Toolfreaks Anonymous

[Insanity]

Only gripe is how loud it is.

You can Muffler it down.

I seen a few ways to do it but until we have the coffers warranty is king.

[Buldawg76]

I have knipex pliers that were bought back in the late 80s that are still in perfect working order and much prefer them over channel lock brands because the knipex are hinged so that the more force applied to the fastener the tighter they get so slippage is very uncommon if they are positioned correctly to start with.  I also have knipex side cutters and straight cutters that will cut coins or small screw and bolts in half with ease and never knick or dull the cutting edges. Best pliers made IMO.

BD

I can say the same for my Channellock dykes and cutters, especially those with the recent XLT design which has relocated the pivot forward for added cutting power.

I've heard nothing but good things and I'm sure they're a great tool, but because they often cost 2x as much in many cases I am just not interested in trying anything from Knipex.
At least not until Channellock starts to let me down.

Their 8" mini bolt cutters are probably the only thing I'd buy from them because there is no American made option,  or really any other option I know of that's not made in Taiwan or China.

Like I said I have not had to buy very many new tool in 25 plus years so all the knipex tools I have are at least 25 years or older so prices back then were not much if any more than channel lock brands and again are warrantied for life not that they have failed to need replaced.

The new channel locks may very well be as good or better but have no need to buy any to try out since what I have is not broken.

I can say that tools today are nowhere near the quality they were 20 plus years ago by any means. I had to replace a 1/2" drive 24" craftsman breaker about a year ago since my 40 plus year old one finally broke at the square that a socket attaches to, I was trying to get a output sprocket nut off a Harley tranny mainshaft that is a 2 7/8" nut installed with red loctite at 200 ft/lbs. I had the special socket and mainshaft support bushing and was hanging off the breaker bar with all my 200 pounds when it broke. Also broke a snap on breaker bar. The replaced breaker bars were nowhere near as well made as the original ones and did not even try to use them to remove the nut.  Used a dremel tool with a diamond bit to cut thru the nut so I could drive a chisel in to the cut to spread it open and it came off by hand.

They just do not make tools like they used to IMO.

BD 

[JuryRigger]

They just do not make tools like they used to IMO.
BD

No kidding... My Dad has a bunch of old punches (mixed brands; none identifiable)... All in great shape; minus some rust... So, I get a job in a machine shop... Ended up using center punches every day; did tons of layout work on structural steel tube (stainless too)... Killed both center punches out of my Dasco Pro set; they only lasted for about 6 months apiece before the pointy end started to mushroom...   
Ordered another one; Blackhawk by Proto...
That one only got 3 months... 
Finally ended up grinding a point on a HSS reamer shank cut-off (DO NOT RECCOMEND THIS- severe risk of shattering!!!), and have used it ever since...
Shoddy heat treat seem to be the big issue; can say that I have had good luck with Estwing tools though...
Jesse

[Firewalker]

The only center punch that I have found to retain a sharp point is a 3/8" tap I welded a 1" section of 3/8" mild steel rod to.

The rod absorbs much of the bounce and does not chip/shatter like the tap shank.

Ate there better options? Perhaps but this works so much better than anything else I have used.

[bantam5s]

They just do not make tools like they used to IMO.
BD

No kidding... My Dad has a bunch of old punches (mixed brands; none identifiable)... All in great shape; minus some rust... So, I get a job in a machine shop... Ended up using center punches every day; did tons of layout work on structural steel tube (stainless too)... Killed both center punches out of my Dasco Pro set; they only lasted for about 6 months apiece before the pointy end started to mushroom...   
Ordered another one; Blackhawk by Proto...
That one only got 3 months... 
Finally ended up grinding a point on a HSS reamer shank cut-off (DO NOT RECCOMEND THIS- severe risk of shattering!!!), and have used it ever since...
Shoddy heat treat seem to be the big issue; can say that I have had good luck with Estwing tools though...
Jesse

I've had good luck with Mahew.

Starrett I have never tried because they're pretty pricey, but I have heard nothing but good things.

There are many things that are made like they used to be, but there are also things made to be low cost.
Dasco pro is one of them.
I have never tried a center punch from them but have multiple sets of their regular punches and loads of their pry bars.
The business end of their pin punches have held up fine for me, but the striking ends are extra soft for sure.

I have been much happier with the quality of my WILDE punches.

[JuryRigger]

Thanks for the tip; I had eyeballed a set of the Mahews once, just never pulled the trigger... They were one of the few punch/chisel sets that I have seen that had chipping (?) chisels for cutting grooves...
Jesse

[mobilehomer]

The single greatest tool invention/improvement of the last fifty years is the ratchet wrench. Not the stamped steel lightweight ones, but the forged ones like the GearWrench brand. Either the flat non-reversible style or the reversible ones.

[Chris USA]

The single greatest tool invention/improvement of the last fifty years is the ratchet wrench. Not the stamped steel lightweight ones, but the forged ones like the GearWrench brand. Either the flat non-reversible style or the reversible ones.

I like the flex head ones. But, the Gear Wrench heads will flop after awhile. I ended up with Kobalt brand from Lowe's.

[bantam5s]

The single greatest tool invention/improvement of the last fifty years is the ratchet wrench. Not the stamped steel lightweight ones, but the forged ones like the GearWrench brand. Either the flat non-reversible style or the reversible ones.

I like the flex head ones. But, the Gear Wrench heads will flop after awhile. I ended up with Kobalt brand from Lowe's.

I no longer own them, but the US made reversible Craftsman professionals were great.
I don't remember exactly who manufactured them but I do know they were made in Texas.

[HunterWhite]

The single greatest tool invention/improvement of the last fifty years is the ratchet wrench. Not the stamped steel lightweight ones, but the forged ones like the GearWrench brand. Either the flat non-reversible style or the reversible ones.

I hope that I get this right.
A clerk working at Sears designed the ratchet wrench and sold it to Sears for $10,000. It was such a big hit that he went back and sued Sears for $1million, and Sears gave it to him. A few years later he again sued for $10 million and Sears gave it to him.
I agree, it's the greatest time saver.

Hunter

B.t.w. I think that Lowes bought the Craftsman line of tools.

[Firewalker]

The single greatest tool invention/improvement of the last fifty years is the ratchet wrench. Not the stamped steel lightweight ones, but the forged ones like the GearWrench brand. Either the flat non-reversible style or the reversible ones.

I hope that I get this right.
A clerk working at Sears designed the ratchet wrench and sold it to Sears for $10,000. It was such a big hit that he went back and sued Sears for $1million, and Sears gave it to him. A few years later he again sued for $10 million and Sears gave it to him.
I agree, it's the greatest time saver.

Hunter

B.t.w. I think that Lowes bought the Craftsman line of tools.

"Stanley Black & Decker acquired the Craftsman tool brand from Sears for about $900 million, the companies announced Thursday.Mar 7, 2019"
https://www.baltimoresun.com

[HunterWhite]

Ah ha, owned by Stanly Black and Decker. They are marketing through Lowes, Ace Hardware and Amazon. I think that they have their own stores too. I  had heard on the radio that you can get Craftsman tools, and replacement tools at Lowes.
I'm very happy that they are still available.  I always liked Craftsman tools.

Hunter

[bantam5s]

Ah ha, owned by Stanly Black and Decker. They are marketing through Lowes, Ace Hardware and Amazon. I think that they have their own stores too. I  had heard on the radio that you can get Craftsman tools, and replacement tools at Lowes.
I'm very happy that they are still available.  I always liked Craftsman tools.

Hunter

They are nowhere near what they used to be.

Sears essentially cut Western Forge off at the knees and instead of saving them with contracts for Screwdrivers pliers and adjustable wrenches they just let them die.
It's been well over a year since Ideal industries shut down the last American manufacturer of Adjustable wrenches, a company that S-B&D could have easily saved.
Instead they chose to open some of their own factories that have yet to actually accomplish anything.
Now the closes thing to an American made tool you can get from Craftsman are a few restyled Stanley tapes and utility knives, maybe a level and nylon speed square here and there.

Theres a Craftsman " factory " in I think Lousiana,  but a factory tour video
S-B&D put out inadvertently showed that they weren't doing anything but packaging tools.
The power tools are supposed to be " assembled in USA " but there wasn't a single tool component or machine to assemble tools with to be found,  nothing but completed tools and retail packaging.
Apparently putting finished tools accessories and paperwork into a box is how you " assemble " a power tool 

[Insanity]

I seen Milwaukee has started to produce more hand tools may have been for a while and I just now seen?. I don't know if its a gimmick like the gear wrench passthrough sockets but the square back sockets look neat. Seems like they could split easier as a unfounded speculation but the ability to not roll away is useful and also can put a wrench on them for what ever reason one would feel that is necessary.

[bantam5s]

I seen Milwaukee has started to produce more hand tools may have been for a while and I just now seen?. I don't know if its a gimmick like the gear wrench passthrough sockets but the square back sockets look neat. Seems like they could split easier as a unfounded speculation but the ability to not roll away is useful and also can put a wrench on them for what ever reason one would feel that is necessary.

They have been, but I feel they should stay in their lane.
I personally would not buy hand tools from a power tool company,  especially when the main selling point for them is gimmicky features.

I wouldn't buy a drill from WRIGHT tool,  and I'm not gonna buy a socket set from Milwaukee.

[bantam5s]

These precision oil pens are dirt cheap and very handy to have around.

[Firewalker]

These precision oil pens are dirt cheap and very handy to have around.

Neat-O! Got a link? Please? 

[Novagun]

Yes neat tool but I don't need one. I have little little oil cans that I hardly ever, if ever use,
Neat thread to, so keep talking because I haven't got anything to say.

[lizzie]

Yes neat tool but I don't need one. I have little little oil cans that I hardly ever, if ever use,
Neat thread to, so keep talking because I haven't got anything to say.

I have actually learned QUITE A BIT following this thread!

[Sqrl Klr]

Liz it's official you are a redneck.

My impact screwdriver has saved my bacon numerous times with hard to remove screws, especially on my car rotors. I had to use a 3lb hammer on it with all my force for probably around 25 hits to finally remove them that's how hard they were to remove but I got it done!