I'd love to see Sears sell off Craftsman, and then die.
I'd love to see K-Mart just die.

 

I know several have mentioned "Made in the USA" as desirable.....I've also heard several of you tout the lifetime warranty as a good thing......

I've not heard anyone here speak up for Stanley (Stanley Works, New Britain, Connecticut). All I really know about them is they've got some first-rate tape measures.....

I just browsed their website. Seem to have a good solid line of tools (specialty & sets)....And they DO have the made-in-the-USA and lifetime warranty thing going.....Anyone know anything good, bad, indifferent?........

 

Stanley owns Husky brand and Mac brand tools. And their tape measures, and garage doors.

 

10-4 on that.....I spent a great deal of time looking over Husky tool sets at Home Depot the other day......They're all made in China, and most (except for some of the individual tools and smaller tool sets which are lifetime) are 3-yr warranty......

All I could browse there with Stanley were tape measures and individual tools and screwdriver sets......ALL made in the USA, and all with a lifetime warranty---ditto on the tool sets I saw online.......

p.s. I just browsed the garage forum, Bigrig, and would just like to say that (ahem) you guys can get REAL spirited with your discussions on Craftsman vs Snap-on tool boxes.......

 

Well yeah, there's no way I'd put out $5000 for a new Snap On toolbox. It's just tool storage. But since I got a deal on mine, I get ripped on for it. Sure it's used, but it's still tool storage, Snap On none the less. They're just jealous. And I don't care who builds the boxes for Snap On, you won't ever find a knock off anywhere. Craftsman, Waterloo, Mac and Husky all look similar and are made by the same company. You just can't say that about a Snap On box.

 

Moved from GA.

 

Once again, I just don't see it on the boxes. The tools, yeah, but not the boxes. Not that I wouldn't LOVE to have a big Snap-On box. Just don't see the money for storage space. I also have owned and still do, a lot of Craftsman tools. They still aren't a bad deal for the money, and as I have said before, fine for home/garage use for most people. (me included). Snap-On is, however, IMHO, the way to go on anything you use daily to make your living. Mac, SK, Matco as well. None of those have ever let me down. For screwdrivers and pliers, go German-made. Nobody makes a better plier than Knipex, or a better screwdriver than Wiha. I've bought pretty much every brand made at one time or another. They aren't cheap, but still half the price of a Snap-on, and twice the tool. Use the Knipex pliers for a while and you'll throw rocks at Channel-locks. All the CL pliers I've got haven't been used that much and are bent/sloppy. The Knipex's have been used and abused for at least 12 years (frequently as a hammer) and still going strong.

 

@cmpd1781
FWIW,
Stanley owns Proto professional tools too.
Good stuff! and available through Graniger.
But being from here in CT I'm not liking Their trying to incorporate in Bermuda to avoid taxes. The whole valley is hurting due to loss of manufacturing jobs. (other than U.T. military jobs @ Sikorsky and such) Selling out your workforce to increase the corporate bottom line is bad policy IMO for everyone but the executives and big stockholders.

AFAICT, Stanley now produces most of it's product overseas. (tape measures being one of the exceptions)

 

Jim, I think I saw some of that (overseas) on some of their tools......(UK?)......The only things HD had on display were levels, hammers, screwdrivers, tape-measures (of course), hand saws, and a couple of other sundries......They didn't have wrenches or socket sets on display---are THEY all produced overseas? Also, can anyone speak out for or against Stanley socket sets?...Wrenches?.....etc.?......

That does suck about the moving of operations to avoid taxes, but without going into a tax debate (THEN this will get moved to Club FTE!), The tax (corporate) situation from the feds have drove MANY corporations overseas.......

 

OT for this thread:

I have some Stanley branded crap tools (sockets, wrenches) that I leave in my truck.
Think I bought those @ Wmart when my waterpump went on a road trip.
If someone steals them they'd be doing me a favor.

Stanley is huge and owns many brands. Bostich is one that I see in my trade (carpentry) every day.
They do make LCD stamped steel entry doors for HD as well.

I don't mean to make any blanket condemnation of their quality. Like I said Proto is 'Good Stuff'. I'm sure their product lines range from absolute garbage to excellent.

IMO,
They are going the same way as B&D did, cheapening their product to the point that tradesmen won't touch the brand. Black and Decker ended up buying DeWalt for the name and selling off it's core business (radial arm saws) to save themselves, and now they (DeWalt) is building tools "to a cost" for HD ect... and getting the same black eye because they don't distinguish between the two lines. (they even have the same model #, but the guts aren't the same.)
Years ago Makita had turquoise tools and red (homeowner) tools. You knew what you were getting.

Not trying to be a xenophobe,
I'd just rather support some entity that is supporting the American workforce, even if it means paying more. That's why I avoid the big boxes if I can @ all. For that matter regardless of where the product is made the logistics of the sale are the same.

Ok enough ranting, and I don't have the $ to join club FTE right now.
Bad morning for me.... Cold here and I went out to go to work this morning and lost the crank in my truck. Knocking real loud. Totally stressed out. ((((
Sorry....

Jim

 

I have been buying tools for years and they are 98% Snap on and Miwaukee.The thing I hate the most is buying a cheap tool or product and you have to mess with it to get it to work right or it breaks easily.

The toolbox issue is a simple test....... Put 2 empty toolboxes side-by side.A snap-on and brand X.Now open any drawer on both toolboxes....see the differance ?? Snap on uses more steel and there is little flex and they sound solid also.Also 20 years from now your snap on box will still be square and the other one ????

I have never bought a new toolbox.Only used ones.They depreciate just like a car.If you guys want snap on tools and half price go to EBAY.I have bought several good deals.Just make sure you check prices first on snap on's website first.so you dont get screwed.

BTW - I dont work for or have any connection w/ Snap-on.I am telling you guys dont get scared by the prices.Remember the prices you see for snap on and other tools are RETAIL !! or the MSRP !!

Good luck
RV

 

Yeah, I can see the quality difference in the boxes. Worked several years as an industrial mechanic. I just don't see justification for the price difference. If it's twice the box, it should be twice the price, Not 6-7 times the price, that's all. And, you don't USE the box to make a living. You use it to store the tools with which you make a living. If I was spending that much for storage space I'd probably get Lista cabinets. Also, I bought a craftsman box about 18 mos. ago, and I can tell a difference in it and the Craftsman box I bought 20 years ago USED from an old mechanic when he got a new Snap-On. It's probably older than me. It's heavier gauge steel. Both are the cheap non-roller slides, but the older one slides better loaded than the new one. Same deal with the tools from sears. Big difference in the 20-30 year old stuff than the >10 year old stuff. The finish looks better on the new ones, but they aren't as strong. Also the newer ratchets aren't smooth like the old ones.

 

When my garage was broken into 3 years ago, I was underinsured.
Given the limited budget and my taste for quality hand tools (or is that distaste for crappy tools)
I bought a Taiwanese roll cabinet, 3 drawer middle chest and top box.

Yep, I'm out of the closet now...I can admit it.

I bought the Grizzly heavy duty line w/ ball bearing slides. And have been pleasantly surprised w/ the quality. The gauge is thick enough not to dent or feel tinny. The drawers have good action and positive stops. The casters work well and they all around do what I need them to. Though I'm not a mechanic hardly a day goes by that I'm not using them.

I'm not getting dinged weekly when the Snapon or Matco guy comes by either.

Just my 2c

 

I have yet to pick up ANYTHING Stanley that wasn't made in China...sockets, screwdrivers, you name it. Where are you guys finding stuff by them that's made in the USA?

BTW- I've seen no mention of it, but Lisle has pretty decent quality stuff too (though they mostly make automotive tools and/or diagnostic tools), and it's all USA that I know of. I have a set of their Torx bits. They sell some of their line at Sears.

 

ghunt,

Stanley USED to produce quality American tools here in CT.

They were but one part of the large industrial machine that kept Connecticut running in the past century. Along with Colt, Remington, Ruger, Electric Boat, Norden, Sikorsky, Yale, Eaton and many 'peaceful' companies as well.
For quite some time the industrial factorys (that have existed here since the 1700's) gathered along our rivers and shores continued to produce quality products for the world and employed tens of thousands.
It's mostly gone now, victim of global trade, corporate bottom line and the ever declining demand for quality.

Perhaps, you're too young to have known any of this.
If that's true, then I'm sorry you missed an era of pride in a job well done.