If you think finding made in USA stuff is hard. Try finding made in Canada....

 

I guess I'm like most of you guys, I have a few different brands of tools. SK,Mac Snap on, Thorsen, and a few others. When I still lived in NE. I knew an old diesel mech. who had the same myriad of brands we do. One day I asked him which brand was the best. He says they all have their good sides. He puts a Mac ratchet in the vise,yanks on it. Snapped the guts with ease. Then he grabs a Snap on,the same outcome. Last was the Craftsman. No way could he break that one. He said that one was one of the first ones he ever bought. 40 years ago my dad also bought me a tool set in a gray toolbox, red tray and all that. still use them today. But I have noticed that their quality has gone downhill somewhat over the years. Back in the day if it said made in china it was probably a firecracker. Makes me wonder when I buy my son his first toolset if he'll be able to say the same 40 years from now.

 

Ray, I think, as Ross pointed out with the example of Germany that the 'wolf cry' of government over regulation is BS. The German regulations are far more stringent than ours yet their industrial base is safe and prosperous. Just like the Anti-union cries here, German unions are a major part of their success.

 

I started with a Craftsman Mechanic set as a teen and went to college then worked as a tech. As I could afford tools outright, I would buy Matco (had a 52% student discount for a couple years) and replace my craftsman tools and return them to my home toolbox. I replaced the stuff I used the most first. I eventually stopped because what I had was good enough.

Here are the issues I did have will all brands...

Snap-on:Price is silly but I RARELY break a tool. The brand is better designed and more ergonomic. If you have never tried the 72 tooth close gear ratchet... do it. you wont ever look back. Their tools seem to be heavier and the metal feels less porous.

Mac: uncomfortable but strong. Wrenches dong feel streamlined in your palm and the ratchets I was never a fan of due to the head.

Cornwell: Meh, for the price you can do better all around

Matco: Price was great but they would rebrand others products as their own. The have some nicer kits and the new stuff they make is starting to gain traction in the quality dept.

Craftsman: good home-use tool, terrible for a trades person unless you go professional series for the ratchets. Not a precision ratchet design. Screwdrivers twist tips and handles are not the best design to get torque on. I have broken probably 30 sockets, usually the 8mm 10mm or 1/4"... If you walk into Sears with a technician shirt on they wont warranty to the tool because its not warrantied for professional use... FYI

S*K feels like Mac and has the quality of a cheap tool, the handles are terrible and get slippery or the knurling tears up palms/latex gloves (yes I wore gloves to keep my hands clean for in/out of customer cars)

Kobalt: Im actually surprised by their quality more and more each time I used them.

Everything else... HF (Pittsburg hand tools) etc.... not the best by any means, but very cheap. Depends how hard you are on your tools. If you break it you aren't out of a ton of money. HF is great for those 1-2 time use tools that you don't want to spend a ton on.

 

Channel Lock tools are made in Meadville PA - They have drop forges that were working since the early 50's
When I'm tearing down one of there old girls I have the habbit of not fighting an old rusted bolt - If I can get a six poing on both ends I usually tighten them till they break - I'm very careful with my hand placement because I've had wrenches, ratchets and sockets break on me - Any brand will break give a long enough booster bar

 

I was stationed in Germany for a year thanks to Uncle Sam. The Germans were very nice to the GI's and would thank us for winning the war. They said if they had won we wouldn't be over there protecting them and there was no way their country could have the industrial machine we rebuilt for them. If you think about it both Germany and Japan got their infra structure rebuilt by the USA tax dollar.

 

The sad thing about this post is that no matter whom you want to blame it's our own fault. We still buy this junk. When is the last time you told your wife to not buy junk when she goes to Walmart. If their is a quality product still being made here, support them. I learned my lesson a couple of weeks ago with a steering column. I remember another form member here being taken for a ride with a Helix front end. The consumer dictates what is being manufactured and if we don't step up all your going to be able to find is junk.

 

My tools are 90% Craftsman all bought in the 1960's. I think they were made by Singer back then? I've only had one socket crack over all the years. I just had to remove a stubborn pinion nut from a 9" rear end, used a 1/2 drive breaker bar with a 5' pipe cheater with no problem. I guess they don't make them like they use to....

 

Bingo. No demand, no supply.

 

I recall that HF sold a set of ramps that were pretty hefty, all steel. I went down to pick up a set and they told me they no longer carry them. I guess I could make a set myself, but does anyone know who may carry something like that?

 

I like wearing bib overalls. When I retired I headed down to the Coop where they sold liberty, and they guy said, "oh yea, they're American made." I never looked until a few years later when I noticed the made in china tag. When I asked around everybody said there were none made here. After a little research I found Round House, made in Oklahoma. I still have a couple old pair of Liberty, but for the past few years I have only bought Round house. I have to order them on line because nobody locally carries them, but that's what I'm stickin to.

 

I do too. I just wish they'd let me wear them into the office at work.

I'd not heard of Round House before. The next ones I buy will be from them. (Which will be pretty soon, the ones I have now seem to be shrinking).

 

Didn't know of Round House. Thanks for the tip.

 

A good guide to US-made products:
Made in the USA Products Directory for American Made Items

 

Craftsman sells tools at different quality levels. You need to buy the good stuff for working on Cars and Trucks. I have had a cheep set of Craftsman wrenches for about 30 years. You can't break them, but at times they are useless because they behave like rubber. I purchased an 18 mm combination wrench from Parts Plus. It works where the cheep Craftsman doesn't. Not sure where it was made, but the name on it is oriental. I have a set of Great Neck Combinations from Auto Zone. They haven't failed me in about 7 years. I'm a Manufacturing Engineer. My company buys some stuff from China. It took some time to find a good supplier in China. We eventually found a good one. There quality level exceeds most of our US suppliers. The raw material is made in the US. Point I'm trying to make is that the country of manufacture is not the only consideration when buying tools.