If your Hazet sockets are thick like impact sockets so they might be very old ??? Never had problems using them ?? The box ends of the wrenches are also slim enough, but it also depends on what wrenches do you have , open end wrenches are thinner than combo wrenches, the box end of the combo wrenches and deep offset wrenches is higher than the box end of the flat double box wrenches for example, so there is a wrench for every application.
My personal subjective opinion:
I`m a big fan of metal, metal constructions, stainless steel, forged products and industrial stuff like shipyards, tractors etc. so for me if i see something which is forged or welded and you can still see it (no ground welds, no plating etc.) for me it looks good because you can see the craftsmanship, if the welds are ground you dont see it, if the metal is painted or even with a layer of bondo you dont see it too. Stainless Steel constructions mostly are uncoated so you can see the bare metal and perfectly tig welded and how its ground and match perfectly together if ground properly. So if you extend this thinking to wrenches and tools in general and look at Hazet or Stahlwille wrenches for example its the same (for me) You see it is forged because of the deep recess of the Hazet design or even better if you look at the Stahlwille wrenches. You see it is hand made by craftsmen, yes it is plated, but the steel is not hidden under a thick layer of chrome where you dont see anymore that the wrench was once forged. Sure the craftsmanship is there, perfectly ground, but for me the chrome plated wrenches look too boring and all look the same with their engraved/stamped names after forging. They look like cast or plastic and then dipped in chrome (sorry
) So for me personally its the exact opposite of what most people in the US think about tools (since in most cases quality is judged by the design and perfect sleek chrome finish). And the tools hold up too, there was a combo wrench test once which i posted and Hazet won against Snap-on for example. So the finish has also nothing to do with the quality of a tool [(which is solely defined by the fit on the fastener, and the strength) (just ask Mr. Spock
) ]
I also like the knurling on the Hazet sockets for example which really works instead of the decorative knurling of other brands.
The design of the wrenches changed a bit over the last 70 years like you can see
here, in the time between these styles they remained almost unchanged for 40 (?) years or so.
I also really like how
these wrenches are forged.
Sure there also other tools which i like , like the design of the Armstrong ratchet handles or the design of the SO 936 series ratchets, thats why i own a set. I also like Harleys and old american cars so i have nothing against chrome
Awesome post!
Monte, Stop making me buy some Hazet by posting those pics!!