Counterfeit Snap on wrenches? Is there such a thing?
- Thread starter impactims
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Junkman
Well-known member
I have Snap-On wrenches that vary in length by a 1/4" or more, and they have the same part number, but sometimes it will have a letter at the end. Why don't you show them to a Snap-On dealer and see what he thinks?
Firebrick43
Well-known member
I will post the OP's picture to compare.
With the overwhelming evidence, I am going with these are counterfeit.
Perspective distortion - Wikipedia
"I purchased these off eBay and I don't think they are real. Can you help?"
They might not really care, especially enough to start some kind of investigation.
They already know the drill (no pun intended). They know if their products are counterfeited, the market exists, because someone is willing to buy cheap from somewhere, other than from direct Snap On (or their drivers)
There is no counterfeit market with the demand.
Sure, that’s always a possibility but it takes 2 minutes to send them an email and who knows—maybe they can unravel this mystery. What does the OP have to lose?"I purchased these off eBay and I don't think they are real. Can you help?"
They might not really care, especially enough to start some kind of investigation.
They already know the drill (no pun intended). They know if their products are counterfeited, the market exists, because someone is willing to buy cheap from somewhere, other than from direct Snap On (or their drivers)
There is no counterfeit market with the demand.
I thought I noticed some Lobster ends myself.Something else I noticed is the open ends are not consistent in size.
The 14mm looks almost lobsterish and the 10mm looks thin. The 19, 16, 14, 11 are larger than the next size up.
Snap-on are very close to scale dimensionally as sizes increase.
Some lower quality manufacturers will use the same forging die for multiple sizes and the result is wider jaws and yoke on the open end and thicker walls on the box end. This was my biggest complaint with a Tekton set I was able to handle and examine.
I'd be embarrassed, personally. I'd take my cheaply purchased tools and either just use or return them.
Other might certainly do different.
It would be like taking a John Deere mower purchased from Lowes to a JD dealer for warranty work. Sure, they have to do the work - sometime and no doubt with the greatest of enthusiasm.
SouthernIllinois
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Not sure it's really the same as selling out of an assigned area but there is a guy around here that has three or four Snap-On routes AND he has a brick and mortar "warehouse" that is open to the public - anyone can walk in and buy SO tools. I have done it.
Wrench97
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If the store is in one of his assigned areas he's good.
SouthernIllinois
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I believe it is - it's kinda central to all the routes.
Back in the late 80's he owned one route and drove the truck himself.
He was my dealer before I joined the Navy.
Back then it was just a warehouse for surplus and trade-ins.
While I have been away (~37 years) he and his sons expanded and now have 3 or 4 routes in the area and he opened the warehouse up to walk-in sales.
I now meet one of his guys at my friends bodyshop when he makes his regular stop.
No. Feel free to take my pictures from this thread and send them to Snap on and share with us the response you get.
Personally, I feel embarrassed to admit how much I’ve paid for some Snapon stuff …. But that’s a topic for a different thread
Feel free to do it yourself
Vinny
Well-known member
I hope you learned your lesson, impactims. Next time, get your Snap On tools the Garage Journal way: buy trashed wrenches and sockets at garage sales and exchange them for brand new with the local Snap On dealer!
I didn’t do that because all a snap on dealer would do is compare to known good samples. I already did that myself. Secondly, there is a bit of an awkwardness factor here. To bring him wrenches I bought on eBay rather than from him and ask him to verify their authenticity for me seems a bit scandalous.
Yeah I'd be too ashamed to do that.
Snapped-off
Well-known member
My local JD dealer won't touch the Lowes mowers. His famous line is "take it back to Lowes".
I don't blame them.
mngundog
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Who's your local dealer? I'd be interested to see their website. My local dealer sells the same John Deere mowers sold a Lowes.
drokihazan
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I have an FHKFD80a that I've swapped a 100th year anniversary head and a new Cynergy 3/8th hard handle onto. It's my favorite ratchet, and I have like 25 Snap-On ratchets. Sometimes the Frankenstein stuff is the bestYes, indeed there are counterfeits, but I would be surprised at all the trouble it would be to make copies of Snap-on tools, plus it just seems to not pay in the long run. several years ago, we had a GJ member that was selling some strange snap-on ratchets that he was calling rare, and I must admit in all my many years I had never seen such a strange looking snap-on item before. Turns out he was taking off the handle/or adding handles to models that never had any handles he was gluing on handles and turning them into Frankenstein ratchets. He got banned for it but he must have made a small fortune on E-bay, so don't you kids try that home.
Snapped-off
Well-known member
Yep. The dealers even prep the ones that go to Lowe's.
We have a large chain dealer that does all the box store mower prep. The local guy doesn't do it.
Snapped-off
Well-known member
I scabbed the QR head onto the bent handle ratchet. It's my favorite one.I have an FHKFD80a that I've swapped a 100th year anniversary head and a new Cynergy 3/8th hard handle onto. It's my favorite ratchet, and I have like 25 Snap-On ratchets. Sometimes the Frankenstein stuff is the best
It's my fault, sorry.
To be fair that JD dealer doesn't make much money on those $700,000 combines. They need all of the revenue, they can get.
Were at in S-Il? Next time I'm in West Frankfort I could go by there.
SouthernIllinois
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Lee’s tools - just outside Effingham, IL off I-70
Thanks, right where we turn on to I-57.
SouthernIllinois
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Yep
More info on their website.
Lee was my Snap On guy back in the late 1980s. He had just on route then. Now he, his son's with a few others have 4 or 5 routes. I think they cover most all of the area around here. Good folks.
Tools and Services for Professional Technicians
leestoolsales.com
That looks like a KRA (Heritage) series.Is this a counterfeit Snap-On box? I've never seen one like this. (From FB marketplace, of course)
