TE Pro-Line Handtools (Update)

Mid America Tool, Inc., (800) 343-8902, of Chicago is the main distributor of these tools. Catalog prices appear similiar to SK and indicate a lifetime warranty. The catalog also carries a variety of special automotive tools. One of their Torx bit sets is described as being made with a specific 6000 series alloy (i.e., vanadium chrome). The catalog claims these tools exceed ANSI & milspecs by a wide margin.

The "NorthernTool.com" catalog has some of these tools listed as items: 154090,91,92,93,94 but do not show them as made in USA. Also, "Toolguy.com" has a 11pc T&E Screwdriver Set shown as made in USA for sale.

Does anyone have more information or field experience (mechanic) using these tools? How to they compare with SK tools?

Thanks,

Chris W.

The following showed up on a Google search looking for "T&E Tool":

[Beginning of quoted section]

Western Tool Co is a supplier of T&E Tools.

Western Tool Co & T&E Tools are covered by the following warranty.

"T&E Tools Chicago U.S.A", manufactures and markets professional quality, service and specialty hand tools for the automotive industry and related trades.

Leading manufacturers in the United States of America and throughout the world are engaged in the design and engineering of the most extensive range of specialty
auto-tools available today.

by policy "T&E Tools Chigargo U.S.A." are engineered and manufactured to the highest quality standards. They are warranted to be free of defects in workmanship
and materials. Any T&E tool, which fails during its normal useful life to perform satisfactorily will be repaired or replaced at no charge. Simply return to the point of
purchase or forward pre-paid, to the customer service address listed below.

This warranty does not extend to altered, incorrectly used or badly worn products.

Exceptions: No warranty is expressed or implied to the following, due to the nature of use of these products;

STRUCK OR STRIKING TOOLS OF ANY TYPE SCREWDRIVING BITS OR TIPS OF ANY TYPE CIRCLIP PLIER POINTS OR TIPS OF ANY TYPE TORQUE WRENCHES AND ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS carry the as stated above for a period of 12 months only

[End of quoted section]

There were a couple of other Australian references -- including one with a scanned halftone catalog page picture of a tool set, and another specifically mentioning both US and Taiwan manufacturing of the tools.

Taking a guess from the catalog page picture and the Dallas address you cite, I'd guess that at least some of the tools are produced by Stanley's National Hand Tool division in Dallas. (I've seen strikingly-similar ratchets sold under several brand names including Blackhawk, Challenger, Husky (which is now marketed as a Home Depot exclusive), and Stanley.)

Stanley National Hand Tool's Dallas plant is one of the very biggest, if not THE very biggest, socket factories in the world. I'd be surprised if they produce different quality-level sockets . . . my guess is that they make all sockets of a given wrench and drive size to a single specification and simply roll on the brand-name markings as the orders come in.

I have a fair number of Stanley-NHT tools, and I've been satisfied with them. Generally the Home Depot prices for Husky-branded tools beat anyone else's prices for other-branded NHT-manufactured tools.

Hi Larry, it's good to see that you're still spending some time with the bulletin boards!

John Garner

The bottom line might be to buy tools made in the U.S., Mexico, "Western" Europe or Japan.

John's comment about some tools being made in Australia is interesting as Stanley owns as much as 95%+ of the tool production in Australia. Maybe Stanley, owners of NHT, is the major source for TE Pro-Line?

But, maybe I can help you to make an intelligent decision as to which socket to buy.

I am quite sure that sockets are made in the USA by only two methods. One is good and one might be better.

Hot forging is the way they first made sockets back in the 1920's when Snap-On invented the concept. One machines steel into a size and shape that approaches that of a socket, then, hot broaches the hex/bihex and square. This makes a tough socket but it can be rather bulky.

Cold forming is more precisely made with thinner walls and cleaner overall appearance. Due to the thinner walls, it might not be as strong as the above, but, it has far greater utility because it can get into more restricted areas.

You can easily tell which method is used by looking to the inside of the hex/bihex opening. If the bottom has "petals", it is hot forged as those petals are material pushed into the socket cavity by the hot broach.

If the inside is clean, a cold forming process was used. That process forces a mass of metal into a mold (die) and there is no excess material.

Most people prefer the cold forming type of socket. If this is what you are looking at, buy on price as all cold formed sockets made in USA are very good. Flank Drive and similar types of sockets are better, but, at a premium price that might make them uneconomical for casual users.

I appreciated your knowledge on the subject. The sockets are definitely cold forged, per your detailed guidance. The catalog says these tools "T&E Pro-Line", in the introduction, are made by some newly patented cold forging process. They show a few pictures of their new automated manufacturing line in Dallas and end wrench mounted into a jix for stress testing.

My local toolstore (Kent Tool) guy sold me the 1/2 drive metric 20 piece set (rachet, hinged breaker bar, universal joint, extension & 16 6-point sockets (10-32mm) in red metal box for under $100. The catalog list price is $220. I had originally asked for a similiar set made by SK, which was not in stock at the time.

I was attempting to add more tools to my existing SK set when the dealer showed me this "other" T&E Pro-Line set. I still have other questions about this brand (i.e., manufacturer identity, stability
customer service). This probably is, as suggested by you, an recent business venture to satisfy or create a niche like what Williams (Snap-On) is trying to do with KOBALT tools at Lowe's, except this maybe focused at full-time mechanics and/or related trades.

I enjoy this tool forum and hope to learn more about this interesting business in the future.

Thanks again,

Chris W.