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What do we think about Cornwell ratcheting wrenches?

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iagsxr

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Bumped into my local Cornwell guy tonight whom I'd never met. He gave me a flier. Get home and look at it, they have stubby ratcheting wrench sets on special.

What's the GJ concensus? I've been thinking about getting ratcheting stubbies but have never owned anything Cornwell.
 

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Fedwrench

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The Cornwell ratcheting wrenches are made in Taiwan mostly by Kabo. You can be out if you want because, that's your choice but, no one makes a better ratcheting wrench than Taiwan. I don't think anything in Cornwell's Blue Powre line is US made.
One other thing, many of Cornwell's current ratcheting wrenches are based on the old SK G Pro and MATCO Proswing versions. :beer:
 
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Tuc04

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I have the double flex and they seem to be what I gravitate to when I need a ratcheting wrench. They have the sealed brass screw which I think is the Kabo design.
 
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Zewnten

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If you're not interested in buying them because of cornwell's mark up then you can find similar for much cheaper. If you're wanting usa made there are a few options out there.
 
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KnurledNut

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@iagsxr

I have some older Cornwell stubbies. They arent labeled bluePOWER though, so im not sure if there is a difference.
Mine are non-rev, 12pt not spline, and have a modified open end design.
Compared to Gearwrench, they are superior.
 
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iagsxr

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I'd kind of given up on this idea but the Cornwell truck happened to be going down my street this afternoon as I was plowing my driveway. Waved him over.

Didn't love the set I originally asked about after holding them in my hand.

He had a flex-head stubby SAE set on the truck. I mainly want them for my race car so they seemed like a better choice. That set had recently been on sale so he sold them to me for sale price, $124.95.

Set me up on a truck account. Said he didn't mind dealing with a weekend warrior. It was all good.
 

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Kscardsfan

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iagsxr said:
I'd kind of given up on this idea but the Cornwell truck happened to be going down my street this afternoon as I was plowing my driveway. Waved him over.

Didn't love the set I originally asked about after holding them in my hand.

He had a flex-head stubby SAE set on the truck. I mainly want them for my race car so they seemed like a better choice. That set had recently been on sale so he sold them to me for sale price, $124.95.

Set me up on a truck account. Said he didn't mind dealing with a weekend warrior. It was all good.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the dealer might be worth having around regardless
 
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X1 Mike

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Not a bad deal but I really hate ratchet wrenches without a reversing lever. And yes, I do own some and yes, I have been careless before and loosened myself into an unwinnable position. lol
 
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mikew13

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Corny, Just buy the Proto USA made reversible ratcheting wrenches, they have two versions, Taiwan and USA
 
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corn chip

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mikew13 said:
Corny, Just buy the Proto USA made reversible ratcheting wrenches, they have two versions, Taiwan and USA
Click to expand...

which ones are the usa version ?

from my limited research it appears the vast majority of ratcheting wrebches are taiwan. some even china i think. the only exceptions ive found are sk xframe and the german line of hazet and gedore but theyre painfully expensive at 400-500usd.
 
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ecotec

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What about SuperCombo ratcheting wrenches? Are they not still made in the USA?
 
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Fedwrench

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mikew13 said:
Corny, Just buy the Proto USA made reversible ratcheting wrenches, they have two versions, Taiwan and US
Click to expand...

iagsxr said:
I don't believe Williams has any domestic ratcheting wrenches if that's what you're referring to.
Click to expand...
Williams does have a line of US made supercombo ratcheting wrenches. Limited sizes though
www.williams-industrial.com

Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrenches, 7 Piece Set

{ "1": "Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrenches, 7 Piece Set" }
www.williams-industrial.com www.williams-industrial.com

The only Proto made in the USA ratcheting wrenches are their fully polished I Beam type:

Home Industrial Tools Official Site | PROTO

Proto Industrial Tools - Safety Obsessed
www.protoindustrial.com www.protoindustrial.com

Proto offers several other ratcheting wrench sets in Black and chrome finishes but, if they have a smooth beam, they are made in Taiwan. Great wrenches but, not made in the USA.
 
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Kscardsfan

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Fedwrench said:
Williams does have a line of US made supercombo ratcheting wrenches. Limited sizes though
www.williams-industrial.com

Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrenches, 7 Piece Set

{ "1": "Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrenches, 7 Piece Set" }
www.williams-industrial.com www.williams-industrial.com

The only Proto made in the USA ratcheting wrenches are their fully polished I Beam type:

Home Industrial Tools Official Site | PROTO

Proto Industrial Tools - Safety Obsessed
www.protoindustrial.com www.protoindustrial.com

Proto offers several other ratcheting wrench sets in Black and chrome finishes but, if they have a smooth beam, they are made in Taiwan. Great wrenches but, not made in the USA.
Click to expand...
Your depth of knowledge on tools is awe inspiring.
 
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ForrestT

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Fed,
If I was a tool company exec, I’d make you an offer you couldn’t refuse and snap you up for your knowledge. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened yet.
 
E

ecotec

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bsaint said:
Look how thin that ratchet housing is. Damn ****.
Click to expand...
Those are the best, but they are crazy expensive... $100ish each expensive.

The SuperCombo versions use the old Snap-on ratcheting mechanism. (So, different sizes have different tooth counts). The SuperCombo can be had for around $250ish (so $30ish each) on sale for the 10pc set.
 
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bsaint

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ecotec said:
Those are the best, but they are crazy expensive... $100ish each expensive.

The SuperCombo versions use the old Snap-on ratcheting mechanism. (So, different sizes have different tooth counts). The SuperCombo can be had for around $250ish (so $30ish each) on sale for the 10pc set.
Click to expand...
See I got the non super combos Williams and they are Taiwan. I cant remember I think 125 ish. They are nice and I use them a lot. I went in low investment because i didn't know how much I'd used them. Is there a link anyone can find to metric super combos? I will prob end up with the SnapOn or 606 series Hazet. Same price. I don't find myself warrantying them. The Hazet has a shorter overall length of the ratchet head. Also the Hazets go low to 8mm in their set. The snapon are longer overall length so I don't know. Prob make an decision once my matco bill is paid off.
 
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E

ecotec

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I almost ordered the Taiwan set from Caterpillar, but spent another $100ish to order the SuperCombo version.

Plus, I had just bought the two Kabo sets and that is enough emerging market tools for that drawer.

I ordered them on Jan 8th. I will try to put some pictures in this thread when they arrive.
 
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bsaint

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ecotec said:
I almost ordered the Taiwan set from Caterpillar, but spent another $100ish to order the SuperCombo version.

Plus, I had just bought the two Kabo sets and that is enough emerging market tools for that drawer.

I ordered them on Jan 8th. I will try to put some pictures in this thread when they arrive.
Click to expand...
One thing I gotta 5S is my gear wrench long double combo (flex ratchet x non ratchet fixed) and replace them with the same icon ones that weren't out when I got the gw ones. I'm not really happy with the gw. Feel like grit in there. It'll be my first icon purchase lol.
 
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Kscardsfan

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bsaint said:
One thing I gotta 5S is my gear wrench long double combo (flex ratchet x non ratchet fixed) and replace them with the same icon ones that weren't out when I got the gw ones. I'm not really happy with the gw. Feel like grit in there. It'll be my first icon purchase lol.
Click to expand...
I’ve really enjoyed my icon ones. That said I’m a shade tree homeowner guy, not a pro.
 
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Duster346

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I'm assuming all of the import ratcheting wrenches (and other hand tools for that matter), come out of the same factory in Taiwan . As mentioned, all of Cornwell's Blue Power line is made in Taiwan--that goes for sockets, air tools, etc.

Nothin' wrong with it, however. I own several made in Taiwan tools myself ..
 
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f121

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Duster346 said:
I'm assuming all of the import ratcheting wrenches (and other hand tools for that matter), come out of the same factory in Taiwan . As mentioned, all of Cornwell's Blue Power line is made in Taiwan--that goes for sockets, air tools, etc.

Nothin' wrong with it, however. I own several made in Taiwan tools myself ..
Click to expand...
Seems pretty likely, the long ratchet ring wrenches (with ratchet on one end and ring on the other) all look prety much identical regardless of branding.

I've got a couple of sets of bluepoint ratchet wrenches, metric from about 2005 and standard from about 2020, both are really nicely made and excellent to use. A good example of how nice Taiwanese tools can be
 
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infinite97

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iagsxr said:
Have two Cornwell dealers in my area.

I'm out if these are imports.
Click to expand...

iagsxr said:
I'd kind of given up on this idea but the Cornwell truck happened to be going down my street this afternoon as I was plowing my driveway. Waved him over.

Didn't love the set I originally asked about after holding them in my hand.

He had a flex-head stubby SAE set on the truck. I mainly want them for my race car so they seemed like a better choice. That set had recently been on sale so he sold them to me for sale price, $124.95.

Set me up on a truck account. Said he didn't mind dealing with a weekend warrior. It was all good.
Click to expand...

im not understanding what changed. You said “out if these are imports” but then bought an imported set anyways?
 
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ecotec

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Duster346 said:
Snap-On's are made in the USA.. Blue Points are made in Taiwan.

I've had a set of Blue Point metric ratcheting wrenches for 20 years without failure.. says Taiwan on them in very small lettering. :D
Click to expand...
The Blue Point are the same as the Caterpillar. I almost bought the Caterpillar ones.
 
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KnurledNut

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iagsxr said:
I don't believe Williams has any domestic ratcheting wrenches if that's what you're referring to.
Click to expand...

Fedwrench said:
Williams does have a line of US made supercombo ratcheting wrenches. Limited sizes though
www.williams-industrial.com

Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrenches, 7 Piece Set

{ "1": "Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrenches, 7 Piece Set" }
www.williams-industrial.com www.williams-industrial.com
Click to expand...

The Supercombos are forged and assembled in the US, but the mechanism is from Taiwan.
It is sourced from Cendai Industrial Co., the same manufacturer of the Bluepoint/Williams ratcheting wrenches. (This company also makes Metrinch.)
 
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