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Snap-on made in spain?? (L handle hex wrenches)

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suss427

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Jul 27, 2011
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151
Location
Iowa
I am in the market for L handle hex wrenches. I really don't like buying craftsman **** anymore because I think the quality on certain items is horrible. That being said, the item in question is L handle hex wrenches. Cost is not really an issue to me as I will use these professionally.

So what do you think:

Snap-on (on sale for 73.76 MADE IN SPAIN)
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...=19840&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all

Or Craftsman (on sale for 29.74 MADE IN USA)
http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10...yword=t+handle&prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=L8

one more note is that the craftsman are ball end and the SO are not. WTF? Does anyone else make decent T/L handle. Does anyone own the above sets? I have handled the craftsmans at ACE today and thought they were pretty good and almost bought them, but wanted to look at snapon's offerings first.

Thoughts?
 
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BloodySinner

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Jul 1, 2011
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What's disgusting is how Snap-On has the balls to attach a premium to their outsourced products.
 
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CaptainRay

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Nov 8, 2010
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Missouri
At least it's not China... I guess. But I have to say I do buy HF a lot because someone has destroyed the economy and my disposable income ***** now.

I go out of my to buy American anytime I can. I buy a lot of Craftsman tools and have a 3 pretty good size tool boxes full. The wrenches, L handle hex wrenches, power tools etc., have served me well. I tend to get tunnel vision on my projects and that can destroy a tool at times. I can say Craftsman tools have held up well. I will continue buying them.
 
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jrodc455

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Oct 24, 2010
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Pennsylvania
Craftsman L hex wrenches are being converted to china made. I work at sears we got a bunch in this past week...as well as the t handles.
 
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HandyManny

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lbgradwell said:
Bahco-made.

Why would Snap-on have Irega make their adjustables when they already own the other premier maker?!
Click to expand...


That's exactly what I always wondered. Same with JH Williams, they used to make their own adjustables, even made them for Cman once, but by the early 1980's they had a contract maker making adjustables for them. Not sure why they just don't use rebranded Bahcos??

As far as tools made in Spain goes, they are pretty good quality. Irega is know as being one of the highest quality adjustables being made today. That's why Snap-On and Channellock (two quality tool brands) have Irega making those for them. Truthfully there are only a few USA domestic makers of adjustables still left that are making anything on our shores today. Klien has a factory (clone of Japan's TOP), Cooper/APEX, and Western Forge.

For L handled hex keys I'd go with Bondhus. They are still good. Not sure why the outsourcing of certain tools to other companies in other countries for Snap-On? Can only guess it's because we no longer have too many specialty makers here in the USA anymore that can produce at volume or meet the Snap-On requirements.
 
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L

lbgradwell

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HandyManny said:
That's exactly what I always wondered. Same with JH Williams, they used to make their own adjustables, even made them for Cman once, but by the early 1980's they had a contract maker making adjustables for them. Not sure why they just don't use rebranded Bahcos??

As far as tools made in Spain goes, they are pretty good quality. Irega is know as being one of the highest quality adjustables being made today. That's why Snap-On and Channellock (two quality tool brands) have Irega making those for them.
Click to expand...

:headscrat

No, I'm saying the Snap-on adjustables are Bahcos that are made in Spain.

Where did this idea that they are Iregas come from?! :wtf:
 
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slipjointed

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May 31, 2011
Messages
665
I don't have any problem with SO selling non-USA made tools, especially from places like Spain and Germany. What I do have a problem with, is removing the USA marking from tools made by Americans.

Here, I'll do the honors for anyone reading this post:

:deadhorse
 
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Hammer1963

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Kentucky
Not a thing wrong with tools made in Spain. With all the love on here for European made tools, why hate on Spanish made tools in a factory owned by Snap-on. I own a few of the Spanish produced tools that Snap-on offers and the quality is top of the line.
 
V

Vinko

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Jul 7, 2008
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Los Angeles
I have that tool, in one size (only) that I use all the time. Don't have the set. I like it. It's the perfect length for me (plus the stubby hex is nice on one end of the handle). For particular applications, you get some nice torque. I also have a set of the Eklind and Allen, in SAE & Metric. I don't really have a preference. As to the Grip-On/SO Spanish pliers, I love those things. I picked up a set on sale (I think about $70 or a little less) a few years ago. And I've got a few sizes of the C-Clamp grip-ons that are nice as well -- Blue Point branded in blue color.
 
W

W-Cummins

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suss427 said:
Ahh, found the ball ends:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=20905&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

That was a deal breaker for me. As far as COO, I am too worked up about it, but it caught me off guard .

Does anyone own these?
Click to expand...

I own all three sets of them, metric, SAE and torx. I like them, but I have not had them long enough to say how well they will hold up over time. Give Tom a call (tell him William sent ya:) and snag a set I think you too will like them! BTW I also purchased the stand for them, but it's miss labeled in the catalog leading me to believe you can use it for all the sets at the same time, it will fit them all but only one at a time :(

William....
 
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bradleykd

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Apr 6, 2010
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547
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Georgetown, KY
Forget everything in this thread and buy PB Swiss stainless... I'll never buy anything else. The ball end is much more useable (more angle) and they dont twist off as bad as bondhus. My most used tool is ball end hex wrenches, and I've seen a lot of different brands. My runner up set is bondhus chrome version, but nothing I've seen yet beats PB Swiss stainless.
 
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HandyManny

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lbgradwell said:
:headscrat

No, I'm saying the Snap-on adjustables are Bahcos that are made in Spain.

Where did this idea that they are Iregas come from?! :wtf:
Click to expand...

Gee, didn't mean to ruin your day over it. I was under the impression that the SO adjustables were made by Irega because if I recall correctly one of the newer ones I saw looked to me like an Irega wrench. I could be mistaken. That was just my quick observation or impression of it.
 
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HandyManny

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Hammer1963 said:
Not a thing wrong with tools made in Spain. With all the love on here for European made tools, why hate on Spanish made tools in a factory owned by Snap-on. I own a few of the Spanish produced tools that Snap-on offers and the quality is top of the line.
Click to expand...

Probably because too many ignorant Americans confuse Spain with Mexico :headscrat

Two totally different countries. The basic language may be the same, but even the cultures are different, about as different as those between the USA and Britain.
 
N

nelstomlinson

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Interior Alaska
Craftsman L hex wrenches are being converted to china made.
Click to expand...

suss427 said:
No good, I better buy quick.
Click to expand...

There is effectively no warranty, though: you'll get made-in-china if you try to bring back one of those USA-made tools later. I like a lot of the Craftsman stuff, but I'll only buy from companies that might continue to produce their tools in the USA. Today, that leaves Craftsman right out.

Some of the NOS, USA made stuff is good, like those hex wrenches, but the warranty amounts to trading in your old Craftsman for Harbor Freight. If I'm going to buy new, I'll buy Wright or Lisle. They still make everything here.

I really like my Wright ratchets, but that's another thread.
 
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05CarbonDRZ

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May 21, 2011
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Cottage Grove,WI
I own all three sets of them, metric, SAE and torx. I like them, but I have not had them long enough to say how well they will hold up over time. Give Tom a call (tell him William sent ya:) and snag a set I think you too will like them! BTW I also purchased the stand for them, but it's miss labeled in the catalog leading me to believe you can use it for all the sets at the same time, it will fit them all but only one at a time

I also have the Snap-on T handle stand and it is a POS....Very cheaply made and does not even hold 1 set correctly let alone all 3!!
 
L

lbgradwell

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Oakville, ON
HandyManny said:
Gee, didn't mean to ruin your day over it. I was under the impression that the SO adjustables were made by Irega because if I recall correctly one of the newer ones I saw looked to me like an Irega wrench. I could be mistaken. That was just my quick observation or impression of it.
Click to expand...

No worries, day not ruined...:)

I was just surprised that so many wouldn't think to question why Snap-on would sub-contract to Irega given their ownership of Bahco. I'd say these are the two best makers of adjustables around today and it would hardly make sense for Snap-on to not use Bahco!

52766.jpg



lg1_001608.jpg



IR9210.jpg



The Bahco shown is from when they were still made in Sweden, but it shows the Snap-on is clearly a Bahco...
 
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