Please recommend hand tools brands

Hi

This is the original poster, lots of good answers and knowledgeable people here I see. I have to admit for the use I will have of them which is pretty casual when something needs fixing in the house or I need to get a new battery, I like the craftsman for life warranty idea. Now some other cheaper ideas are attractive too like harborfreight or cheaper sets at home depot. I will keep reading here and go in stores to look around a little bit. Sears has a nice 154 pc set for $99 right now on sale, I compared with online prices and it's a true sale as I see that set for $150-$160 everywhere.

Thanks to all who posted and keep typing please I love reading it all.

Patrick

Reply to
varois83
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That's good, I've not had any of theirs so just checking it's same or at least similar...

That was the subject in question and marketing or no, they've been at it far longer than T V or much of anybody else that I know of. _That_ track record of continuing the policy for something like 40 years or so now...how long has T V had their policy in effect?

There's no "jumping" to a conclusion whatsoever wrt Craftsman _hand_ tools about them being serviceable for the type of service OP requested tools for. That, and that only, is the point of any response I've made in this thread.

Whether your choice matches that of the OP isn't the question here.

Well, I've used a lot of Craftsman wrenches in very difficult circumstances and can say have never managed to break one, even w/ the hammer and/or cheater trick. You must be lucky that way, and I suspect if the local Sears was closed on a Sunday evening odds are pretty high your local T V was closed as well. Sometimes stuff happens.

I did nothing of the sort -- I simply asked for clarification as I've no experience w/ theirs...

I'm not particularly partial to Craftsman, no...I stand by the original recommendation to OP for his purpose, however.

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I'm not defending them any more than I think your attacking is unjustified for the purpose stated. I realize it is usenet protocol to jump Sears, Wally-World, BORGs, etc., at a drop of the name, and where justified I'll climb on board, too. In this instance I don't think it's justified is all. You took a question for a personal attack, apparently.

I've Proto stuff inherited from grandfather and father that is clearly far superior to anything Craftsman made in finish, etc., ... OTOH, there's some Sears stuff of the same vintage that is every bit as serviceable if not quite as pleasing to touch.

This is working farm so tools are one of the life blood items...

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Reply to
dpb

I've stuff that's at least 3X that...

Probably far more than you, I'm getting to feel... :(

Although on reflection, it's probably been nearly 20 years since I bought any additional hand tools to speak of since I had my own which I brought when came back to the farm where there was already an 80-year accumulation of essentially everything needed.

I've swapped out one pair of electrician's pliers the son chipped a jaw in by using them to try to cut #10 fencing wire instead of Cu and as near as I can tell, their identical other than the handle cushion material is slightly different to the pair that were probably on the order of 20 years old, themselves.

OTTT, I think the only additional hand tools I've bought since I returned was a full metric socket set for 1/2 and 3/4 drive as that was the one place I was short and until recently most farm equipment was still SAE so that was the place Dad was short, too.

On sale, their kits including another socket and breakover were cheaper than anything else that I saw in town. Of course, we don't have a True Value so couldn't go there...

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Reply to
dpb

Harbor Freight, not for quality plus its mail order, local is better, HD maybe, HDs ridgid line is lifetime warranty on cordless drills and batteries, they might have a good hand tool line up.

Reply to
ransley

I agree. I was raised on Craftsman and I'm sixty. But lately, I've had a lot of Craftsman stuff crap out on me, and there's items that seem just a little cheesy. They're an okay tool brand, but definitely not the best.

What's the best? Whatever works, doesn't break or strip out when you're using it, and lasts until you have gotten your money's worth out of it. That can mean a tool chest of mismatched tools. A good craftsman can make lots of marginal tools terminate in a good ending. And then, a guy can have good tools, and not be able to do a lot. Talent and training are worth far more than tools. Of any brand.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

"Made in USA" is better than "Made in China."

Reply to
Phisherman

It's nice to buy tools on sale and I have also got some great deals at garage sales and contractor going out of business sales. Check Craigslist periodically. One thing I have realized over the years is to not buy too many tools until you actually need them. When I was much younger I would buy tools just in case I might need them or because they were a on sale. I can't tell you how many socket sets and wrenches I own that I have actually never used, but it is a lot. You should also think about tool storage and tool security. Tools disappear quickly when they are out in the open.

Reply to
John Grabowski

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