what US tool companies make low quality?

[1982fxr]

Are there any that are generally accepted as low overall quality....like who?

And I don't mean "craftsman sucks, s-o sucks" etc etc, I mean companies that have been around awhile and historically don't put out high or even mid-level quality.

thanks

[shoturtle]

stanley is pretty low in their quality on their consumer grade tool, not the fax max but their basic stuff. So are some of the crescent stuff.

[fivespdcat]

I honestly don't care much for the newer Klein drivers. Some guys swear by them, but I find the tips soft and they suck to warranty.

[1982fxr]

I agree, I guess I should clarify.....I mean made in USA tools that are crap. I'm working on a website list and I don't want to pretend that JUST because it's made here, it is great quality, though overall I think most of what is still made here is kick ass.

Like I've heard mention of crap US made screwdrivers for one...

[lbgradwell]

The last of the US-made Crescent wrenches were terrible.

[yasha32]

Some J tools available for transmissions (4l60e has a plastic one) that just straight up suck.

[vintagefan]

I think are few that make outright crap, but there are definitely some that leave a bit to be desired... I've got a couple:

Lisle, their bit sockets often come broached off center, and I've gotten a couple that had cracks right out of the package. They also are very cost effective, and seem to be reasonably durable when you get a good set.

Martin, they make various wrenches as well as other tools. They seem to be durable, but the finishing on some I've seen has been just plain bad, especially considering they're not particularly cheap. For instance, their angle wrenches are quite good, but their combo wrenches are just plain fugly.

Armstrong, Most of their tools are good quality, but the new quasi-chrome that they're using leaves a lot to be desired IMO. Also, their USA made ratcheting wrenches seem to have some of the worst overall QC in the industry. Numerous complaints about sticky action, self reversing, jamming, etc. The broaching on the open end generally is not impressive from what I've seen, either.

[jjjrmx5]

I think the question youa re asking it somewhat of a misleading one in my opinion.

If you are looking at US based tool companies, then quite a few have sent production offshore or to Asia since Nafta and before, but the US made products still standing high in quality of mfg.

If youa re looking at US based tool companies that still make US prdoucts that have lowered thier quality to the point that cost and offshoring is necessary, then ther are a varitey.

But--what it really comes down to is those companies like Apex, Danaher, etc. that supply and mfgr. tools for third parties that deem it no longer feasible to make tools here in the US competitively and thus tell thier clients the same.

It is just business, but lowering the quality of a product just to mnfgr it in the US to the point of value engineering it to its base is an uncompetitive and loosing battle just the same.

So, to answer your question, just take a stroll thru your local HD, Lowes, mom and pop and professioanl/industrial/graiger supplier and tell me what you see.

This sounds like a lazy man's question to an answer he already knows or want to believe he already has knows but really is not savvy enough to do the legwork on.

I know the answer, but I suck at doing other people's homework for them.


LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!

All in all, I see it more in the grocery business like cheese, crackers, poultry (injected with brine-wtf), paper products and macaroni and flour based products.

Tools are too easy to send to Asia once they hit the diminsihing quality mfg v. quality pricepoint.
No news here.

As Sears as done, one quarter you can bitch about the USA made quality and next quarter it's made in Taiwan or PROC.

[fivespdcat]

Oh yeah and those stupid riveted sheet metal craftsman pliers/cutters. I'm not sure if they still make them, but those really sucked.

[shoturtle]

Originally Posted by 1982fxr

I agree, I guess I should clarify.....I mean made in USA tools that are crap. I'm working on a website list and I don't want to pretend that JUST because it's made here, it is great quality, though overall I think most of what is still made here is kick ass.

Like I've heard mention of crap US made screwdrivers for one...

I figure, but stanley has some made in the USA screwdrivers that are pretty low quality. My brother brought a set, I looked at them tried them out and told him to return them. Told him to spend couple of dollars more to get the basic craftmen instead. But stronger tips.

And I have to agree the last crescent wrench I got from work was pretty bad, it auto open all the time. And it is made in the USA.

[yasha32]

Stanley flatheads you can grind a notch into making a slight hook. This creates a snap ring remover that kicks ass. That is why stanley is on my positive list; other flatheads have just broken clean off when being used.

[shoturtle]

being that soft the ph cams out fast.

[1982fxr]

Originally Posted by jjjrmx5

I think the question youa re asking it somewhat of a misleading one in my opinion.

If you are looking at US based tool companies, then quite a few have sent production offshore or to Asia since Nafta and before, but the US made products still standing high in quality of mfg.

If youa re looking at US based tool companies that still make US prdoucts that have lowered thier quality to the point that cost and offshoring is necessary, then ther are a varitey.

But--what it really comes down to is those companies like Apex, Danaher, etc. that supply and mfgr. tools for third parties that deem it no longer feasible to make tools here in the US competitively and thus tell thier clients the same.

It is just business, but lowering the quality of a product just to mnfgr it in the US to the point of value engineering it to its base is an uncompetitive and loosing battle just the same.

So, to answer your question, just take a stroll thru your local HD, Lowes, mom and pop and professioanl/industrial/graiger supplier and tell me what you see.

This sounds like a lazy man's question to an answer he already knows or want to believe he already has knows but really is not savvy enough to do the legwork on.

I know the answer, but I suck at doing other people's homework for them.


LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!

All in all, I see it more in the grocery business like cheese, crackers, poultry (injected with brine-wtf), paper products and macaroni and flour based products.

Tools are too easy to send to Asia once they hit the diminsihing quality mfg v. quality pricepoint.
No news here.

As Sears as done, one quarter you can bitch about the USA made quality and next quarter it's made in Taiwan or PROC.

No, what I've got going is a list and the basis of it is pro-US made tools. Apex, stanley/B and D, kmart craftsman are all going to basically get shit talked about them. Along with the big boxes and how they do business, forcing US manufacturing overseas -----please no arguments on this, as my website=my point of view---just sayin'.

Also there will be full acknowledgement that other countries make awesome tools too.

What I'm not sure on though, is who makes crappy US made tools, and if i should include them, ignore them, etc etc. 1 thing i won't do is act as though every single tool with USA stamped on it is good, and every company that manufactures in the US is good. We all know that is not true.

[Skin]

Originally Posted by vintagefan

Armstrong, Most of their tools are good quality, but the new quasi-chrome that they're using leaves a lot to be desired IMO.

Snap-On chrome looks the same.

[vintagefan]

Originally Posted by jjjrmx5

snip

No disrespect intended, but I think you may be overthinking this one a little bit.

I think the question is simply: What tools that are manufactured in the USA are of low quality?

Originally Posted by Skin

Snap-On chrome looks the same.

Not from my experience. It isn't as bright silver as Wright or SK, but it's not full-on grey nickel like the Apex stuff, from what I've personally had in my hands at least.

I'm a bit bummed, because I just resold a bunch of Armstrong stuff to a coworker, and I have Snap-on, Wright, and SK here that I could have done a 4-way comparison shot with.

I think the difference between Snap-on and Wright/SK may be a trivalent vs. hexavalent thing, whereas Apex is Chrome vs. Nickel... that's speculation, but it's the best guess I can give to explain the differences.

[vintagefan]

edit: double post

[Skin]

Originally Posted by vintagefan

Not from my experience. It isn't as bright silver as Wright or SK, but it's not full-on grey nickel like the Apex stuff, from what I've personally had in my hands at least.

I'm a bit bummed, because I just resold a bunch of Armstrong stuff to a coworker, and I have Snap-on, Wright, and SK here that I could have done a 4-way comparison shot with.

If you havent bought anything recently you wouldnt have noticed it but Snap-Ons most recent offerings are indeed using a dark chrome that looks exactly like Armstrongs'.

On the left there are some very recent production Snap-On wrenches. You'll notice the smallest one at the bottom looks different because thats a few years older when they still had a brighter chrome, now it looks the same as the Armstrong stuff. Those are Armstrong made Cman Pros on the right for comparison.

[fivespdcat]

Well if you're going to gripe about big box stores. I hate that you can buy tools there, but if they need to be warrantied they just stare at you like your nuts...

[1982fxr]

I should add, I'm not talking the truck brands, or Wright, Armstrong, Proto, Williams, Klein, etc etc.

I'm looking for bottom of the barrel so that I know who it is......cause at this point I don't.

[shoturtle]

Originally Posted by fivespdcat

Well if you're going to gripe about big box stores. I hate that you can buy tools there, but if they need to be warrantied they just stare at you like your nuts...

Lowes is not bad with their warranty, at the service country they have a box just for warranty tool items as simple as sears. HD is lacking though.