Rate the Harbor Freight Tools Thread- Pass or Fail?

[Janderso]

One thing that comes up often in threads like this is people seem to think there's only 2 choices in tools. It's either cheap stuff from Harbor Freight or high buck stuff from Snap On.
I have been buying and using tools for over 50 years and don't have much of either of those two.
My hand tools are Craftsman, Thorsen, SK, Palmera (Spain) etc, and my favorite, Williams.
I only have a couple pieces of Snap On.
But I conscientiously AVOID anything made in China too.
If a guy puts his mind to building a set of good tools he can find a middle ground of used but good quality stuff but that takes more time than running down to HF.
I am slowly getting rid of the few China tools I own and my goal is to have zero China tools when they carry me off to the big machine shop in the sky.
Photo of the smallest - 7/16" and largest
- 1 7/16" from my Williams combination set.

Thorsen were good tools too. I forgot about them.

 

[Inferno]

Proto, S&K and Mac are all very good tools according to the techs I worked with. I have heard many times, when you work with your hands all day, quality wrenches like Snap-On are more gentle on your hands. Have you heard that statement??

I have one Snap-On tool. I saw it on the truck, I said order me one of those.
When he delivered it the following week it was $100. I bought it. Should have said, oops, I had no idea, keep it

Reminds me of a joke.

A traveler knocked on the door of the house where a cab driver had told him that he could be sexually accommodated.
An eye-level panel slid open and a female voice asked what he wanted.
"I want to get screwed," said the salesman.
"OK, mister, but this is a private club, so slip twenty bucks as an initiation fee through the mail slot," answered the voice.
The man slid his $20 in, the panel was closed. Minutes passed and nothing happened.
He began to pound on the door insistently, and the panel slid open again.
"Hey," exclaimed the sport, "I want to get screwed!"
"What?" said the voice, "Again?"

 

[pontiac428]

Proto, S&K and Mac are all very good tools according to the techs I worked with. I have heard many times, when you work with your hands all day, quality wrenches like Snap-On are more gentle on your hands. Have you heard that statement??

I can't say that I've thought about it, but now that you mention it, I have a dislike for Craftsman combo wrenches because of the boxy, raised text blocks and kludgy angles on the tool. When you're on one leg reaching around the back of a greasy Diesel engine to turn that one bolt you can only do by feel, then yes, definitely the more streamlined wrench. The way the box ends are clearanced on good wrenches makes a big difference when getting on a bolt, too.

 

[GeneT45]

There's Craftsman, and there's Crapsman. And then there's the new stuff... Time will tell with the new stuff, but I have, and have had, good use from, old Craftsman products. In their decline I picked up a set of "Crapsman Pro" adjustable wrenches which were almost as good as the Chinese adjustable wrench I wanted. (Laugh now - that Chinese wrench is the finest adjustable wrench I have ever held before or since...). The new stuff seems... better ...but I'm still not sure how much.

I very much like the Euro brands. There's a place I normally buy from (CK somethin' - their marketing is crap or I'd be able to find them readily), but I can never seem to find them until they send me an ad. Wiha, Wera, Knipex, NWS - mostly great stuff, but they make some garbage too. Paying a lot is not a guarantee of quality.

GsT

 

[Inferno]

FWIW, I bought a Dewalt socket combo set from sears and like it very much. It's a big set in a nice case. For some reason it's now missing the 10mm sockets.

 

[matthewsx]

There's Craftsman, and there's Crapsman. And then there's the new stuff... Time will tell with the new stuff, but I have, and have had, good use from, old Craftsman products. In their decline I picked up a set of "Crapsman Pro" adjustable wrenches which were almost as good as the Chinese adjustable wrench I wanted. (Laugh now - that Chinese wrench is the finest adjustable wrench I have ever held before or since...). The new stuff seems... better ...but I'm still not sure how much.

I very much like the Euro brands. There's a place I normally buy from (CK somethin' - their marketing is crap or I'd be able to find them readily), but I can never seem to find them until they send me an ad. Wiha, Wera, Knipex, NWS - mostly great stuff, but they make some garbage too. Paying a lot is not a guarantee of quality.

GsT

Is your adjustable “Squirrel Brand”?




I have one and love it.

John

 

[FOMOGO]

Guess I should have upgraded, I have the Chipmunk brand. Mike

 

[Janderso]

There's Craftsman, and there's Crapsman. And then there's the new stuff... Time will tell with the new stuff, but I have, and have had, good use from, old Craftsman products. In their decline I picked up a set of "Crapsman Pro" adjustable wrenches which were almost as good as the Chinese adjustable wrench I wanted. (Laugh now - that Chinese wrench is the finest adjustable wrench I have ever held before or since...). The new stuff seems... better ...but I'm still not sure how much.

I very much like the Euro brands. There's a place I normally buy from (CK somethin' - their marketing is crap or I'd be able to find them readily), but I can never seem to find them until they send me an ad. Wiha, Wera, Knipex, NWS - mostly great stuff, but they make some garbage too. Paying a lot is not a guarantee of quality.

GsT

I loved my 1970's Craftsman tools. Too bad they were lost in the fire, I'd still be using them.

 

[Janderso]

FWIW, I bought a Dewalt socket combo set from sears and like it very much. It's a big set in a nice case. For some reason it's now missing the 10mm sockets.

Yeah, 10mm and 8mm seem to disappear

 

[FOMOGO]

I never liked the slick finish on snap-on wrenches. Not much fun with greasy hands. Still have all my original 70's Craftsman tools, and boxes. Will occasionally buy a cheap set of wrenches to cut up for special uses. Mike