What tools?

Like, what brands do you guys buy? Being a professional tech for 18 years I have my own biases*, but I'm interested to hear what the enthusiast community thinks of various tool brands for quality and price.

I have everything from snap-on to Harbor Freight and good reasons for buying what I did at the time. Does anyone still stick to one brand or is price the key factor?

*disclaimer: I'm 3 days into being a Cornwell tool man, but I always bought Cornwell and Matco for work because the prices were good and my guys showed up every week. I filled my home box with Harbor Freight since the stores were close. Now I have cheap tools close and great tools at wholesale and I'm still a bit torn on what to keep for my V8 Miata build.

For sockets sets, I use Kobalt (Lowes), and Northern Tool. For screwdrivers, Ace Hardware brand. Pliers, Chanel-Lock and Klein. Battery drills, Makita or Hitachi. Plug in power tools, Hitachi or Porter Cable, unless it's a seldom used item, then Harbor Freight.

The only truck brand stuff I have ever used was Snap-on. I wasn't impressed enough to track down the truck again.

I started out buying Craftsman when I was young, and eventually built up a pretty fair collection. Unfortunately, someone broke into my garage and stole my box. Fortunately, my insurance company gave me a good settlement, enough to buy a used Snap-On roller cabinet and tools. They're great tools, although I wouldn't pay full price for them.

I bought a lot of Craftsman until they turned to crap.

SK for wrenches.

Craftsman / Mac / Proto for sockets, ratchets etc.

Snap-on for screwdrivers, the old, hard-handle ones are the best. No-one makes a better gripping #2 phillips than Snap-on.

Gearwrench for gear wrenches.

Snap-On or Mac for pliers. I just bought a 3-piece set of kiwi pliers from my Mac dealer for $40.00 and they are fantastic.

Shawn

Mechanic by trade BTW

Depends on what I'm using them for. I have a 15 year old Craftsman 250 piece set That I use on the car. For work I use a lot of Harbor Freight Pittsburgh. I have a P-burgh 1/2 inch drive set of impact that get used more than any other sockets I have. But I also have some random Kobolt, Matco, Snap-on, Fluke,Kline, Channellock and Lisle.

My power tools are all over the place too. Just picked up a compact Snap-on power driver that is great for my field work.

I must admit I started with Craftsman and they make a decent tool. what turns me off is driving to the mall, finding they don't have what I need for a replacement, finding someone who knows who is in charge, getting them to order my replacement, etc.

Five years ago I would laugh at HF tools. They have come a LONG way! Still like the screw drivers since they're cheap so when they break I don't care. Some other things, not so much.

For you non-professionals: stores, flea markets, pawn shops, or what?

I don't have a ton of tools or experience but I have mostly Gearwrench (ratchets, wrenches, sockets). Decent prices, the tools seem like good quality and they can be returned for warranty at a number of different places. I have Knipex and Channellock pliers, both are great, though the Channellocks are much cheaper. Depending on the kind of plier I went one or the other based on whichever brand "felt" better.

I tend to use Craftsman for rachets, sockets, and regular wrenches. Gear wrenches for the ractheting ones, and screw drivers and other misc tools from Lowes.

Anybody else notice that Home Depot is carrying less and less handtools? Not that Huskey was ever very good

Non pro here!

I have a lot of Craftsman tools. I don't really like them, but i also seem to find them on sale for prices so cheap i can't pass them up. Today i was forced to use a Craftsman 3/8" ratchet to get at the back bolt of the starter on the Jeep. It was awful. I almost threw the ratchet across the parking lot. Worst "ratchet action" EVER.

I like the Kobalt stuff i have, but Lowes seems to not really carry the hand tools anymore.

I usually just buy at stores, though i have bought some at pawn stores and flea markets. I need to start doing that more.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Non pro here!....I usually just buy at stores, though i have bought some at pawn stores and flea markets. I need to start doing that more.

The catch 22 with pawns is that you can get good quality pro tools but don't have access to replacements-even as a pro if "that guy" doesn't stop where you work. No internet buyers? I never was but some guys on my route swear by it.

My wrenches and sockets are all Craftsman. Bought mostly years ago, so maybe they are better than the newer ones?

I buy HF for stuff I don't expect to use much (12 ton press, engine hoist, for example) and quality for things I use all the time (hand tools, power tools).

I had a set of Gearwrench ratchet combo wrenches that I kept breaking. Bought the Craftsman equivalent (though reversible with tiny lever) and I love those suckers.

I buy DeWalt power tools, though just the corded stuff. I haven't had much luck with their cordless. I find myself shying away from cordless generally. They don't work as well, last as long, and they are more expensive than corded. I prefer the cord hassle to the flat battery hassle.

I have one Snap-On ratchet. I keep wanting to love it, but I just can't. It is good, but not $50 good. I can only take solace that I got it hidden in the fender well of a derelict car I bought.

Pro here. Channellock pliers are top line. Any professional needs one set of Snap On flat wrenches- They are the best wrenches made of the best steel, but lord, it hurts when you lose one. I think I paid $74 to replace the 3/4 inch combination wrench I lost. I have no particular loyalty to anything else.

And the best #2 phillips is the newest one you have.

I bought craftsman forever, never really caring for it but I was always told how great it was so I never thought twice. The raised panel wrenches just do not feel good. The raised panel ratchets are awful.

The sockets, extensions, universals..ect I have no issue with. They are great.

After I discovered how nice the euro stuff like Hazet and Facom was I went looking for something similar at a lower price point and ended up with Toptul. Their satin finished european style tools are pretty freaking great and cost about the same as craftsman.

After a year of working with both wrench and ratchet sets I find I will walk out of my way to a more inconvenient toolbox to get the toptul stuff.

Trans_Maro wrote: Snap-on for screwdrivers, the old, hard-handle ones are the best. No-one makes a better gripping #2 phillips than Snap-on.

QFT. Never thought there was a difference until I started using Snap-On phillips. Now I won't use anything else. (I personally love their ratcheting screwdriver with interchangeable bits. Actually, I have their Blue Point bits, and they're up to Snap-On par in terms of accuracy.)

Their sockets and hex drivers are also a lot less sloppy than anything else I've used. I happen to love their ratchets, but that can be a personal thing. I reach for my ancient Craftsman 3/8 almost as often as my Snap-On, and the Snappy only wins more often because its flex head makes the job just that bit quicker.

I have a box full of Facom wrenches, sockets, ratchets and screwdrivers. I like the ratchets, but the rest of it is like Jap tools from the 70's. Junk. I use it as a last resort. Most of my work stuff is Proto, Gray, Armstrong and some Craftsmen.

Mainly Craftsman, from 2000-2002. I planed to go pro, 2 years vocational and only 1 semester at a tech school when I flunked out.

Junkyard_Dog wrote: The catch 22 with pawns is that you can get good quality pro tools but don't have access to replacements-even as a pro if "that guy" doesn't stop where you work. No internet buyers? I never was but some guys on my route swear by it.

Just pick up the phone and ask for your local tool truck rep.

You can go to them, they can come to you, or you can mail it in.

My tool truck guys warranty tools that are older than I am for me.

Shawn

Being an ex-tech, I think I have something from nearly everybody. I also inheredited a buttload of tools from my dad that he wasn't going to use again from his days rebuilding transmissions.

For everyday chromes, I like Cornwell probably the best with Matco a very close second. Snap-On looks pretty but the chrome is thin and chinsy. The Matco chromes are a bit thicker but dirty up and go dull so fast they look like crap. The Cornwell ones are the thickest and stay looking the best the longest.

Impacts....Tough call to make. I like the Matco sets I have bought on sale for ridiculous cheap. In the 1"+ sizes, I have a LOT of Cornwell and Snap-On as they were handmedowns.

Impact swivels.... Hands down, Matco. All the others wear out in half the time. Altho my 1/4" drive universal swivel from Snap-On seems to be the exception to the rule. I also have nearly complete set of MAC metric swivels, but when they wear out, I'm buying Matco to replace them. Piss on Stanley and their now made overseas E36 M3.

About the only thing I really want is a complete 1/4" and 3/8" drive metric and SAE semi-deep impact sockets. Those are about perfect for a day at the JY....

Wrenches... I have a nice metric combo Snap-On set. The rest are either GearWrenches or mismatched for anything SAE.

Screwdrivers for me is a bunch of mismatched HF cheapies with some decent Snap-On ones thrown in.

Prybars, $5 4pc set from MagicMart, AKA- MIT brand, along with a 5/8" square shanked 42" Matco version and a 36" long Snap-On.

Where I spent the rest of my money was in the kits or extra tools you can buy. I have a $600 ball joint press from Snap-On and it's worth every damn penny I spent on it too. AC gauges, thread restoring tap and die set, cooling system pressure tester, etc.....

Plus I won't even go into the factory special tools...... UGH.

I have an entire Facom set I got in college. It was part of a deal with a Facom Ferrari Tool Box. I have used every brand out there and I really like , however, the entire set is in Metric. What I do have standard are Craftsman.

I wish I could still get Facom tools, but I was told by the S-K tool distributor that they are no longer being distributed in the US.

Worked with SK and Cornwell when in school as expected for tools costing more than most of my cars they were fine. Ive had just about every hand tool HF makes for going on 5 years with only 2 failures I wore out the 3/8 drive ractchet it still works but is really loose and I split a non impact 32mm trying to remove an axle nut with an impact. Some of you might not know the Pittsburgh Industrial tools carry a lifetime warranty much like Craftsman If youre on a really tight budget like I was when I was 16 HF stuff is amazing.

I bought the big Kobalt set on sale from Lowes a few weeks ago alittle better finished than the HF tools but Im not sure it was worth the extra $

BoneYard_Racing wrote: I bought the big Kobalt set on sale from Lowes a few weeks ago alittle better finished than the HF tools but Im not sure it was worth the extra $

I'm mad i missed that.....

You can find decent stuff just about anywhere. Even at Harbor Freight, some lines are excellent while the next one on the shelf is crap. Same with the box box stores and hardware stores. My stuff is mostly older Craftsman, but I have added everything that Gear Wrench makes along with Kobalt and Pittsburgh Tool and lots of other names. I have yet to buy something from a tool truck, I just don't see the ROI.

Stahl Willie tools are awesome, their wrenches are amazing but i'm trying to figure out who can afford them.

Shawn

I'm looking into a set soon. My only real requirement is Made in USA and lifetime warranty. Unfortunately, that is ruling out Craftsman--they are moving manufacturing offshore.

My original set was Craftsman, since then I have a mix of what was available at the time and need. One fault found with Snap On. They tend to get very slippery when hand and wrench are covered with oil. I still have my original Craftsman 1/2" ratchet. It has had the rachet replaced three times and the handle once.