tool quality warning

had a "blackhawk" [a brand name of proto tools] socket split on me
yesterday. i got a busted lip and a slightly chipped tooth as a result.
moral of the story: buy the trusted names in tools folks! there /is/
a reason they cost more, and it's well worth it! examples: craftsman,
snap-on.

 

craftsman and snap-on can bust too. then you get a free socket, but
still have a busted lip and chipped tooth.

best thing to do is try to not have your face in the line of fire if it
slips or breaks. sometimes its unavoidable.

there have been many a time ive been wrenching on something, thinking
about whats going to happen to my knuckles if it breaks loose quick and
my fist hits whatever thing is nearby.

 

Aren't Blackhawk and Proto high quality, made-in-USA by Stanley Tools
and considered at least equal to Craftsman and Snap-On?

 

Snap-on and Craftsman are not in the same league. Snap-on are
professional grade tools, Craftsman are not. OTOH, it depends on the
tool in question. Both companies sell tools made by other companies.
Some are better than others. For expample, Snap-on measuring tapes
are made by Lufkin, which are inferior to Stanley tapes. Their oil
cans are cheap Chinese crap. But, Snap-on combination wrenches may
possibly be the finest made anywhere (though I can name some
drawbacks). As for Craftsman, I'm very choosey about what I buy.
Most of their stuff is junk and you're lucky if it doesn't
self-destruct in your hands. But, the screwdrivers and nutdrivers are
always a safe buy.

nb ...donning flame-proof suit

 

made in usa - which is why i bought it, but quality? i didn't even have
my full weight on it. the socket wall thickness is noticeably thinner
than the craftsman that's now replacing it. stanley? never liked them.

 

sure, but i've never broken a craftsman or snap-on socket. deformed,
yes. brittle rupture of side wall, no.

i'm usually very good about that kind of thing, but can't say i was
anticipating sudden tool failure this time. lucky it wasn't worse!

 

indeed. craftsman sockets are very good.

that's the key. not all their stuff is good, but sockets, as i was
describing here, are very reliable. and my replacement 32mm's only $7
vs. $28.50 for the snap-on version.

 

I do have Craftsman deep sockets, but for home use. Can't beat those
$20/set sale prices. But, I'd consider something else for pro use,
probably S-K. Problem is, many of the better tool companies have been
undercut by cheaper brands and have gone belly up. Williams made the
finest adjustable wrenches ever. Bonney made superb box/end/combo
wrenches and I'm sure they were the supplier for Snap-on before they
bit the bullet. They invented and patented the flank box design you
see everywhere, now that the patent has exspired. Utica made great
tools (torque wrenches, ratchets, etc) and finally had to merge with
Bonney (Utica-Bonney), but even together, they still couldn't survive.
It's been awhile since I've bought pro mechanic's tools, so I don't
know who all the current players are. I know some quality brands are
still around like Channel-Lock, Crescent, Klein, etc. If my latest
3/8" drive ratchet is any indicator, Allen tools, also. Oh, and don't
forget Mac, every bit the equal to Snap-on.

nb

 

If you submitted your medical and dental bills to Stanley, they might
pay. There's an out-of-print book by Ralph Charell documenting how he
always got responsible parties to pay. He never made outrageous
demands, except when he threatened to put the local phone company out
of business.

I thought that thin socket walls were a sign of high quality because it
meant that the tool maker used better steel, and Snap-On is known for
having some of the thinnest sockets. My Craftsman sockets are much
thinner than the badly plated, rusting generics I keep in the trunk.

 

trust me, i know how to play that game! i'm not going to here though -
i know better so the injury part is my fault, not the tool.

for snap-on, that may well be true, and i admit, this socket /looks/
high quality in that it's got a fine finish, inside & out, etc. but in
this case, thin wall is a bad thing. snap-on, sure. stanley? no way.

another point regarding supposed marks of quality; interestingly, chrome
finish is not necessarily a good thing. chrome cracks and causes stress
risers which can in turn cause cracking of the substrate. particularly
in a fatigue environment. that's why impact tools and "industrial"
tools are black oxide, not chrome. maybe i should have considered this
part of the equation too. i have a number of impact sockets which i use
for high stress applications for this reason...

 

I busted a 22-mm thin wall Craftsman once. I tried again with the exact
same kind and it didn't bust. I broke three Craftsman sockets but I still
prefer Craftsmans tools.

 

"Burt S." wrote

If Sears still has a lifetime replacement policy no-questions-asked on
Craftsman hand tools, I'd say they're worth it (unless of course you damage
part of your body in the process....). A few years ago my socket wrench
broke and they replaced it with a brand new one. I bought that wrench in
1971.

 

Jim, I've seen them break, usually a deep well splits up the side.
Just be careful, it can be a dangerous job.

--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
ASE Automobile Advanced Engine Performance
ASE Undercar Specialist

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