I came accross this article and i know it has been the subject of much debate. But i thought i would share it here with everyone. I did not write it but i know most of not all of it is true. I have omitted some names.

Who Makes What ToolsLast update: Feb. 10, 2003



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The following excerpts were posted on one of the mailing list I subscribe to. I though the information was worth sharing.

I've tried to contact the original authors to get their permission, but did not get any replies to my emails. Since this information is available via one of several archives, I feel that I can present it here. However, the authors names have been removed from the discussions. (If they would like credit - please contact me.)




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Someone wrote [in part]:

... but I never could figure out who makes the [Craftsman] hand tools.
To which someone else replied:

I'm not the final word on tools by any means, but since I work in the business, I've learned a little bit about it. Okay, here's more than you ever wanted to know.

Lowes now (as of earlier this year) is selling a line of Mechanics Tools called Kobalt which is made by Snap-On. They are good tools.

(ED: I've received 3 follow up emails; updating the information about who is making Kobalt tools:
The first is from Bob xxxxxx of Cornwell Tool Distributor - He indicates that Kobalt is not made by Snap-On.
The second is from Heidi xxxxxxx of Husky Tools with more information on Kobalt tools not being made by Snap-On.)
The third from Dave xxxxxxx about the new vendor for the Kobalt line of tools.)

Home Depot's Husky brand is made by Stanley Mechanics Tools, a division of the Stanley Works. Husky are also good tools and have a good lifetime warranty (they'll even replace your broken Craftsman with an equivalent Husky).

Until 1994 or so, Stanley also made Sears Craftsman tools. Sears Craftsman is now made by Danaher Tools. They beat out Stanley on the contract over price. Danaher also manufactures MatCo Tools, the third largest player in the Mobile Automotive industry (behind MAC and Snap-On). Odds are, if you own any Craftsman tools that are older than about five years ago, they were made by Stanley in plants in Dallas, Texas, Witchita Falls, Texas, and Sabina, Ohio.

Stanley also owns MAC Tools and manufactures MAC tools in the same plants. Now here's the kicker: MAC Tools, Proto Tools (a very expensive industrial brand), Husky Tools, and, (prior to five or so years ago) Craftsman Tools are all made from the same forgings in the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the military, and industrial customers (including General Motors).

There are three MAJOR players in the USA mechanics tool business: Stanley, Danaher, and Snap-On. Stanley and Danaher (almost identical in sales revenue at about $28 billion each) are the biggest followed by Snap-On. Each of these three manufacture and sell tools under a variety of brands (there are many other brands that Stanley makes that I haven't even named). The quality between these three manufacturers is roughly the same. I know its a bit of a let-down to hear that, but its a simple fact.

There are a hand full of other minor players (Vermont American, etc) and an endless list of Taiwanese import tool companies (some of which Stanley own as well as Danaher to serve the lower end consumer import brands at WalMart, etc). How do I know all of this? I work for Stanley Mechanics Tools, specifically with the Proto Industrial brand. I personally do not think that MAC, MatCo, or Snap-On branded tools are worth the extra markup since they use the same forgings and manufacturing processes that make Husky and Kobalt and pre-1994 Craftsman. Where you need to pay attention are things like ratchets and torque wrenches. There are different specifications of ratchets and you do pay for the difference. Some mechanics require a finer, more precise ratcheting mechanism than guys like me who just bang around in the garage on the weekends.

By the way, Metwrench is basically considered a "gimick" infomercial tool brand that is not considered as a serious competitor to Danaher, Snap-On, or Stanley. Then again, IBM once didn't see Microsoft as a serious force in the personal computer business. Hmmmm....

(Two more brands that I don't know much about is Black & Decker and DeWalt. About Sept. 2002 I received an email stating that B&D owns DeWalt. Though I haven't confirmed this yet.)

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Then there was this discourse on FACOM brand tools:

> FACOM has been around forever. French company, says "American" in the name
> though I forget the whole acronym.

FACOM is Franco-Americaine de Construction d'Outillage Mecanique. French for "French-American Mechanical Tool Manufacturing". Got points in my french class for that.

> It's now one of the largest tool conglomerates in Europe.
>
> SK, I think, is an American company that recently has had a large part of
> its stock purchased by FACOM.

FACOM owns S-K outright. You'll notice (if you look through the catalogs from preceeding years) that the tools are becoming more and more alike. The S-K "pro" screwdrivers are now FACOM ergotwist screwdrivers. The "tuff1" ratchets are S-K pro ratchet handles avec FACOM innards. FACOM's ratcheting flare wrench now has S-K stamped on the side of it. I don't like it because we could get FACOM tools from S-K dealers for over 10 years, but now they're getting more and more reluctant to give us FACOM stuff, they'd rather sell S-K stuff. Which is why you get S-K catalogs instead of FACOM. If you specifically request (demand) a FACOM catalog, you get their _american_ catalog, which is abbreviated, along with a note to contact Griot's Garage. I've asked a French friend to get me a French market FACOM catalog, as they have all the good stuff that hasn't yet been absorbed into the S-K line. Ultimate Garage is a FACOM dealer as well as Griots, and I've been told (by richard?) they've got a catalog, dunno if it's FACOM's, but I'll order something and find out.

I was also wondering what the deal was with the S-K foundry? Presumably they still make some stuff stateside? No? I know there are others not mentioned, Cornwell has a foundry in Ohio, I think?

I'd kinda doubt that Williams uses the _exact_ same dies for Koalt and Snap-On. I compared the Kobalt combo wrench to one of my Snap-Ons, and they aren't the same. The Kobalt handle is pretty much rectangular in cross-section, and really does hurt your hand when you pull hard. The Snap-On is more rounded. As well, the Kobalt is visibly looser on the fastener. Maybe these are Snap-On rejects? Can't explain the handle differences, though. The breaker bars seem to share the same grip, though, it just seems the kobalt doesn't have those nifty machined indentations at the base.

I know Stanley owns Mac and Blackhawk (didn't know about Husky), but the Blackhawk stuff doesn't seem similar to the Mac stuff. These look awfully different to be from the same dies, shape wise. So the price difference is different steel in the better tools? Surely they can't be charging Mac prices for better plated Blackhawk stuff?

> FACOM also owns (large parts of) USAG (Italian?) and Beissbarth...



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Addendum

I received the following info from Dan Peronto a Tool Designer for Snap-on Tools at the Kenosha Mfg Plant:

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Hand tools
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 13:44:50 -0500


I just wanted to add my 2 cents. Well a nickle really, considering that I work for Snap-on and we over charge for everything

I was reading on your site about 'who makes what tools' One part explians that the various manufactures use 'the exact same forgings' for all the various brands they sell. This is NOT true for Snap-on tools. Our retail brand Kobalt sold through Lowe's stores, shares very little if any traits with our traditional Snap-on line. They are made in the same plants, but most of the manufacturing tooling is different. They are made by the same UNION skilled machinists useing the same tried and true processes. The designs for these tools are completly different. They use different material and are heat treated differently.

I hope this clears things up slightly
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tool Designer
Snap-on Tools
Kenosha Mfg Plant


Another update
Just to update on the Lowe's Kobalt line, Kobalt is no longer going to be made by J.H. Williams (a division of Snap On). The new tools are to be made by Danaher. I have been told that the majority of the tools will be made to the exact same specifications as the older tools made by Williams. The new tools boxes are to be made by Waterloo. The tools arrived sometime around april. I learned this when I called there customer service number, 1-888-3KOBALT.

 

It's a good read but it brought up as many questions as it answered.

 

I thought it was interesting thats why i shared it.

 

Considering many distributors change manufacturers for PARTS of their tool line every year or so makes this kind of old news.

Husky for example (or any other brand) may have their ratchets manufactured by one company, their sockets by another, their combo wrenches by another, their open end by another, their offset box by another, their hex by another, their torx by another, their pliers by another, their screwdrivers by another, etc etc etc ad nauseam. -Get the picture???

Then figure that each of those contracts comes up for renewal every year or two. That covers just hand tools and power tools are, of course, the same story. All of this means "who makes such and so", is irrelevant.

 

Ironeagle...Who made Indestro and BluePoint? I've had a few of these oldies in my tool box for years.

MR

 

Bluepoint is a Snap-On product but i'm not sure if they actually manufacture them. Most of the Bluepoint tools i own are specialty tools and like you some of them i have had for years. I don't own any Indestro tools nor can i ever remember seeing them. I'll let you know if i ever come accross them.

 

Further note on Facom: They in turn are owned by Britool, a UK tool company.

 

I have read many articles from many forums on who makes what tool, and here is what I have found. Milbar makes most snap ring pliers for just about all tool companies. Ever noticed how they all look the same? Also, J. H. Williams tools are owned by a company called Bahco, which are fameous for saws and other cutting tools, then Bahco is owned by snap-on. Also, many tools manufacturers' air tools are just ingersol-rand and chicago pneumatics rebadged. Craftsman tools boxes are made by waterloo. Craftsman screwdrivers are made by western forge, ever noticed how they have WF stamped on the side of the handle? Cooper tools ownes lufkin tape measures, crescent brands tools, nicholson files and saws, x-celite tools, and utica tools. Irwin industrial tools owns vise grip brand tools.

 

Lots of interesting info here. So is the bottom line - Snap-on has a more extensive treatment process and better QA/QC?
trav

 

Guys, what is it about "all of the brand name tool suppliers change every few years" is it that you don't understand???

dasnuke may have figured it out by saying that snap-on has better QA and heat treatment. That is the main difference between tool "brands" and even that changes over time.

Contracts change every few years and specs do too so this whole converstaion is pointless.

The Craftsman screwdriver or ratchet I hold in my hand were made by different companies than the ones held in most of your hands... The same goes for any other tool. Even some of the tool manufacturers like SK outsource to supplement their lines and buy/sell whole manufacturing plants.

 

From what I have read, it seems to me that the key is who you trust, and how 'cheerfully' they accept broken tools. For you pros who buy them at Sears or other local stores, the only thing that I can suggest is that you don't wear your Mr. Goodwrench uniform into the store when returning the said tool(s). I don't know how you interact with the guys who come by your shop to sell you tools. If they give you a problem, I guess that you could insert the tool in the proper location of the vendors body. Perhaps you can ban them from the shop?
As for Sears, I suggest that you effect a Yuppie kind of look, I have never seen the sears guys refuse to accept a tool from one of those.

Oh, more fuel on the fire I saw goodwrench tools in the ORielly store today, wonder who makes those?

Just my 2¢
trav

 

Hehe, Dasnuke that is Sooo true!

It helps to know some of the clerks sometimes. I had a Craftsman beam type torque wrench that had a plastic pointer that broke off. Sears did not want to exchange it. At that time Western Auto was selling Craftsman tools. The counterman there did not want to exchange it either. Another counterman that had known me for years stepped over and told him to exchange it. I now have one with a ground steel pointer. Sometimes it is just who you know...

btw- the plastic pointer just cracked and fell off, no abuse of any kind.

FWIW, those Goodwrench tools in O-Reilly look like China stuff... Maybe next year they will be Indian, and the year after that US (doubt it), -hehe

 

B&D has owned DeWalt for 30+ years.

 

I can relate a broken tool story at Sears.

There were a certain style of Crafstman ratchet they sold that was junk. I don't know how to describe it, but I bet some of you guys know which one I am talking about. It broke on me one day while I had a car tore down, so I drove all the way to town to get it replace. Low and behold in the store they said, "we don't replace them anymore, we repair them". So I say, I don't care, I want a working ratchet. So I stand there and wait, and finally a young boy comes out of the back with my ratchet in pieces, and says he can't get it back together. I say just give me a kit and I will put it in myself. Well driving home, the more I thought about it, the madder I got, and at the house, I looked in the catalog, and in small letters it said: "If you are not completely satisfied with any craftsman tool it will be replaced free of charge". So I got back in the car, drove all the way back, went to a guy in the store and told him what the catalog said, and that I wanted a new ratchet. He went over and got me a ratchet, and I left. My wife was with me, and said the other lady that helped me first was giving us mean looks, but I did get another new junky ratchet, and a year later I had tape around it to keep the lever from falling off.

 

The only problem I've had with getting something fixed or replaced from Sears was when I fried my Craftsman advance timing light. It was my fault and I was willing to pay to have it fixed, but they didn't want anything to do with it. They suggested I buy another one. Other times I have taken back broken hand tools and they are very nice about replacing them. All in all, I'm happy with Craftsman, whoever they are made by.

One question: Who makes the Husky 40" top chest toolbox? I really like that box and have wanted to buy one for a while now, but I don't know where I'd go to get replacement parts for it several years from now because I don't know who made it.

Of all the 40" chests I have seen, there are only 2 I like, one is that Husky and the other is a Proto box they sell at Grainger. I don't know who makes that one iether. I'm very happy with my existing Craftsman and Proto tool boxes, but I've outgrown all of them and need another.