The Gimmick Tool Thread

[mrholeshot]

Most gimmick tools are here today, gone tommorow but what hangs around and what really works. I saw ratchet wrenches for years and no decent tech used them but when Gearwrench came out I thought it would be the same story but they hit the big time with their version. It's a hit or miss type of thing. What Gimmick tool works for you or what opinions do you have on some of these tools. Anybody remember metrinch. I think they are still in business but not the hype it played out to be. I tried a set once and wasn't impressed. Never bought a set.

Give me your opinions on things like the "Bone Wrench". Id say it was a oil techs dream come true but have you tried one? If you can show a photo of the tool you are discussing.

Here is one I think is a failure. the Craftsman open end ratchet wrench. Snap-On came out with the concept back in the 70's and it was a huge flop then. If you arn't dead on your knuckles will pay the price. BTW the Craftman versions are built in China.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00921936000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=#reviewsWrap

 

[leftyz]

I'm reminded of the Gator Grip universal socket

 

[mrholeshot]

I'm reminded of the Gator Grip universal socket

Yeah that was a winner, lol One of my sons still has one and uses it

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Make that almost ANY tool that says "universal" on the box!
All of those wrenches of many different sorts that will fit any nut, but only if it is floating in empty space so there's enough room for the wrench near it...

 

[mrholeshot]

Who can forget these babies (as much as I'd like to). I see so many of these at flea market for 10 cents it ain't funny.

 

[bradleykd]

^^ i have one of those... it works great on damaged nuts and bolts... lol

 

[leftyz]

Who can forget these babies (as much as I'd like to). I see so many of these at flea market for 10 cents it ain't funny.

I just got one of those in my JC Penney toolbox I bought!

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

"Shelton Sockettool", approximate name. Little ratchety screwdriver with a bunch of extremely dodgy bits and sockets, available for several decades. Zillions sold through gift catalogs, no garage sale tool table is complete without a few bits from one of these sets rolling around in a coffee can. Not a terrible design, but too badly made for any real use. Marketed relentlessly to non-tool using primates who could be persuaded that it would be good to have around for "emergencies".

 

[babzog]

The Shark utility knife. A utility knife and wire stripper in one. POS at both jobs... useless after being dropped and all the plastic bits shattered.

 

[Professur]

I've got a 'Tim Allen Signature Series' wrench that's as fun as any tool in my box. Spring loaded POS. Can't find a photo of it anywhere.

 

[Teken]

The Shark utility knife. A utility knife and wire stripper in one. POS at both jobs... useless after being dropped and all the plastic bits shattered.

Outstanding . . .

 

[loj]

Who can forget these babies (as much as I'd like to). I see so many of these at flea market for 10 cents it ain't funny.

Good grief, I had forgotten all about those. Somebody would haul one of these to a flea market for 10 cents?

Anybody else fall for the Coleman Cold Heat? What a POS that was.

Toward the end of my grandfather's life, it got progressively harder to find birthday/Christmas/Father's Day gifts for him. He had one of every tool imaginable, and he didn't use tools anymore so he never wore anything out. (He couldn't use tools but he deserved the experience of owning them.)

I bought him tools that if he did try to use he wouldn't hurt himself (Alzheimer's), so I resorted to a few that were a little gimmicky. Everyone in the family did. He loved that kind of stuff anyway.

Remember around five years ago when Black and Decker made one of everything with a laser shooting out of it in one direction or another?

 

[tonydanzah]

The craftsman robogrip pliers

 

[Arne73]

The craftsman robogrip pliers

Agreed-
They may have a use but they just look so damn cobbled together, laminated steel instead of a solid piece of steel.

 

[X1 Mike]

Yeah that was a winner, lol One of my sons still has one and uses it

Is it to late to put him up for adoption???

The craftsman robogrip pliers

I'm getting really tired of people running down my Robogrips. With the softgrips they are the best tool ever for working on chrome plumbing fixtures.

 

[mrholeshot]

The craftsman robogrip pliers

I have a set of those from MAC tools. POS

 

[bonneyman]

How about the Farmer's Plier? The original "multi-tool"! Pliers, small crescent, standard screwdriver, and wire cutter - all rolled into one.

 

[willf650]

I've seen "vintage" dog bone wrenches so they're not a new idea. I guess they long been forgoton about so they are new again. Only thing I could see them used for would be a tool kit for my motorcycle where space is a premium.

Those also aren't Sears first attempt at ratcheting open ends. I had a little different design craftsman set several years ago. They were made in the USA but had the same results. I used them once, they sat in my box for a year or two and then sold on Ebay.


What about those Armstrong elminator sockets, I saw something years ago sold under the name/brand Oratchet with a similar theme.

Google says they are still around: http://o-ratchet.com/about O-ratchet.htm

 

[xroad]

I've seen "vintage" dog bone wrenches so they're not a new idea. I guess they long been forgoton about so they are new again. Only thing I could see them used for would be a tool kit for my motorcycle where space is a premium.
[/url]

I thought about that. Then I notice that my 8 pieces of combo wrenches rolled up is not much bigger than the dog bone. A set of 8 1/4" drive sockets and a ratchet is smaller than the dog bone. Besides, the dog bone cannot fit into tight space.

 

[Big Boi]

I'm reminded of the Gator Grip universal socket

Hey, I have one and still use it.... At work though. Never know what size you might run into. And I cant walk with my entire tool box.

 

[Mickey O]

Who can forget these babies (as much as I'd like to). I see so many of these at flea market for 10 cents it ain't funny.

I hate that "wrench", using the term wrench lightly. Just about every garage sale that I've gone to that claims to have tools has a couple of those things, those should not be classified as a tool.

 

[Coach James]

How about the Farmer's Plier? The original "multi-tool"! Pliers, small crescent, standard screwdriver, and wire cutter - all rolled into one.

Weren't those called "Handy Boy" or something like that?

Coach

 

[PassnThru]

I'm reminded of the Gator Grip universal socket

They will do wing nuts and large screw eyes. Just as easy to grab that as a pair of pliers or a screwdriver. That's all I have to say.

 

[LT2771]

Yep the dogbone has definately been around for a while.
View media item 4977

 

[lipadj46]

Grip-Tite damaged bolt sockets. These things are POS. Before I knew better I bought a set ($60) to remove a damage head bolt. I looked inside and saw plastic, not a good sign. I shattered 2 of them and returned the set to Sears (refunded my money). I then went to harbor freight and bought their $20 damaged bolt set and voila, worked like a charm.

http://www.bt-andf.com/index.php

 

[juiced10]

What about those Armstrong elminator sockets, I saw something years ago sold under the name/brand Oratchet with a similar theme.

Google says they are still around: http://o-ratchet.com/about O-ratchet.htm

I have that O-ratchet set. I used them to take off some struts and shocks.Works awesome but now that there is higher quality ratchet wrenches I don't have the need anymore.I will say that the set wasn't as "chinese" as one would have thought.

 

[hoopty388]

How about the Farmer's Plier? The original "multi-tool"! Pliers, small crescent, standard screwdriver, and wire cutter - all rolled into one.

THAT THING IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

I want one! not to use of course but it would look great in my "vintage" case.

my 2 cents:

I too think the dogbone is a great oil change wrench but otherwise useless. but I still wouldn't sell mine, because it is that GREAT for oil. oh and they were great when I skateboarded. I know I wasn't the only one!!! I had the dogbone and folding screwdriver in my pocket even when I wasn't on the board


my nomination for crappy, useless, gimmicky, **** is: the battery powered tape measure.

I remember black and decker made this about 5 years ago. man what a stupid idea. first off: if someone is too lazy to pull out a tape measure, are they possibly going to pull up the energy to build anything? second: they say these are good for long reach, as a roofer I think " hey go check this out!" but who wants to pack around a 5 lb tape measure that sticks out like 3" inches from my belt?


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/517WN6W1RFL._AA300_.jpg

 

[lipadj46]

How about the battery powered adjustable wrench (black and decker yes I am looking at you)

 

[Fedwrench]

Here's my contribution, http://www.ezred.com/Product_Pages/RW12.htm

I must say that I don't have one and haven't even handled one but, it just seems gimmicky to me. It brand new. I might be wrong but, I'm not a dogbone fan either.

 

[hoopty388]

THis is too funny!!!!

I was looking at the amazon page I got that pic from.

It says "What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item? "

under it is a b&d dogbone




http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002TG1GG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[hoopty388]

funny you should mention the wrench, amazon suggests buying the tape, wrench and bogbone as a set lol


only $44 dollars for 2 tools you will never use and one you use once every 3 months

 

[bluebolt]

Those also aren't Sears first attempt at ratcheting open ends. I had a little different design craftsman set several years ago. They were made in the USA but had the same results. I used them once, they sat in my box for a year or two and then sold on Ebay.
QUOTE]

You mean the Quick Wrenches? I love my quick wrenches! Like many tools they are useful for certain jobs. When I was working Air Force tool crib one of the flightline specialist shops found them indespensable for a certain job. I had to buy complete sets just to get two wrenchs for those guys.

 

[Joe69]

Who can forget these babies (as much as I'd like to). I see so many of these at flea market for 10 cents it ain't funny.

I used one of those on my bicycle when I was a kid. Don't know what ever happened to it, but it worked ok on a bike. But you don't usually have tight spaces, or seized bolts on a bike.

Joe

 

[TireTracks]

The Bionic wrench, cool idea, but seems pretty big and useless

 

[TireTracks]

Who can forget these babies (as much as I'd like to). I see so many of these at flea market for 10 cents it ain't funny.

I found one of those, seems like it would work good on mangled up nuts and bolts.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I'm getting really tired of people running down my Robogrips. With the softgrips they are the best tool ever for working on chrome plumbing fixtures.

+1, I keep the plastic tips on them and they work great.

I have that O-ratchet set. I used them to take off some struts and shocks.Works awesome but now that there is higher quality ratchet wrenches I don't have the need anymore.I will say that the set wasn't as "chinese" as one would have thought.

I also bought an O-ratchet years ago to drop the fuel tank on my Jeep. It worked great on those extra long bolts that are almost impossible to get to with any other wrench.


Here are my novelty tools:

Years ago my wife bought me a squeeze ratchet as a present.

I didn't think I would ever use it but I out it in my box because she bought it for me. This little wrench has come in extremely handy once or twice when removing really hard to get to nuts and bolts.

My neighbor just got me one of these as a gift.

It is a grabber with a led light that shines out of the tip when you squeeze to open the claws.

I havent used it yet, but it seems like a really good idea.

Chris

 

[hoopty388]

I used one of those on my bicycle when I was a kid. Don't know what ever happened to it, but it worked ok on a bike. But you don't usually have tight spaces, or seized bolts on a bike.

Joe

you must have had a lot nicer bikes growing up than I did. most of mine started out as rusted heaps of seized up parts


maybe it's just me but I think that led grabber thing is awesome. many times I cxan think of I could have used it.

 

[BetterDays]

The skew driver

I have the knock off version and have only used it a handful of times.

 

[travisd]

Yikes, I think I've gotten half of these as gifts from Dad. Gatorgrip - check. Dogbone - check. Cold Solder - check. Electric adjustable - check. Also got the electric lighted grill brush.

Probably makes up for some of the Father's Day **** I got him along the way

 

[z28snksknr]

The skew driver

I have the knock off version and have only used it a handful of times.

That looks like it should be posted in the WTF thread. Seriously, WTF is that thing?