Cornwell Tools Rant

[myslow2002gt]

I have been shopping for a set of long pattern wrenches, and had narrowed it down between Snap On and Cornwell. Since I own all Snap On wrenches now, and tried out a set of Cornwell's last week, I decided to get a little diverse and purchase the Cornwells. Now, I was hoping to get a few sets of wrenches by this weekend since I actually could use them on a project.

Unfortunately, I'm not a tech and have never been on a tool truck before. However, any time in the past when I purchased Snap On, Matco, etc I always contacted corporate headquarters and got setup with whatever I needed.

So, earlier this week I contacted Cornwell headquarters to find the closest dealer to me, since I've never seen a truck. I found that there were (2) dealers in my general vacinity (approximately 1 hour drive each way).

So, I called the first guy and told him exactly what I was looking for, and that I was dead set, ready to buy. I even made note that I had over $800 in cash, just needed to know the final total and where to drive to meet up with him. He wasn't at his truck yet, so he mentioned that he'd call me once he got there. 2 days pass by with no response, and I called and left him a voicemail. Still nothing.

So, I call the next person that is an hour in the other direction. Same thing, he was not at his truck, but would call me back right away. Another day goes by with nothing.

Is this typical of a tool dealer? Since I have no prior experience purchasing tools off a truck, I'm not quite sure what to expect. However, I thought they would have ATLEAST given me a call back to let me know a price, as well as if he has them available or not.

Also, if anyone in the Southeast Michigan area knows of a Cornwell tool dealer, or even someone as far south as Toledo, Ohio knows of one and wouldn't mind giving me a contact number to those people, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm not giving up on Cornwell yet, just seems that in this economy (especially here in the Motor City), it wouldn't have been so difficult for me to hand over my cash to a tool dealer...

 

[WVU Tuba Dale]

Our Mac guy is dodgy like that, "orders" stuff and it takes 2 months to get in.

The Snap-On dealer orders stuff and it is there next time you see him.

Luck of the draw i suppose.

 

[autoace]

I PM'd you my dealer's number, you won't be sorry if you deal with him.

 

[myslow2002gt]

Our Mac guy is dodgy like that, "orders" stuff and it takes 2 months to get in.

The Snap-On dealer orders stuff and it is there next time you see him.

Luck of the draw i suppose.

That's the thing, I'm just a 'hobbyist' so I don't see any of the tool dealers. I wouldn't be mad if he didn't have a set in stock, infact I really didn't expect that he would. I was expecting some type of wait period. But I thought I would atleast would have received confirmation that he could get what I wanted, and some sort of time frame and a cost.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to do some more leg work on this deal.

 

[Diesel_Crawler]

I had a snap on guy do that to me, so i went to the next one he had it one the truck and was more then willing to take my money. about 3 weeks later guy number 1 shows back in with the stuff i ordered and wants cash. I said tough luck you didn't call you didn't write you didn't even bring me flowers, SHOVE OFF!

He tells me i a have to pay and says he will just add it to my SO account. so call dealer number 2 and ask wtf is going on. He tells me Snap on cut him off and he is buying from the web site personally or what not and there is nothing he can say or do, don;t lose any sleep over it.

So yea if they didn't call me back spend your money with some one who wants it like like the snap on guy, at least when he goes to give you the bill he used lube

 

[autoace]

That's the thing, I'm just a 'hobbyist' so I don't see any of the tool dealers. I wouldn't be mad if he didn't have a set in stock, infact I really didn't expect that he would. I was expecting some type of wait period. But I thought I would atleast would have received confirmation that he could get what I wanted, and some sort of time frame and a cost.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to do some more leg work on this deal.

Neal will have them in stock, they were on sale this week!

 

[myslow2002gt]

Neal will have them in stock, they were on sale this week!

Sweet! And thank you very much for the help, I appreciate it

 

[myslow2002gt]

I had a snap on guy do that to me, so i went to the next one he had it one the truck and was more then willing to take my money. about 3 weeks later guy number 1 shows back in with the stuff i ordered and wants cash. I said tough luck you didn't call you didn't write you didn't even bring me flowers, SHOVE OFF!

He tells me i a have to pay and says he will just add it to my SO account. so call dealer number 2 and ask wtf is going on. He tells me Snap on cut him off and he is buying from the web site personally or what not and there is nothing he can say or do, don;t lose any sleep over it.

So yea if they didn't call me back spend your money with some one who wants it like like the snap on guy, at least when he goes to give you the bill he used lube

Very true. I love all my Snap On tools, which is what 90% of my stuff is.

However, I really do like the Cornwell wrenches and would like to have the set. My beef really isn't with Cornwell themselves, but the dealers. But, it looks like Autoace is setting me up with someone that'll take care of me!

 

[-B-]

Yes it is typical it is also typical for them to treat you like you have the plague just because you do not work at one of there stops. I have dealt with down right hostility, rudeness and over inflated pricing, (1800 numbers are handy for this one)

some day there will be a chain of real tool stores with noting but pro tools in them

 

[myslow2002gt]

Yes it is typical it is also typical for them to treat you like you have the plague just because you do not work at one of there stops. I have dealt with down right hostility, rudeness and over inflated pricing, (1800 numbers are handy for this one)

some day there will be a chain of real tool stores with noting but pro tools in them

I kinda figured they probably get a lot of "tire-kickers" from people not on their route, but that's why I made it a point to let them know that I had cash, and as soon as they called back I would be in my car on the way to them. But, I guess they didn't believe me

I just wish Cornwell would set something up where you could order online, similar to Snap On. But, I partially understand why they don't too...

 

[autoace]

I kinda figured they probably get a lot of "tire-kickers" from people not on their route, but that's why I made it a point to let them know that I had cash, and as soon as they called back I would be in my car on the way to them. But, I guess they didn't believe me

I just wish Cornwell would set something up where you could order online, similar to Snap On. But, I partially understand why they don't too...

You can, if you have a dealer. Neal will send you sale flyers, etc..and any promotions, and have everything sent right to you. Warranty will be easy also. You need the middle man..Cornwell protects its dealers by doing things this way. I don't think they will change, but you never know. Cornwell wrenches are the best.

 

[nate379]

Snap On guy did that to me all the time and we were spending several grand a year with them.

Lost out on a $30,000 tool/toolbox purchase because of it actually. I went with Matco.

 

[justinmc]

I finally got the # for a local Cornwell guy. He supposedly "services" our shop but I've never seen his truck in the parking lot and the techs all seem to say he shows up once every couple of months sticks around for about 20-30 mins and high tails it outta there. The Matco and Snap On guys on the other hand seem to be top flight. The Matco guy is actually better to be honest. I saw something I wanted last week.. he shows up this week and comes by my desk. Hey I've got your stuff. I hand him cash because I'm busy and he rings me up and brings the change and gives it back to me. The Snap On guy I've asked to order me a couple things and once or twice gotten forgotten about. Kinda crappy but then again I'm not throwing down $300 a week orders.

Another nice thing about my Matco guy... he rebuilt one of my ratchets just because it felt a little "loose" to me. I said something and he said. bring it in.. I'll take care of it. No questions.. no "this isn't broken".. nada. Just here ya go.. put a fresh kit in it for you feels alot better.

I'm getting ready to try out this cornwell (I've heard him called ******** a couple of times) guy and see what he can do. I need a couple of handles fixed on a box (now I bought the box second hand and I fully expect to pay for handles as one appears someone kicked it or something and bent it and striaghtened it back out)... so far I've gotten no love from Cornwell corporate on the box. We'll see.

If you can find a quality dealer... use them. A good dealer who takes care of you and can back the product they sell is alot better than a guy who works for "the best tool company" who is dodgy, never shows up, balks at warranty, etc, etc.

 

[Merkava_4]

A lot of you guys give up W-A-Y too easily. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was listening to a bunch of 6 year old girls in little sunday school dresses with little straw baskets picking flowers........

 

[justinmc]

A lot of you guys give up W-A-Y too easily. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was listening to a bunch of 6 year old girls in little sunday school dresses with little straw baskets picking flowers........

Who you sayin picks flowers?

 

[krehmkej]

A lot of you guys give up W-A-Y too easily. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was listening to a bunch of 6 year old girls in little sunday school dresses with little straw baskets picking flowers........

Give up?? WTF? This isn't a competition or a race. Trying to buy a product, especially in today's market shouldn't be a perserverence contest. If they choose not to sell, so be it. There's always somebody out there who does give a ****.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Give up?? WTF? This isn't a competition or a race. Trying to buy a product, especially in today's market shouldn't be a perserverence contest. If they choose not to sell, so be it. There's always somebody out there who does give a ****.

I agree. A company should respect its customers and earn their business. And if they don't, the rational consumer goes elsewhere. I've had disputes with several companies during my lifetime, gave them notice, and when they haven't acted in a reasonable manner to solve the dispute, have fired them and moved on.

 

[Merkava_4]

Give up?? WTF? This isn't a competition or a race. Trying to buy a product, especially in today's market shouldn't be a perserverence contest. If they choose not to sell, so be it. There's always somebody out there who does give a ****.

All I do is call the guy up on the cell phone and say - "Yo! Where's your next stop? I need X and Y" and then I meet him out there.

Hell, the last time I called the Cornwell dealer, he pulled over to the side of the road just so he could talk to me. I felt kinda guilty afterwards because all I ordered was two wrench racks. He told me he comes to Fresno every other Monday; so I just ordered the racks and picked them up the next Monday ... piece-a-cake.

 

[myslow2002gt]

A lot of you guys give up W-A-Y too easily. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was listening to a bunch of 6 year old girls in little sunday school dresses with little straw baskets picking flowers........

I haven't given up, I just want to find someone that actually wants to sell.


All either one of them needed to do was call me back with a location and a price, and I was on my way. I even specifically told them this, but even then they wouldn't call me back or answer my voicemails.

 

[GDA]

I haven't given up, I just want to find someone that actually wants to sell.


All either one of them needed to do was call me back with a location and a price, and I was on my way. I even specifically told them this, but even then they wouldn't call me back or answer my voicemails.

Have you tried to find out one where one of his bigger stops is on his weekly route? Sometimes a stop at a major dealer can last for a couple hours and that would be a good time to get over there and become "associated" as a regular at that stop.

 

[myslow2002gt]

Have you tried to find out one where one of his bigger stops is on his weekly route? Sometimes a stop at a major dealer can last for a couple hours and that would be a good time to get over there and become "associated" as a regular at that stop.

No, so far they have given me just two dealers, both over an hour away. At the time, I really didn't feel like driving more than an hour to locate a dealer, but I have sinced changed my mind.

Although Autoace gave me contact information to a dealer, and I'll pursue that route first.

 

[justinmc]

No, so far they have given me just two dealers, both over an hour away. At the time, I really didn't feel like driving more than an hour to locate a dealer, but I have sinced changed my mind.

Although Autoace gave me contact information to a dealer, and I'll pursue that route first.

The crazy thing is alot of the guys around here have their business based an hour + away from here but they are around here for their actual "routes". Those guys are doing some serious driving. I wonder if Cornwell went by their route location or their physical buis location...

 

[daveblank]

The crazy thing is alot of the guys around here have their business based an hour + away from here but they are around here for their actual "routes". Those guys are doing some serious driving. I wonder if Cornwell went by their route location or their physical buis location...

That might have been the closest available route then they started.

 

[CAT_serviceman927]

PM sent. Hope it helps.

 

[rhandwor]

A lot of tool dealers got into debt to purchase the truck and tools. Then 75% or more sales are credit they may not have enough money to purchase the tools. I think if the tool companies stocked the truck and kept them stocked they would sell far more tools. Any one who likes tools is more likely to buy if he sees the tool.

 

[Merkava_4]

Let me say this:

If you have jump through hoops of fire, if you have to get down on your knees and beg the Cornwell dealer to accept your money, it's worth it ... it's worth it because those extra-long combination wrenches are suh-wheat!!

 

[autoace]

Let me say this:

If you have jump through hoops of fire, if you have to get down on your knees and beg the Cornwell dealer to accept your money, it's worth it ... it's worth it because those extra-long combination wrenches are suh-wheat!!

He won't have to jump through hoops, my dealer will send them out, no problem, and warranty anything

 

[myslow2002gt]

He won't have to jump through hoops, my dealer will send them out, no problem, and warranty anything

Thanks to Autoace, he set me up with a dealer that is willing to work with me.

Once I send payment either tonight or tomorrow, I should have both sets that I wanted on the way.

Appreciate all that have helped though!

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

if I was a hobbyist , I would just buy an extra large pile of craftsman universals and prepare for the inevitable
save a ton of money over snappy

 

[volvo420coupe]

my only beef with cornwell tools is. I purchaced a set of mid length 3/8 drive sockets, I was a little upset at first due to the detent recess not being machined into the inside of the drive but rather just being a hole drilled through the side like impact sockets (forgot to mention these were chrome). But then it gets worse, one day I'm working on a car and a nut gets jammed in my 15mm socket. so I pick up my hammer and while holding the socket in my hand hit it with the hammer trying to rattle it out. I'm sure some critics would say thats dumb, but thats what I've always done, or sometimes i just throw the socket on the floor and the nut will pop out, but then its more likely to shoot across the shop. But back to the point, after freeing the nut i looked and saw that my socket had divots all over it. This has never happened to any of my other sockets from MIT to snap on and everywhere in between. I am certainly not impressed, but haven't talked to a distributor yet to see if they will make it right.

 

[Merkava_4]

I am certainly not impressed, but haven't talked to a distributor yet to see if they will make it right.

You expect them to replace the socket because it has dings from you banging it with a hammer?

 

[J.A.F.E.]

You expect them to replace the socket because it has dings from you banging it with a hammer?

Sure, that's in the manual "Proper Use and Care of Handtools" Volume III, ed. 2. pp 216-299. right after the section regarding the proper pitching method on the floor to dislodge stuck fasteners.

 

[Merkava_4]

Sure, that's in the manual "Proper Use and Care of Handtools" Volume III, ed. 2. pp 216-299. right after the section regarding the proper pitching method on the floor to dislodge stuck fasteners.

Why not just insert a pin punch in the socket from the drive end and push the nut out? If it's not too stuck, I get them out with a telescopic magnet.

 

[myslow2002gt]

if I was a hobbyist , I would just buy an extra large pile of craftsman universals and prepare for the inevitable
save a ton of money over snappy

Well, I'm a little more than a hobbyist.

 

[Fedwrench]

my only beef with cornwell tools is. I purchaced a set of mid length 3/8 drive sockets, I was a little upset at first due to the detent recess not being machined into the inside of the drive but rather just being a hole drilled through the side like impact sockets (forgot to mention these were chrome).

All of the chrome sockets actually manufactured by Cornwell are made that way. What ***** more is when you don't line the hole up with the detent ball and you're using an air ratchet. I'm always amazed how far those sockets can fly. That single detent ball hole is an ancient design that Cornwell seriously needs to update. Of course, none of the hardline has probably changed in the last 40-50 years. As for the 15mm socket with acne, Cornwell will probably swap it out. My dealers over the years have been real good about finish issues and chrome peel.

 

[TNToy]

Cornwell wrenches are the best?

Funny. An extra-long 13mm cornwell wrench is the only one I've ever broken on it's first use. The upper jaw of the open end snapped off breaking a tie rod loose on a Volvo. I was snatching on it fairly hard - but only with one hand.

I'll pass, thanks.

 

[volvo420coupe]

if i was hitting the socket while it was in a vice i wouldnt be upset, but i was holding it in my hand, try it, it just doesnt happen with normal sockets, like i say I wish i had a picture I could post at this moment

 

[Merkava_4]

An extra-long 13mm cornwell wrench is the only one I've ever broken on it's first use. The upper jaw of the open end snapped off breaking a tie rod loose on a Volvo. I was snatching on it fairly hard - but only with one hand.

You think I'm gonna let you off that easy? Give us the rest of the story, did you get the wrench replaced? And why were you using the open end for breaking the nuts loose instead of the box end?

 

[lethallyinjected]

How's he going to use a box end to break loose a tie rod end lock nut?

 

[Merkava_4]

How's he going to use a box end to break loose a tie rod end lock nut?

Some of those tie rods have a two bolts and two nuts on the adjuster sleeve that connects the inner tie rod to the outer tie rod.