Thread: Best brand of tools for the price?

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Well, Snap-on makes their own hand tools, lots of them in Kenosha, Wi.... Don't know about the others, mainly cuz I bought good hand tools the first time and have never seen a reason to change... I've got some Craftsman stuff around, mostly gifts from others so kind of obliged to keep them. I've bought a ton of Snap-on and Matco since I started, mainly cuz of the service provided by the tool trucks. I consider it as all part of the value of the tools. Service and trust sometimes gets a little lost in searching the malls, stores, and net for just the best price......

My latest trip to Sears about 2 weeks ago - and yes, I do have some Crapsman tools and do use them occasionally. I keep a ratchet in my metric box and a "spare" for when I can't find my S-K (I really dislike Snap-on ratchets)

Standard Ratchet - hold your hand over the reversing lever in a tight spot. The @#$$ POS goes into a neutral position. Adios knuckles - mine just healed. I got their 'best' for my "spare" and their cheapest for my metric box. Both seem better then their standard.

13/16 Combo wrench - after digging a piece of chrome out of my palm, retrieving the wrench from the middle of the yard where it landed, got a pretty new one - but it is shaped a bit different and doesn't appear to have the same chrome shedding sharp edges.

As far as chrome shedding - uhhhh - these are 2 of my Snap-ons, a 13/16 and 7/8. Others are similar or worse. I tried to exchange them with a local Snap-on truck dealer. His answer to me was - "I don't know who the f*** you are and where you bought them - EBay probably". He was right - he didn't know me and the Snap-on dealer I purchased them from died about 15 years ago, and he even knew that guys name. So, I keep them and use carefully. Not worth the grief.

I had the same experience with a SnapOn dealer. I had a 3/8 rachet that would slip when tightening a bolt, something worn inside. So I tracked down a SnapOn truck in the industrial area and the SnapOn guy told me he would not replace it. WHAT??? I THOUGHT SNAPON HAD A LIFETIME WARRANTY???????? After some arguing on my part he agreed to put a kit inside to fix it. He did, but it still slipped, so I tossed it out so I wouldn't be tempted to use it and bust my knuckles.

Conversely, I have never had Sears turn me away on any tool, even ones I have broken through overuse.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I had the same experience with a SnapOn dealer. I had a 3/8 rachet that would slip when tightening a bolt, something worn inside. So I tracked down a SnapOn truck in the industrial area and the SnapOn guy told me he would not replace it. WHAT??? I THOUGHT SNAPON HAD A LIFETIME WARRANTY???????? After some arguing on my part he agreed to put a kit inside to fix it. He did, but it still slipped, so I tossed it out so I wouldn't be tempted to use it and bust my knuckles.

Conversely, I have never had Sears turn me away on any tool, even ones I have broken through overuse.

Don

I hear about a lot of complaints about snap on ratchets, my auto teacher
even warned me about them, because they slip.

they have a fine tooth gear set which is really smooth compared to others but
is weaker, because there isn't much for the ratchet stops to catch on. what this means is the $5 walmart special ratchet, COULD have a stronger gear set. I don't know because I have never had the chance to test a snap on ratchet like that. I'v broken 2 of the $5 cheepo's but I tried to use them w/ a 6' pipe as a breaker bar to get a lugnut loose, so they were a ubused. the lugnut was stuck bad.

Originally Posted by Matt167

I hear about a lot of complaints about snap on ratchets, my auto teacher
even warned me about them, because they slip.

they have a fine tooth gear set which is really smooth compared to others but
is weaker, because there isn't much for the ratchet stops to catch on. what this means is the $5 walmart special ratchet, COULD have a stronger gear set. I don't know because I have never had the chance to test a snap on ratchet like that. I'v broken 2 of the $5 cheepo's but I tried to use them w/ a 6' pipe as a breaker bar to get a lugnut loose, so they were a ubused. the lugnut was stuck bad.

I seriously doubt the $5.00 special would have a stronger gear set. The direction switch on the top of a ratchet is both good and bad. Just got one of the fine tooth long handled ratchet from Snap-on a couple weeks ago. It has the big handle on it, works great for us geezers with hands that operate at bit less then perfect!!!!!

Next time Matt, use a breaker bar or jump up to a 1/2 drive set up and a longer breaker bar.... Cheater bars usually cause more damage then they could ever fix!!!! A bit of PB Blaster sprayed on the lugs and either an impact wrench or a long 1/2" breaker bar and a bit of patience would have got the lug off just fine!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

I seriously doubt the $5.00 special would have a stronger gear set. The direction switch on the top of a ratchet is both good and bad. Just got one of the fine tooth long handled ratchet from Snap-on a couple weeks ago. It has the big handle on it, works great for us geezers with hands that operate at bit less then perfect!!!!!

Next time Matt, use a breaker bar or jump up to a 1/2 drive set up and a longer breaker bar.... Cheater bars usually cause more damage then they could ever fix!!!! A bit of PB Blaster sprayed on the lugs and either an impact wrench or a long 1/2" breaker bar and a bit of patience would have got the lug off just fine!!!!

I have a breaker bar now, didn't at the time.. I bought it at Walmart. 14" Stanley, has worked great so far.

Eventully I did get out the impact wrench and spun the lug nut off, but you kno, I had to roll out the hose, wait for the air ect... it was just a lug nut I didn't want to break a good ratchet, and I had the 2 spares I got from walmart, the 1 still works in reverse kinda, the other is locked up compleatly

Originally Posted by DennyW

Those look like Blue Points ?? I think I have had one from Snap on, and 3 from Mac, that peeled chrome. No trouble in replacement. Only one time with Snap on. I grabbed the torch, and cut it in 2 pcs. He said that didn't cover warranty for sure. I told him this was going to the main office to show what I think of the route guys warranty rejection. I did get a new one in the mail.

Denny,
I can assure you that those 2 wrenches, I pictured are NOT Blue Points. I do have some Blue Points and they are shedding chrome as well.

The p/n shown are OEX-26 and 28, tho the new numbers are SOEX-26 & 28

I have the OEX (or SOEX set, depending on when bought) from 1/4" to 1.062 complete in the long version and many of the short version as well. And if I want to go smaller, I get out my Snap-on ignition set.