# Small Hand Tools...which Do You Like And Use?



## EmilioG (Mar 13, 2016)

I know everyone here loves tools, of all type.
I've been buying new and used tools for machining, wood work and automotive.
I own many from Starrett to Snap-On and some Husky cheapo tools.
I also own Pittsburgh, Wera, Wiha, Craftsman, and other brands depending on price/quality and
use.

My question is, what tool brands are better today new?  I like vintage in great condition but sometimes I just buy something new to avoid problems.  Recently I've been buying German tools, which I find outstanding and less expensive than Snap On, which are the best but pricey.  The cheaper import tools just don't cut it for me.  The break, bend and "munge" too easily.  It's frustrating to use some cheapo tools, so I try to buy good used as opposed to new/crap.  

Machinists hand tools, ? I try to always buy the best that I can afford.  Some are expensive but they are simply better.


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## P T Schram (Mar 13, 2016)

As I am a Chrome Slinger for Snap-On, I am biased, but I was very proud when it was announced that Snap-On's high line of measuring/machinist tools are made for us by Starrett.

Snap-On has a reputation for not disclosing that tools are made by others, much less who those other companies are, thus I was even more excited and proud when it was announced that Starrett had partnered up with us.

I also like seeing the new Starrett stuff on display at our conferences.


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## ch2co (Mar 13, 2016)

These are a couple of my favorites: 

But seriously folks, my hand tool collecting started with my grandpa, a race car driver and auto mechanic back at the turn of the century i.e. 1900's.
From there, I still have a few of my dads hand tools, not real high end but very good quality, mostly unbranded.  My own collection is quite eclectic with a few snap-ons quite a bit of the higher end Craftsman, (don't know how todays Craftsmans compare), Starrett (my favorites by a mile)  I'm very picky about quality, life is too short for cheap tools! I've taken knuckles out with broken wrenches, I learned, and I don't repeat.

CHuck the grumpy old guy


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## TOOLMASTER (Mar 13, 2016)

no having a snap-on guy that comes around . makes it a pita to get warranty tools


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## P T Schram (Mar 13, 2016)

TOOLMASTER said:


> no having a snap-on guy that comes around . makes it a pita to get warranty tools



Call the 800 number, they'll take care of you. Tell the nice young folks I sent you.


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## EmilioG (Mar 16, 2016)

OK, I got the 36" breaker bar and a 3/8" ratchet. Love Snap On tools!


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## astjp2 (Mar 19, 2016)

Craftsman professional tools have some of the same part numbers as Snap-on, just a different name.  I prefer craftsman for home and snap-on for work because we get them at a reduced cost at work (our industrial account is something like 50% of retail, but we have probably 90,000 employees that have snap-on tools)


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## TOOLMASTER (Mar 19, 2016)

snap on still has the most durable ratchets


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## Spike (Apr 2, 2016)

I have used many of the big name hand tools in the injection molding industry. I didn't notice much difference in most of them, but NAPA ratchets took the most abuse before needing replaced. Craftsman took the least. I still have a Wright 3/4" socket set that was indestructible except for the ratchet, but the Williams "super ratchet" I replaced it with has been unkillable. I am still hunting a set of indestructible screw drivers that can take the abuse of being used as everything but driving screws.
-Spike


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## north1 (Apr 3, 2016)

I have a hodge podge of different hand tools.  Craftsman, Proto, Utica, Klein, SK, etc.  My most treasured is a set of SK sockets purchased by my grandfather after World War II.  He also handed down a Snap On socket wrench from the same time period.  It has snap on written in cursive and you change directions by pulling out the socket holder and putting it on the opposite side.


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## Scrowoash (May 6, 2016)

Hi guys

I am new here and enjoying your post. I mostly use GEDORE tools which I have built up over the years. My first toolbox supplied to me as an apprentice for which I had to pay off monthly had mostly GEDORE tools.
I inherited a large BRITOOL set from my late dad which belonged to his dad. There are items missing which I would like to try and buy and try replenish this lovely kit. But for day to day GEDORE does it for...They are tough, we have certainly proven that here in Africa!


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## Tony Wells (May 6, 2016)

Good tools don't _cost_, they _pay_. I personally love Snap-On, and although I don't buy enough anymore to justify being a stop for anyone I will seek one out if I need something. I believe they can be bought online now as well, but I like supporting the truck guys. That is a lot of investment they are driving around in, and although it isn't much, I don't mind at all helping them make a living.

Craftsman used to have good hand tools made, but comparing some I bought when I was a kid.......yes, saving up pop bottle money was for tools, modern Craftsman is no comparison. In my box, in no order of preference, I find Mac, Matco, Snap-On, Craftsman, S-K, Proto (real Proto, before Stanley bought them out), and a few others I can't recall. Then there are the BiL tools, the BluePoint, Companion, Huskey, Kobalt, and a few other nondescript tools with no name that I can recall. Those are for loaning, beating, prying, bending, modifying, and general abuse....or taking into the woods to work on something where they may never be seen again.

Odd note on Gedore. Long time ago I bought a handful of wrenches from a friend who bought an auto parts store. He was not going to carry the line, so almost gave them away. With all due respect, Scrowoash, they must offer different grades to different places of the world. Those were about the softest, most ill-fitting tools I have ever owned. I might still have one or two of them. These days you couldn't GIVE me any of those tools. There must be a pro line or something. No one would brag on the ones I have. I have come very near to tossing them, but if I need to cut down or weld on a wrench, I wouldn't hesitate on one of the Gedores.

I wish we had better access to the finer tools made in Europe and elsewhere. Not that I have any great need to buy a lot, but  I'd like to be able to see what there is out there.


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## Steve-626 (May 6, 2016)

P T Schram said:


> Call the 800 number, they'll take care of you. Tell the nice young folks I sent you.



I had a great experience using that.
It was handy sending photos so they could tell what I had.



I notice a huge difference between good hex and torx drivers
The hardware store torx in the 5-50 range were soft and twisty.

Whia torx work well for me.


In Canada, they still make the pro line of Gray hand tools here.


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## astjp2 (May 6, 2016)

The majority of the tools I have are craftsman, I found that there are some craftsman professional that are exactly the same as Snapon except for the name laser'd into them, including the part number.  I have snapon at work and they are nice, but I started adding Wiha for security bits and other lines for specialty tools.  tools are a preference that we each have based on our experiences.  I still like some craftsman but I wont turn down other tools that are good.  Tim


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## turnitupper (May 9, 2016)

Bahco, Ridgid, Gedore, old Dowidat and Minimax. Photo of two of my oldest tools bought on the same day over 40 years ago.
First is a Ridgid 8" pipe wrench with special customised handle.
Second is  Gedore 10" locking pliers made in South Africa that has outlasted Vice Grips and other brands including SnapOn which lasted about two years until one too many taps with a hammer turned them into Snap Off. Seller wouldn't replace under warranty so I welded them to the tray of the truck with the (un)appropriate sign for about 5 years.
Tony, the Gedore wrenches you have must have been made in the USA..
John.
	

		
			
		

		
	



P.S. I'm glad there's no dislike button.


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## 4GSR (May 14, 2016)

turnitupper said:


> ...snip....First is a Ridgid 8" pipe wrench with special customised handle....snip......



Those are pretty common in the oilfields in the 24", 36", 48" varieties!!!  Some, the handles even break off and made into a shorter version...


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## turnitupper (May 14, 2016)

4gsr said:


> Some, the handles even break off and made into a shorter version


Ken,
These were mainly used for removing rusted bolts & nuts from steam line flanges and yes, I have turned a 36" ali set into a 14".
John.


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## cvairwerks (May 15, 2016)

At work we have a mixture of Snap-On and Stahlwille.  At home it's a mixture of Snap-On, Matcc, Mac and Craftsman. Each has their place, but as time goes on, I have been replacing the Craftsman due to wear and tear with Snap-On and soon, Stahlwille. I'm finding that the Craftsman stuff is not holding up well anymore, and it's getting harder to replace without driving to multiple stores to get a replacement when it fails.


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## 4GSR (May 15, 2016)

I bought my first set of real Craftsman tools back in 1980 when Sears sent out sales catalogs to your house to see what was on sale.  I still have the original set of tools minus the screwdrivers and have added many more craftsman tools to the collection, and lost a few over the years, too.  My tools have had a easy life over the years, maybe gotten rough with a socket or two, but that's about it.  Screwdrivers, well, that's another story.  My last purchase of screwdrivers was a set of Stanley 100 Plus screw drivers with the square shanks, new old stock ones.  Dad had a set when he was doing serious machinery repairs back in the 1970's, still have a couple of them from his tool collection.  They really hold up very good!  Beat Craftsman screwdrivers hand down!   Have a few speciality tools from Mac and Snap On, and from others.  My son and I have had very good satisfaction with the *TEKTON *brand of hand tools. Even Though they are  made in Taiwan, they have so far held up very good.  They have some nice torque wrenches we have bought and used.  Can't beat them!  Just had another Craftsman torque wrench go bad! Gurrr!!!


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