Thread: Best brand of tools for the price?

Tweet

Two things: Craftsman tools of today are NOT the same quality they were in past years. I have some old craftsman sockets, rachets, wrenches, etc, and they are all steel and still look and work great. The replacement sockets and such that I have bought in recent years look and feel differently, and the chrome plating chips easier (look at the ends of your sockets where they go on the nuts.....they chip right there) They are also not as smooth to the touch.

Secondly, Kobalt tools seem to be pretty good. We have been buying some of them since Lowes is a stones throw from our shop and open till 9. The quality seems to be pretty good.

I also like Gearwrench products. Their racheting tap and die set is the best thing since sliced bread. For the first time in my life I can tap a straight hole.
See picture of it below. Buy yourself one, you'll love it.
Don

Originally Posted by DennyW

Don, you going to finish up that finish on the bores ?

What chew talkin' bout Willis??

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Two things: Craftsman tools of today are NOT the same quality they were in past years. I have some old craftsman sockets, rachets, wrenches, etc, and they are all steel and still look and work great. The replacement sockets and such that I have bought in recent years look and feel differently, and the chrome plating chips easier (look at the ends of your sockets where they go on the nuts.....they chip right there) They are also not as smooth to the touch.

Not only the finish of Craftsman tools is not as good as it once was but some have a lot less "meat" to them.
Here's an example of old(top) VS. (bottom)new.....

I work with tools daily as a Machine Repair Tradesman at Ford Motor Co. I see Snap on crack as well as any socket being pounded with a 1 inch or 1 1/2 inch impact . I use craftsman and do i crack them oh yes . But im near a store and dont wait a week for a truck . I have seen a china socket stretch after long periods of use and never crack because of thier softer metel reciepe . Now i like the old craftsman with my oily hands they dont slip as bad as the pro series and i have a few of them . As a pro i work tools from 1/2 inch up to 6 inch sockets.

So welcome to the trade and hope you like it like most of us do .

IC2 that S-K laying in my home tool box is the one i look for mostly also. Its a tight radius and has worked so well for the last 25 years . I have the small S-K 3/4 drive set at work going up to 1 1/2 picked up used from a retirier for $25 . Your right about the craftsman rachets they are not like they were years ago . This is one area you have to move up a tool notch for some durability.

My broken new ratchet went back to Sears today - they tried to give me a scratched up 'reconditioned' replacement, which I refused. I insisted on one from the shelf as mine crapped out the very first time I tried to use it - now, as a spare, let's see how long this one lasts. Oh well, there is never much of a hassle with Crapsman tools, so as my second line, are working fine - usually

I've only had one little argument from a Sears employee one time, and I quickly extinquished it with " may I speak with the Store Manager please?" Magically, a new tool arrived in a few minutes.

Another thing I learned from working for retail chain stores is that stores HATE calls to the Corporate Office. When I worked for Boat U/S if a customer ever called headquarters we would get a call immediately with instructions to call the customer, refund the item, apologize, and give them a $ 25 gift certificate. So we made it a point to do whatever was needed to make the customer happy.

So, a few times when some store wasn't cooperating with me, I would nicely say "Oh sure, I realize you can only do so much at this level........can I get the phone number and name of your District Manager please?" Usually they get the hint and make the problem go away.

Don