[smoke]

I found this on another site about tools and who makes what brands.

I'm not the final word on tools by any means, but since I work in the business, I've learned a little bit about it. Okay, here's more than you ever wanted to know.

Lowes sells a line of Mechanics Tools called Kobalt which is made by Snap-On.They are good tools that are almost if not equal the quality of the Snap-On brand.

Full text: http://bracketmasters.com/Tool%20Facts.htm

[sha_ba_do_bang]

this has already been discussed about which tools are "better", from a professional stand point NOTHING is like Snap On, if there were tools that were the same for way less $$$, then why is Snap On number #1 despite their outrageous prices. (you stated it yourself)

The first time your craftsman socket explodes into shrapnel you will be mad you didn't buy Snap On sockets

Brendan

[smoke]

I know this has been discussed. I just foend this and wanted to post it as to who makes what tools.

[oldred]

NOTHING is like Snap-On Craftsman tools are ok but have a reputation built more on sales hype than quality. As I have said before in the mines we sometimes abused our tools unmercifully because down time was far more expensive than any tool on our truck and Snap-On would back them no matter what we did to cause the failure. Proto tools held up good too as did S-K but NOTHING beat Snap-On! Craftsman 6 point sockets would crack with no effort at all, 12 point sockets would simply strip and round off the fastener head at the slightest pull and the ratchets were a bad joke but the Craftsman wrenches were quite good. You can point at this tool or that and say this was made by so and so but when you get into heavy equipment maintenance Snap-On rules because these guys can't afford tool failure and they know by experience what works and what don't.

[powerrodsmike]

I will say this about all of those makes of tools. There is not one of them that makes the same quality of tool today as they did 15 or 20 years ago. not snap on or mac or matco or any of the rest.

They are good, no doubt, but even the snap on salesmen will tell you this isn't your grandfather's tool company.
S-K and a few of the others like proto have, for the most part, slipped a little also..

The rest have gone downhill bad. new craftsman, stanley, husky are all crap. Heavy, poor design, guaranteed to strip your bolt first time out. Someone said that Kobalt is made by Snap On. I don't believe that for 1 second. If you go to lowes and look at the toolboxes (someone told me they were made by snapon also) you will see that they are made by Waterloo. Waterloo is made in China. I never even heard of danaher and I used to think that stanley was a good american brand. Pick up anything made by stanley and see where it comes from. I'll bet they travel across at least 1 ocean to get here.

I won't spend the money on snap on, but I will say that they are still the king. Matco gets alot of my new tool business. I also go to the swap meets where my dollar goes alot further. Today I found a snap on dial type torque wrench. 0-30 inch lbs range,(good range for checking bearing preloads), hardly used, with a date stamp of 6-81. 25.00 dollars.
Thats a score!
I think that the testimonial that smoke found is a sales brochure in disguise.
Just my opinion
mikey

10 minutes later edit
Ok I went and looked around a little. Danaher does own matco, along with K-D, armstrong, allen, holo krome, sata and a couple of others. Most all of the others are overseas companies. Not one of those other companies makes tools as good as the matco stuff so I find it hard to believe that they all come from the same factory. ( I can't say whether Sata is a good or bad brand, alot of guys think their paint guns are the best)

[KULTULZ]

This has been discussed in detail before;

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

(Origional Post 11-22-2005) (From Golden Oldies)

There are many professional tool outlets;

• SNAP-ON
  
  
• MAC
  
  
• MATCO
  
  
• CORNWELL
  
  
• WRIGHT
  
  
• And the are Independent S*K Dealers (tool trucks)

Personally, I have used S*K since I bought my first set off a MAC truck in 1966. What S*K didn't offer in selection was obtained from MAC. Of course, I have many specialty tools, OTC, ROTUNDA and the like.

Usually, if a tool shows mistreatment, it will not be exchanged. Now if you are a serious customer with a tool truck, he may exchange it on a personal level. Whether he will be able to turn it in is doubtful. If you need a hammer, you buy a hammer. If you need a pry bar, you buy a pry bar, not bend a good screwdriver.

-HAND TOOL SOURCES-

-KOBALT TOOLS DISCUSSION-

-SPECIAL SERVICE TOOLS-


"A MAN IS ONLY AS GOOD AS HIS TOOL"

[slvrbllt]

I've had good luck with Blackhawk sockets. Most high end ratchets are only as good as how clean you keep the heads.They get full of crap,there goes a tooth and a knuckle

[Ronglaze]

Mt two cents: My tools are Craftsman, Snap On and Bluepoint (made by Snap On). In the aerospace field my company used Snap On and only Snap On. They are easiest to clean before going into a clean room and I've never seen one break (other than dropped torque wrenches from height). I broke a Craftsman breaker bar once...using a three foot cheater pipe. I've fount that if you respect your tools, take care of them, use them correctly and use common sense, most tools will last a life time.

[Irelands child]

I guess I could do a search and see what I said before on this very old post, but...

I have my Snap-on wrenches carefully bedded in a drawer on some soft liner so they don't bang on each other. The sockets are all nicely placed in a small box. I have sets of Crapsman tools that are hanging on a peg board, and quite frankly, use 'em a lot for quick projects. When I get serious, out come the Snap-on's. The only Snap-on tool that I will not own ever again are their 3/8" and 1/2" drive ratchets which I have broken several. For these I use S-K which my Snap-on route guy replaced, on my request, with the S-K's. I broke one gear in an S-K 3/8" once using a bit of a "helper" but never one of my 1/2" ratchets.

The 1/4" stuff is mostly Snap-on with a mish mash of Crapsman, Kobalt, or whatever was available when I needed it - 1/4 x 1/4 sockets are expendable, regardless, especially when used on self tapping drive screws with an electric drill.

Tool boxes - combo of Snap-on and Crapsman/Home Despot .

Dave