GearWrench QC issue...pics inside
- Thread starter joshboogie
- Start date
eschoendorff
Well-known member
That's very noble of you. Too bad that your choices for tool manufacturers are going to get smaller and smaller as time goes on. Even the mighty Snap on is licensing Chinese items with the Snap On name emblazoned on them.
If this works for you, great. However, most of us live and work in the real (global) world.
olds88
Well-known member
If this works for you, great. However, most of us live and work in the real (global) world.
To get back to my original point... Purchasing products from Gearwrench makes little sense when you can get better tools from Craftsman or SK at the same price, or spend a little more and buy Snap-on... that chances are the chrome (that's what was originally at issue here with the GW) will be just as shiny when your grandson is using it!
They are not the same price. The Gearwrench line goes on sale all the time, making them a VERY good deal. The quality of my ratcheting stubbies and reversible ratcheting wrenches is very good. They've never skipped on me and the chrome is flawless. In case you didn't know, Craftsman and Gearwrench are both Danaher. Gearwrench makes some of Craftsman's tools for them.
olds88
Well-known member
Buying something made offshore is never a "good" deal, for anyone.
And yes, I know most Craftsman stuff is made by Danaher... which is why I don't own anything from Craftsman (or Matco)... but at least Craftsman stuff (supposedly) comes from US Danaher factories.
Actually I do own a Craftsman general service set that stays in the trunk of my car, and it has saved my *** on the road a couple times!
Stuey
Well-known member
I was the one who had the pliers issue and posted the photos. After contact with Steve from GW, it was determined that my pliers were from older stock and since then GW switched to a new (better?) supplier. Very shortly after, I received a new pair of pliers from Danaher directly and have been using them since.
Are you qualified or experienced enough in metallurgy/chroming to make such a conclusion? (I mean this in the serious and curious manner, not a rude/sarcastic one.)
OP
joshboogie
Well-known member
From what I can tell C-man is having more serious QC issues and have for sometime now. I have Older C-man sockets and they are perfectly fine but the new stuff is not even close to the same quality. SK is having some serious QC issues as well. So what would the point be in buying C-man or SK stuff for more money but (from what I can see) lesser quality. Everything made overseas is not junk. I've for allot of GearWrench stuff and if is the first issue I've had. As long as I can get replacements I'm going to continue to buy their products.
WSMC633
Well-known member
I have a set of Gearwrench Ratcheting flex ratchets. They are def. one of my most used tools. Fit and finish is excellent. I wouldn't hesitate for a second with buying them again.
Steve,
Can you go into what comprises your quality spec? How are items tested?
Merkava_4
Banned
Look at the texture of the exposed rust spot and then look at the texture of the rest of the inside socket that's plated. . .
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Hmm... you must be new here...
Show me empirical evidence taht Craftsman or SK are better tools than GearWrench. I bet you cannot find any.
Aside from that, if you look at most of our latest purchases from SK or Craftsman and my latest purchases from GearWrench, I will give you one guess as to which brand has teh better fit and finish in terms of sockets and ratchets.
Granted, Craftsman has some good stuff... I would rather use Craftsman Pro wrenches than GearWrench. But assuming that Craftsman or SK is higher quality than GearWrench simply because they are made in the USA is rather naive.
nissan_crawler
Well-known member
Merkava_4
Banned
Gentlemen, I think we've just witnessed the collision of olds88 and eschoendorff; they've been on a collision course for some time now and the inevitable just happened! 
olds88
Well-known member
I been reading a long time, figured I'd finally chime in.
If you ask me, they're ALL **** except for Snap-on. S-K is fine for auto parts store tools--- my employer has a couple sets of older C-Man Pro wrenches that I believe were made by S-K, and they're very nice.... but you'll have to pry an OEXL series Snap-on wrench out of my cold dead hands before I'd buy anything from Taiwan... or Matco/Mac/etc for that matter! (my eBay bargain Blue-Point ratcheting box end combo wrenches exempted!)
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eschoendorff
Well-known member
Merkava has a twin brother?????
Seriously, if you HAVE been reading for a long time, you would already know the reaction of your comments by many of us on this board.
Unless you are just trying to stir the pot. A little pot stirring never killed any of us and is sometimes a welcome diversion - in small doses.
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Merkava_4
Banned
Merkava has a twin brother?????
Almost but not quite; I still like the USA made MAC and MATCO.
nissan_crawler
Well-known member
Craftsman chrome issues I've had = 0
Snap-On chrome issues I've had = 2
Ratio of Craftsman to Snap-On that I own = 10:1
Snap-On chrome issues I've had = 2
Ratio of Craftsman to Snap-On that I own = 10:1
eschoendorff
Well-known member
And you use your tools professionally...
Merkava_4
Banned
eschoendorff and nissan_crawler are sometimes behind Snap-on and sometimes they're not; it gets confusing as hell at times! 
olds88
Well-known member
About half my tools my father gave me, most of them are from the early to mid 80s and they're all in great shape, after around a quarter century of hard use (particularly by my uncle... he's been known to throw his tools across the shop... and his tools are the one's my dad gave me). Most of my other sockets and extensions I bought new off the truck. Most my wrenches are ebay items and most of them are at least 10 years old and all in excellent condition, except for a handful I bought from 1 seller that described them in 'good' condition, but I would describe them as 'abused'... but a new looking OEXM170B came with the deal and was worth most of the bid price so I let it go.
Whenever I see any other make of tool over 20 years old, they are always rusted, or the ratchets skip, or otherwise exhibiting signs of cheap manufacturing... however my grandfather has a S-K 1/4 inch set that's been sitting in his humid Florida garage for 20 years, and no rust, one reason, I think S-K is pretty good.
Whenever I see any other make of tool over 20 years old, they are always rusted, or the ratchets skip, or otherwise exhibiting signs of cheap manufacturing... however my grandfather has a S-K 1/4 inch set that's been sitting in his humid Florida garage for 20 years, and no rust, one reason, I think S-K is pretty good.
Why should I adjust my opinions to avoid reactions? Too much "Group Thinking" going on here!... wow I remembered something from a college course http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink
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nissan_crawler
Well-known member
eschoendorff and nissan_crawler are sometimes behind Snap-on and sometimes they're not; it gets confusing as hell at times!
Oh, I love Snap-On, I just don't believe their **** doesn't stink. If I was rich would I trade my C-pro's for snappy wrenches? Probably. Would they do the job any better? Not really. Same goes for my sockets.
I'm just not blinded with brand loyalty on any side.
I completely agree.
The way the world is going we will all be working at Mao-mart, or flipping burgers sooner than you think.+1 here!!!
paramudduck
Well-known member
Heck I have Craftsman flat panels that have been used for over 30 years that look better then the ones in stores now.
Over 20 years old? Let us see Snap on, Mac, Indestro, Herbrand, Proto, Plomb and quite a few others I can't remember at the moment. Forgot the 40 plus year old SK's.
But I've had Snap on ratchets break on the first use. Bent a Mac breaker bar into a L shape. Stripped half the teeth out of a Proto ratchet. Broken more wrenches of every brand then I can remember.
But I work on farm and heavy equipment a lot. If not them it's 30 plus year old salt belt cars. So my tools are pushed to the max at times.
My conclusion from all of this?
They all break.
They all have bad runs and poor QC at times.
You just have to go with the flow.
Over 20 years old? Let us see Snap on, Mac, Indestro, Herbrand, Proto, Plomb and quite a few others I can't remember at the moment. Forgot the 40 plus year old SK's.
But I've had Snap on ratchets break on the first use. Bent a Mac breaker bar into a L shape. Stripped half the teeth out of a Proto ratchet. Broken more wrenches of every brand then I can remember.
But I work on farm and heavy equipment a lot. If not them it's 30 plus year old salt belt cars. So my tools are pushed to the max at times.
My conclusion from all of this?
They all break.
They all have bad runs and poor QC at times.
You just have to go with the flow.
olds88
Well-known member
Exactly... I'm sure S-K has worked out their issues since the infamous multiple defective sets the poster here received. If not, they'll be out of business in short order.
I also have a handful of Snap-on tools from the 40s and 50s, that I got off of eBay, that I use daily... particularly a pair of spring clamp pliers, that I couldn't live without... from 1956. (My employer doesn't have a regular pair of spring clamp pliers, he rather fight with regular pliers on spring clamps than spend a couple dollars).
My story is that most of my life working on cars I worked at my Dad's shop, using his tools. I recently came to Florida and I am working for my Dad's friend... the first month I worked there I used his tools... he's got ALL kinds of tools, some good, alot ****. Let's just say that my workday is now much more pleasant that I am using my own Snap-on tools!
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nissan_crawler
Well-known member
I received my Amazon order yesterday and here are a few pics of the pitting on both of the spark plug sockets. I'll be calling the customer service line tomorrow to see if I can get this set exchanged.
They will, no worries.
eschoendorff
Well-known member
I wonder if there is a way for the GearWrench boys to somehow trace those tools and see if they are all from the same lot.
Merkava_4
Banned
Somebody just needs to explain to the Chinese that it's ideally better to chrome plate the tools BEFORE they corrode.
paramudduck
Well-known member
Bad thing is, these deals on Amazon will be the first exposure of a lot of people to the brand.
With the percentage of problems found by this small sub set of the population. How many customers will be lost?
With the percentage of problems found by this small sub set of the population. How many customers will be lost?
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Somebody just needs to explain to the Chinese that it's ideally better to chrome plate the tools BEFORE they corrode.
That's actually pretty funny
paramudduck
Well-known member
OK I just looked at the 1/2 inch 28 piece set I bought for dad. On the long extension the area right at the base of the bell for the female end. You run your finger across it and the chrome seems to peel away like tissue paper or thinner. Great polish on them though.
Oh well, I'll just swap the one out of my set for it. After harvesting season I'll have it so beat up you'd never be able to tell the difference anyhow.
Oh well, I'll just swap the one out of my set for it. After harvesting season I'll have it so beat up you'd never be able to tell the difference anyhow.
speed bump
Well-known member
Somebody just needs to explain to the Chinese that it's ideally better to chrome plate the tools BEFORE they corrode.
They would of but they had to shut down the plant for the olympics becuase they were causing to much pollution making cheap **** to sell to the USA.
I'm guessing they might be from the same lot. I got that 3 piece set from amazon too (bent handle ratchet and 2 swivel spark plug sockets) for $36, so maybe they were trying to get rid of that lot at a cheap price.
I'll be getting my set within the next 2 days, so I'll report back. Unfortunately, I don't have a camera that can take close up picts to show pitting, if there is any. Hopefully not.
I noticed nobody has mentioned anything about the ratchet itself. Any of you guys have any problems with your ratchets (bent handle flex head). I'm more concerned about the ratchet than the sockets.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I got my set from sears during the last Gearwrench half off sale. The ratchet and sockets are all good to go. If you have any problems, don't hesitate to call the gearwrench customer service number. I'm sure you'll be ok but, there does seem to be a bad lot from amazon.
I got my set from sears during the last Gearwrench half off sale. The ratchet and sockets are all good to go. If you have any problems, don't hesitate to call the gearwrench customer service number. I'm sure you'll be ok but, there does seem to be a bad lot from amazon.
did you get your set from sears online? I don't think they stock this set in the stores.
OP
joshboogie
Well-known member
OP
joshboogie
Well-known member
OK I just got off the phone with someone at Danaher and they are send me replacement sockets. That almost seemed too easy.
GearWrench Brand
Well-known member
I'm glad we are taking care of you to your expectations.
Please let me know via PM if you are not completely satisfied when you receive the replacement product.
Again - sorry for the incovenience.
Steve
Please let me know via PM if you are not completely satisfied when you receive the replacement product.
Again - sorry for the incovenience.
Steve