RE: (my question) "Are you asking how the brands (which no longer exist) were viewed by the buying public in respect to product quality?"
RE: (RiE's answer) "Yes, quality wise. These and others."
First, the question is too broad to accurately answer, and the reality is that it's impossible for any one person to answer it objectively. NOBODY ever, at any time during world history, used every brand of tool available on the market.
Ergo: it's only possible to offer subjective opinions on those brands one has actually used or owned.
I read through the entire thread
@Private Lugnutz cited above, so I'll address those two brands first:
I can only give you a partial answer, and only in respect to
1/4" drive socket sets, which is what my main "collecting" focus was.
I never owned any Bonney, so I cannot speak to that.
I only owned one Blackhawk set, which is now in the possession of
@Private Lugnutz. I would easily put those lovely Blackhawk sockets on a par level with any other top-tier brand,
including Snap-on, which I think most of us would concede is an industry leader.
Herbrand product produced after the Triangle acquisition is simply trash. Comparable to contemporaneous imports from Taiwan and Hong Kong. (
@twertsy insists Triangle was outsourcing from Asia, and the product quality supports that claim.)
I only owned a few pieces of earlier Herbrand and it was pretty good stuff.
Duro-Chrome and Indestro don't get nearly the respect they deserve. Their sockets and drive tools were as good as any others out there - hands down. The Odlum-Hosford patent (2686582) RHFT is arguably one of the better ratchet designs of the 20th century.
Thorsen made great product early on, which is how they developed the reputation they did. Unfortunately their product quality started on a downhill slide somewhere in the 1960s and they got sloppy. Chrome issues were a big problem. Off-center broaching on sockets and sloppily finished pieces became more common on later product. (Flash not buzzed off wrenches, etc.)
Late production Challenger stuff was amazingly nice. Comparable to contemporaneous Proto. Really nicely finished. I had a huge set of Challenger 1/4" and 3/8" drive stuff and sold it way too cheap.
Penens / Speedmaster = Passable quality, not top-shelf.
Walden: older stuff was much more carefully made. Vintage black-finish sets are nicely finished. Later chrome stuff looks cheap and the drive tools are clunky - it appears there was no incentive to "improve" or "innovate" other than the useless "George Jetson" handle design on one of their ratchets.
Proto I put on top of the heap - the sockets and drive tools are first-rate. They were late in getting into the "RHFT" game on ratchets, but their newer ratchet models are fabulous.
The S-K I had was mostly 1960s production stuff and was nicely finished. The earlier (cross-hatch knurled) product seemed to reflect more care in fit and finish than the later production product. I had at least a couple dozen 1/4" drive S-K sets, and off-center broaching and weird flaws in plating seemed to be more prevalent on the later-production (Schiller Park) stuff, ALTHOUGH: the NOS
3/8" drive set that I sent to
@Kaervak for a "Secret Santa" deal was first rate - absolutely flawless stuff.
New Britain product from the 1950s and 1960s. Nicely finished sockets. The later Kilness-patent RHFT ratchets are amazing little pieces of machinery. Those of you seeking that Holy Grail of "low backdrag" should find yourself a copy of a late-production NB (or Blackhawk) Kilness-design RHFT and try it out.)
All of the EASCO product I've had was good stuff, but their ratchets left much to be desired: poorly balanced, clunky, outdated designs.
I'm still trying to unload an EASCO-made "K-D" set here.
Too many other brands... I can't even remember all of them I've had here.
Again, my lousy opinions here are only in regard to sockets and drive tools, NOT wrenches. And like The Dude said, it's just my opinion, man.
