Buffalo brand wrenches?

[scale]

Hello all. New here but i had to join after reviewing these forums for the past few hours. What a great site.

I am wondering about Buffalo brand wrenches.

When i was young.......late 80s......my uncle got me a set of Buffalo brand wrenches.

He claimed they were a nice set and he was a mechanic at the time.

IT was my first real wrench set.

Anyway..........fast forward to 2006 or so and someone broke in and stole random wrenches from the set. I am looking to replace them to complete the set again. I was heart broken when it happened. This complete set had gotten me through alot of projects including my first car.....many mowers and farm projects etc.

I remember i had gotten a SAE and Metric set of brand new craftsman wrenches in the early 90s which worked well for somethings but these buffalos fit into spots those couldnt and i just generally liked them more.

I do NOT believe they were Barcalo Buffalo brand. They came in a roll up tool roll which had been well used by the time i had gotten the wrenches to it fell apart and got tossed.

I dont believe these were made in china but perhaps they were? I can see set on ebay now....same yellow buffalo on the roll but it doesnt have as many wrenches as the set i have.

Anyone?

 

[woody 73]

How can I put this in a good spin without upsetting you because I want you to stay and keep posting on the GJ for many years to come...

Yes indeed buffalo made tool sets but not in America more like Mainland China and well lets just say they were very cheap and leave it at that.

Not to be a vintage cop because I hate that and with you being a new member your set was no where vintage to be in this section but you did not know that.

On the other hand both Barcalo /and Buffalo forge from the early years were top of the line.

I apology if I upset you try giving E-bay a look see for your lost wrenches and please, please, please keep posting.

 

[DFB]

Interesting.

From my past recollection I always thought "Buffalo" brand tools were just a Chinese import...

did they look like these wrenches?

http://storage.bhs1.cloud.ovh.net/v...etric_Wrench_Set__25_Jackso_562c9aab2f7e0.jpg


So there is no COO stamped on them?

 

[woody 73]

This is the set from China:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CW1...483536?hash=item465720e210:g:12cAAOSwYIxX-tmz

 

[woody 73]

Interesting.

From my past recollection I always thought "Buffalo" brand tools were just a Chinese import...

did they look like these wrenches?

http://storage.bhs1.cloud.ovh.net/v...etric_Wrench_Set__25_Jackso_562c9aab2f7e0.jpg


So there is no COO stamped on them?

Back in the days the travel type vans would pull up and start selling their tools of course buffalo tool wrench kits could be bought for a small amount of money.

 

[southalabama]

It's the thought that counts.

I expect they give you fond memories of your uncle and your youth.

Replace them. Don't worry about anything else.

 

[Derek420]

Buffalo was made by barcalo as they're cheapo depo line of tools but much better than some of the imports of later years and some of today's. There is a thread about worst brands of 70's and 80's and a lot of people said Buffalo but I don't think they're bad either. Just check out flea markets I see them all the time for $1. I have some barcalo double box end wrenches and they are just as good as my craftsman panel wrenches even my older SK id say all are about equal i like the thick wrenches whoever said they hurt their hands have girl hands IMO because they dont hurt mine. Like I said buffalo isnt that bad of a brand I got some Taiwan wrenches that are way worst and don't even have a name but that don't make them trash as long as they do their job and you like them is all that matters. Welcome to garage journal!

 

[555]

In the early 70s the local National Guard Armory would host a "tool sale" about twice a year. It was a traveling group that went town to town selling mostly Buffalo brand tools. The Armory drill floor would be jammed with various things similar to a current Harbor Freight. I only attended one sale and bought a 1/2" impact SAE socket set. I still have it and it has been used and abused with no problems. I don't have any idea where these were made but as I am ridding my main tool box of China made tools, these sockets will stay.

 

[toolmiser]

How about posting a picture of what you have, and a list of what you are missing. I bet you might be able to get the missing pieces from members here.

 

[davethorik]

Buffalo was made by barcalo as they're cheapo depo line of tools but much better than some of the imports of later years and some of today's. There is a thread about worst brands of 70's and 80's and a lot of people said Buffalo but I don't think they're bad either. Just check out flea markets I see them all the time for $1. I have some barcalo double box end wrenches and they are just as good as my craftsman panel wrenches even my older SK id say all are about equal i like the thick wrenches whoever said they hurt their hands have girl hands IMO because they dont hurt mine. Like I said buffalo isnt that bad of a brand I got some Taiwan wrenches that are way worst and don't even have a name but that don't make them trash as long as they do their job and you like them is all that matters. Welcome to garage journal!

The china Buffalo tools was an importer name, don't believe it had anything to do with Barcalo Buffalo.

 

[leg17]

In the early 70s the local National Guard Armory would host a "tool sale" about twice a year. It was a traveling group that went town to town selling mostly Buffalo brand tools. The Armory drill floor would be jammed with various things similar to a current Harbor Freight. I only attended one sale and bought a 1/2" impact SAE socket set. I still have it and it has been used and abused with no problems. I don't have any idea where these were made but as I am ridding my main tool box of China made tools, these sockets will stay.

My bro-in-law was big into that in the 80's.
Print and pass out flyers, rent motel room and parking lot for a weekend, etc.,.
Get out of town on the third afternoon.
The **** would start to come back by the fourth day.
He made a fortune.

 

[DFB]

Yup we had Homier trucks and "tent sales "for a longtime before HF ever came around here.

 

[scale]

interesting. I was wondering if they were cheap baraclo buffalo knock offs. Either way i loved them and would like to find the missing parts to my set if possible. Ill try and get some pics posted eventually. Thanks all. \

 

[3baygarage]

China Buffalo brand tools almost always solicit a laugh or some funny comment at the flea or an estate sale around these parts.

If an old time tool guy walks by I can almost guarantee a "Look, made in Buffalo" followed by a snicker.

It appears the wrenches were good to you though.

 

[woody 73]

China Buffalo brand tools almost always solicit a laugh or some funny comment at the flea or an estate sale around these parts.

If an old time tool guy walks by I can almost guarantee a "Look, made in Buffalo" followed by a snicker.

It appears the wrenches were good to you though.

Like I said I am guilty of being that old timer because those tools were made out of tissue paper and pot metal...But I sent the op a follow up pm and I do hope he gets the chance to make a complete set.

 

[d42jeep]

Scale,
I recently received a Buffalo metric DOE wrench with a large lot of Barcalo tools (which I collect). You are welcome to it for the price of postage if it's one of the ones you need.
-Don

 

[jakemac]

I still have my Buffalo hand impact driver in its blue tin that I got as a gift in the early 80's.
I got lucky, I've beat on it more than a few times and it's still holding up.

 

[scale]

All i had was the SAE box end kit. Thank you though. I will have to figure out which ones i am missing and post them here.

I used the heck out of mine growing up. No issues.

I have ton of other tools now .....but just thought it would be nice to put this set back into circulation in my garage.


I have my "go to" socket set and favorite rachets.....and have quite a few sets of box end wrenches at this point. NO real need for this set other than i remember them fitting where others wouldnt. They had a bit if a skinnier profile....but not by much.

All my other china tools went to the scrapper. I had too many extensions, ratchets, adapters and things snap like butter. Total garbage.

 

[DFB]

I still have my Buffalo hand impact driver in its blue tin that I got as a gift in the early 80's.
I got lucky, I've beat on it more than a few times and it's still holding up.

I remember having one like that too, blue metal case. My very first impact tool. Really needed one especially for those cross head motorcycle fasteners back then! I eventually replaced it with Craftsman branded one. Was a 3/8 sq.drive? The Craftsman is 1/2" I know.

I'm pretty sure I sold it but it may still be around somewhere. I would have to look.

 

[jakemac]

Was a 3/8 sq.drive?

Yup.

 

[jdlong]

In the early 70s the local National Guard Armory would host a "tool sale" about twice a year. It was a traveling group that went town to town selling mostly Buffalo brand tools. The Armory drill floor would be jammed with various things similar to a current Harbor Freight. I only attended one sale and bought a 1/2" impact SAE socket set. I still have it and it has been used and abused with no problems. I don't have any idea where these were made but as I am ridding my main tool box of China made tools, these sockets will stay.

Our local fire station hosted those sales years ago. I only attended once. Got a cheesy jumbo SAE ratchet and socket set that I use once in a blue moon. Still have it and nothing ever cracked.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I still have my Buffalo hand impact driver in its blue tin that I got as a gift in the early 80's.
I got lucky, I've beat on it more than a few times and it's still holding up.

I have the same one I picked it up at the pawn shop and use it as a professional mechanic everyone in the shop laughs at me but I don’t care it gets the job done and it seems to be very high quality only tip I have broke is one of the Phillips ones but I gave it to the Snap-on guy and he gave me another for free saying it was ok to not use Snap-on for everything and so I give him business all the time.

 

[Gummi Bear]

I still have my Buffalo hand impact driver in its blue tin that I got as a gift in the early 80's.
I got lucky, I've beat on it more than a few times and it's still holding up.

My grandpa gave me one of those nearly 30 years ago. It’s held up to quite a bit of use too.



I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[driftpin]

I think one of the threads about Buffalo tools mentioned the shallow open-top wooden tray usually by the cash register, "any tool, $3.99," or some other minimal price, depending upon how far-back you care to go.

As I recall, Buffalo was usually a resident tool name among those offerings. You need a tool to heat and to bend, to fit a limited-access job? Hit the Buffalo tools! A cheap screwdriver to-use as a lever, a scraper, an alignment tool, maybe even a screwdriver? Buffalo!

The thread I recall reading had some interesting info from a family member who was associated with the Buffalo importer/distributor, as I recall, it made-for good reading.

Bottom-line, we all understand the sentimental attachment you develop to things gifted from deceased relatives, and the hundreds of hours of a lifetime's-worth of work with them. I hope that you get the pieces you need, so you can say, "most of this I've had since I was young and poor, and they were gifts from my relative." Happy hunting.