Anyone else like ALLEN brand tools?

[twincam00]

For years I have been buying individual Allen brand sockets because the Fleet Farm here is closer than Sears. They are also sold at Menards. Over the years they have held up very well, I'm impressed with them. Today I picked up a torx set to replace my crappy china set. Their impact sockets are very thick walled and hold up great. I really like the finish of them too, its very smooth unlike the chalky pittsburgh ones. Allen is a part of Danahar. Their prices are roughly the same as Craftsman. Best part is all of their stuff I have seen at stores is made in the USA

View media item 16485
View media item 16487
View media item 16488

 

[CISO1969]

I like em. Most of my Allen buys have been from Cripe Distributing

 

[btbsandman]

I have a set of Allen Metric Combo Wrenches.
COO is Taiwan.

 

[alan camby]

definitely check out Cripes. They have a ebay store also.

I just received these wrenches. All of them for $28.50 total, $40 with shipping.

Some of their wrenches are foreign. I think that if the part # ends with a "G" it is not USA.

 

[pipsters]

Where did you get those etorx

I have a few allen tools, a 16x18mm flare nut wrench that finished off my RP Craftsman set, and a few extensions. The extensions look identical to the Craftsman, but the flare nut wrench is finished differently. The first one I bought had peeling chrome but Cripe made it right and sent me a new one.

 

[twincam00]

I have a set of Allen Metric Combo Wrenches.
COO is Taiwan.

Maybe Fleet has a buncha nos, they were all usa. Sadly they didnt have the polished ones


Got the etorx from Mills Fleet Farm

 

[bobcatdan]

Allen is not bad, I would rate a click better then Craftsman, just don't break it. Lifetime warranty, but you need the original receit or no dice. I got what I have from Fleet. I found that out when I broke my 3/4" to 1/2" adapter. That was a couple years ago and I still have not found anyone to warranty it.

 

[RM209]

Allen is good quality, and very often the prices are right. If you're willing to look around, there's still a lot of the US made product around.

RM209

 

[FXDawg]

I've got some allen USA made tools and I like them. wrenches are very nice for my DIY kit

 

[MN Falcon]

I have a couple of Allen Sockets and a 3/8" breaker bar from Menards. I saved the receipt for the sockets, because I assume that will be the policy. It looks like Menards is starting to carry a store brand called Masterforce. Its been said that these are rebranded Allen. I bought 9mm-13mm 1/2" drive 12pt sockets and a metric flarenut wrench set from Menards. They didn't have all of the sockets as Masterforce or Allen so I got a mix of the 2. I compared the 11mm socket between a craftsman that I have and the new Masterforce and they are just about identical size and shape with the only difference in the stampings. I also noticed that for both the sockets the walls seemed a little thicker than the other sockets like 10mm and 12mm. So I did a little comparing between the 12mm and the 11mm and for the world it looks to me like the 11mm and 12mm are broached from the same blank

As noted above with the Allen wrenches, the finish on the Masterforce wrenches was "rougher". At first I thought this might be a cost savings effort (to leave them less finished), but it turns out that the "wrinkle" finish is supposed to help you grip the handle better -- at least according to the packaging I haven't had the opportunity to use any of my new tools yet, but I have been using the 3/8" breaker bar a bit, seems nice, but you can't hardly go wrong.

I'll have to check out Fleet Farm one of these days to see what all they have for Allen. I would like to get a 1/2" breaker bar for my son, but Menards only has a 15", I would like to get something a little longer.

 

[Zrexxer]

I picked up a US-made set of Allen metric combinations cheap on eBay. Be aware though, Allen is offshoring some tools now. You'll see some wrench sets on eBay and other places that are just "just too cheap to be true" and those are generally the imported ones. I like mine. You can tell they're a Danaher product, but they're a real step above Cman RP's.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I see no difference between them and craftsman raised panels, other than not having the actual raised panel. They do look a bit longer though, not to put them down just wondering where the edge is over crapsmans.

 

[SINISTER]

I don't see it either aside from them being cheap and a comparable product, how are they better?

I could see if you were comparing the full polish Allens to the CM RP's, even the full polish set doesnt look to be much better if any that the full polish CM pros.

 

[Zrexxer]

LOL, I could say "the sky is blue" here and there will be five people piling on to challenge it.

 

[SINISTER]

LOL, I could say "the sky is blue" here and there will be five people piling on to challenge it.

Thats the point, there will always be someone challenging your opinions. In the real world too. When you have the facts to prove something people start to quiet down and listen. People post "challenges" or questions in hopes to get the truth or the facts about a product.

There are many people here who would like to believe the wrenches are better then the CM's. Until you post up something showing or stating why it will be and only be your opinion.

Oh yea and the sky isn't blue. The atmosphere has no pigment. The reason we see blue is because of Rayleigh scattering, colors such as red, and yellow with long wave lengths pass through the atmospheric gasses and colors with shorter wavelengths such as blues get absorbed by the gasses and scattered in every direction.

 

[purplezr2]

Isn't Allen part of the Apex/dahnar family of tools.

 

[sjotis]

There's a new Allen hex key website here:

http://www.allenhex.com

 

[RRmech]

I bought a whole bunch of new USA-made Allen sockets, extensions, and ratchets years ago at the Carlisle, PA auto show & flea market.....CHEAP!!
Jeez....I would have bought more, but I rode my old Yamaha up from Maryland and I was only carrying a small backpack.
They've worked out well..........................................

Steve

 

[twincam00]

Isn't Allen part of the Apex/dahnar family of tools.

Yessum

 

[bobemmerich]

I'm on board with ALLEN! Good tools-The U.S.A. made ones...That's just my metric drawer. I also have their wrenches, hex sockets, screwdrivers, etc...

 

[Stephenw]

There is an industrial hardware store I frequent that stocks Allen tools. I would buy their USA made products.

 

[kippieland]

I'm on board with ALLEN! Good tools-The U.S.A. made ones...That's just my metric drawer. I also have their wrenches, hex sockets, screwdrivers, etc...

Armstrong started carrying a ratchet that is that exact model...a knarled handled Craftsman RP. Apex/danaher is very incestuous.

 

[bobemmerich]

Yeah. I've got a couple sets of K-D sockets and ratchets, and the round head ratchets are EXACTLY the same as my Allen ones. BUT, they're made in U.S.A. If you look around, you can still find the U.S. made Allen tools. Warranty is through Danaher/Apex tool group. I haven't broken any yet, so i haven't had to send anything back in.
I also have the same set of E-Torx that the OP has. They are heavy duty and I got them really cheap...

 

[bobemmerich]

More...

 

[diggerrick]

Maybe their wrenches are good, but the Allen branded screwdrivers I bought at Menards last year were the worst case of Chinese junk, so I returned them.

The pliers were better, but far from great - more cheap Chinese stuff. and not any better than the cheapest Harbor Freight stuff..

 

[twincam00]

wow nice collection bob

 

[bobemmerich]

Thanks. That's just the tip of them. I've got more. Most-NOT ALL-my stuff is Allen. I also have some Craftsman, HF, Snappy, Husky and Ace brands. But the majority of my wrenches, socket sets and screwdrivers are the real deal. I haven't broken any yet.
Yeah, to say I like them is CORRECT.

 

[Scout Driver]

I have quite a bit of Allen tools myself. Great tools and great value.

Scott

 

[toolmaker1]

I'm on board with ALLEN! Good tools-The U.S.A. made ones...That's just my metric drawer. I also have their wrenches, hex sockets, screwdrivers, etc...

Love the steel box sets. Dammit i wish SK would bring those back.

 

[bobemmerich]

Yeah, so do i. Unfortunately my SAE sets are on rails. didn't get them in the metal boxes. I AM looking though...

 

[cnc-me]

Got a couple sets of hex wrenches, seem to round over much faster than Bondus.
Most of the smaller wrenches in the sets have been replaced with Bondus.

 

[SMKS]

Got a couple sets of hex wrenches, seem to round over much faster than Bondus.
Most of the smaller wrenches in the sets have been replaced with Bondus.

I've also had bad experiences with the Danaher-made Craftsman Allen keys. The ones I have are the older USA made ones, too. They rounded off quite easily.

The Bondhus I replaced them with are far, far better.

 

[justin85]

The Bondhus sets are so cheap on Amazon, with free shipping and no tax, why would you waste time with anything else?

 

[SMKS]

The Bondhus are even cheaper than I expected.

A regular hex metric and SAE set is only $12 shipped on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E7VG5C/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The ball end sets, which is what I have, are $17.50 shipped for both.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00012Y38W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[twincam00]

Ive also had good luck with Eklind hex's, made in the usa too

 

[SS5150]

I've got a few allen pieces, looking for a 3/8 quick release flex ratchet right now, allen tools are getting pretty scarce around here.

 

[bobemmerich]

Good luck. I've been looking for one of those for a while now. I just bit the bullet and bought one from Ace.

 

[mikester]

Ive got a bunch of polished combo wrenches from Allen. I think theyre made very well and so far theyve held up fine. Theyre always on ebay.

 

[DRhodes]

They are hard to beat for the money. Again, watch out for the import stuff. The USA made stuff is great.

 

[Roots]

Danaher markets the Allen brand to be an alternative or competitor of Craftsman, with supposedly slightly better quality.