Blue Point Tools

[blazer1]

OK so I'm confused.

Everyone says tools made in China are pure **** and I won't argue that. However, I been hearing people say tools made in Taiwan are better than China made tools, but still pretty bad. Then I hear people say to buy Blue Point. Some have even said they are better than Craftsman. But Blue Point tools are made in Taiwan.

I'm confused. Why are Blue Point so good but other tools made in Taiwan crappy?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Pro-Painter]

Blue point is snap-on. enough said.


IMO blue-point is miles ahead of standard craftsman tools. Wrenches and longer and better finished, socket sets are more complete with much better chrome and finishing. etc.

BTW: The Taiwan made JH Williams is the same as blue-point, except with a greater wrench size selection and approx 1/3 cheaper.

 

[blazer1]

Do the tools manufacturers in Taiwan make seperate tool lines then? Cheap made tools for next to nothing they can sell in Walmart or whatever, but they can also make higher quality tools?

 

[plinker]

Most tools made in Taiwan in the last 5-10 years I have found are really good, they are either just under or at the qualitiy level of most of the name brands. Toptul, bluepoint, some of the Williams line & pre chinese Gearwrench for example.

I wont run right out and buy them if I have an affordable US made option though.

 

[Pro-Painter]

Do the tools manufacturers in Taiwan make seperate tool lines then? Cheap made tools for next to nothing they can sell in Walmart or whatever, but they can also make higher quality tools?

ANY country is capable of making quality tools. Their are 1000's of tool manufactures in Taiwan & China. Just because two tools where manufactured in Taiwan, don't mean they where made in the same building.
The parent company sets the specs for the tools.

Generally, Taiwan made tools are better then china, but thats not always true. Ive seen crappy Taiwan tools and nice China tools. It all depends on who orders the tools and what their standards are. But generaly, taiwan is better then china.

 

[plinker]

Do the tools manufacturers in Taiwan make seperate tool lines then? Cheap made tools for next to nothing they can sell in Walmart or whatever, but they can also make higher quality tools?

Most of the stuff wally has would more then likly be chinese.

That said if the manufacturer spec's it, the chinese can (and do) make decent stuff. But it's easier to make low end tools, especially when they spec the tool by how much they want to sell it for.

 

[tyndall]

Blue point is snap-on. enough said.

I agree. Overpriced for what you get.

IMO blue-point is miles ahead of standard craftsman tools. Wrenches and longer and better finished, socket sets are more complete with much better chrome and finishing. etc.

BTW: The Taiwan made JH Williams is the same as blue-point, except with a greater wrench size selection and approx 1/3 cheaper.

Blue Point has a better range of socket sizes, but the chrome and size stamping is dollar store quality. Same for Williams. Way below gearwrench and toptul.

 

[SMKS]

Blue Point has a better range of socket sizes, but the chrome and size stamping is dollar store quality. Same for Williams. Way below gearwrench and toptul.

What are you talking about?

Have you ever seen/owned any of the tools you're talking about?

I've owned USA Williams, import Williams and gearwrench. The import Williams ratchets and sockets were nice quality with very nice chrome.

Perhaps you are confused. The satin chrome on the wrenches is not supposed to be shiny, it's a dull finish.

 

[SMKS]

I'm confused. Why are Blue Point so good but other tools made in Taiwan crappy?

Thanks for your help!

I don't think too many people here bash Taiwan tools, except for the people that hate all imported tools.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

I don't think location is the problem. Key point is the QC from the manufacture.

 

[Chloe]

We have used Blue Point once and it's good. Keep on sharing.

 

[Altec]

What are you talking about?

Have you ever seen/owned any of the tools you're talking about?

I've owned USA Williams, import Williams and gearwrench. The import Williams ratchets and sockets were nice quality with very nice chrome.

Perhaps you are confused. The satin chrome on the wrenches is not supposed to be shiny, it's a dull finish.

Same. The brand new Blue Point sockets I got the other day had great Chrome finish, and the markings are fine. The older Blue Point Chrome I have has held up great as well.

To me, Blue Point is goods tools. I only buy them at less then retail though. The cost is a little much for me normally, and unless you have a job where the Snap-on man comes around, the ease of warranty gets thrown out the window. For the hobby man, or the home mechanic, I think there are better options. Simply because there are a lot of on par tools out there that can be exchanged easier, and in most cases had for less.

 

[back2class]

to me BP falls squarely into the midrange tools, NAPA, Craftsman, Blackhawk, Genius and duralast on basic hardline stuff. You are pretty much gaurenteed to get a good tool and sometimes a great one for a sub premium price. I think they are overpriced when you can find other quality import tools for much less. Makes zero sense unless you have direct dealer support.

 

[usdemt]

I don't think location is the problem. Key point is the QC from the manufacture.

This can not be said enough in any Harbor Freight, Snap On or Gearwrench thread

 

[tyndall]

What are you talking about?

Have you ever seen/owned any of the tools you're talking about?

I've owned USA Williams, import Williams and gearwrench. The import Williams ratchets and sockets were nice quality with very nice chrome.

Perhaps you are confused. The satin chrome on the wrenches is not supposed to be shiny, it's a dull finish.

I was talking about sockets, and yes I do own a few brands. I needed some odd sizes I'd never use to fill out my Hansens and with a discount Blue Point were cheapest I could find. The markings are shallow and the chrome is dull and thin. My Napa sockets are much higher quality but the sizes are limited. When my local SK dealer got screwed over he switched to Williams. Every set he had on the shelf had at least a couple of sockets with chrome peel. Maybe years ago they were better? All I've seen has been in the last year or so. And for a guy that doesn't care about CoO, I wasn't impressed.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Not everything made in China is pure ****. Nor Taiwan.

They have a reputation for it but the minority of their products are very nice.

 

[Skyline]

While so far, we've been talking about hard line tools, the vast majority of Blue Point products don't fall into this category. A lot of the specialty tools that Snap-on sells get a Blue Point label. Most of this is re-badged stuff. I'm not sure if it's a 100% firm policy, but it seems to me that if an item is not made by Snap-on or one of it's affiliate companies, OR made outside the US in the Orient, it gets a BP label.

Much of the re-badged items in the BP line can be bought from other sources with the original manufacturer's name on it. For example many K-D and Lisle tools are sold with BP labels. Many are USA made as well, so you can not make a blanket statement that all BP is from China or soon to be China, (Taiwan). Nor for that matter is all Snap-on badged stuff from the US. While Oriental Snap-on is rare...it does exist. There are also Knipex Snap-on from Germany (MAC & Matco too) and pliers and Adjustable Wrenches from Spain (Bahco?). I don't really see any clear cut distinction; it seems labeling decisions are item by item; but if an item is going to be really pricey, it's going to get a Snap-on label, no matter where it's made.

 

[blazer1]

Thanks everyone for your input!

I didn't realize the specs were different. It makes sense though.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

Just for some examples of non-Taiwan Bluepoint stuff (that happen to be lying on my desk at the moment) - Feeler gauges (USA), Putty knife (Canada), 4oz ball peen (USA).

I've never had any issues with Bluepoint stuff over the years. What it all boils down to at the end of the day is the standard question: How much tool do I really need? It amazes me to see some people insisting that they have to have the best of the best in tools that they will NEVER USE. I've got a buddy that thinks he needs Snapon EVERYTHING and he never does anything more intense than adding bolt-on **** to his pickup.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

The BP sockets are very good and at a very good price. I have a some recent BP's and they are better than my CM sockets old and new. They are also better than my newer Armstrong sockets which are the exact same as the CM's. Price wise they are about between the CM and AS sockets. The two 1/4" drive 5/8" shallow and deep cost me a whole $7.00 from my SO dealer.

Here's some pictures of the BP (left) and AS (right).