Thread: Wrenches

We can't get Sears tools in Sweden... but we get by with Bahco!

I have Snap-on and craftsman tools. I have a snap-on box to keep them in. I've never had any problem with warranty on either.

I'll have to find my old snap on ratchet and post a pic. I think it was one of the first made. I don't have many as I have never liked spending the bucks on Matco, Cornwell, Snap-On. They do feel nice in the hand but for what I did they sometimes felt slippery. Some of the Home Depot hand tools are very good and have the same life time warranty. I would throw a set of those in my rigs so the boys could do basic repairs to get home or through the scales. Most of those would get lost or stolen.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

I'll have to find my old snap on ratchet and post a pic. I think it was one of the first made. I don't have many as I have never liked spending the bucks on Matco, Cornwell, Snap-On. They do feel nice in the hand but for what I did they sometimes felt slippery. Some of the Home Depot hand tools are very good and have the same life time warranty. I would throw a set of those in my rigs so the boys could do basic repairs to get home or through the scales. Most of those would get lost or stolen.

If you post a pic I can probably date it for you. I owned a Snap-on franchise for a number of years. I've seen a lot of ratchets...

Starting around 1930ish Snap-on started to date stamp all hand tools with what looks like a squiggle mark. Sometimes it looks like a number. Take a picture of it and let's see when that bad boy was made. Snap-on started in 1920 and I have only seen a very few tools from that decade. If I see them I buy them up, although they usually are not worth much.

Watch out for the Home Depot stuff, it's ALL Taiwan or Chinese made. Many names that we use to respect and love have all shifted oversees. Names like Stanley, Vise-Grip, MAC, and Gearwrench just to name a few. If you buy a tool that doesn't say where it is made, it is not made in USA.

Funny you mention the set going to 18 and needing a 19..

Under the Kubota yesterday, doing a full service on it, manual says 19mm for the Transmission drain bolts, I smile because I know I have a 19 and a 22 Yeah figures both of them are 24's

Sometimes you just can't win

Originally Posted by Hirlau

The salesman said it had a lifetime warranty.
A friend of mine, at the time, wanted to read one of my judo books, he kept it 5 years.

You should have gone over to his house and instead of him reading the book you should have given him some "personal" instruction.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You should have gone over to his house and instead of him reading the book you should have given him some "personal" instruction.

Actually I had a class running for 6 years, just for the guys on the department. It was 2 nights a week, 3 blocks from the station, FREE, 2 1/2 hours before roll call; it doesn't get much more convenient than that. He attended approx. 3 classes, borrowed a book, never came back. Once a year I would remind him of the book, only because it was a first edition, difficult to obtain, part of my library. His response was always , "Yes, Johhny I'll find it for you." The only reason I ever got it back, was his wife forced him to clean out the storage room in their house.
He probably never even read it through.
Now he's sitting in jail, busted by ATF for illegal sell of firearms; with all tthis time on his hands now, I bet he wishes that he had my book to read.

Originally Posted by Lemur

We can't get Sears tools in Sweden... but we get by with Bahco!

Bahco used to produce quality tools but nowadays they have also sort of a hobby sets that are, eh not so good quality. We've had them at work and they are easy to break. Probably (?) they still have some pro sets that are made to serious/industrial use. At least the older tools are very good. I have old Bahco hand chisel set that is very high quality.

If you want to use wrenches that are made to last from father to son (and to grandson and so on) there are still some good brands like Stahlwille, Gedore, Facom etc. Snap-on makes some decent tools but some of their innovations are bit childish, imho. I know that they use Facom hand tools in local nuclear plant workshops.

I have Stahlwille 8-42 mm wrench set that i've had more than 25 years with no problems. Bought it used when the railroad workshop closed down in my home town so i cannot say about the real age of those tools.

Imho if you are about to use your tools seriously for years to come, then buying some cheap hobby set is saving in a wrong place. But if you need to use a tool for only once or twice, then maybe the cheapest will do just ok. Estate auctions, flea markets and bankrupty auctions are good places to find some quality stuff, and not only tools but whatever.

Craftsman actually has pretty decent tools, they seem to have become substantially better over the years. Ultra-Pro & Westward make good tools over here too, we use them in the oilfield all the time. With full warranty, why pay 3 times as much for a name, like Snap-On, or Mac?

Originally Posted by Sailor

Bahco used to produce quality tools but nowadays they have also sort of a hobby sets that are, eh not so good quality. We've had them at work and they are easy to break. Probably (?) they still have some pro sets that are made to serious/industrial use. At least the older tools are very good. I have old Bahco hand chisel set that is very high quality.

If you want to use wrenches that are made to last from father to son (and to grandson and so on) there are still some good brands like Stahlwille, Gedore, Facom etc. Snap-on makes some decent tools but some of their innovations are bit childish, imho. I know that they use Facom hand tools in local nuclear plant workshops.

I have Stahlwille 8-42 mm wrench set that i've had more than 25 years with no problems. Bought it used when the railroad workshop closed down in my home town so i cannot say about the real age of those tools.

Imho if you are about to use your tools seriously for years to come, then buying some cheap hobby set is saving in a wrong place. But if you need to use a tool for only once or twice, then maybe the cheapest will do just ok. Estate auctions, flea markets and bankrupty auctions are good places to find some quality stuff, and not only tools but whatever.

Yeah, the new Bahco is not like the old tools I've got, hard to find good tools these days.
The Japanese makes some really nice wrenches!