Favorite Tool Brand

[1952Chevy]

Favorite hand tool brand?

My box is mostly Craftsman(USA made). With a mix of Harbor Freight, Snap-On, Mac, Gearwrench and some others.

I prefer US made tools, but unfortunately Craftsman doesn't make tools in the US anymore. The majority of the US tool manufacturers are expensive. I don't use my tools everyday/to make a living. So I can't justify the price of only US made tools. I now look for value/quality. Somethings I will buy from H/F, others I'll buy at the auto parts store because I need it then and now.

I was considering trying to go with SK, but they have had a wishy-washy history as of late, and still expensive. Considering Tekton for my next few purchases, mostly because they don't skip sizes.

What are all your thoughts? Do you use your tools for a living, or just recreationally?

 

[RichLo]

I have a toolbox full of USA craftsman and I keep buying them even though they are not USA anymore only because the local hardware store still exchanges broken craftsmans for free. I dont want to mess with mail-in exchanges like I would have to do with the other lifetime warranty stuff.

 

[1952Chevy]

I have a toolbox full of USA craftsman and I keep buying them even though they are not USA anymore only because the local hardware store still exchanges broken craftsmans for free. I dont want to mess with mail-in exchanges like I would have to do with the other lifetime warranty stuff.

Makes sense. I still have a few tools that I need to take in and exchange, but just never got around to it. Nothing has broken that I don't have duplicates of. I know when they first transitioned away from USA made the quality wasn't the best(especially the combo wrenches). That turned me off, but it looks like Stanley-Black and Decker are slowly recuperating the brand. We'll see what happens with them in time. I don't break enough tools to be too concerned with how the warranty works, as long as it works.

 

[thegawd]

I have mostly Mastercraft form Canadian Tire from when they also had a lifetime warranty. that name was broken up into 2 different lines Mastercraft, cheaply made and limited warranty and Mastercraft Maximum which I dont know might have a lifetime warranty. Iv never broke anything to find out but I wouldn't buy any of the cheap shìt and only the Maximum. theres a big price and quality difference. every so often Canadian Tire will blow out tools at 60-75% off and that's when I buy them.

 

[skylark]

I don't have a favorite although I do buy a fair amount of Snap On and some Matco. The #1 reason for those brands is because they come to my shop. I really like my Snap On wrenches, sockets and fine tooth ratchets.

HF has some decent stuff and they have crap as well. So do the truck brands. I research before I buy 95% of my purchases and this includes my tools.

My home tools are primarily USA Craftsman and a sprinkling of others.

 

[SS Performance]

I have become fond of Gearwrench. They are made well and not too expensive.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

I know when they first transitioned away from USA made the quality wasn't the best(especially the combo wrenches).

Yeah, I bought the Craftsman "Professional" combo wrenches when they 1st came out - stubby, standard length (which I can't get replacements anymore) and extended length (SAE and Metric). The 1"+ ones are still made in the USA.

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Most of my sockets and ratchets are USA too.

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[HotWheelsBurban]

Dad had a lot of stuff from various brands that he'd accumulated over the years, in a big box that went in the back of the pickup when we went on a road trip. Or the trunk, when we were in our 70 Pontiac LeMans. He had so many tools and spare parts in the trunk when we went to Albuquerque to visit my mom's brother and his family, in '75, that there was barely room for our clothes! In all fairness though, it's a 2,000 miles round trip from Houston because we were having a proper family vacation, and the car hadn't been on a long trip before.
A couple years later, we were in his 75 Sierra Classic and this tool box and our ice chest got stolen from the truck bed while we were eating dinner in Waco,on the way to Fort Worth to a swap meet. We had a Sears card then, so when we got home, he replaced a lot of his tools with Craftsman. This being 1977 or so, American made good stuff. My job was engraving his social security# on everything; I was 10 then. I've inherited these, and use them when I work on our vehicles. He also had some Challenger and Proto tools, some maybe older than me. Several years ago, Mom bought him and me sets of Gear wrenches, metric and SAE, I still have and use them too. My .50 caliber ammo box in the Burb has different tools that I have picked up at swap meets; Craftsman, Challenger, and other well made stuff. My favorite 3/8 ratchet is a Husky one from Home Depot, that Dad bought a while back. It's got an adjustable position head, and a long slender handle and I can usually pull 35 ft./lbs. by hand with it. Great for doing plugs and brakes, and a lot of the basic Chevy repairs. I also have a few old vise grips and channel lock pliers, from teeny to ones that could be considered weapons. My 3/8 torque wrench is from HF, but it's one of their better micrometer style. For 1/2 I still have the JCP one( wore the 3/8 one out finally), and for 1/4 and inch pounds, Dad's old Proto micrometer one. I keep the ammo box in the Burb, sometimes I need some tools at work.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Yeah, I bought the Craftsman "Professional" combo wrenches when they 1st came out - stubby, standard length (which I can't get replacements anymore) and extended length (SAE and Metric). The 1"+ ones are still made in the USA.

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Most of my sockets and ratchets are USA too.

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My boxes are not that neat( not enough space) but I see you have several familiar tools in there! And you can never have too many 3/8 extensions!

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

That reminds me, I also have some Craftsman Professional Flops. If you look in the upper left corner you'll see the "Robo Grip" pliers that didn't always grip, and "Handi-Cut" single blade cutters that don't cut worth a damn. I haven't used those tools in a couple decades

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The spud wrench on the bottom left is a Klein tool. Most of my electrical working tools are Klein too. Some Kobalt tools mixed in too.