Best American tool brands no longer made?

[sonnyboy]

Just curious.....What are some opinions on the best tool brands no longer made?

I don't like the hassle of warranty, weather it is mailing it in, exchanging at the store, or off the truck (even the "no hassle" warranty). I just want high quality tools that can be had at a good price on the used market. If they break, I'll throw them away.

For starters, I like Diamond (Diamalloy) brand adjustable wrenches and pliers type tools. They havn't been made since they got bought out by the parent company of Crescent tools about 10 years ago, but I still find NOS stuff once in a great while, and used stuff is plentiful.

 

[blue dog]

I can not say best, but i have some Bonney stuff that i like, seems quality to me.

http://store.harryepstein.com/c/BonneyWrenches.html

 

[Autoguy]

Quality US made tools are gone by, like old pickups

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

New Britain (and it's Husky and Blackhawk subsidiaries) was a major loss. Duro/Indestro should have never faded away either.

 

[boostedgt]

my favorite ratchet is a 3/8 indestro

 

[lowbucktruck]

Agreed, Duro/Indestro are definitely quality tools. I have some Indestro socket sets that are great.

 

[TWX]

Heh. Based on their current product lines in this sixth incarnation of the company versus the old stuff a friend of mine has, SK.

A friend of mine has a swivel-head SK ratchet that centerlines the swivel through the pivot point of the ratchet mechanism. It's pretty awesome, and I've never seen another swivel-head ratchet as good as that one.

 

[Plombob]

Just pick any US brand from the 50's back and you'll do well. Take a look at Alloy Artifacts for more info.

 

[IndyGarage]

Maybe not hand tools, but loads of machine tools companies have gone by the wayside. Some of these are still in business, but not nearly to the extent they were 20-30 years ago:

Kearney and Trecker.
Fadal
Elox
Monarch
South Bend
Cincinnati
Rockwell
Do All
Boyar Shultz
Blanchard
Parker Majestic
Browne and Sharpe
Dries and Krump
Tree
Hardinge
lodge and Shipley
Warner and Swasey
Logan
Giddings and Lewis
L&J
Famco
American
Bullard
Sheldon

 

[Lost Road]

I like plomb and proto for quality and collecibility.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Another vote for Indestro here...

 

[Snappy]

I have some Herbrand stuff that looks heavy duty.Breaker bars with nice knurling, etc. Some guys on here collect them too.

 

[blarf]

Craftsman
Irwin
Channellock
Bonney
New Britian
Mac
Allen
K-D
Matco
Pretty much any division of Stanley or Danaher...

 

[hammergodthor]

Another vote for New Britain!

I have some Herbrand stuff that looks heavy duty.Breaker bars with nice knurling, etc. Some guys on here collect them too.

I really wish some companies would bring back knurling. Nothing beats it when your hands are oily and greasy!

 

[american lockpicker]

This is a depressing thread. BTW I was looking at stepgrandfather's tool collection and most of the brands he has besides Ridgid, Craftsman and Stanley are no longer around.

 

[Bryan Burns]

Krauter. I buy every one I see. Love their linesman pliers.

 

[Old Donn]

Bonney.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I think consolidation has killed more American tool companies than offshore production ever did. This happens in all kinds of industries, not just tools. When a larger company devours a smaller one, the latter's facilities are usually shuttered in the name of streamlining for more profits.

In the past few years this has also happened in the gun industry. When Cerberus Capital bought Marlin, H&R, and Bushmaster they quickly shuttered their factories. S&W did the same thing to Thompson-Center.

 

[kythri]

Craftsman
Irwin
Channellock
Bonney
New Britian
Mac
Allen
K-D
Matco
Pretty much any division of Stanley or Danaher...

Oh, really?

 

[Davefr]

Thorsen - they are still my go to ratchets because the heads are so compact due to the exposed gear design. They can get into tight spots where SO can only dream of.

I believe Thorsen catered to the aircraft industry.

Unfortunately Thorsen threw in the towel years ago and now some Chinese company has the name and puts it on **** tools.

I also love old Diamond pliers and cutters.

 

[lowbucktruck]

Krauter. I buy every one I see. Love their linesman pliers.

I second that. Kraeuter & Company made some great linesmans pliers.

 

[charle10]

P&C - Great adjustable wrenches
Utica - Great adjustable wrenches
Vlchek - usually very ugly but they are great beater wrenches

If you are looking used, don't forget some of the often overlooked brands that are still making great tools:
Armstrong
Cornwell
Proto
Williams
Wright

 

[smoky]

Another vote for New Britain!



I really wish some companies would bring back knurling. Nothing beats it when your hands are oily and greasy!

I agree also, I wish snap-on sold a round head ratchet with the handle knurled.
the fn100 with a knurled handle.

 

[Snappy]

Craftsman
Irwin
Channellock
Bonney
New Britian
Mac
Allen
K-D
Matco
Pretty much any division of Stanley or Danaher...

Unless I missed something, most of these are still being made. I noticed that Walmart is stocking Channellock pliers again. Their pkg says "fiercely made", in Meadville PA.

 

[stormking]

You can't go wrong with Thorsen or P&C, both are very good. They also both had pretty complete lines.

 

[camarotoolman]

I'm sure Chanellocks are still being made in Meadville, Pa. I'm from that area.

 

[kythri]

I'm sure Chanellocks are still being made in Meadville, Pa. I'm from that area.

Oh, they are. But, you see, Channellock licensed their name out to someone to use for things like toolboxes and other imported gear that they don't produce themselves (or directly contract the production), which, of course, means that ALL of their products are imported and the brand has gone to hell.

Funny how that only applies to certain brands...

 

[camarotoolman]

I hear it all the time at the flee how cheap China tools etc. etc. Long as they are cheap and shiney, these jurks will buy them. Nobody gives a flip about quality any more. Funny they can't figure out what happened to there jobs though. Its nice when a real mechanic comes by and buys some S.O. or MAC stuff and tells me how good of quality my stuff is. Thanks ( I only sell usa made tools)

 

[wrenchr]

Bonney.

Yup, it ***** they are no longer around. Indestro was a huge loss as well.

 

[Hammer1963]

Herbrand and Proto/Plvmb for good forged Body tools

 

[emeraldcoupe]

another vote for indestro.

 

[vssjim]

Heh. Based on their current product lines in this sixth incarnation of the company versus the old stuff a friend of mine has, SK.

A friend of mine has a swivel-head SK ratchet that centerlines the swivel through the pivot point of the ratchet mechanism. It's pretty awesome, and I've never seen another swivel-head ratchet as good as that one.

They still make the Roto-Ratchet and they were the company that invented it along time ago.

 

[boro_boy70]

P&C - Great adjustable wrenches
Utica - Great adjustable wrenches
Vlchek - usually very ugly but they are great beater wrenches

Utica also made great pliers. I have dozens of 60+ year old pliers still going stong.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

New Britian
Thorsen
Indestro
Walden

Everything i have in these 4 brands i really like. good, solid, USA.

 

[SMKS]

I know this thread is kind of a downer, but there are still some good companies around. Think of Wright, for example.


Probably the ones I miss the most:

New Britain
Triangle (Bonney, Herbrand and Utica)
Indestro
EASCO

Just think what those companies could have now if they still existed.

Probably the companies I dislike most are Cooper Tools and Stanley - for shutting down or ruining so many brands. Although Stanley has kept more alive than Cooper, that company's the worst. In fact, Cooper is the company that bought Triangle tools then shut them down in the mid 90s.

New Britain and Indestro really had some neat designs.

Here are a couple I like:

Indestro round head. Here's a rebranded Wizard example.

New Britain ratchet. This design was rebranded under so many names. NAPA, Husky, Sparta, Penncraft - just to name a few.

 

[glenmore]

I picked up these Kraeuters at a garage sale. Nice hi-quality tools.

 

[Flash21]

A lot of great brands here...Bonney, P&C, Thorsen and Kraeuter

Of those, I have to go P&C

 

[Gregg33]

Barcalo was good, have some of their combo wrenches.

 

[Snappy]

Millers Falls

I have a wood handled ratcheting screwdriver that my Grandfather gave me yrs ago. It's priceless to me

 

[4x4gearhead]

The two that I wish would come back are VLCHEK and Bonney.