What brand of hand tools do you have in your tool box?

[scooter18155]

Originally Posted by junior3382

I do agree, however, not being in the trade proffesionally, it is easier to walk into sears for a new one occasionally, then find the Snap on truck. There is no store front here, I am not sure about anywhere else... everything is direct sale from a truck, and if I need to replace a rachet today to fix a problem tonight.... the convienience is the way I go.... just how I see. Besides in ten years of using them, I have only needed to replace my 1/4" rachet and only twice, the 3/8" and 1/2" have held up great for me....

this is the exact reason i buy craftsman. i dont find thier quality to be bad either. only had to replace 1 ratchet and 1 breaker bar. I know people who swear on snap on which is ok but for the price of that stuff and the hard time finding the snapon guy around here to replace it just isnt worth it for me.

[hotrodpc]

I have mostly Craftsman that I have had for about 25 years. Sadly enough, I personally feel Craftsman quality has suffered drastically in the last 10 years or so and I am not likely to buy Craftsman tools anymore. I even have some Craftsman wrenches that are "Forged In Japan". I think that hurt the Craftsman name badly so they did that for a very short time and went back to USA forged. Who knows those wrenches may be worth something someday. Their quick release ratchets are a joke and now you get a kit or a used rebuilt when you exchange it. The nice triangular handeled nut drivers are not made anymore so when you wear them out or break them, they replace it with the much inferior lower valued nut driver. There are other bad issues too as far as I am concerned, but yep, Craftsman is what I have the most of, but have a little of everyone else too sicne I quit buying new Craftsman.

[k20_chevy]

Just a little bit of everything. Love my 10 yr. old craftsman stuff though, can't find the same quality these days.

[hotrodpc]

Yep, the quality has suffered. I also took in a pair of straight cut tin snips. They tried replacing them with Sears brand. I noticed they were not Craftsman luckily. I said these are not the right ones. He said that is all we have, we don't have these in Craftsman brand anymore becauase we will no longer warranty them for life. I raised some crud about it, so they gave me a refund on them instead, since I told them I paid and bought the Craftsman name for a reason. I forget how long ago it had been, but they refunded me the last catalog price of the Craftsman brand name snips and that was that. SO, Nope, I am not the least bit pleased with Craftsman anymore, mainly becuase of the way they honor their warranty on certain items. Its a sad day, and I hate admit this, but I even bought a cheap tool at Harbor Freight made in China not long ago. I broke it, No problem, No receipt, No Questions, exchanged it no hassle. I even forget what it was now, I am thinking a clamp.

[badtothebowtie]

i use napa brand tools they come off the same line as craftsman and i get 40% discount for life

[rc1richard]

Everything from snap-on to china. I try to get us tools for important stuff but I still use some china for other things.

[hotrodpc]

Slowly raising my hand, yeah I am guilty too. I have some China stuff. It does get the job done. I bought a 3/4 in drive ratchet, breaker bar, socket set for like $25 on sale at HF. Bolts that big, 1 1/6 in and bigger, with a 6 point socket do not strip very easily, so I figured it be OK. I find myself using quite oten. Used it just 2 days taking a rear end out of a car. Used the 3/4 drive with the 18 inch breaker bar and 6 ft cheater over that. The pop noise it made when it came loose I knew I finally broke something, but no, that 1 1/2 in bolt was just that tight on a car that had sat for 8 years in a mud hole. Sometimes the china stuff fits the budget alot better for very rare use.

[Crmzendrgone]

What ever tool truck was there the day I needed a tool worked for me.

[hotrodpc]

Note of Caution: Crmzen has no loyalty.

[BernieB]

Right now I've got a mix of brands, just a lot less than I used to have. Back when I was wrenching for a living I also had an assortment, heavy on Craftsman and S&K, but I got out of that business in 1998 and sold off most of the air tools, since I was living in an apartment and didn't have a compressor. Then, in 1999, I came home to find I didn't have a home anymore. A broken gas line in my ceiling wiped out my entire apartment. No injuries, but I lost everything except the clothes on my back and $100 in my pocket. I managed to salvage some tools from my basement and the car, but lost close to $75k worth of boxes, tools, scanners, etc. What was left pretty much filled a small duffel bag.

I've added a lot since then, but still nowhere near what I had, and I still sometimes find myself walking into the garage to get a tool I no longer have. Sucks...