Is Thorsen any good?

[CarWashGuy]

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200375013_200375013

I ordered this today but I've never used this brand before

Anybody have any thoughts about them?

[Diesel-Mech]

Another classic name that has been disgraced by being brought back and put on cheap Chinese junk.

[Merkava_4]

Another classic name that has been disgraced by being brought back and put on cheap Chinese junk.

:withstupi

[Autoguy]

I have and old Thorsen 1/2 SAE master socket set and it is good but not to SO or Proto standads

[Hoot]

My opinion....... I would say that's a decent deal on extensions/adapters for the weekend mechanic. The universals may prove to be difficult to work with (floppy or loose??) But it takes some work to produce crappy extensions. I only say this because I have one or two "no-name" extensions (seriously, there is no brand name what so ever.....) that work every bit as good as my truck-brand extensions.

But, yea, kinda sad to see the name decline like that. I have a Thorsen ratchet that I used in my teenage years and mistreated beyond belief. It even did double duty as a hammer on several occasions. These days, the mechanism is a little loose and the chrome is chipping, but it's one of my more prized tools.....

[vstoyko]

Too bad the Thorsen name is being disgraced so by the Chinese junk.

I started my career in automotive in the early 70's with a complete set of Thorsen and after a few years silly human trade pride caused me to buy Snap-on and Mac.

Thorsen was usually the first tool I grabbed because my Snap-on & Mac cost me dearly and I didn't want to abuse or lose them.

My experience with Thorsen was that the sockets broke before rounding out the corners like my Snap-on so it was no problem getting warrantee replacements. We use to take the soft Snap-on sockets that rounded out at the corners and split them on the end of a ball peen hammer clamped between the jaws of a vice so the Snap-on dealer would warrantee replace them because back then if they were rounded out the dealer would say no warrantee due to wear. My Thorsen 3/8" ratchet has 20 times the use of both my Snap-on 3/8" ratchets and still works like a champ. Both my Snap-on ratchets have had a few rebuilds and my SK died many years ago. I still beat on my Thorsen tools but never my Snap-on or Mack. The old Thorsen wrenches didn’t look like much but I preferred the humble industrial finish and thick rounded edge beams of their full length wrenches to my Snap-on or Mac. The Snap-on wrench beam is too sharp and thin for my liking and my Mac wrenches have the thicker squared edge type beam so both are uncomfortable in high torque situations. I can remember overhauling an old Chrysler diff and breaking my Thorsen 1/2" breaker bar/Johnson Bar (using a pipe for leverage) trying to pull the pinion gear through the bearing and collapse the collapsable sleave but when I grabbed my Snap-on after the Thorsen broke it bent at the pipe edge contact area so I couldn't get warantee.

I really didn't appreciate the reliability and performance of Thorsen tools until I started using my Snap-on and Mac more frequnetly after I lost quite a few of the Thorsens. I have since replaced almost all the missing Thorsen tools and hopefully I won't loose any more.

[Blacknwhitepit]

Too bad the Thorsen name is being disgraced so by the Chinese junk.

I started my career in automotive in the early 70's with a complete set of Thorsen and after a few years silly human trade pride caused me to buy Snap-on and Mac.

Thorsen was usually the first tool I grabbed because my Snap-on & Mac cost me dearly and I didn't want to abuse or lose them.

My experience with Thorsen was that the sockets broke before rounding out the corners like my Snap-on so it was no problem getting warrantee replacements. We use to take the soft Snap-on sockets that rounded out at the corners and split them on the end of a ball peen hammer clamped between the jaws of a vice so the Snap-on dealer would warrantee replace them because back then if they were rounded out the dealer would say no warrantee due to wear. My Thorsen 3/8" ratchet has 20 times the use of both my Snap-on 3/8" ratchets and still works like a champ. Both my Snap-on ratchets have had a few rebuilds and my SK died many years ago. I still beat on my Thorsen tools but never my Snap-on or Mack. The old Thorsen wrenches didn’t look like much but I preferred the humble industrial finish and thick rounded edge beams of their full length wrenches to my Snap-on or Mac. The Snap-on wrench beam is too sharp and thin for my liking and my Mac wrenches have the thicker squared edge type beam so both are uncomfortable in high torque situations. I can remember overhauling an old Chrysler diff and breaking my Thorsen 1/2" breaker bar/Johnson Bar (using a pipe for leverage) trying to pull the pinion gear through the bearing and collapse the collapsable sleave but when I grabbed my Snap-on after the Thorsen broke it bent at the pipe edge contact area so I couldn't get warantee.

I really didn't appreciate the reliability and performance of Thorsen tools until I started using my Snap-on and Mac more frequnetly after I lost quite a few of the Thorsens. I have since replaced almost all the missing Thorsen tools and hopefully I won't loose any more.

That is a helluva write up.... Hope you post more!!! :thumbup::thumbup:

Oh yea, IMHO... Thorsen was once a decent tool company whose name was sold out to cheap toolmakers.

-BWP

[old salvage]

Another classic name that has been disgraced by being brought back and put on cheap Chinese junk.

:withstupi

That is a helluva write up.... Hope you post more!!! :thumbup::thumbup:

Oh yea, IMHO... Thorsen was once a decent tool company whose name was sold out to cheap toolmakers.

-BWP

I saw 'Rockwell' in the Latest Craftsman catalog.

[charlie_nj]

My dad had a Thorsen set from back in the early 70's. They were US made. The ratchet was an open ratchet, the gear mechanism was not enclosed in a case. Made for a small head that would fit into tight spots. My dad did everything you can imagine to our old Chevy's with just that Thorsen set and a set of "Made in the U.S.A." open end wrenches.

Don't know what ever happened to that old set. If anyone comes across one of those old open Thorsen ratchets and is interested in selling it, I'd be interested in buying it for sentimental reasons.

All the new Thorsen stuff you see on Ebay is Chinese.

[Fedwrench]

What kind of quality do you expect for $5.99? I saw and used alot of US made Thorsen hand tools in the 70s in the Army. They weren't fancy but, they held up well. Unfortunately, as others have posted, the Thorsen name is now degraded to subquality Chinese made tools. Search the archives as there was a thread about a high piece count plier set from Amazon that left alot to be desired quality wise.:(

[Broncoman]

charlie_nj

If you like those Thorsen open ratchets, I've got a 3/8 set in the classifieds:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34315&highlight=wtt+thorsen
If you dont have anything to trade, send me a pm and we can work something out.

[RRmech]

You still see some used Thorsen-USA ratchets, sockets, and extensions occasionally on flea-bay.....usually fairly cheap too.

Steve

[Paladin]

I've got a good bit of Thorsen USA sockets and wrenches. They are solid tools. Sad to see the garbage with "Thorsen" on them now...

[T56 Impala]

I have a few of their vintage tools. My Favorite is the 3/8" speed handle. I have torn down many engines with that baby!

[lauver]

Carwashguy,

The old Thorsen stuff is as good as gold. I see tons of it in the pawn shops at very reasonable prices. Whenever I see a Thorsen tool that would fill gaps in my tool inventory, I grab it, clean it up, and put it back to work.

As for the "New Improved" Thosen tools, I'll take a pass.

[Paladin]

Carwashguy,

The old Thorsen stuff is as good as gold. I see tons of it in the pawn shops at very reasonable prices. Whenever I see a Thorsen tool that would fill gaps in my tool inventory, I grab it, clean it up, and put it back to work.

As for the "New Improved" Thosen tools, I'll take a pass.

Hey, if you see any 13/16" or 1" Thorsen USA, let me know! Thanks! :thumbup:

[T_F_E]

Hey, if you see any 13/16" or 1" Thorsen USA, let me know! Thanks! :thumbup:

I have a bunch of assorted old thorsen tools, I'll take a look for you.

[Paladin]

I have a bunch of assorted old thorsen tools, I'll take a look for you.

THANKS! Much appreciated! :thumbup: I'm looking for the style in this link...

http://alloy-artifacts.com/Photos/tools/thorsen_c12_2012_wrench_combo_v_f_cropped.jpg

or this style...

http://alloy-artifacts.com/Photos/tools/thorsen_c26_2026_wrench_combo_mfd_f_cropped_inset. jpg