All from the same factory
- Thread starter nickjj
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I've had a Made in India set of Gedore Met off-set box ends since the late '70s or very early '80s. These have held up far better than I expected (in both pro and non-pro use). Just saying...
Edit: these are long handled boxes. And they're still going strong (ya, I just jinxed it).
Edit: these are long handled boxes. And they're still going strong (ya, I just jinxed it).
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BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
All the India made tools I’ve had I’ve broken. Maybe I’m just destructive lol.
A few years ago a friend of mine asked me to come over and work on his kids mini bike. This guy doesn't know a whole lot about tools but assured me he just bought a full set of metric wrenches and sockets so I didn't need to bring much of my own tools over.
I get there and looked at the "tools" he bought and it was the cheapest **** I'd ever seen. Wrenches made in India. The metal was so soft and the tolerances so bad that before I left I threw them in the garbage right in front of him.
I think the "metal" was an "alloy" of recycled cigarette pack foil and remnants of lead solder. Seriously bad. I swore off any tool made in India right then and there.
I get there and looked at the "tools" he bought and it was the cheapest **** I'd ever seen. Wrenches made in India. The metal was so soft and the tolerances so bad that before I left I threw them in the garbage right in front of him.
I think the "metal" was an "alloy" of recycled cigarette pack foil and remnants of lead solder. Seriously bad. I swore off any tool made in India right then and there.
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BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
That’s why I’ve learned no matter what someone has or says when it comes to tools I bring my own. I have a friend he has 4 big toolboxes like mine and lots of nice tools but you can’t find anything in there luckily I had brought mine because I would of been there for hours looking for the socket I needed.
Been there done that. Of course the flip side is that no matter how prepared I am with what I bring, I always need something that I left back at my shop. . .
wafrederick
Well-known member
lt has happened with the first Craftsman Professional wrenches which SK made.A SK wrench was found in some of the sets.
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Yep nowadays. Except Tekton, Capri and a few others. I was looking at the new Craftsman raised panel ones yesterday all India now except the older stock China ones that are left.
Are you saying that SK, at some point, made wrenches in India???
Ricky Joe
Well-known member
I have a Bonney wrench made in India.
wafrederick
Well-known member
USA made
PittsburghTim
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2017
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I'm not a pro by any means, but I love using quality tools, both mechanics and woodworking. I am so glad that I set up my son with my old mix of USA Craftsman and SK (sockets, ratches, and wrenches) as he was starting out in commercial HVAC about three years ago and purchased new Proto and Wright tools as replacements. I used every Zoro discount and the occasional Amazon deal I could find. Now I don't have to worry about getting random **** from God knows where.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I think, and this is only a guess, that he meant different brands coming out of the same factory isn't anything new. Kind of like back in the day when Armstrong pumped out KD, NAPA, ALLEN, Master Mechanic, Craftsman and others from the same factory.
Recently I got a three piece locking u joint set from Capri and 3/8 joint was branded MAC.
Why are you guys buying Indian made wrench sets? PRC made is too expensive? I know the Craftsman name fell from grace years ago but, It still saddens me to see a Craftsman wrench made in India.
No surprise there. Its been an increasing theme the last couple decades.
where are the contract manufacturers located is a huge factorI think, and this is only a guess, that he meant different brands coming out of the same factory isn't anything new. Kind of like back in the day when Armstrong pumped out KD, NAPA, ALLEN, Master Mechanic, Craftsman and others from the same factory.
Recently I got a three piece locking u joint set from Capri and 3/8 joint was branded MAC.
Why are you guys buying Indian made wrench sets? PRC made is too expensive? I know the Craftsman name fell from grace years ago but, It still saddens me to see a Craftsman wrench made in India.
I've got some Gedore made in India combination wrenches in my junk yard bag. I've had them for years and have never broken one. I got them thinking if I lost one it would be no big deal. But after so many junk yard trips, they have become old friends. 
toolenthusiast
Well-known member
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- 723
Correct me if I’m wrong:
US/Europe > Taiwan > China > India
US/Europe > Taiwan > China > India
^^^Corrected. . .
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I don't know. I think some of my Ko-Ken stuff is better than some items I've gotten off of a tool truck. Nepros seems like it might be worthy of listing separately. You might even need to list Japan first, separately.
That will ruffle some feathers. Now, if they only made 15 & 18 mm stuff finn
Well-known member
Those that follow these things say that, as the standard of living in China rises, and wages inevitably increase, manufacturing will migrate to India and the African continent.Why are you guys buying Indian made wrench sets? PRC made is too expensive? I know the Craftsman name fell from grace years ago but, It still saddens me to see a Craftsman wrench made in India.
PittsburghTim
Well-known member
- Joined
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I wouldn't count on too much industrial development in Africa unless the constant political upheaval slows down.
PS: Not picking sides or making any judgements on the causes of the unrest, just noting it as scaring away investment capital.
PS: Not picking sides or making any judgements on the causes of the unrest, just noting it as scaring away investment capital.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I understand and agree. Hell, many of the prescription drugs I take are manufactured in India
For several reasons, I try really hard not to use other people's tools.
dutchgray
Well-known member
For that money I bet the mismatched set of branded spanners is actually a pretty good deal, buy about 3 sets and just bin them as they fail, make perfect tools for loaning out.
Bubba Fett
Well-known member
I'm weary of tools made in India, even more so than tools made in China. I would especially stay clear of no-name tools from Amazon/ebay, etc. that are made in India, unless you have a Geiger-counter handy. Not kidding.
cweidert03
Well-known member
I hate going to friends houses to help.. usually they don’t know where certain tools are in the box.
just this weekend I went to a friends who owns a decent sized landscaping company and needed a rock slide for my SxS welded. I needed a 13 mm with an extension. I was searching his socket drawer for like 5 min and he said here I’m sure you can find it in one of the kobalt blowmold sets.. opened it up and like 25% of those tools were missing.
very frustrating
Just because they are made in the same factory does not mean they are the same.
Customers generally specify things to manufacturers like alloy used, heat treatment specs, tolerances kept, how much deburing and finishing is done, finish type and thickness, etc. All of these differences can make two tools that look identical perform totally differently in the real world. One can't just assume a tool that is made in the same factory is the same as they usually aren't. I know, this may upset some people who think their stuff is just as good as the real deal but, unfortunately it usually isn't from my experience and they are just fooling themselves into thinking they got a deal. Good companies don't just rebrand tools, they have them made better before they slap their name on it. You see this with lots of Snap-on products, just for instance, where they add additional or better features, materials, or finishes above the original products specs.
A good example is a Bahco adjustable wrench. Snap-on has owned Bahco for years and their adjustable wrenches are thus likely made in the same factory and forges. But, at a minimum Snap-on's model has tighter/better tolerances/fit and finish, better quality TPE material for the handle, much thicker and better quality chrome plating, and sharper/deeper easier to read lazer etching. Only Snap-on knows for sure but, it is possible it uses a different/better alloy or heat treatment as well. Yet, people in shops and forums all over the world toute how they get the exact same wrench as the Snap on truck for half the price. They are either ignorant or fooling themselves... This is only one example...
Customers generally specify things to manufacturers like alloy used, heat treatment specs, tolerances kept, how much deburing and finishing is done, finish type and thickness, etc. All of these differences can make two tools that look identical perform totally differently in the real world. One can't just assume a tool that is made in the same factory is the same as they usually aren't. I know, this may upset some people who think their stuff is just as good as the real deal but, unfortunately it usually isn't from my experience and they are just fooling themselves into thinking they got a deal. Good companies don't just rebrand tools, they have them made better before they slap their name on it. You see this with lots of Snap-on products, just for instance, where they add additional or better features, materials, or finishes above the original products specs.
A good example is a Bahco adjustable wrench. Snap-on has owned Bahco for years and their adjustable wrenches are thus likely made in the same factory and forges. But, at a minimum Snap-on's model has tighter/better tolerances/fit and finish, better quality TPE material for the handle, much thicker and better quality chrome plating, and sharper/deeper easier to read lazer etching. Only Snap-on knows for sure but, it is possible it uses a different/better alloy or heat treatment as well. Yet, people in shops and forums all over the world toute how they get the exact same wrench as the Snap on truck for half the price. They are either ignorant or fooling themselves... This is only one example...
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a little bit of that is true changing the exact steel is easy enough and a second stage deburring is sometimes a thing but realistically beyond that it can be tighter QC standards not much more the tools trucks don't exactly move huge volumes to justify much else
The Chinese are investing heavily in Africa. They see it as a way around higher Chinese labor cost.I understand and agree. Hell, many of the prescription drugs I take are manufactured in India
The new manufacturing hubs will be Vietnam and some of Africa.
True
Ton ton
Well-known member
I have noticed hand tools being made in Vietnam too.
A lot of driver bits are for name brand companies
I have a small set of made in India combination wrenches that saw a lot of use and abuse working on tractors and automobiles that are still going strong. I recall that they were purchased at either Otasco or Western Auto in the middle to late 1970's.
Some Japanese and Taiwanese sets purchased around the same time usually went to the scrap bin by their third use. I have no experience with current Japanese or Indian offers, but believe that the current Taiwan tools are as good as most of their US or European counterparts.
Some Japanese and Taiwanese sets purchased around the same time usually went to the scrap bin by their third use. I have no experience with current Japanese or Indian offers, but believe that the current Taiwan tools are as good as most of their US or European counterparts.
Handyandy23
Well-known member
Not saying you're wrong, but other than the price, is there any hard evidence that the wrenches are different? Unless someone sat down with 10-15 of each branded wrench and ran tests and measurements on each one, how does one say the Snap On has better fit and finish and tolerances (unless you work for them)? Again, not saying they are the same, but without taking real data on a sampling of both it can't be proven or disproven.