Cresent tools

i've snapped several crescent sockets. Thats why i always buy craftsman now.

 

I can always buy new sockets, but did you have any problems with the ratchet? or tools like that

 

yeah, 2 of the three ratchets had the lever that adjusts CW and CCW break off.

 

oh thanks for the heads up. yeah mine have the lever

 

Craftsman!!

 

My only complaint about crescent is the crappy case they come in doesn't hold tools and the latches broke off.

My boss got a set to keep in his truck and I don't use them hard at all so i wouldn't really know about the tools themselves but i haven't had any problems at all

 

when i broke sockets out of my case it was a one time use kind of thing. and the ratchets were just broken one time when i opened the cheap case they come in.

 

I have a vast amount of Craftsman tools and have only broken two wrenches and no other hand tools in all the time I've used them. The quality is great for the money and you couldn't really ask for more when it comes to their warranty. No questions asked, you will get your tools replaced if they break.

I also use a handful of Blue-Point tools and have had great luck with them too. A Few SK & Snap-On specialty tools too.



I figure if you are a responsible individual and care for your belongings, tools should be a lifetime investment. With that said, why skimp on the quality?

 

I used to have only Craftsman, but their quality has really slipped in the past few years. Their ratchets are total crap, and the wrenches are not so great either. The jaws on the combination wrenches spread open on tough bolts/nuts, and slip.
I'm in the process of getting rid of all the Craftsman, and going to all Snap-On. They are expensive, so it is hard to do it all at once. I wish I could turn back the clock 20 years to my first tool purchases and just have started out with Snap-On. Nothing is more infuriating that having to have carried the tools you need into a location only to have a lesser quality tool fail.

 

they do have a limited lifetime warranty, but the worst part about these sets is that you have to call an 800# and mail the tool to them to get a replacement.

pretty common with these sets...mainly the 1/2"

i work at an industrial distributor...we sell Cooper stuff. those little suitcases of tools arn't really too bad, but they will let you down if you really use them. they are made in taiwan. there is a similar set out there that has ChannelLock's name on it. we are also a ChannelLock distributor and those tools in that case aren't made by ChannelLock...they have just leased out their name to some other company (although ALL ChannelLock PLIERS are still USA produced). it's hard to find a decent tool these days that won't break the bank.

we also sell: Stanley, Proto, Klein, Wright, Rigid, Pratt-Read, Enders, Irwin, and quite a few others. trust me though...even the BEST tools still break...just not as often.

my toolbox is kindof a mutt...i've got all kinds of stuff in there. i prefer Wright Tools, but can't always afford them(even with a discount). i have quite a bit of Craftsman also and they haven't let me down yet. IMHO, there are not that many people who need Mac, Snap-On, or Cornwell tools to do the stuff they need to get done. those tools are for people who make their living off them. but i would also encourage you to buy the best stuff you can justify for what you will use them for. there are lots of tools being produced these days that are not meant to be used heavily or on a day to day basis, let's face it...most ordinary people won't get them out more than a dozen times a year...so they don't have to be very good quality.

if you're hell bent on getting some good tools, but don't want to pay the Snap-On man all that money...look at some of these manufacturers. they offer industrial quality tools, at a more resonable price than Cornwell, Mac, etc. :

http://www.stanleyproto.com/default.asp?TYPE=STATIC&PAGE=HOME.HTM <--stay away from Stanley...used to be good, now all Taiwan...Proto is still US produced

http://www.wrighttool.com/ <--made in my home state

http://www.prattread.com/ <---these guys make some of Snap-On's screwdrivers...shhhh!

http://www.skhandtool.com/

http://www.channellock.com/

http://www.kleintools.com/

i know this seems like an advertisment...it's not. but i can tell you after 10 years in the business that these are excellent quality tools that are for the most part, made in USA, and are still afordable. so if you gotta spend money on tools to work on your rig, spend it with a company that employs US workers that may buy something that helps you keep your job. after all, you can't do great work with mediocre tools, can you?

just trying to keep my fellow Toyota enthusiasts informed!

Ranger