OK, so what's the deal on these other Snap On companies?

[ColdDuckTime]

On eBay (the fount of all things I don't really need) there's a buncha JH Williams, Bahco, Case/Harley, etc. etc. Some of the Williams stuff is packaged pretty cooly and is cheap(er) so I'm always a little tempted.

So? Any good? All built overseas? Depends on the gizmo?

[ImportTuner]

On eBay (the fount of all things I don't really need) there's a buncha JH Williams, Bahco, Case/Harley, etc. etc. Some of the Williams stuff is packaged pretty cooly and is cheap(er) so I'm always a little tempted.

So? Any good? All built overseas? Depends on the gizmo?

The Bahco and Williams stuff are pretty good; the Harley Davidson stuff which I would have guessed to be made in USA are not ... :(

[Major Ramifications]

All I can tell you is that the Harley wrenches are made in U.S.A., because we sell those at the tool store where I work. We bought a TON of them after they were discontinued.
Bahco has their whole company history on their website, and all of their products are made in "good" countries.
All the old J.H. Williams stuff I have was made in U.S.A.

I will watch and see what people say about the Harley wrenches, to see if I "need" a set. I am not a big Harley guy, but the wrenches do look pretty nice (I have never opened up a package, though).

[Major Ramifications]

The Bahco and Williams stuff are pretty good; the Harley Davidson stuff which I would have guessed to be made in USA are not ... :(

ImportTuner,
You posted this while I was typing my last reply. On the back of the Harley wrench box, it says "Harley-Davidson wrenches are forged in USA from high quality steel, heat treated for "Built for Life" strength and durability."

[MarkH]

Some of it like New Holland, CaseIH, and I make the assumption of Harley was built on a supplier contract like they did for a number of years with Kobalt. So Snap on is the source, you expect they keep it good, but the countries of orgin or lack of the USA stamp on the product for USA content % has been the cause of considerable speculation of which plant made these products for who.

Since Williams and Bahco are part of Snap On corp these are who they say they are. Lines for the non-automotive industries and those more price sensitive.

You may or may not be getting Williams, Bahco, Blue Point at a higher or lower price with any of the contracted tools. I have not seen the current Snap On patterns in use for these tools unless it is a low volume item where it pays to make it to only one pattern.

The same comments and confusion hold for both Stanley and Dahaner and the multiple lines and contracts they do.

[wilbilt]

lack of the USA stamp on the product for USA content % has been the cause of considerable speculation of which plant made these products for who

Companies have been known to take the "USA %" requirements pretty liberally. Trust No One.

[Thumper]

Companies have been known to take the "USA %" requirements pretty liberally. Trust No One.


Very true.......just look at "Stan-ree" (as Jim puts it lol) :shocking:

[ImportTuner]

ImportTuner,
You posted this while I was typing my last reply. On the back of the Harley wrench box, it says "Harley-Davidson wrenches are forged in USA from high quality steel, heat treated for "Built for Life" strength and durability."

I saw the same thing (forged in USA) but the side of the box had a label that said "made in taiwan" ... some guy in SJ had advertised them on Craigslist so I drove down and looked at them ... and reporting back what I saw ... and I did not buy them.

[kidney]

Watch out for the William's socket's. There are ones that are labeled "MADE IN THE USA" and others that have no label at all. I won a big set of Williams wrenches, and they are really nice. The set was 3/8 all the way up to 1 1/4 and full polish. I've been looking for a metric set, but have yet to see a full polished set.