Hand tools, quality or cheapo

Warranties are great, but I'd rather not be using the warranty all that often. Yes, Kmart brand tools have a lifetime warranty, but they still break the first time you work them hard. Craftsman tools tend not to break that fast (except for their blasted screwdrivers!)

I do vary greatly on tools I buy or would recommend. I've got a strange french set of wrenches that are fantastic. With allen wrenches, I buy cheap Buffalo Tool. They don't break any faster then Snap-On, and cost a whole lot less. If I can afford it, for screwdrivers I want Snap-On. I don't understand why I can put so much more torque down with them, but I can. In my 3/4" drive stuff, I have cheap china junk. The sockets and such are so meaty they make up for their lower quality and don't break. I also don't have to use them that often. Wrenches, I don't like the slick thin nature of Snap-on, they hurt my hands. I prefer thicker rougher handles for more traction and less pain, as such, Craftsman does me fine. Socket extensions and ratchets, I want Craftsman at the lowest end. Cheapies and lower names like Ace hardware and such break far too quickly for me.

Today, with the downhill slide of Sears and Craftsman, I find myself looking at the Home Depot and Lowes brand. Haven't bought from them, but I'm looking. I need another set of metric wrenches, and I'm not sure if I'll buy Craftsman or not this time.

About 1-2 years ago, I found myself in need of a set of 3/8" drive metric deep sockets. I motored over to our local Sears (a "franchise" store) and told them what I needed. I was handed a catalog and was told I would have to order them (I was recently back in the same store and noticed they now carry a much better selection of tools).

On a hunch, I stopped in at the Ace Hardware store only a few blocks from my house. I was quite impressed with the selection of hand tools they had. I ended up buying a set of Ace Hardware brand sockets that have the same lifetime warranty and the same fit and finish of any of my Craftsman stuff. There were more sockets in the set for a better price. I haven't had to use the warranty but, based on my other experiences with this store, I don't believe there will be any problems (of course, this may vary from store to store).

In my shop I like the look and feel of good tools. Kind of like a good Colt or S&W hand gun will really bowl 'em over, but a Saturday-Night-Special will kill just as dead!

Personally, I would buy Craftsman wrenches, sockets, pliers, and other hand tools but go to MAC for ratchets and impact sockets, I also like Cornwell impact sockets.

Snap-On sockets and wrench are unique to their brand. Snap-On also makes the Williams brand of industrial tools which are not the same. And they make a line called Kobalt for Lowe's.

Danaher owns Matco, Armstrong, K-D and maybe some brands I'm forgetting. They have also been the primary supplier of Craftsman tools in the past. I think there are fewer and fewer differences between their brands as time goes by.

Stanley owns Proto, Blackhawk, Mac, and New Britain brands. Until recently they also made the Husky brand for Home Depot. Depot seems to be getting out of the wrench and socket business, though. I think Stanley also did Master Mechanic and some other store brands. I think Mac and Proto stuff is different than the store brands of theirs. Stanley got in trouble with the FTC a while ago for stretching the "Made in USA" rules.

I wouldn't buy anything from Harbor Freight that wasn't a recogizable brand name and made in America.

There is a middle ground. SK and Wright tools are serious, quality brands made in America but not manufactured for the penny-pinching mass market. Probably split the price difference between wagon-pedalled brands and no-brand.

I have lots of SK tools and have been very satisfied. Except for their flare nut wrenches. SK is owned by a large French tool company called Facom but seem to be continuing to make their stuff here.

I've also been hearing good things about Wright tools. Some of their stuff seems a little bulky and heavy to me. But price has been very good on line at toolhub.com.

Andy