Mechanics tools ? Wrenches , Sockets and Ratchets , whatever else .

mmcmdl said:
If you had to get down to 1 or 2 sets , what brand would they be ?

Old Craftsman
Armstrong
Williams
Snap On
Wright
Proto
Monkey Wards ( forget the name )
Western Auto
HF
Mac
SK
Matco
Olsen
Kokal


Trying to make a pole but can't figure out how to . :frown:

Feel free to add any I might have missed .
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Since you dont mention budget
Or end use, new or used
craftsman
 
My favorite wrenches are the Williams Superwrench box ends, Gray Canada wrenches and sockets. I have set of Proto sockets that I like.
I still have my Craftsman toolbox and most of the tools I received for Christmas when I was 10.
I like Gray screwdrivers and Craftsman screwdrivers.
For adjustable wrenches I have a Diamond Horseshoe adjustable and a set of Williams Superadjustable wrenches which are great.
Martin
 
My preference would be Snap-On, Matco, and Mac. in that order. When I started in the auto repair business in the late 60's I went with Craftsman. They were OK but a bit bulky and hard to use in tight locations. When the Japanese cars came on the market the Craftsman tools were all but useless. They didn't fit in the limited spaces and didn't have enough angle on the open end to turn them more than a couple degrees at a time.

I switched over to Snap-On and the jobs became exponentially easier. I could complete most jobs in a fraction of the time it took when using the Craftsman tools. The downside of the Snap-On tools was the cost. They were tough and versatile enough to do anything that was asked of them.
As Matco and Mac came along I tried them mainly because of the difference in cost. They were better than the Craftsman, but not quite on the same level as Snap-On.

I've been out of the commercial auto repair business almost 40 years and still have all my Snap-On tools. They're still in excellent shape and still under warranty. A few years ago, the handles on some of the screw drivers started to deteriorate. I called Snap-On to see if I could purchase some replacements. They said due to liability problems they no longer sold replacement handles. They asked for the numbers on the handles and told me they would get back when they found out what newer product they crossed over to. A couple days later a lady called back and informed me they would replace all the drivers (6) with the latest ones in their product line. I could just toss out the old ones.

Last fall I was visiting a friend at his commercial shop when the Snap-On man showed up. My friend bought a few items and mentioned I had a 1980's era 3/8" ratchet that needed repair. The Snap-On man told me to drop it off the next time I came in and he would repair it. I came back a couple weeks later and was handed the fully repaired ratchet at no cost. With service like that it's hard not to be a loyal customer.

I must admit I do still have most of my Craftsman tools and a few S K and other brands as well. Now that I'm retired, I don't need to earn a living with my tools. For hobby and repair work the less expensive brands are adequate and easier on the pocketbook.
 
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S-K
Old Craftsman

I bought my first set of quality tools as a kid decades ago at a Blue Light Special. Plus, my best friend's mother worked at the local K-Mart and got me an added employee discount for this S-K set.

IMG_0846.jpg
 
projectnut said:
My preference would be Snap-On, Matco, and Mac. in that order. When I started in the auto repair business in the late 60's I went with Craftsman. They were OK but a bit bulky and hard to use in tight locations. When the Japanese cars came on the market the Craftsman tools were all but useless. They didn't fit in the limited spaces and didn't have enough angle on the open end to turn them more than a couple degrees at a time.

I switched over to Snap-On and the jobs became exponentially easier. I could complete most jobs in a fraction of the time it took when using the Craftsman tools. The downside of the Snap-On tools was the cost. They were tough and versatile enough to do anything that was asked of them.
As Matco and Mac came along I tried them mainly because of the difference in cost. They were better than the Craftsman, but not quite on the same level as Snap-On.

I've been out of the commercial auto repair business almost 40 years and still have all my Snap-On tools. They're still in excellent shape and still under warranty. A few years ago, the handles on some of the screw drivers started to deteriorate. I called Snap-On to see if I could purchase some replacements. They said due to liability problems they no longer sold replacement handles. They asked for the numbers on the handles and told me they would get back when they found out what newer product they crossed over to. A couple days later a lady called back and informed me they would replace all the drivers (6) with the latest ones in their product line. I could just toss out the old ones.

Last fall I was visiting a friend at his commercial shop when the Snap-On man showed up. My friend bought a few items and mentioned I had a 1980's era 3/8" ratchet that needed repair. The Snap-On man told me to drop it off the next time I came in and he would repair it. I came back a couple weeks later and was handed the fully repaired ratchet at no cost. With service like that it's hard not to be a loyal customer.

I must admit I do still have most of my Craftsman tools and a few S K and other brands as well. Now that I'm retired, I don't need to earn a living with my tools. For hobby and repair work the less expensive brands are adequate and easier on the pocketbook.
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I would add Cornwell to that list.
 
davidpbest said:
Gedore or Haznet (both German):

Gedore Tools - KC Tool

Gedore Tools at KC Tool. Great prices, fast shipping, knowledgeable staff. Gedore Tools is the largest tool conglomerate in the world with over 22,000 tools made. The Dowidat brothers, Otto, Karl, and Willi started Gedore in Remscheid, Germany in 1919. Gedore Tools won the Eisen (Innovation...
www.kctool.com www.kctool.com

Hazet Tools - KC Tool

Hazet Tools at KC Tool. Great prices, fast shipping, knowledgeable staff. Hazet was founded in Remscheid, Germany in 1868 by Hermann Zever. Ha-Zet came from a shorting of his first and last name. The company has continued to grow in the last 150 years but still maintains its family ties with the...
www.kctool.com www.kctool.com
Click to expand...
I just sold a bunch of Gedore. I thought they were India..
 
This is what I do on a daily basis and I can’t praise snap on enough. Made in America. Everything I buy from snap on saves me time and makes me money without fail. Worth the money. My snap on dealer never bats an eye if I have a busted socket or something, which is rare. He just hands me a new one
 
One of the things about tool truck tools is that they come to you, handle warranty, and help you find the right tool for the job. Not having to leave the workplace is a big financial help, limiting lost time/income.

Our local Williams dealers were an industrial supply company and a welding supply company. The industrial supply was owned by the same family that had a sawmill, timberlands, a spur railroad, an iron works, and a locomotive/railroad repair business. The sawmill and timberlands became Willamette Industries, and the other branch operations faded away. The welding supply still carries Williams, which is now a branch of Snap-On, and they still meet demand from millwrights and other industrial workers. Since they deliver welding gasses and other stuff, you can order the Williams tools over the phone and they will drop them off.
 
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