New take on Chinese tools?

[fotoflojoe]

Found a link to this Japanese manufacturer (http://www.f-gear.co.jp/deen/) in a Make Magazine article on hand tools. Their tools are manufactured in China, but the article author claims they're fantastic. Their combination wrenches look an awful lot like Blue Points.

Also, if you can read Japanese, there is supposed to be some interesting information on the distributor's site:

http://www.f-gear.co.jp/top.html

Anybody seen these? Any thoughts?

[Fedwrench]

Found a link to this Japanese manufacturer (http://www.f-gear.co.jp/deen/) in a Make Magazine article on hand tools. Their tools are manufactured in China, but the article author claims they're fantastic. Their combination wrenches look an awful lot like Blue Points.

Also, if you can read Japanese, there is supposed to be some interesting information on the distributor's site:

http://www.f-gear.co.jp/top.html

Anybody seen these? Any thoughts?

They have a picture of a Snap on ratchet on their site. Why? Not impressed. There are plenty of other tool choices available, some even American. Japanese company outsourcing copies of tools to China.

[billymade]

Using http://babelfish.altavista.com/, I believe they are a retailer, as they sell a bunch of different brands such as SnapOn and even Hazet. Using the translation, that seems to be the case, as they show the pictures of their showroom and different brands on their shelves. I don't think the "Deen" brand are Blupoint ratchets; compare the pics below:

[billymade]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/objects_lg/49300/49276.JPGBluepoint
http://www.f-gear.co.jp/deen/ratchet_image/dnr3-08mt.jpg
Japanese "Deen"
http://www.gearwrench.com/images/items/enlargement/81203.jpg GearWrench
http://www.autozone.com/images/products/dur/dur72-127003.jpg Duralast

I think because of the position SnapOn has in the industry, everyone copies their design, hoping to capture some of their recognition factor. Kind of like the "StackOn" name was such a close branding name to SnapOn. GearWrech and Duralast (Autozone) in particular, have really made a effort to have a similar shape and even logo to Snapons new rubber griped ratchets. Maybe, they figure if you can't afford or don't own a SnapOn tool at least what you buy from them will look like it!
Interesting thing with GearWrench, they are using a SnapOn ratchet in this image to show their "improvement" over its design! I think they are definitely looking at SnapOn!
http://www.gearwrench.com/catalog/ratchets_and_sockets/ratchets/cushion_grip/beautyshot.jpg
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/OBJECTS/54100/54061.JPG