Home Depot Mechanics Tool Change?

[DFB]

Our local independent lumber yard/home center recently changed hands and the new owners now have an entire wall board of strictly Dewalt brand sockets right up thru 3/4" drive, both chrome and impact. (they also own a construction company)

I never realized Dewalt had such an extensive line of mechanic type hand tools outside of a few boxed sets I have seen advertised. Lifetime warranty they say

 

[Revere Cycles]

Our local independent lumber yard/home center recently changed hands and the new owners now have an entire wall board of strictly Dewalt brand sockets right up thru 3/4" drive, both chrome and impact. (they also own a construction company)

I never realized Dewalt had such an extensive line of mechanic type hand tools outside of a few boxed sets I have seen advertised. Lifetime warranty they say

That's interesting, DFB. I have a set of DeWalt combination wrenches, they're okay, not my favorite. I also have a 1/4" DeWalt ratchet that is just way too bulbous and heavy to really like. The first time I saw their mechanic tools, it was at Sears of all places.

Personally, I am not super impressed with the DeWalt mechanic tool line, I just don't see the same value as I do with their power tools. Since DeWalt is just an arm of Stanley Black & Decker, I prefer to buy from the USA made Proto line. I've never met a Proto tool I didn't like, and if I am being honest, I wouldn't mind if DeWalt was just Proto made in Taiwan, just like Gearwrench and Armstrong. My local builder supply store stocked Urrea for many years, which was just Proto made in Mexico at a lower price point.

 

[hefnerconstructionlc]

I also saw a nice display at a farm store of the DeWalt hand tool line up. I thought they looked like a pretty solid line up. Didn't look at the ratchets as above closely. So I cant say, but thought the wrenches looked nice. Still I think it is a little weird for Stanley to also try to do so many things, with so many product lines and then add the DeWalt as a handtool thing. Sort of like Milwaukee throwing their name everywhere, however Stanley has expertise in both power and hand tools. At any rate no doubt the Proto gear is excellent. The plain Stanley hand tools not so great, the Stanley woodworking tools/tape measures, etc, are still hard to beat an economical price. There has never been a better time for tools at all price ranges, power or hand.

 

[Bryanthegreat]

I like both the Milwaukee and Gearwrench tools. I would like to see a store that carries somewhat of a close selection of GW that Sears had with CM. It must not be a formula that works because no one really does it anymore. I have been a fan of GW since they launched their first set of ratcheting wrenches which I still own and use.

 

[mudflap]

Husky vs GW... They are basically the same tools. Both are Apex. In terms of ratchets the GW has a few more teeth and no QR. The biggest difference seems to be how they pair up the sets. GW seems to offer combinations that are better if your intent is a more complete set. Husky offers a Cman like warranty.

GW usually has no skips in their sets, Husky always does.

 

[greg13]

I just hope that gear wrench does not become another HD exclusive like Ryobi & Ridgid.

 

[mudflap]

I just hope that gear wrench does not become another HD exclusive like Ryobi & Ridgid.

That would be ok with me..Since Sears went belly up, and Advance auto got rid of them. They are nowhere to be found. They need to strike a deal with somebody, unless they are going to be an online only tool company..?