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Picture of jcsabolt2
posted
Before Sears started manufacturing Craftsman tools in China, that's where I always bought my hand tools because it was convenient, they "were" American made, and I have never had an issue with them. I'm talking tools like sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, wire cutters, pliers, etc. Any thing that required AC or DC power have always been Milwaukee. So now the Craftsman is crap, who is the next big tool vendor worth my money?


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“Nobody can ever take your integrity away from you. Only you can give up your integrity.” H. Norman Schwarzkopf
 
Posts: 3623 | Registered: July 06, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go ahead punk, make my day
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I really like Knipex Tools for wrenches and plyers. Chapman for screwdrivers.
 
Posts: 45798 | Registered: July 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of mark60
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Williams is American made.
 
Posts: 3438 | Location: God Awful New York | Registered: July 01, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Snap-on was always too expensive.

I have SK, Bonney, Blackhawk and Williams wrenches. Proto makes good stuff (I have one of their torque wrenches that is top quality). I like them all. Believe they are all American manufacturers.

While some don’t care for the brand, Kobalt by Lowe’s has a lifetime warranty. Not a bad deal and they are available should you have some problem.

Given the choice I buy at auctions, yard sales and flea markets. More bang for the buck. Got an older 1/2” socket set for $5 at auction. It looked old, grimy and rusty. Turned out the tools were all factory coated in shellac. A little alcohol and they came out like new.

Some of those brands may not be around anymore. Bet their tools are.
 
Posts: 2130 | Location: south central Pennsylvania | Registered: November 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of ibexsig
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For wrenches and sockets I have had really good luck with Proto tools made by Stanley in the USA. I have gotten some really good deals off of ebay. I know a lot of people put down ebay but if you are persistent you can get some really good deals on lightly used socket sets and wrenches. I just bought a used metric socket set for ninety dollars that I swear never got used.

Knipex for wrenches and pliers. I really like KC tools website for hand tools made in Germany.
 
Posts: 315 | Location: NE Wisconsin | Registered: January 26, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Posts: 2295 | Location: Southeast CT | Registered: January 18, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of BlackTalonJHP
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It depends on the tool
I tend to buy American made

Slip Joint Pliers - Wilde
Groove Joint Pliers - ChannelLock
Linesman Pliers - Klein
Small Pliers - Xuron
Hammer - Vaughan
Adjustable Wrench - Irega (Spain)
Pipe Wrench - Ridgid

Most sockets and wrenches are older US made Craftsman, K-D, Kobalt, Allen and Armstrong
 
Posts: 1057 | Location: Texas | Registered: September 18, 2019Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of wrightd
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quote:
Originally posted by mark60:
Williams is American made.

Williams makes copies of many tools in both the US and Taiwan. They are priced accordingly. I have purchased some of their Tiawan sockets, they are cleanly executed with good tolerances, and hard.




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Posts: 8637 | Location: Nowhere the constitution is not honored | Registered: February 01, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of PowerSurge
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In my trade it’s Klein, Wiha, Channellock, Ideal, Greenlee, Knipex, Fluke (meters), Fieldpiece (meters/gauges).

For sockets and socket wrenches I stick to S&K for American made. If not, the Taiwanese socket sets are usually made much better than Chinese. I have a Dewalt set that is made in Taiwan and its competitive with some of my S&K stuff.


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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
 
Posts: 3956 | Location: Northeast Georgia | Registered: November 18, 2017Reply With QuoteReport This Post
thin skin can't win
Picture of Georgeair
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This is gonna be another costly thread, isn't it..... Cool



You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02

 
Posts: 12351 | Location: Madison, MS | Registered: December 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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PB Swiss makes what I think are the best screwdrivers and hex keys available but they are very expensive.
 
Posts: 6319 | Location: CA | Registered: January 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of aileron
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Some, but not all, of the Taiwan manufactured Tekton hand tools are fairly high quality. I like their combination wrenches: not as nice as my Snap-On, but good enough for casual homeowner use.
A lot better than much of the Chinese shit flooding the market.
 
Posts: 1472 | Location: Montana - bear country | Registered: March 20, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Unflappable Enginerd
Picture of stoic-one
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quote:
Originally posted by Georgeair:
This is gonna be another costly thread, isn't it..... Cool
AGAIN!!

Thumbs up for Knipex, Wiha, Chapman, and Fluke.


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Posts: 6192 | Location: Headland, AL | Registered: April 19, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Lot of good recommendations in this thread:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...870043434#5870043434
 
Posts: 3172 | Location: Texas | Registered: June 17, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of az4783054
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I've bought pretty much nothing but CRAFTSMAN tools for decades. They were American made then. I never had but one ratchet cause it to be returned for replacement. They're still a good bargain, made in China or not.

Better hurry with SEAR'S closing many more stores in the near future. K-MART stores closing as well.

But not to worry, you can buy CRAFTSMAN tools from ACE HARDWARE or LOWE'S and coming soon to the nearest CIRCLE K store.
 
Posts: 11194 | Location: Somewhere north of a hot humid hell in the summer. | Registered: January 09, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
7.62mm Crusader
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The Craftsman brand of hand tools will be Made in Texas in 2021. Thats every bit as high quality as Made in the USA.. Big Grin.
 
Posts: 17891 | Location: The Bluegrass State! | Registered: December 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
goodheart
Picture of sjtill
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For woodworkers, there are some excellent brands of hand tools, such as Lie Nielsen planes, and pretty much anything made by Veritas. I own a number of layout tools made in brass and rosewood by Bridge City Tool Works, but those models are no longer made.


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Posts: 18018 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of cparktd
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Back in the day... In the trades I was involved in... construction, plumbing and electrical, guys used tools that were
1) Readily available.
2) Worked.
3) Had sufficient quality to last for years if not abused.

This was before the internet and Lowes and such. You bought what the local store suppliers carried... and they carried what was in demand by the guys that made a living with them.

Rarely if ever would you see any of those boutique top of the line expensive tools out on the job site.

These are some I remember off the top of my head, I still have and use many of these.

Hammer... Stanley and Estwing
Slip-joint pliers... Channel Loc
Pipe wrenches... Rigid
Reciprocating saw... Corded Milwaukee
Circular saw... Corded Skill
Cordless drill driver... Mikita
Heavy drills... Corded Milwaukee Hole Shooter and Hole Hoggs
Wood auger bits... Irwin
Electrician pliers... Kline
Hand tools, Levels, squares, hand planes, utility knives, wood chisels, screw drivers and such were very often Stanley.
Every carpenter had a Stanley "Yankee" Spiral/Push screw driver, a Lufkin folding 6' rule, Disston hand saws and a Stanley manual miter saw.



If it ain't woke... don't fix it.
 
Posts: 4118 | Location: Middle Tennessee | Registered: February 07, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Suppressed
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I have been buying Tekton tools that are made in America and Taiwan. I stay away from their tools made in China. I think they are trying to make more of their tools in the USA. They are nice tools and I understand it is easy to use their lifetime warranty. Some companies, like Gearwrench, make you jump through hoops until you give up.
 
Posts: 3229 | Location: MD | Registered: March 23, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of mark60
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Anyone with experience with Wera?
 
Posts: 3438 | Location: God Awful New York | Registered: July 01, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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