Cheap Gloves And Shiny Impact Sockets At Harbor Freight

[rcbk00]

Went to Harbor Freight for the first time in a couple of months and noticed two things:

The boxes of 7 mil nitrile gloves are on sale for $9.99 (with a coupon on their website). Not as tough as the 9 mil gloves I usually use, but for $10 a box, I'm ok with that. The last box of 9 mil gloves I bought cost me $23... The coupon is good till March 3rd.

It seems like they're switching from Taiwan to China for their impact sockets. The Chinese sets are gloss black, while the Taiwanese stuff is flat black (like it's always been). I'm curious if they're going to be doing that for all their "Pittsburgh" branded stuff.

 

[Pig_Pen]

So they've spent all this time trying to improve their reputation only to go back to being the bottom of the barrel?

 

[AJHD]

They've actually been doing that for awhile now. The CR-MO impacts can still be found made in Taiwan, but they also have made in China, so you need to check the package before you buy them.

On that note, I've seen both versions with that more shiny finish. My guess is they are coming from different factories and for whatever reason the finish is not always consistent. I also believe this is why, like most HF tools, the "same" product will have multiple SKU's. Each SKU may indicate the factory, COO and/or finish.

Just a theory, but I think they are spending less and reducing the quality of their other brands as a way to push Icon. The Icon brand continues to push out new products.

 

[Moose97]

It does seem that the "Icon" line is the most pushed these days. Understandable as from all I've seen is a comparable tool to other "Big Box" brands. What I don't understand is, didn't your place in the market appeal to the guy who looks at price alone with little or no interest in quality? You're just going to become another Craftsman, Kobalt, GearWrench type tool, with nothing that sets you apart, with this model aren't you?

 

[Mechanical Noise]

I got my made in China HF impact sockets about 10 years ago. They're the usual flat black finish.

For years, Walmart has sold shiny black Campbell Hausfeld impact sockets. Maybe HF has gone to the same supplier.

 

[ScottsGT]

Those sockets were horrible. I use to buy a new set once a year because they always split open. Once the flat black ones came out, haven’t replaced one since.

 

[j3rf]

If I recall correctly, the Pittsburgh Pro impact sockets were the ones made in Taiwan while the regular Pittsburgh impact socket line were made in China.

 

[Zewnten]

I also don't like the shiny impacts, whatever coating they put on there made the sockets that much too small to fit nuts and bolts so I'd have to hammer them on and off. And they didn't fit the anvil on ratchets or impacts either.

 

[Al Borland]

the sooty black Pittsburgs have the sizes stamped in. The shinier black Pittsburg pros were sized with gold labels or paint.
I got the sooty ones. After a few years of (ab)use, and storage in my truck, they were getting rusty, so i soaked them in vinegar and cleaned all the black off. I then put them on an adapter in my drill and polished them and waxed them.
So very shiny now. Precious shiny.

 

[AA/FC]

If I recall correctly, the Pittsburgh Pro impact sockets were the ones made in Taiwan while the regular Pittsburgh impact socket line were made in China.

Yep, that's what I recall too....

 

[thool]

Yep, the sooty black impact sockets are workhorses. Got a set about 8 years ago, and they hold up well and get the job done. Only peeve is the size stamped is very hard to read.

I am in need of those light duty 5 mil gloves for painting/staining, and also the 7 mil ones for greasy work. Should have stocked up!

 

[southernfriedcj]

Something I noticed when I bought some nitrile gloves this week, they now offer XXL.
Man, do those things fit nice for me.

Reminds me when they final came out with magnum rubbers. No more trying to put 10 pounds of beef in a 5 pound bag.

 

[mike93lx]

Wait, all the shiny sockets I have had for years aren't impact sockets?

 

[Professional Tool User]

The last time I checked, the Pittsburgh Pro impact sockets came in both made in China and made in Taiwan sets. Unless that has changed, it will really depend on what inventory they have in stock.