Does socket brand really matter that much? (non impact)

[Skin]

Heres a 18mm and 11/16 Craftsman of mine

Theyre from a few years ago (don't recall exact time frame I got them).

My older ones from 10 years ago (with no laser etching) still look just fine. These just fell apart under pretty light use. I don't use my tools professionally, but I probably used these sockets once a month or so.

Again, I have older cman sockets I've used much more frequently that look just fine.

I also just warrantied a Cman torx socket where the torx end broke in half on the first use. The one they exchanged it with isn't even level inside the socket piece.

As far as I can tell Cman quality is going downhill pretty fast.

I'm in the market to buy a large tool set at the moment.. It ***** that Cman is about all I can afford. The truck brand stuff is just way too nuts for me.

None of my Cmans look like this, daily use or home. Daily use are stamped only, home are the dual marked. Never saw a set of etched only before.

 

[dkroth]

None of my Cmans look like this, daily use or home. Daily use are stamped only, home are the dual marked. Never saw a set of etched only before.

I warrantied a Craftsman 15mm short socket a couple weeks ago. The socket she handed me had no markings at all! Obviously a manufacturing defect. I did not keep it.

 

[gatewaysysop]

I warrantied a Craftsman 15mm short socket a couple weeks ago. The socket she handed me had no markings at all! Obviously a manufacturing defect. I did not keep it.

I think I might have kept that to display somewhere as a trophy. Knowing Sears, they probably put it back on the shelf to sell to someone else.

 

[William Payne]

What do you guys think of Bluepoint sockets? I am looking at buying up some tools from the Bluepoint range as it is affordable for me at the moment and have been wondering what people think.

Anyone? I know you guys would say craftsman but cant get that brand down here.

 

[littlekillertoad]

Anyone? I know you guys would say craftsman but cant get that brand down here.

Oh, didn't realize that. Bluepoint has held up well for me. They drive end has held up well and the contacts still seem fairly sharp. I'd say that they're at least as good as the c-man. I wouldn't recommend using them on an impact though. My buddy did and he eventually had some chrome flaking. I've treated mine nice and I've never had any problem with the chrome.

 

[William Payne]

Oh, didn't realize that. Bluepoint has held up well for me. They drive end has held up well and the contacts still seem fairly sharp. I'd say that they're at least as good as the c-man. I wouldn't recommend using them on an impact though. My buddy did and he eventually had some chrome flaking. I've treated mine nice and I've never had any problem with the chrome.

Cool I didn't think you were suppost to use any non impact socket on an impact for that very reason hence why they have impact sockets. But thanks for that may get some after christmas.

 

[jay50]

Get some Craftsman and call it a day. Good enough quality, often on sale, and easily replaced if lost.

Exactly. I've split enought SO sockets that the only ones I used daily now are Cmans.

 

[Keep]

I posted a whole thread comparing different sockets from, Wright, Williams, and the US and TW Craftsman. For home use Craftsman are great. But here is a quick look at some, these basically just show Chrome and Stampings. To lazy to repost the whole thread!

 

[William Payne]

Would love to see that comparison thread.

 

[matthew]

Anyone? I know you guys would say craftsman but cant get that brand down here.

I'd start a new thread on it, myself...

Blue Point isn't discussed all that often here, it seems, but apart from some complaints that it's more expensive than comparable import tools, it sounds like they hold up okay.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

Sorry if I came off rude - Definitely didn't mean to, just didn't want anyone to think I was lying about my socket experience

I imagine my Wife will drag me to a mall at some point this weekend. I'll try to remember to take 'em with me..

No worries. I can see where you might have thought I was accusing you. I apologize as well. I guess I could have worded it differently.

I wish my wife would drag me to the mall that our Sears is at, but there is a better mall with no Sears she always insists on going to.

 

[Davefr]

IMHO SK has had the best chrome plating process of any tool manufacturer including SO. If you act quickly you can find NOS SK but prices are shooting up.

SK was the best tool company when comparing quality and price. Equal to SO but at better prices.

 

[J J J]

The brand indestro has probably the strongest sockets out there they dont have to be pretty to work.

 

[tooldeloo]

The C-man sockets I bought in 1980 have chrome that's held up very well. I recently got a set of 1/2" metric deep six point sockets, from a seller on Ebay. They're etched and stamped. The 19mm has chrome flaking off after I dropped on my blacktop driveway. I tried to return it to two different Sears, but they didn't carry that in 6 point. One clerk offered to all up and order one, but asked that I leave the socket, but I figured that it would get lost and I;d be out of luck.
The only C-man socket that I ever broke was an older 3/8" drive 13mm. It split down the side. Otherwise I've been happy with them over the years. I'm still using 1980 era handles. I hate the new ones.

 

[DieselSmokinYall]

Heres a 18mm and 11/16 Craftsman of mine

Theyre from a few years ago (don't recall exact time frame I got them).

My older ones from 10 years ago (with no laser etching) still look just fine. These just fell apart under pretty light use. I don't use my tools professionally, but I probably used these sockets once a month or so.

Again, I have older cman sockets I've used much more frequently that look just fine.

I also just warrantied a Cman torx socket where the torx end broke in half on the first use. The one they exchanged it with isn't even level inside the socket piece.

As far as I can tell Cman quality is going downhill pretty fast.

I'm in the market to buy a large tool set at the moment.. It ***** that Cman is about all I can afford. The truck brand stuff is just way too nuts for me.

I have about 15 Craftsman sockets like this to... all bought within the last 2-3 years, Never impacted just light use

 

[zer0cell]

I would hate to get those chrome fragments imbedded in my skin...

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I have about 15 Craftsman sockets like this to... all bought within the last 2-3 years, Never impacted just light use

How does this stuff happen? Is it all of a sudden, or progressive?

 

[DieselSmokinYall]

How does this stuff happen? Is it all of a sudden, or progressive?

They start with little cracks that eventually flake off when they contact another surface... some came off in huge chunks like this one, most just have little cracks, I have no idea how they start Ive only used them for mild stuff

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

They start with little cracks that eventually flake off when they contact another surface... some came off in huge chunks like this one, most just have little cracks, I have no idea how they start Ive only used them for mild stuff

Wow. I hope none of mine start doing that. I'd hate to have to replace them all.

 

[9deucegt]

Would love to see that comparison thread.

How about he posts a link to his thread for us???

I am interested too!

 

[Red Green]

The flaking seems to be common on the lazer etched sockets and the dual marked ones. If you have to return one try to look at the back of the rack you might get lucky and find a NOS of the series that are stamped from before the laser etched.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

The flaking seems to be common on the lazer etched sockets and the dual marked ones. If you have to return one try to look at the back of the rack you might get lucky and find a NOS of the series that are stamped from before the laser etched.

All of my sockets were before the laser etched ones or dual stamped. I should be good. I've never had a problem with any of my Craftsman stuff. I don't think I own many of the newer hand tools though, aside from the Pro line stuff.

 

[ducati]

I have and own a few different brands, Proto, Craftsman(I have more of these than anything else), Snap on, Koken, wera and various others armstrong, wright, plomb, husky(old 60's stuff) no names.... I haven't had any issues with my craftys.... But I do think that the Snapon, wera, proto and koken are the best and maybe wera/snapon at the top of my list. I also like the fact that the resale on them is a lot better. I think the fit and finish of those few is really good. I just bought the starterprk to add more snap on sockets to my set and am looking for 1/2 deep/shallow metric sockets to complete my set. I am a weekend wrencher, but wanted to get nice stuff now that I can afford some of it, because the day might come when I can't. My fathers old snap on are still around and so are most of his other tools, but the problem is I can't get the p&c/plomb and various other brands that have folder been bought out replaced under warranty, so I figured proto/wera/snapon/koken are the way to go because I want to know in 40 years assuming I am not dead I can still get my tools replaced under warranty and some of the smaller companies might not be around..... They could all fold and I would be SOL, but for now they quality of them is good enough I haven't had an issues with the sockets, and like everyone else craftys are going down hill... I am avoiding them from now one. Also as for wera they aren't made in germany anymore, but the quality is still top notch and a cheaper than snapon. Also they are honest and up front about where they are made czech republic, but still much better than china.

You mean a big company disapearing like SK?

IMHO SK has had the best chrome plating process of any tool manufacturer including SO. If you act quickly you can find NOS SK but prices are shooting up.

SK was the best tool company when comparing quality and price. Equal to SO but at better prices.

I pretty much agree with this post. SK was a great company, I bet almost 1/2 of my sockets and wrenches are SK. I do have some Wright which I do think are better than SK, but the price is right up there with SO, Mac, Proto. SK was a great line and was kinda the bridge between the two worlds of SO, Mac, Wright, Proto and then C-Man, Husky, Allen, Kobalt. SK has treated me very well up to folding last year. I got great prices on them from my tool supplier which I don't think I could have gotten them cheaper off the internet. I hope they bring them back the way they were, I will buy them again if they don't cheapen them up.

 

[gatewaysysop]

I have about 15 Craftsman sockets like this to... all bought within the last 2-3 years, Never impacted just light use

Wow. So did the chrome just flake off or did the finish crack and spread or? Crazy.

 

[gatewaysysop]

The flaking seems to be common on the lazer etched sockets and the dual marked ones. If you have to return one try to look at the back of the rack you might get lucky and find a NOS of the series that are stamped from before the laser etched.

Here's an interesting thought. Has anyone compared the new and old ones in hand? I have some that I bought probably 5 or so years ago, maybe 10. If you hold them in hand vs. sockets bought today, they actually weigh noticeably more. I thought I was crazy, so I even tried comparing to larger new sockets, and they still feel lighter than the older ones a few sizes smaller. It's subtle, but definitely noticeable.

 

[DieselSmokinYall]

Wow. So did the chrome just flake off or did the finish crack and spread or? Crazy.

I think they all started with the finish cracking and spreading, I didn't even notice they were cracking at first until i noticed blood all over one of them from a piece of chrome getting lodged in my hand

 

[gatewaysysop]

I think they all started with the finish cracking and spreading, I didn't even notice they were cracking at first until i noticed blood all over one of them from a piece of chrome getting lodged in my hand

Ouch.

I'll have to see over time if any of mine do that. Never had a problem before, but the majority of mine (80%?) are probably nearing 10 years old, 5 at a minimum. Unfortunately, I did have to pick up some newer ones to fill out my sets and those don't seem to be as good as the old ones I already had. Something to watch out for either way.

 

[Skin]

funny how SK gets a mythical status as soon as they go bust and all of a sudden they become the best thing ever. Thats the natural order. People desire what they cannot have and since SK is no longer readily available, they've become the "best". Truth is their offerings over the last few years had just as many flaws as everyone else and at a premium price to boot. Their MSRPs were a joke and the only thing that kept them on life support for so long was the far more reasonable street prices. I have some SK sockets and crowsfoot that have the same splatter and chrome plating quality issues as some of my Apex craftsman stuff that i paid far less for. A couple years ago i even had to return a set of flare nut that SK use to make for Craftsman due to yellow cracking chrome out of the package.

The SK of the recent past was not the SK from decades past. Course the same can be said about most every company when talking about things like steel and chrome.

 

[zer0cell]

Do you think armstrong sockets will have the same issues as the craftsman ones? I just bought an armstrong socket set and am hoping theirs are not like the craftsman ones pictured.....

 

[johnny1290]

FWIW I've got snapon sockets I bougght off ebay, and cman ive had since time began.

Could be all in my head but I think the SO are thinner walled, lighter, and appear more durable than the cman.

I've got way too many wrench sets from craftsman, but really only use my 1 set of 3/8" snapon sockets.

I never really wish for another set, either.

 

[Fedwrench]

Do you think armstrong sockets will have the same issues as the craftsman ones? I just bought an armstrong socket set and am hoping theirs are not like the craftsman ones pictured.....

I think current Armstrong sockets are the same as Craftsman right down to the double staked retention in the female square drive. I also feel some of the chrome issues are due to a combination of epa rules and squeezing costs. There is also a distinct quality difference among Craftsman sockets between those that come from huge multipiece sets, those $9.99 racks of 13 sockets, and the ones in the smaller retail sets hanging on the socket wall at the store. The ones for pennies on the piece definitely aren't finished as nicely as the others. I've broken (cracked) a few sockets over the years from most brands through normal use. there for awhile I must of had a bad lot of Snap on 8mm sockets as they would go tink after a few uses and there would be a crack.
I think the best looking and performing chrome sockets I'm using right now are Proto. The are well finished inside and out, have off corner engagement, and large size markings. Matco would be next and then it's a draw between the others. A nicely finished socket that can be a bargain if you shop around is Gearwrench. SK were ok but as others have said, towards the end quality suffered. Hopes are high that they can comeback though.

 

[mrholeshot]

All of my sockets (about 200 or so) are Sears Craftsman from the late 1970s and 1980s. .

Your sockets are much better quality than current production

 

[mrholeshot]

FWIW, I've split a few Craftsman and Easco, but never a Snap-on, S-K, Williams, Proto. So that's my cutoff for serious use - any of those will do for casual use.

jack vines

The only sockets that I never remember breaking has been SK. I've broken many a Snap-On, Willimas, Proto, Craftsman. Thats not saying anything bad about any of the latters. All have served me very well other than new Craftsman. I have older model Craftsman that hold up very well. I have a handful of Snap-Ons that need replacement now that I need to send in. Just havent got around to it yet

 

[Keep]

How about he posts a link to his thread for us???

I am interested too!

I just reposted here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84586

 

[mrholeshot]

funny how SK gets a mythical status as soon as they go bust and all of a sudden they become the best thing ever. Thats the natural order. People desire what they cannot have and since SK is no longer readily available, they've become the "best"..

Nothing mythical about SK. My dad was a fan of SK back in the 50's. I became a fan of SK in the 60's and have remained a fan right up until they went belly up. Of all my SK I only have 1 SK tool thats not up to standard SK quality. Expensive compared to Craftsman inexpensive compared to tool truck brands. Although the company is in the middle of an overhaul the tools are still available if you really want them. I just hope the quality continues under ideal

 

[quattrojon]

Do you think armstrong sockets will have the same issues as the craftsman ones? I just bought an armstrong socket set and am hoping theirs are not like the craftsman ones pictured.....

I've never had to warranty an Armstrong socket due to chrome peel.

 

[kc-steve]

Hiball mentioned that 20 years ago there was a big difference in quality, . . . I can attest to that. Back in the 1980s a family member gave me a ratchet and socket set as a gift (brand unknown, COO unknown). I checked it out on a nut that wasn't difficult at all and the socket spread like the legs of a $2 ******. I couldn't even give them away after that.

Steve

 

[Davefr]

funny how SK gets a mythical status as soon as they go bust and all of a sudden they become the best thing ever.

There's certainly some of that however SK had the right formula particularly during the Dresser era.

-Uncompromising quality
-Affordable
-Widespread distribution


Ideal has some big shoes to fill with SK. However I think the same formula would work well.

SO like quality at sane price points.

 

[Skin]

I think current Armstrong sockets are the same as Craftsman right down to the double staked retention in the female square drive.

The stampings are the same but i wonder if the plant that actually does the manufacturing is. Perhaps they take more care in the fit and finish of their "industrial" brands than Craftsman. I dont have any sockets to look down but it should be readily apparent in how complete the chrome plating is inside their deep sockets. I agree with Taiwan producing some excellent looking products.

inexpensive compared to tool truck brands.

I agree their street prices were fair but you've clearly forgotten their list prices. They were every bit as expensive as truck tools asking for hundreds of dollars for basic socket and wrench sets. The biggest joke were the prices they were asking for things they didnt even make like the ratcheting wrenches. Heck they even tried to get into the truck tool business.

 

[hifi_hokie]

I've had very good luck with Snap-On ratchets, and Wright sockets.