get what you pay for!

Baby Grand · Dec 9, 2013

I've been buying and using SK for about 35 years now and I'm very happy with the quality. Saw the price of a new 3/8" socket set the other day and thought someone in the store maybe made a decimal error. They were never cheap, but that was a bit of a shock. One of the best investments I've ever made.

Sportsman762 · Dec 15, 2013

I have had great luck with Wright Tools. Most of them are made in the USA and their prices are less than SK and Snap-on but more than Craftsman. They also offer a good selection of large tools should you need them.

southerniltractor · Dec 15, 2013

Hello all,

Yesterday I again visited my Sears Hardware store and while I did find a few tools still stamped "Made in USA", the vast majority are now being made in China. Those remaining American tools are a few socket sets and wrenches, screwdrivers, and a few pliers. It appears Sears continues to shift production of Craftsman tools to China. I was particularly annoyed to see a Craftsman stamp on a 3/4 inch drive set made in China that looked and felt like a 50 dollar Harbor Freight set. Interestingly, the Craftsman stamped tools don't have "Made in China" stamped on them - just on the packaging. At least Harbor Freight is being honest in what they sell. Craftsman tools that are made in USA have "Made in USA" stamped on each and every piece. Those imported tools omit the country of origin on individual tools within a set.

I do sound annoyed with Sears, don't I? Where I live, there are few other tool sources I can afford with Craftsman no longer something I want to support.

All that said, I'll continue to search the internet for the tool brands you all recommend. I'll soon Google Wright Tools!

Thanks all,
Mike

I will check out Wright Tools

FredH · Dec 15, 2013

I lost interest in Craftsman a few years ago when I needed to replace a 1/2" drive ratchet that was skipping . From the time I walked into the door , plus 50' to tool counter , till I finally walked out with new ratchet , was around 25 minutes . This after they tried to " Repair " the ratchet first , but could not find the needed parts . Drove across town to Harbor Freight with one of their ratchet's doing the same thing . 5 minutes in and out the door with a new ratchet . If I covered up the handle of both ratchet's and just showed the head , You would swear that the H.F. ratchet was the " Craftsman " , based upon the direction lever is plastic on the Craftsman , ( plus it flops around ) , and the H.F. is metal and solid .

Think they have different qualities of ratchet's at Sears , But if I brought in a ratchet with a metal direction lever , you would think I would get the same back instead of a Kmart version . Ironically between those 2 ratchets , The H.F. one was totally abused , as in like a hammer sometimes , crow bar the next , etc... . I buy based upon multiple factors including frequency of use , value , ease of return if it breaks , etc.... and for me , in my location , H.F. has for the most part been my source .

Fred H.

bullbreaker · Dec 15, 2013

Bought this China made Sears 1/2 drive torque wrench the other day for the $39.99 + tax. When I got home looked it up and saw it had mixed reviews. Needed a torque wrench for occasional work, not for everday use. Hope I got a "good one". If anybody here on TBN has same one and care to comment on it wouldn't mind hearing "the good,bad,n ugly".

Boone

1/2'' Drive Micro-Clicker Torque Wrench: Make Every Turn RightSears

spruce Deere · Dec 15, 2013

I have just one wright tool, a 9/16 long pattern combo end wrench. Well built wrench with 'V' style open end and the box end is made so the fastener/wrench contact is made on the flats and not the corners.

It came in a assortment of tools I got a few years back mixed with old industro and india wrenches. Where does one find write tools anyhow??