HF's direct copying of Snap-on and Knipex is shady as hell.
But some of these tools were inspired from older tools in the first place. Kraeuter had three position slip joint pliers decades ago. Indestro, Wilde, Buffalo had long nose slip joint pliers, though not as long as Snap-on's. But the idea was already there. Snap-on improved it, but they didn't completely invent it.
Lots of tools from everybody are standing on the shoulders of other tools/designs.
Plus, HF won the lawsuit over the Daytona jacks, so they figure they are immune from stealing designs as long as they change a small detail. Again, it is shady, and it is profiting on some someone else's work, but that's capitalism.
HF didn't win - SO settled after the judge kinda tore them apart. It was an ornamental patent, and SO settled after the judge noted that their complaint didn't meet the "ordinary observer" standard, and pointed out that the complaints they cited were biased (e.g. Snap On dealers, etc.), and anecdotal. It was a weak claim, and a pretty poorly-constructed lawsuit. Honestly, the Pliers Wrench is far closer to a direct copy than the damn jack was. I agree with folks saying it's silly and disappointing, but I'm guessing the most vigorously-complaining group would be mightily surprised at how many products in their house are just as guilty of being a copycat design.
If it's not protected, it's not protected. My threshold for 'shady' is a lot higher. I seriously doubt anyone buying the products from HF thinks they're getting a SO or Knipex that is just relabled.
That’s reductive. I think a lot of us wish China’s capitalist leanings would include intellectual property rights for its OWN citizens’ sakes so clever manufacturers could bring innovation to the marketplace like Koken has done.
China does have an intellectual property system. Japan does too. Guess what? They don't recognize US patents, and the US doesn't recognize theirs. Ya gotta do the work around the globe if you want to protect the intellectual property around the globe.
Instead, they have, what I perceive as, a very negative campaign that smears Snap on as nothing more than overpriced products of similar quality. That’s a lie. And it’s scuzzy. And it’s disrespectful to the customers.
By any objective measure, Snap On is overpriced at a product level. You can argue the value of their business model (which is what really creates the price level they sell at), support for their customers, etc. but of course those don't add any value at all to the vast majority of people not working with those tools in an environment where the trucks show up routinely.
Look at a basic ~7" ratchet - Icon is $38. KoKen is $82. Snap On F80 is $135.
I own SO and Icon ratchets that are roughly the same length, and often use them side by side (I switch between ratchets with different sockets instead of swapping sockets). I literally lose track of which is which. On occasion I do notice the F80 has a tiny bit less backdrag. But 95%+ of the time...
There's an irony that the Snap-On haters will cheerfully buy Snap-On clones from HF.
I don't think the "Snap On Hater" really exists, at least not in the concrete form or numbers the "HF Hater" does. Anyone that argues that SO doesn't offer outstanding tools that are of high quality isn't dealing in reality, and likely hasn't used any. The reverse is mainly true with Icon. The hand-tools score well in every objective test I've seen (Tools Tested, Torque Test Channel, Real Tool Reviews, Client Graphics, etc.). For a hundred bucks less per ratchet, I can live with that.
I see it as a missed opportunity for HF to introduce something a little different and, perhaps, create their own design language and brand image. There's no doubt that HF is a force to be reckoned with these days when it comes to being able to buy tools locally.
Now that I'm older, I'm a bit of a tool snob, but I actually enjoy visiting HF. The hand tool departments of HD and Lowes are a real let down. HF caters more to the mechanic scene much better than hardware stores. I wish HF of today was around when I was starting out forever ago.
My most local HF got a shiny new store front about a mile from the old store. Lots more retail space. All the HF employees out here are super-duper nice, too!
-Ryan
I agree with you that they could have done some very simple things to establish an Icon 'look" that would be less annoying than what they're doing now. I also agree that HD/Lowe's/Everybody is pretty disappointing.
Today's HD feels like what the Sears tool department might have become if they'd spun it off into a Craftsman Tools store... (but better - there was a point where a lot of stuff had the Craftsman name that was just as much garbage as what HF was 25 years ago...
