Everybody's got some Snap-On...

[bonneyman]

I debated about posting this thread, and eventually decided the viewpoint has some validity. I hope at least to have people post their meager cache of Snappy tools so we can all enjoy them.

There are alot of folks here who are Snap-On fans, there are others who discount them because of their cost, but I think that there's many people like me who are in the "take it or leave it" crowd. Snap-On has phenomenal name recognition - even among the general population. My wife - who knows nothing about tools - has heard of Snap-On. And their dedicated truck sales fleet keeps workers supplied. I personally feel that Snap-On makes a good tool - it's just that most that I have used are not that far above other brands in performance to justify their higher cost.
However, if I come across a Snappy tool for the right price, I will grab it. While pondering this, I figured I'd dig thru my tools and see just how many S-O tools I had. I have more than I thought! And I feel that I'm not alone in this respect. So if you're a tool lover - and you own a few pieces of Snap-On - post the pics up. I'd like to see 'em.
Here are 4 that I found just by skimming thru my pegboard in the shop. I know I have more and will post them when I dig them out.
Top to bottom:
A DBE XS-1820-S 9/16"x5/8" date code 1959
A long DBE XV 1618 1/2"x9/16"
A TR108 schrader valve core remover (I paid like $2 for this, and I know S-O still sells it for around $20)
A offset screwdriver 040 date code 1967

 

[Zewnten]

For me some tools are absolutely worth the price either the quality is beyond anything else: flank plus drive wrenches or because only snap on makes it, a lot of Caterpillars specialty stuff is exclusively made by snap on. Anyone who excludes snap on because it's snap on is limiting themselves as much as the guy who only buys snap on.

 

[mike93lx]

My sole piece of Snap On gear, other than a branded led utility light

 

[ecotec]

Are those Honda push pin pullers made by Snap-on? They are pretty great. I have heard a few people imply that they are… but I have no real information.

I try to find Snap-on at garage/estate sales, flea markets… it is not my price point… but I have been hunting for it for around 15 years. I would say that I have a lot of it.

I paid retail for the Honda pliers, but not from Snap-on. I, also, paid retail for CAT and Williams.

 

[dchawk81]

I have some snap on. I'm too lazy to take pictures of it. Don't have the jacket, t-shirt, or underwear though.

 

[bonneyman]

I have some snap on. I'm too lazy to take pictures of it. Don't have the jacket, t-shirt, or underwear though.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Snap-on definitely makes some good tools. I’ve got a lot of them where I feel they do well. Like wrenches, pliers and screwdrivers I definitely buy from them. The only things I really avoid from them is power tools. I won’t buy full priced Snap-on sockets but if I find them for a good deal used then I get them.

 

[dnschmidt]

Westinghouse had some type of purchase agreement with Snap-On as that's the only hand tools they would buy (this was in the 1970's and 1980's) and some stuff just managed to find it's way home with me and I'm sure with every other employee at the R&D Center where I worked.

 

[GX460DIYguy]

We used to do all of our own car maintenance when I was a kid because we were poor. Dad had a box full of craftsman tools and he got me one of those 7,829 piece sets. Over the years I ended up losing 7,820 pieces of that kit and just started taking my cars to have everything done. As prices for everything went up I started to realize that I could do most stuff myself for less if I just bought tools. I do a lot of pawn shop hunting and hit some of them every single day that I can. While I grab a lot of snap on stuff, it’s not the only things I’ll get. I’ll usually get just about anything as long as it’s quality and I’ve got a use for it. That said, a lot of my growing collection is snap on stuff and it’s grown from a blow molded case missing almost everything to 3 tool boxes full of quality stuff. None of it is organized enough to go take pictures of it yet though.

 

[bonneyman]

Here's a few more
An XDM1315 next to a Bonney MDB 1315. For a long time I didn't know if I was ever going to find the Bonney, so - to fill the hole in the pegboard - I snagged a used Snappy for $30. When I found the Bonney I kept the Snappy. Virtually identical feel and function. Nice wrench!
An amber pocket driver
A ratchet pawl tool SPP 744. Next to a blackhead remover I use for the same purpose.
And a Ferret F-70 ratchet that I've passed on.

 

[ecotec]

I, slowly, try to displace the other brands in my toolboxes, cart, workbench… with Snap-on. I haven’t found a honeyhole in months.

It is a numbers game. I get more excited when I find metric.

The gold glitter pocket screwdrivers were one of my favorite finds. I found them on the second day of a sale and a shitload of “usual suspect” pickers (mostly old men that subsidize their retirement by reselling tools) had been through the sale… and I still found a decent amount of Snap-on.

 

[bonneyman]

And some more

A double ratcheting open end wrench FS1618B Pat. # 3273430?
Blue Point thread chasers, a MV71 ratchet, and a Midget M70 ratchet (the trio was gifted away)

 

[ecotec]

I don’t need another punch or chisel… but I can’t say no if it says Snap-on…
Here is the punch drawer, it is less than 10% Snap-on and Blue-Point. It is a good mix of tool truck brands, industrial brands and machinist brands.

Here is my extension drawer, it is about 15-20% Snap-on (some is the bare metal Snap-on that you can still find cheap from the wars. Some is still in 1951 Cosmoline.) Overall, it is 90% truck tool and industrial brands.

I make an effort to leave behind the Snap-on with inscriptions or chrome loss. My 3/8” chrome semi-deeps is an exception. Out of 14 sockets, only 8 are Snap-on… and 6 are inscribed…

I try to buy cream puffs as much as possible. The sooner that you get picky, the better your collection is. Sometimes, there are so many pickers breathing down your neck, that you are just grabbing everything as fast as you can… and you miss heavy wear, chrome loss, inscriptions… I do my best.

There is a ghoulish nature to the hobby… you are picking the bones of the recently dead and people being forced into nursing homes…

I have told this story way too many times on GJ… but, my first honeyhole estate sale was the estate sale of a guy who had previously owned a collision shop. I got 2/3rds of a five gallon bucket of truck tool sockets. The family brought the homeowner… and he thought we were stealing his stuff… he had dimentia… it was a great and terrible day…

 

[bonneyman]

A Blue Point locking extension in 1/4" drive.
A 3/8" ratchet.
A pair of ratcheting screwdrivers.
An old valve adjuster PWA 1076.

I still have the extension - the rest have moved on.

 

[nadogail]

I have a 1/2" ratchet that followed my father home in WW2.

 

[bonneyman]

I have a 1/2" ratchet that followed my father home in WW2.

That'd be cool to see!

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Here is a vintage Snap-on wrench I’ve got in my home collection. Has like an industrial finish. I’ve used it quite a bit on dad’s Freightliner.

 

[Beerhippie]

You now own a significant percentage of my Snappy collection....

 

[kbeefy]

I'm away from home at the moment so no pictures, but I'd guess about 10% of my tools are snap on. I do have a jacket as well.

I'd venture another guess that about 50% of my 'collection' of tools is some truck brand. I have at least as much Mac and Matco as I have snappy.

 

[micromind]

The only Snap-on tool I have is a 1/4" drive 1/2" 12 point deep socket. I didn't but it, I found it on the road.

I have nothing against Snap-on tools except they're expensive and there are others that I think are just as good but a lot less $$$.

 

[d42jeep]

I started buying Snap-on in the late 60s. Most of my tools have been bought used although some early ones were off the truck. Here are some pictures.

-Don

 

[Wrench97]

Westinghouse had some type of purchase agreement with Snap-On as that's the only hand tools they would buy (this was in the 1970's and 1980's) and some stuff just managed to find it's way home with me and I'm sure with every other employee at the R&D Center where I worked.

Snap On industrial is a bit different, there is no life time warranty(yes the part numbers are different) and some configurations are different for example I have a set of 3/4" drive deep chrome 6pt sockets goes from 15/16" to 1- 1/2" The 1-1/4" cracked no warranty and the dealer can't even get the replacement socket. Mine came out Westinghouse in Essington Pa when it closed.

 

[zendriver]

First tools I ever owned at age 17 were snap on. 10 pieceSAE 3/8” ratchet socket set. 10 piece SAE deep well and 10 piece metric.. ridiculous price of almost $300 payments of course.

That was 1975 still have the sets, but I’ve never purchased any retail since. I have a few odds and ends that I picked up at auctions.

 

[snapmom]

Snap on / made by Snap on / speeder collection

 

[bassJAM]

These are my only Snap On tools. I bought the flex-head in college because I wanted a "good" rachet after dealing with the crappy Craftsman teardrop ratchets. It immediately broke teeth, but a buddy of mine is a mechanic and got the internals replaced for me.

The torque wrench was in a box of trash at the place I worked years ago so I snagged it. The other 3/8" was a part of a bunch of tools my FIL gave me when he moved. He used to have a boatload of Mac, Snap-On and SK tools from owning a tow-truck fleet but apparently his son pawned most of them.

 

[bonneyman]

You now own a significant percentage of my Snappy collection....

Oh man, don't make me feel bad!

 

[liliysdad]

I have finally reached the point where I have (considerably) more SnapOn that Craftsman, and my import tool supply has dwindled to "barely."

 

[MiteyF]

My one and only snap on tool is a small flathead screwdriver, that an old boss gave to me.

I use it as a tiny pry bar.

 

[GeoBruin]

My one Snap-On tool. A 21mm impact socket. The Toyota dealer left it on one of my lugnuts and I found it a few days later.

 

[bonneyman]

Gosh, what does that weigh? Half a pound?

I think I'd be visiting that dealer more often! See what else he leaves.

 

[MiteyF]

I had my VW's sunroof replaced a year ago and when I went to leave, there was a nice snap on screwdriver in the passenger seat. I asked the service manager if the guy that did the work generally did good stuff (it was in the shop almost a month). He said he was their best guy. So I gave it back.

 

[PelicanPines]

I have a Harbor Freight five drawer cart... Rebadged with an Epic Snap On front badge.

 

[Retired dozer fixer]

Around 1/2 of all the tools I have are Snap-On or Cat which is Snap-On. Been buying for about 50 years. Retired a couple of years ago. Back in the day larger tools were harder to come by locally and they were always available. Being a journeyman heavy equipment mechanic for most of my career a lot of the larger wrenches and sockets came from the tool truck. Same with specialty tools. Snap-On was the only game in town

 

[elmer]

Most of mine. SAE wrenches 3 ratchets

 

[oscarsnapkin]

Westinghouse had some type of purchase agreement with Snap-On as that's the only hand tools they would buy (this was in the 1970's and 1980's) and some stuff just managed to find it's way home with me and I'm sure with every other employee at the R&D Center where I worked.

I don’t need another punch or chisel… but I can’t say no if it says Snap-on…
Here is the punch drawer, it is less than 10% Snap-on and Blue-Point. It is a good mix of tool truck brands, industrial brands and machinist brands.

Here is my extension drawer, it is about 15-20% Snap-on (some is the bare metal Snap-on that you can still find cheap from the wars. Some is still in 1951 Cosmoline.) Overall, it is 90% truck tool and industrial brands.

I make an effort to leave behind the Snap-on with inscriptions or chrome loss. My 3/8” chrome semi-deeps is an exception. Out of 14 sockets, only 8 are Snap-on… and 6 are inscribed…

I try to buy cream puffs as much as possible. The sooner that you get picky, the better your collection is. Sometimes, there are so many pickers breathing down your neck, that you are just grabbing everything as fast as you can… and you miss heavy wear, chrome loss, inscriptions… I do my best.

There is a ghoulish nature to the hobby… you are picking the bones of the recently dead and people being forced into nursing homes…

I have told this story way too many times on GJ… but, my first honeyhole estate sale was the estate sale of a guy who had previously owned a collision shop. I got 2/3rds of a five gallon bucket of truck tool sockets. The family brought the homeowner… and he thought we were stealing his stuff… he had dimentia… it was a great and terrible day…

I’ve had that same thought when buying used or vintage tools. If they’re anything like me, they’re not leaving my home until I’m dead. It’s sad, but it’s also nice when tools are given a second life. The tools don’t care, but the new user does. As far as Snap On, other than the basics (common wrench sizes, 3/8 drive sockets, etc which I bought as a youngster of the truck) almost everything I have I bought second hand. I enjoy the whole search and acquisition and to me it gives the tool a bit of a connection to me. Assuming they have the money, anyone can walk on a truck and buy a set of tools. Searching out specific tools and trying to fill out sets is a hobby in of itself. I like it. I’ve probably mentioned it on GJ before, but I don’t wrench on much at the moment, so the collecting is a way to keep me involved with my tools. I mentioned yesterday in another thread a bunch of used tools I just bought from an older gentleman. I never would have had the opportunity to meet this man if I hadn’t responded to his Facebook ad. Now, I will forever have a vintage Snap On ratchet that I bought from, that he told me belonged to his dad. I got a ratchet and a toolbox full of wrenches, in addition to a nice conversation and story for $25. A bargain. I did look at an old VW years ago from a man that made sure I knew that he was dying of cancer. I felt weird about it, and I liked the man, but I’m glad I didn’t buy the car. For some reason that would have bothered me.

 

[Just_Steve]

I might have 10 Snap On tools in my box, the price was right. Thank you NYS taxpayers.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I don't have much. Off the top of my head, 15 wrenches 2 ratchets, a screwdriver, 5 extensions, and a socket. Pics will have to wait.

 

[i84x]

Only have 2 new snap on products: 9” Talon slip joint long nose pliers and 8” combo cut flush & hard wire snips.
Otherwise only buy snap on second hand when i see them at a good price.
Have several different metric and inch socket & spanner sets, impacts, ratchets in a few different drives, screwdrivers, punches, pliers etc. All bought well under MSRP.

 

[KFBR392]

I love Snap On stuff. I’m not super interested in modern snap on—I tend to collect and use vintage stuff. I do have a couple of brand new pairs of pliers from them with the thick squishy handles. They feel really nice. I have been meaning to get a group photo of all my random snap on tools. I buy the ugly worn out orphans for dirt cheap. I sell the super valuable stuff for profit and keep the junky stuff to use.

 

[dante2]

My main ratchets are SO in all three sizes. I have couple of crow's feet, a line wrench, and couple of Blue Point pieces. All acquired on eBay. I have a couple of O2 sensors pieces (SWR1 and S6176) that I stole for $20 on CL years ago.