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I just saw some of the imported Cougar Pro tools by Wright - PICS

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SMKS

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When I was at Harry Epstein this weekend I noticed they had a couple of the new imported Cougar Pro ratchets.

For those who don't know, Cougar Pro is a lower-priced tool line sold by Wright Tool. They used to be USA made, but now have been outsourced. These are first I had ever seen.

This 1/2" drive ratchet is made in Taiwan and has a fine-tooth mechanism.

Can anyone ID the OEM for this ratchet?

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vintagefan

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mikew13 said:
Wtf?
Click to expand...

Wright was actually pretty upfront about this IIRC.

I don't have a problem if a company wants to manufacture globally... especially if they voice their intentions to keep a premium 100% USA line such as Wright has, and if they are upfront about it.

What I have a problem with is companies that purposely obscure the COO to fool the consumer, such as Craftsman.



I view this as no different than Snap-on's Blue Point brand. Knowing Wright, I'm sure it's just as nice.

Also, I don't recall seeing a ratchet like that before, so "engineered in USA" might be more than just marketing garbage on this one.
 
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ChrisF250

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That's interesting and I think it's a good move for wright as long as the two lines stay isolated from each other.
 
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vintagefan

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ChrisF250 said:
That's interesting and I think it's a good move for wright as long as the two lines stay isolated from each other.
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Agree.

Of course, I would have preferred the value line to stay USA or go to somewhere like Spain or Mexico or Czech, but as long as they don't dilute the mainline, I'm still a pretty happy camper.
 
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mikew13

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If I am correct the cougar line was being contracted to a plant in Texas which was also making the craftsman sockets.
 
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vintagefan

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pipsters said:
How does sears do this?
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-moving the COO to the back of the package when it was previously on the front
-removing COO markings from tools that previously had them
-shrinking the print when changing COO from USA to China, even if it is in the same spot
-purposely changing the packaging of tools that are still made in the USA, so that consumers wont be as apt to notice a difference in COO and start making comparisons
-removing USA made stock from the shelf completely instead if letting it sell off next to imported restock, so that customers dont notice the difference in appearance and packaging
 
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pipsters

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vintagefan said:
-moving the COO to the back of the package when it was previously on the front
-removing COO markings from tools that previously had them
-shrinking the print when changing COO from USA to China, even if it is in the same spot
-purposely changing the packaging of tools that are still made in the USA, so that consumers wont be as apt to notice a difference in COO and start making comparisons
-removing USA made stock from the shelf completely instead if letting it sell off next to imported restock, so that customers dont notice the difference in appearance and packaging
Click to expand...

You realize you just described what every single other manufacturer did right?

Heck look at that Wright packaging "ENGINEERED IN USA" in big bold letters, "Made in Taiwan" in super small ones.
 
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jsackin

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So, I didn't even know we had any of these in the store until I read this post. Ha. I guess I should get away from my computer and take a walk around here more often. This was actually an accident that we ended up with those imported cougar ratchets. We won't be carrying them. We switched over to the Armstrong brand "economy" US socket sets. By now, I think everyone knows these sets are not actually made by Armstrong or Wright.

What caught my attention about the Armstrong sets, was that some of the pieces actually do appear to be made by Armstrong. I think that all the extensions in the sets are genuine Armstrong extensions, as well as the 5/8 spark plug socket and the 1/2" breaker bar. Everything else seems to be the exact same as the cougar sets.

12breakerbararmstrong.jpg


What makes me think this is a genuine Armstrong break over, is just how nice it looks and also the special AS logo stamped into it. The AS is supposed to stand for their special "Aerospace" line of tools, which is odd that they would include it in an "economy" set.

armstrongextension.jpg


The knurling in the extension and how "Armstrong" is stamped, makes me believe this is also an Armstrong extension. You guys might check me on this one.

armstrongsocket58spark.jpg


and then this is the spark plug socket. Actual Armstrong sockets have that circle with the size in it, so they are pretty easy to spot.

http://store.harryepstein.com/search?q=armstrong+socket+sets
 
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Derek420

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Sorry to bring this back from dead but some cougar sockets followed me home and wanted to look into them. Mine are the made in USA older models and I noticed with 2 9/16 sockets that one was shorter and thought it was a semi deep but looked closer and had same part number... Hmmm... Guess they switched sizes. I do not have any made in Taiwan cougar pros but I'd say they are nice as the USA ones I bought a bunch of them as well as wright sockets matter of fact I cleaned the out of both for a Buck a piece shoot why not.
 
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Empty Pockets

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IMO Wright has always been upfront about COO. Even with the smaller print on the front, I'm ok with it. Just continue to make the Wright line in the States
 
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dnschmidt

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These are identical to Harbor Freights line of sockets and ratchets. TO ACTUALLY ANSWER THE OP'S QUESTION: The ratchet looks very much like it's made by William Tool in Taiwan. They make a lot of Harbor Freight's ratchets and a lot of TOPTUL's ratchets. Their ratchets are quite good as if that actually matters to anybody with a COO fetish.
 
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Derek420

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They don't look at all like harbor frieghts anything and price is on top of mountain as HF is on bottom as well. I have a Williams Taiwan and a kobalt Taiwan and could aware they are made in same factory as the quick releases are identical as for the square drive. I haven't looked at guts on Taiwan Williams but the kobalt has 2 paws 1 for each direction along with 2 springs. As for cougar pro I don't have the pro I have just the cougar made in USA Texas to be exact and I must say they are very nice much like a danaher which I think is who had made them and also made the Taiwan as well. That's how I know they are not Williams. It's posted online somewhere and I believe the cougar USA was made on same line as danaher USA craftsman as well.
 
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Loscaldazar

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Derek420 said:
They don't look at all like harbor frieghts anything and price is on top of mountain as HF is on bottom as well. I have a Williams Taiwan and a kobalt Taiwan and could aware they are made in same factory as the quick releases are identical as for the square drive. I haven't looked at guts on Taiwan Williams but the kobalt has 2 paws 1 for each direction along with 2 springs. As for cougar pro I don't have the pro I have just the cougar made in USA Texas to be exact and I must say they are very nice much like a danaher which I think is who had made them and also made the Taiwan as well. That's how I know they are not Williams. It's posted online somewhere and I believe the cougar USA was made on same line as danaher USA craftsman as well.
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Harbor Freight Pro ratchets are the same 72T design that every Taiwan ratchet is (kobalt, williams, probably cougar pro too). Pro sockets from HF are pretty much the same as most other high quality brands that come out of Taiwan. HF does have cheap sockets that you can get like 30 for $4, but their more expensive Pro line is just as good as gearwrench, kobalt, husky, and every other mainly taiwan made brand out there.
 
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Know Wosad

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Derek420 said:
They don't look at all like harbor frieghts anything and price is on top of mountain as HF is on bottom as well. I have a Williams Taiwan and a kobalt Taiwan and could aware they are made in same factory as the quick releases are identical as for the square drive. I haven't looked at guts on Taiwan Williams but the kobalt has 2 paws 1 for each direction along with 2 springs. As for cougar pro I don't have the pro I have just the cougar made in USA Texas to be exact and I must say they are very nice much like a danaher which I think is who had made them and also made the Taiwan as well. That's how I know they are not Williams. It's posted online somewhere and I believe the cougar USA was made on same line as danaher USA craftsman as well.
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Ease up on the 420. NOT WilliamS........ William tools.Huge difference.Ask any judge
 
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dnschmidt

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There is no connection whatsoever between William Tool of Taiwan: http://www.wtools.com.tw/ and Williams (a division of Snap-On) If you look at the William Tool Website you will find a lot of very familiar looking ratchets as William supplies most of the Taiwanese manufacturers with their ratchets.
 
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Askme42

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RRmech said:
ENGINEERED IN THE USA
made in taiwan

SAD....but kinda says it all

Steve
Click to expand...

I hate this BS. I deliver a lot of RTIC coolers. All of their boxes say real big.


"Designed in the USA"


Then real small on the bottom
Of the box.


"Made in China"
 
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Derek420

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dnschmidt said:
There is no connection whatsoever between William Tool of Taiwan: http://www.wtools.com.tw/ and Williams (a division of Snap-On) If you look at the William Tool Website you will find a lot of very familiar looking ratchets as William supplies most of the Taiwanese manufacturers with their ratchets.
Click to expand...

Never said there was! about 420 comment as it's month and day of my Bday that was a comment on comparing a kobalt and Williams ratchet and nothing to do with Cougar pro but someone else made a post that Williams made H , kobalt,others and cougar ratchets was not true. Danaher made cougar and still does provide them to wright look it up. I own a ton of Williams tools and know all about them same for kobalt and cougar and I'm sure people who troll on here half the time don't even own a single tool of brand or topic and yet alone know what they're talking about. I'm sure everyone knows Williams is owned by snap on. People are rude sometimes just post without reading topic or comments then it turns into a ******* match or thread goes off topic. I brought this thread back from dead in the first place where I should have left the thing people couldn't even notice it was posted like 3 years ago.. Sheesh
 
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Al Borland

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Derek420 said:
They don't look at all like harbor frieghts anything and price is on top of mountain as HF is on bottom as well. I have a Williams Taiwan and a kobalt Taiwan and could aware they are made in same factory as the quick releases are identical as for the square drive. I haven't looked at guts on Taiwan Williams but the kobalt has 2 paws 1 for each direction along with 2 springs. As for cougar pro I don't have the pro I have just the cougar made in USA Texas to be exact and I must say they are very nice much like a danaher which I think is who had made them and also made the Taiwan as well. That's how I know they are not Williams. It's posted online somewhere and I believe the cougar USA was made on same line as danaher USA craftsman as well.
Click to expand...
Well, just to throw some fun on the fire, I have taken the HF Taiwan ratchets, and Kobalt Taiwan ratchets apart. Parts look the same, but I didn't mix-n-match. With a little cleaning/Oiling, my 3-4 year old HF ratchets (used-n-abused) work as smooth as my Kobalts. Like winding a watch kind of smooth.:beer:
 
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1982fxr

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Iirc the switch from cougar USA to import had to do with Dana her plant closing/sell offs or something.

As for these and hf being the same...I've got a crispy dollar bill that says they ain't...
 
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markbugno

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We have some new cougar sets at work. Pretty good quality. I like the ratchet quite a bit.

Mark


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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lardy1

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I just bought a Cougar 1/4" drive ratchet off eBay for eight bucks delivered. Since I retired I have been buying more imported tools. I thought for eight bucks I could maybe gain some insight into the brand.
 
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