One of my favorite quotes:

"There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey."

John Ruskin 1819-1900
Victorian Philosopher and Art Critic

 

Has anyone found a 1/4 drive 10mm deep socket that does not break the second time you use it. The Craftsman does not do it.

 

Hauling- How deep should the deep socket be? Gedore and Stahlwille do offer slim and strongwall ones. I never managed to kill one of the strongwalls. The bolts breaking is something else. The slims are quite fragile. (Read- use them with a 1/2" ratchet and an adapter you'll need effort to break them- on loctite red secured 10.10 bolts)

AlpineRAM

 

I ONLY HAVE TWO WORDS FOR YOU....."SNAP ON"

 

Send me your full address, and I will send you a couple of sockets that WILL NOT BREAK the second time you use them....SK is a real good brand or I will send you a SNAP ON....

 

LMAO!!

 

I was looking to start getting tools some time ago, (Moving away from father's garage...) and came across a website that showed what companies made what tools. I don't now what the web page was, but the data seemed to be all correct.

The understanding from the site was that Stanley made Stanley. Mac, Proto and Husky tools, all but the modern Husky's being made in America. Most modern Husky's (the one's sold in home depot) are made in Taiwan, with cheaper tools being made in China. Craftsmen isn't its own company; all 'CRAFTSMEN' tools made before 1994 were from Stanley, and past '94 were Dynaher. Snap-ON is it's own company, and made in America. SK-Tools, once made by good ol' Americans in Ohio, is now owned by MATCO, which is owned by the French! S-K's are still made in America, but with the horrible build of MATCO's, I'd never buy the new S-K's.

I decided get Husky's; many Home Depots around if they break; good, polished construction; very nice rachets and long handled wrenches. I've never had one break, but I did return one pipe wrench that was rusted when I got it out of the package. They replaced it with CREDIT, no receipt, no questions asked. (I did have the packaging, though.) Only problem is that they're manufactured in China with the sockets and wrenches manufactured in Taiwan. Chinese tools makes me feel guilty, but at least Taiwan is a capitalist nation . Kobalt is Lowe's version of Husky, only made in America by Dynaher and slightly more expensive. I would've gotten these, but my old man swears by Stanley and would disown me if I got Dynaher's, so what am I gonna do?

That's my take on the situation. If I had the option, I wouldn't hesitate to get Husky's again.

 

Proto is a good tool also, at least was for many years. It was the second line to Snap On. I have a Proto 1/2 torque wrench and it has been a good one for many years, measures up to about 350 ft. pounds. I originally purchesed it to torque the 325 ft pound head bolts on the Detroits. You could purchase this stuff off the Snap On truck.

I might add, that when I was 13, I got a tool set for Christmas. I still have most of the 1/2 socket set. Made by Craftsman. It is about 50 years old now.

 

Aging yourself a little there, ain't ya Haulin'!?

I am gonna stick with the Big C personally.

Matt

 

I picked up a 15/16" deep socket for the injector hold down nuts at my local auto parts store. It's made in the USA by K-D Tools (Knuckle Dragger?).

Now I have to see if I can break it

 

Sears manufacters nothing- they spec want they want to other companies, and occasionally R&D thier own stuff, hold the patent, and have someone else manufacter it- like thier paint- they hold the patent for semi-gloss (or is it satin, ****, I forget) paint- they were the ones to invent it- and they won't let anyone else buy the patent, and everyone paid them until the patent copyright ran out (I think they came up with in the 50s) Dewalt, Ryobi and several others build thier to-spec power tools. They broke with stanley in 94 like someone pointed out and have had a couple of manufactorers, once again, to thier spec. Kinda like the military with that.

Also- Sears is paying thier reservists while they are on active duty, and keeping thier bennies intact. Regardless of who is making thier tools, they are treating some very dedicated Americans right!

(My uncle used to own a sears package store BTW LOL- I have more Sears crap than you can imagine LOL)

 

My kit does the same dang thing but never broke just the top piece comes off once in a while. ALso my dad taught me never to buy tools that you cant say the makers name.

One word...CRAFTSMAN wont buy anythin else.

 

I think both SK and snap on make good tools I have a few sockets and wrench's and a ratchet or two. I also have my grandfathers tools (craftsman) and many are older than I. Some maybe from the 30's 40' and alot from the 50's. My first set of Tools were bought when I was in high school and attending vocational auto mechanics. 1964 my dad and I went downtown Pontiac to sears and roebucks and bought a brand new set one of those pre package kits that Sears has been known for complete with a steel box and tray. I own that set completely intact to this day. and sears will take any of them back and replace them no questions. If you are on the road how far are you away from a Sears store at any time ? cause that's how far you are from having a no hassle get a new replacement no matter what no cost. whats that worth ? My dad passed a couple of years ago so I got his tools and his dads tools and my Mom's dads tools and also my wifes dads tools. I always had a couple of sets of my own around. So I might qualify as a Sears store any how they are good tools and you only buy them once.

 

All Craftsman- For the same reason many others have said: If it breaks, just drive 20 minutes and no-BS replacement. Yeah, I have broke 'em, but I have also broke a Mac ratchet. And it took forever to get a replacement. So I only buy Craftsman now. -Steve

 

This didn't age well. Sears no longer exists.