HF Visit: Icon = Fail / Pittsburgh-Pro = Pass

[Rabid Badger]

Are you saying someone would do all that for free?

There's another guy in this thread with 20k posts, so...yes?

Are you talking about the guy with all the links to his website and reviews in his signature?

Again, yes.

Are you claiming that he's never gotten a product for free to review? Not a single freebie ever?!

How could I possibly know that?

I get the impression that you felt you had a strong argument here for...something.

What you actually did is manage to cram a straw man and a false equivalency into 18 words. Which I guess could be considered impressive depending on your point of view, but it doesn't make for a persuasive argument.

 

[Ign]

Icon is flying off the shelves at my two local Harbor Freight stores. My colleagues brother works at one in Miamisburg, OH and says Icon is doing well at his store.

That’s fine if you don’t like it. To each their own. I’ll keep buying it because I’ve learned a few things in the couple of years I’ve been on this board... if it isn’t Snap On, Matco or Knipex and it isn’t made in the USA and come from a tool truck or the country of Germany... or doesn’t have the word “Fuel” in its name... it’s garbage. If you don’t own said tools, you’re worthless. Your tools are worthless and you’re stupid for buying them. Every professional and DIY person has easy access to a tool truck and should buy Snap On rather than Craftsman or Harbor Freight. In the unlikely event said DIY guy doesn’t have access to a tool truck, he should just buy used Snap On tools from eBay and save himself and everyone else on this board the hassle. Failure to do so will result in tool shaming said person and making him feel inadequate to even turn a bolt with his cheap, unworthy purchase. Shame on him! He should know better from all of the enlightenment and wisdom you have given him.

Anyone who shops at Harbor Freight is a full-fledged idiot. You guys who don’t shop there are better than us. I’d give you all ribbons for your superior intellect but you’d probably ***** because they’re made in China.

The OP said the Pitt Pro stuff wasn't that bad and I agree. The Pro stuff is as nice as I'd ever want from HF, and honestly good enough for 98.5% of what I'd ever do wrenching.

HF's problem is that they got the Pro stuff so nice there's not much room to get better, but for some reason they insisted on releasing a "better" line. Just greed as far as I can see.

Shimano suffered a similar problem ~20 years ago - the Deore XT stuff was fantastic but as is the nature of consumerism they felt they had to keep reinventing the wheel even though it had been perfected.

Leaving well enough alone doesn't generate enough flash and splash to excite consumers, or so we're told

 

[Farmall450]

This is the video of the goon who beat on his sockets with a sledge.

Watching his video it looks like a rubber mallet would squish the icons...

 

[Ign]

Forget the ICON line of tools, HF is coming out with the Superstar lineup, they are offering 24 point wrenches and sockets.

Ooh it's like axleshafts then. I'm holding out for the D60 35 spline stub shaft version then!

The best part of this whole thread is anyone taking Strouty seriously. He's so clearly trying to point out that the whole thing is dumb, but no one is getting it.....which ironically only adds to the humor

 

[WittHay]

Say if HF made no tool truck quality claims, had no reference to Snap-on or savings on their website or advertising. If they would have stamped Taiwan on their Icon tools like some Taiwan brands do. Would people still buy Icon?

If the answer is no, well HF marketing has worked and maybe you should look elsewhere for tools.

If the answer is yes, then keep the Icon sockets and use the tools. A lot of sockets in a set you will never use anyways. Warranty out the worn sockets.

In just about every shop around here you will see some old Taiwan Craftsman or Canadian Tire Mastercraft and Maximum. If a socket cracks or gets worn replace it, thats what the lifetime guarantee is for.

 

[giants]

Most lifetime warranties for tools exclude normal wear and tear. Has anyone had trouble warrantying HF's Icon or Pittsburgh/Pro tools due to HF saying it's normal wear and tear?

 

[d.mcfarland]

Most lifetime warranties for tools exclude normal wear and tear. Has anyone had trouble warrantying HF's Icon or Pittsburgh/Pro tools due to HF saying it's normal wear and tear?

I think you're wrong about normal wear and tear.

Example. If you wear out a ratchet any tool truck will rebuild or replace without question.

 

[giants]

Maybe tool trucks are flexible (no experience, but that's not what
I've read here).

Warrantying normal wear and tear is clearly excluded
from Snap-On.com and Husky.com

 

[rijndael]

Warrantying normal wear and tear is clearly excluded
from Snap-On.com and Husky.com

And GearWrench.

But it doesn't mean you can't get something warrantied, many times they will. But they can say no, and it's within their right to do so.

 

[M6erfan]

Maybe tool trucks are flexible (no experience, but that's not what
I've read here).

Warrantying normal wear and tear is clearly excluded
from Snap-On.com and Husky.com

It is well known that often S-o will send out a repair kit for no cost to the owner of a worn out ratchet. Tool truck owners generally do the same.

The fine print in the warranty may leave some wiggle room against warranty/tool abusers, but generally it's not an issue.

 

[dnschmidt]

We need a new tread: "ICON sockets **** because I could cut one in half with my Plasma Cutter." That wouldn't be much dumber than this thread.

 

[Farmall450]

We need a new tread: "ICON sockets **** because I could cut one in half with my Plasma Cutter." That wouldn't be much dumber than this thread.

But probably not a HF plasma

 

[zendriver]

IMO, with maybe with the exception of "where's the beef?", This "icon is Snap On quality" hullabaloo Has to be one of the greatest marketing stunts in the history of commerce.

So much that the tools are literally "flying off the shelves" so people can rip them apart, visually analyze them, or beat the **** out of them, just to "prove" that they are not.

A while back, some had stated that the HF chief had rocks in his head for going the icon direction, but actually marketing Taiwanese made tools against the top dog is quite genius and no doubt he is laughing all the way to the bank.

He is getting huge sales and marketing exposure literally for free.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[theoldwizard1]

I dropped by HF the other day to buy some pliers for a friend. They now have 3 different lines of pliers. Pittsburgh, Quinn and Doyle. I wanted cheap so I got the Pittsburgh.

 

[giants]

I dropped by HF the other day to buy some pliers for a friend. They now have 3 different lines of pliers. Pittsburgh, Quinn and Doyle. I wanted cheap so I got the Pittsburgh.

You might want to ask him to try it a couple times and report back whether there's wear on the grabbing surface; happened to me.