Please, school me on the Williams brand!

[Scuderia-F1]

Williams is not a very common brand here in Sweden, a matter of fact is that they´re VERY rare.

But I´m very curious about them, so can you mates please tell me if there is some particular tools from Williams that´s especially great, and if there is some of them that isn´t so good?

 

[bgarrett]

Williams Super Wrenches? look thru Alloy Artifacts

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/williams-supercompany.html

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Williams Super Wrenches? look thru Alloy Artifacts

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/williams-supercompany.html

Thanks for the link, but I was more sort of looking for opinions on what to buy and what to not, a lot of the tools is looking very close if not almost identical to Snap-on.

But my guess would be that the Williams option would be significant cheaper!?

 

[justanengineer]

Dont confuse good old iron Williams with new SO owned Williams. Night and day difference IMHO, with the new tools being rather mid-low end.

 

[SMKS]

Williams has two tools lines, an imported line and a higher-priced USA made line. Most of the tools are offered under both lines.

Many of the imported Williams tools are made in Taiwan and are identical to the Blue Point tools.

If you want to know which items are USA made, just check the online version of the printed catalog. The USA tools are clearly marked.

http://www.snaponindustrialbrands.com/30/home.htm

I don't agree with the above post claiming they're "mid-low end." That's just not accurate, from my experience. The imported tools are good quality, judging by the ones I've owned. And the USA tools I've had are good quality, no-frills tools, since they're aimed at industrial customers.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Williams has two tools lines, an imported line and a higher-priced USA made line. Most of the tools are offered under both lines.

Many of the imported Williams tools are made in Taiwan and are identical to the Blue Point tools.

If you want to know which items are USA made, just check the online version of the printed catalog. The USA tools are clearly marked.

http://www.snaponindustrialbrands.com/30/home.htm

I don't agree with the above post claiming they're "mid-low end." That's just not accurate, from my experience. The imported tools are good quality, judging by the ones I've owned. And the USA tools I've had are good quality, no-frills tools, since they're aimed at industrial customers.

Thanks for the link and your much appreciated opinion, I´ll have a serious look into that online catalog!

 

[december45]

I've got a number of Williams tools. All of my wrench sets and socket sets are all older that I bought back in the early 70's. I like them alot and are always my go to wrenches and sockets. Is it possible for you to get older sets from ebay, thats the way I would go.

 

[bobkentnova]

I've got some pre-1960 Williams sockets of my grandfather's. They seem to have taken sustained hard use better than his Snap-On sockets.

 

[SCscoutguy]

Dont confuse good old iron Williams with new SO owned Williams. Night and day difference IMHO, with the new tools being rather mid-low end.

This is a very ignorant uninformed post. The new made in USA Williams tools are actually better than the older made in the 50s/60's tools. The ratchets are just rehandled Snap On 936 ratchets. Even their import tools that are made in Taiwan that are identical to the Blue Point line are not bad quality.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

This is a very ignorant uninformed post. The new made in USA Williams tools are actually better than the older made in the 50s/60's tools. The ratchets are just rehandled Snap On 936 ratchets. Even their import tools that are made in Taiwan that are identical to the Blue Point line are not bad quality.

Thanks for this info, I thought that the ratchets looked a bit familiar.

 

[SMKS]

Remember, there are two different USA made Williams ratchets.

The 36 tooth, which uses the same mechanism as the older Snap-on ratchets.

The 72 tooth round head models, which use a single-pawl mechanism similar to those used in Facom ratchets.

Note - The Williams catalog says the round head ratchets have a "double pawl design with 72 teeth action provides a 5° ratcheting angle," but that's incorrect. They upgraded the ratchets quite a while ago to the new single pawl design, but never updated the description in the catalog. That error has been in there for years.

 

[rjwilliams]

This is a very ignorant uninformed post. The new made in USA Williams tools are actually better than the older made in the 50s/60's tools. The ratchets are just rehandled Snap On 936 ratchets. Even their import tools that are made in Taiwan that are identical to the Blue Point line are not bad quality.

I cannot speak on ratchets as I only have older Williams but yes, the new hand tools like wire strippers are garbage. I placed a fairly large order through Snap On for the Williams electrical service set. The Bahco stuff was excellent but the Williams hand tools were horrible. First pair of wire strippers that I opened wouldn't even close properly.