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Who makes QUALITY tools?

Offline Anthony

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Who makes QUALITY tools?
on: February 13, 2007, 03:55:58 AM
I'm talking mainly about small hand tools; pliers, cutters, etc... 

I'm pretty much done with Craftsman...naieve I guess, I thought Craftsman=quality.  The last two Craftsman tools I've gotten were cast poorly, and the finish on this last thing I bought is garbage.  A heavy duty jack I got as a gift needed filing (no big deal really)...then recently I spent $30 on a small 5 peice plier set (the small electronics oriented kind).  The casting and finish was garbage...I literally had to file chinks of metal out of the teeth, and in some places, the mold wasn't filled in all the way.  Made in china by the way.  The USA made things I own from Craftsman are excellent, but anything from china is just glorified bargain closeout store tools, no matter the brand name.  I've bought garbage tools before, but I KNEW they what I was getting and paid a hell of a lot less...this Craftsman set was in a box; no way to inspect the tools until you get home.

So now that I've ranted about Crapsman tools, what brand should I be looking at for quality tools? 
« Last Edit: February 13, 2007, 03:57:53 AM by Corrugated »
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us Offline J-sews

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #1 on: February 13, 2007, 04:27:22 AM
We've got a Snap-On dealer that comes to our shop. Everything he has on the truck is absolutely professional and top-notch.

But it's all pretty expensive too.
In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


us Offline 665ae

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #2 on: February 13, 2007, 07:26:40 AM
I use Craftsman tools at work (I'm an auto mechanic)  I love their automotive hand tools (pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, ratchets, and sockets) but I don't buy much else from them.  Aside from a multimeter that works quite well, the rest of the craftsman stuff I've bought has broken.  (stuff like torque wrenches, automotive diagnostic equiptment, electronics tools, etc)

We have both a Snap On and a MAC tools guy at work.  The tools they carry are all really nice and of high quality.  As Bob said though, they are also expensive.
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ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #3 on: February 13, 2007, 12:18:47 PM
I like to use the store brand tools at a number of places.  Canadian Tire has a series called MasterCraft that are mostly all big name manufacturers, but rebranded with MasterCraft and sold a bit cheaper.  Much of it is also junk too, to offset the cost of the good stuff.  The best part is that if you look at it for a minute or so you can spot what's good and what's not.  I assume Craftsman is the same, which might account fro why the packaging sometimes hides the tools!

Husky, which I think is sold mostly through Home Depot is also usually decent enough. Beyond that I am not really certain what to suggest.  9 out of ten times I will avoid anything made in China though.  It's getting harder and harder to do that, and I'm disapointed that they haven't started making more top notch stuff (they are capable, but I guess it's that bottom line thing) so for now I won't touch it if I can avoid it.  I broke two spring clamps on different occasions and some nippers that I really liked.  I'm tired of wasting money on cheap stuff.

But I can't afford the Sbap On stuff either, so I buy multitools! :P

Def
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Offline Tom Munch

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #4 on: February 13, 2007, 03:47:45 PM
I like some of the European brands too - Wiha & Facom are my favorites.

These are my favorite locking pliers.

* sjdiscounttools_1937_11490403.jpg (Filesize: 7.28 KB)


us Offline J-sews

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #5 on: February 14, 2007, 03:13:10 AM
I second that opinion about Wiha. They make good stuff!

......what the heck are those crazy pliers Tom?
In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #6 on: February 14, 2007, 03:18:53 AM
Wanna know what they look like to me?  :P

Here's my set...



Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


Offline Tom Munch

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #7 on: February 14, 2007, 07:57:01 AM
......what the heck are those crazy pliers Tom?

Those are Facom locking pliers with a trigger release.  The handles are cast aluminum.  They're Ferrari red  - Facom makes tools for Ferrari.


us Offline J-sews

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Re: Who makes QUALITY tools?
Reply #8 on: February 14, 2007, 11:40:49 AM
Those are Facom locking pliers with a trigger release.  The handles are cast aluminum.  They're Ferrari red  - Facom makes tools for Ferrari.

Very interesting.


....and they appear to have a much more ergonomic jaw release means than the model Def has pictured.  :P
In order to be certain of having the right tool for every job.........one must first acquire a lot of tools


 

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