My favorite is the one Im using at the time that helps me fix whatever it is Im working on. It can be home made. cheap, plastic, stolen, used, new, borrowed. or broken as long as I get the results I need. QUOTE= "SOME PEOPLE ARE MECHANICS AND OTHERS JUST MESS"

 

For me mostly Craftsman/Craftsman Pro; but I do have a lot of others, Crescent, S&K, Harbor Freight Professional, Stanely, Husky.
I am adding a few Kobalt's when on sale. So far they work as well as Craftsman.....Time will tell.

 

Most of my other is Craftsman. One ratchet gone bad in 20 years. Then, I'm not a mechanic, either.

 

Something in the range of 80% of my tools are MasterCraft. Same lifetime warranty as the rest & there's a Canadian Tire nearby pretty much anywhere I go.

OTOH, my absolute favourite screwdrivers are Snap-On...Don't know what they doo to those things, but the only philips drivers I've filed to wreck within days have been Snap-On.

 

Had a good set of Husky from 40yrs ago, Canadian tire sold them, Lifetime warranty, never was able to break them.

Then my son started to use them and most were lost,/??

He has since replaced them with some Craftsman & Mastercraft Pro series. Have the odd snapon and mac in the tool chest. Fluke and Toshiba LT round out the electrical and OBDII test bench.

 

I use Craftsman daily in my industrial maintenance job as well as some Kobalt. No problems with them and I do lean on them occasionally, cheater pipes! Also use some Greenlee stuff but it is mostly electrical type tools.

 

Gys,
I stirred up quite a hornets nest one day and not on purpose ....when I grew up in the home of a very good auto-body repairman....all he bought was Snap-on....so when I got into the business at the age of ...well it dont matter....it was long ago and here in N.C. but back to my story....one of the guys I worked with at a local Fire Department and I was talking about tools....and with pride I recanted tales of my well preserved set of Snap-On. I later commentd on how I had gotten rid of the majority of the craftsman tool{wrenches} for the Snap-On brand. Poor Jeffrey took offense that I felt the Sears brand less than the other. He had never had one of those suckers spread whilst trying to break a rusted to hades and back bumper bolt off a late 50s auto.....Well it took a while to get my co-worker to calm down...I wasn't slamming him or anything he owned just the tools I used to own.... I assured him that for most home owners I felt they are a good bargain....If I am going to make a living with tools I want the best I can afford....a skinned knuckle on the account of a wrench that spreasds isnt going to make my day at all....but what did I know....
Rod

 

Why are you guys that are "spreading" wrenches using open ends on rusted or stuck nuts and bolts? That don't work for me regardless if its one of my Mac, Snapon, SK or Craftsman other than a busted hand and damaged fastener.

 

I use Craftsman for my sockets, wrenches and other hand tools. I only use Klien pliers though.

 

I was raised on old snap-on, craftsman etc in the 60-70's. used big bars on a few different brands and haven't broke one yet...saw a couple break but it wasn't the tool's issue...some guys are big enough that breaker bars are too much for anything.

I think the snap-on, mac craze is a bit of a joke. great sales and a philosophy that makes you buy...kinda like you 'need it to be any good.' and people going headlong into debt buying snap-on hand tools that would do the same job no better or worse than other quality, less expensive brands...but could have the $ to buy tools they really need. it's a business pride thing thats ok but just plain vanity at times.

I like a few different 'pro' level tools. Like stanley pro, some of hf pro stuff and even some cummings pro stuff- for what 1/5th the cost? I have some money but would rather spend it on big items instead of a fortune on hand tools when the difference in quality is only in the name or not enough to make a difference in two lifetimes of use.

Electronics, air tools, etc is a totally different game and I'd buy snap-on, mac to survive in a business environment...but hand tools?

 

I finally was able to fix my Husky ratcheting breaker bar. Apparently, when I ran it over, it nicked the little pin that controls the mechanism, and it completely disengaged.
I found out my standard 1/2" Husky ratchet had the same mechanism, so just swapped it out.
I can't believe they stopped making these.
Snap-off, Matco, and Mac all laughed at me when I asked about a ratcheting breaker bar.

 

Snap On makes Ratchet Adaptors in 1/4 through 3/4 size. To turn any breaker bar into a ratcheting breaker bar.

 

Craftsman for me, I don't like their ratchets though. Craftsman seems to stay up on the new designs for tools, like their version of gear wrench which I prefer over the gear wrench brand itself.

 

I am fed up with my craftsman tools and I am looking at Kobolt,Husky Pro and Napa. I cant take the sales man sarcastic comments about how the wrench broke anymore. I am going to sell my Craftsman tools take a big killing just to get rid of Sears Service. My son returned a ratchet at Lowe's and the salesman gave him a new one no questions asked or comments.

 

I have never had a problem with Sears and replacing tools; they never give me any lip or comments.

I absolutely hate their ratchets though. You need to turn it too far to get 1 click and they are too stubby to be good for anything. I have one favorite ratchet that I use all of the time; I don't even know who makes it otherwise I'd buy more.