Just my curiosity, nothing more.
So, back in the mid eighties was when I bought my first vehicle for which I needed metric tools. I had a mishmash of Craftsman SAE stuff but no metric. I was a college student at the time which meant I didn't have a lot of money to spend on tools. So it was down to the local Kmart where I picked up a BenchTop socket set and combination wrenches. These served me well but long ago were relegated to the roadside kit that now lives in my wife's car.
Fast forward to now when I saw a GJ classified selling a 3/8 drive set of BluePoint metric sockets. Then another ad selling a 1/4 drive set. I thought, "those look familiar." I know BluePoint is a sub of SnapOn but had never looked at them up close. I pulled out my BenchTops and compared. Of course I'm only looking at photos but they appear to be the same. Same number font (branding stamp is obviously different), same two lines, same shouldering of the smaller sizes.
I know certain tool manufacturers produce tools under different brands such as Kabo, Infar, and Western Forge. Did these sockets roll off the same factory line? Surely amongst the vast knowledge of the Garage Journal board, someone can confirm or deny.
I borrowed the first photo of BluePoints from Smokeem's classified ad. The other photos are my BenchTops, 3/8 then 1/4.
So, back in the mid eighties was when I bought my first vehicle for which I needed metric tools. I had a mishmash of Craftsman SAE stuff but no metric. I was a college student at the time which meant I didn't have a lot of money to spend on tools. So it was down to the local Kmart where I picked up a BenchTop socket set and combination wrenches. These served me well but long ago were relegated to the roadside kit that now lives in my wife's car.
Fast forward to now when I saw a GJ classified selling a 3/8 drive set of BluePoint metric sockets. Then another ad selling a 1/4 drive set. I thought, "those look familiar." I know BluePoint is a sub of SnapOn but had never looked at them up close. I pulled out my BenchTops and compared. Of course I'm only looking at photos but they appear to be the same. Same number font (branding stamp is obviously different), same two lines, same shouldering of the smaller sizes.
I know certain tool manufacturers produce tools under different brands such as Kabo, Infar, and Western Forge. Did these sockets roll off the same factory line? Surely amongst the vast knowledge of the Garage Journal board, someone can confirm or deny.
I borrowed the first photo of BluePoints from Smokeem's classified ad. The other photos are my BenchTops, 3/8 then 1/4.
I don't think anyone is trying to say Snapon made Benchtop.