Best tool brands?

[cy]

vise-grip makes an awsume pair of locking pliers!

IMHO klien makes a slightly better pair, but it only comes in one size. Snap-on offers a three piece set, made in Spain that works particularly well.

Vise-grip makes the most sizes/configs and works better than all knock-offs, except two mentioned above.

 

[makar]

Hazet and Stahlwille are the premium tool brands in germany. Knipex make very good pliers.
marc

 

[BentHeadTX]

I like Mac, Armstrong, Wiha, Proto, Klein, Bondhus, Diamond (wire cutters/needle nose), Rigid, Estwing (hammers), Fluke (multimeters), Ideal (Cat5), Vice-Grip (locking pliers), Rotanium Supertanium II (drill bits), Snap On, Milwaukee (Drills) and Dremel (moto-tools)

Tools that don't cost a ton of money but can take a beating are Kobalt. I've been using their 3/8th drive ratchet/sockets for the last two years and they work well. The trick is in the ratchet... it is a Mac ratchet so the news is out! My 1986 Mac ratchet is celebrating 20 years of goodness this year and the Kobalt is almost identical.

After being screwed by Sears and their crappy tool boxes (switched to Proto) power tools that failed in a few months and warranty hassles... I have avoided them for years and don't have tool breakage problems anymore. I prefer to buy tools that don't have to go back under warranty.

 

[RebelRAM]

A majority of my stuff is Craftsman mainly because it's what my dad and grandpa used when they were mechanics working on cars for a living. But they also had their share of Snap-On and Mac. I like the Mac tools a little more than Snap-On. The main thing is a good warranty and I agree tracking down a truck for Snap-On or Mac can be hard to do. Not to mention the fact that those two brands cost a lot more.

So that being said... I now own some Husky(Home Depot) and Kobalt(Lowes) tools that have a lifetime guarantee as well. I find that the quality in Husky and Kobalt is equal to Craftsman. At one point in my life I thought I would just standardize on Craftsman. Heh! I have all kinds of tools now and no telling how many different brands.

But I also have varying degrees of quality tools. Best tools stay in my garage, lesser tools stay in my vehicles(in case they loaned out or stolen) and cheap tools stay in my desk at work in case they are loaned out or stolen. It's not uncommon for people to borrow tools and not return them. So I only loan out stuff that I wouldn't miss that much or can be very easily and cheaply replaced. My tools are like kids, I'm very protective of them

 

[jeep44]

Vice Grips: as a former Diemaker, and a current Pipefitter, I find that I seldom use vice grips at work-but I frequently use them in my various projects at home,especially in restoring my antique vehicles.For certain jobs, there is no other tool that will do. Get brand-name American tools, such as Vice-Grips, Channel-Lock,Crescent,and you cannot go wrong. I'm a dedicated Milwaukee power tool user, but I hear that they have been recently sold,and I suspect this will result in off-shoring. I hope I am wrong.

 

[ABTOMAT]

Although I appreciate the quality of Snap-On tools, their service and warranty blows unless you're a big-buck user--like somewhere the van stops twice a week. If you're lucky you'll get a replacement tool while they're looking at the one that broke. And usually it comes back as user abuse or something and you have to pay.

I use Craftsman wrenches. Mostly older ones, but I've never broken one. Only busted a couple sockets. The quality is still pretty good and you can't beat the warranty. Just remember that Sears doesn't make a single thing they sell. Every decade or so they change the supplier.

On the other hand, Sears ordered their supplier to start making lower quality screwdrivers as of 5-10 years ago. The new ones are garbage. I can go through three in a week of normal homeowner use. Wiha, Klein, Snap-On, Stanley 100 are all good ones.

For pliers I use Channel-Lock and Klein, with Vise-Grip for locking pliers.

I like Estwing and Vaughn hammers, although I frequently get Craftsman ones since sooner or later I'll destroy something.

For power tools it totally depends on the kind of tool. Milwaukee, Porter-Cable, DeWalt, Bosch, and others all have their place. Don't put much stock in where they come from. Milwaukee was making stuff in Taiwan and China long before they were recently sold. Although that might increase, considering they're owned by a Taiwanese company now.

For air tools I'd trust IR above all. If you want a good bargain get the Husky ones at Home Depot. They're mostly made by Fuji (who also makes stuff for IR) and carry a perpetual warranty.

 

[cosine]

Although I appreciate the quality of Snap-On tools, their service and warranty blows unless you're a big-buck user--like somewhere the van stops twice a week. If you're lucky you'll get a replacement tool while they're looking at the one that broke. And usually it comes back as user abuse or something and you have to pay.

That's what I like about Craftsman. Tools we've broken that have been obviously user abused they have always replaced free, no questions asked.

But, having said that, we have some sets of Klein screwdrivers and pliers. I do like their quality.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

We get the Snap-On truck every wednesday. That said:

I work with hand tools for a living.

I don't use any one particular brand, but have mostly Craftsman and Snap-On stuff.

In particular items I am fastidious about using certain brands.
I use Klein Screwdrivers. I twisted the ends off every other brand I tried. (particularly when using a 3/16" cabinet tip!)
I use Klein electrical tools. The wire cutter and crimper is without peer!
I use Knipex Cobra Pliers as most others won't do what I need.
I use Crescent Adjustable Wrenches, though many others DO work fine.
I use Vise Grip brand clamping pliers as nothing else comes CLOSE!
I have a SCRUMPCIOUS set of Snap-On 1/4" Metric in a fitted case!
I have cheap hammers, and some other stuff.
My bread and butter tools (sockets and wrenches) are Craftsman, although my 3/8" ratchet is due for replacement!
The coolest tool I have is a Snap-On Flex head 1/2" Long Handle Ratchet. It replaces a breaker bar with ease!

Go for the good stuff where it counts!

 

[KC2IXE]

...snip...

Park and TacX for specialty bike tools, though Pedro's stuff is quite nice. Campagnolo for my bike's drive train.

...snip...

I always wanted the complete set of Campy bike tools, but have you ever looked at the price? Enough to make even a tool snob gasp. I'll stick with my Park set too, not that I've worked seriously on a bike in years. I DID help a friend put together one of his bikes last year - for some reason needed a custom set of tools to seat the headset - he drew up what he wanted, and a couple of hours of late and mill time later...

It's good to have a lathe and mill at home

 

[KC2IXE]

Someone mentioned Drill Bits - Boy oh boy, there is a topic that can take up days of arguing who's the best. For "normal" use, or in hand drills, Cleveland Twist are not bad, ditto Chicago Latrobe. If you are using a drill pres or better, a mill, you can get into exotics - things with parabolic flutes that break at the slightest sideways pressure, but drill like you would not believe, and let's not even talk carbide drills - look at names like Guhring, OSG etc - of course, when they start telling you that a 1/4" drill bit is $8-10 - for ONE, and it's "Only" high speed steel.... (BTW for carbide, add in names like MA ford, Kennametal, Metal Removal) ( Carbide can get REALLY expensive - how about over $100 for ONE 1/4" drill bit? )

GOOD drillbits are one of the bread and butter items of a machine shop - what a LOT of people don't realise is that they remove more metal per unit of time per HP than any other machining operation - and trust me, production shops run them HARD - and resharpen, or replace regularly

 

[benh]

I have a very small set of campy tools. A peanut butter wrench, a few allens and a few box style t wrenches. All of them are absolutely gorgeous, with a very durable finish and dead on accurate sizing. I love using them.

But yeah, that full campy tool set is ridiculous, and I don't see ever owning that. And some of it is frankly outdated, like their headset facer/reamer. Good luck using that on Ti.

Chris King makes a very very nice set of reamers and facers that will fit Park handles. Triangular indexed removable cutting blades, so you end up with 6 edges to go through before it needs sharpening or replacement, and then you're only replacing the actual cutting edges, not the whole facer. But not cheap!

 

[drizzle]

Can someone tell me if Crescent is putting out any inferior quality tools in sets?

Costco has a couple of different sets in stock at ridiculously low prices if they are really of the first rate Crescent quality.

Sorry I don't have details but I can give a rough idea of the set I looked at. I will simply list what I think was there. Keep in mind I might off on any details.

Full socket set with English and Metric sockets and 3 drivers
Full set of English and Metric box/open end wrenches
6-8 Screwdrivers covering all the common types
Full set of driver tips
Screwdriver handle with socket for driver tips

Completely guessing on the rest but I know there was something else filling up the set.
Pliers
Adjustable wrenches


All for around $50.

This sounded too good to be true.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I saw a similar (or maybe the same) set at Sams. I didn't look that hard because I don't need a new set. I'm into seperate pieces to fill out my needs...

I seems mighty cheap for what you get. I'd check out the country of origin, as I know my Crescent 12" is made in the USA.

 

[tiktok 22]

For me, I've got a box filled with a ton of different brands(snap-on, craftsman, williams, knippex, etc.). Some are cheaper and some more expensive. I try to use the best tool for the job. Sometimes any brand will do the job just fine.

 

[Rayne]

I've been wondering the same thing about the Crescent tool sets at Costco and the ChannelLock set at Sam's Club. Anyone know if they're good or not?

 

[cy]

when I think of crecent wrench, it means the best adjustable wrench. not tool sets. the same for channel lock pliers.

no question some individual tool companies makes the best tool of that particular type. VS a giant like Snap-on who make top quality tools of all types.

I'm a Snap-on nut, but pricing is flat nuts for specialty tools that you will only use once. like say a ball joint press kit.

I've been wondering the same thing about the Crescent tool sets at Costco and the ChannelLock set at Sam's Club. Anyone know if they're good or not?

 

[lukus]

Chapman makes a great set of bits and drivers for gunsmith type work. Their straight bits are parallel ground so they have a much less tendency to cam out or deform the screw.
www.chapmanmfg.com/

 

[JimmyM]

Craftsman for got how to build a rachet. When they changed suppliers, the ratchet went to h*ll. My father was an aircraft mechanic, auto mechanic, backyard mechanic for the better part of 15 years and owned the same 3/8" craftman ratchet. Finally one day it broke. So Sears replaced it with a rebuilt one. Not new. rebuilt. And has replaced the same rachet at least 4 times in the last 5-8 years. By the way, when the old rachet finally broke it was doing occasional backyard and homeowner duty.
Hmmm.
Old Craftsman ratchet last 15 years under professional use.
New Craftsman ratchet lasts about 1-2 years under light mechanical / home use.
You tell me. It's such a betrayal of loyal Craftsman owners. I just can't afford to buy my Snap-Ons or Macs in rare and far between stores.
Oh, How do you get any Craftsman hand tool replaced regardless of abuse?
Go to the teenage girl clerk who's made-up like she's on a date.

 

[TheMechanic]

I was trained as a watch and clockmaker, and today work as a custom gunsmith. Hence, I have some experience with precision tooling.

For small slotted screwdrivers, there is Bergeon and....Bergeon. Nothing else is even close. Small Phillips and JIS cross-slotted drivers come from Moody. Larger slotted sizes are covered by the superb Grace brand screwdrivers, though the Brownell's interchangeable set is excellent for the money.

Mechanics tools? The only thing I'll say is that Stanley Tool Group (who own ChanneLock, Proto, and other well known brands) used to have a wrench plant in Milwaukie, OR (not too far from me.) I had a friend who worked there, and he says that one day they'd be running the Proto Professional line and the next they'd be running Snap-On. I'll leave it at that, and let you guess which I buy.

(I'll add that I've been very impressed with the Wright line of tools; their wrenches seem to have more precise broaching than any others I've used. If such things are important to you, Wright is the only tool maker whose products are completely made in the U.S. - both materials and labor.)

Measuring instruments: I prefer Swiss brands (Etalon, Compac, Tesa, etc.) whenever possible; their accuracy is unquestioned, and I "grew up" using them.

I do like Starrett tools, with the caveat that anything incorporating a movement (dial calipers, indicators, etc.) is inferior to the Swiss brands. Their mics are very good, though I don't like their spindle lock mechanism (just preference, that's all.) Their #220 multiple anvil micrometer is the best of the breed.

The best source I've ever found for advice on measuring tools is Long Island Indicator; their website is a treasure trove of spot-on advice, and they've never steered me wrong.

Cutting tools are another topic...

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

I'll vote for Craftsman. I do have a few Snap-On and Matco tools, but IMHO(as an independent emergency on call heavy diesel/equipment repairman) they're ridiculously overpriced for the quality you get. Like others have mentioned, Craftsman ratchets have gone downhill in recent years. I've broken two recent Craftsman ratchets in as many years, where my Sears and Snap-On ratchets from 10+ years ago are still in fantastic working order despite frequent abuse. If(when) more ratchets break they'll likely get replaced with Snap-On. Klein for screwdrivers. With pliers and vice grips and wire strippers, I'm all over the place. Hammers I don't much care, Harbor Freight near-garbage has always worked fine for me, but I don't swing a hammer all day either. I'm never going to carry just ONE of any mission critical tool anyway; at least three is more like it, and usually there's more than one way of doing something.

I'll likely be retiring early next year. Most of my excuse for having all these tools and flashlights will disappear at that time.


:buddies: