Husky Tools! What Happened?

[Renegade1LI]

Wow,i was just at home depot, seems like a whole lot less made in us stuff. The husky score drivers, Stanley tapes couldn't find a single USA made one, even the shelf trash was gone. I just bought husky USA screwdrivers a few weeks ago, gone.

 

[Al Borland]

I buy husky for the jobsite, gets the job done at a good price point and easy to pick up at hd.

A lot of our hand tools turn into "single use, disposable" items. HD is more convenient than HF. Tools are more than adequate, and once in a while the guys don't lose/throw away/take home the tools and we can use them again.

 

[handmadeMI]

I recently cracked an old US husky socket. God knows how many times it had been reefed on before that. I took it to HD and they swapped it out with a new but certainly not improved lump of China’s finest pot metal that had been made to approximate the shape of a 14mm deep socket. Maybe ill use it as a fishing weight.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[Onator]

Too funny! I’m still fortunate to have Dad’s 60-80’s Husky tools. They are great and coupled with his USA Craftman and Endestro hand tools, I’m well equipped. I have no idea what I’ll buy if I need a replacement at some point?

 

[Badgerstate]

Even today you can find some Husky tools that are US made. Ive got a few that Ive bought within the last year that were made in the US.
All of my Husky ratchets and combo wrenches are Taiwan made though, which doesnt bother me much.

 

[Renegade1LI]

It seems like the husky usa screwdrivers are being phased out.

 

[vssjim]

Around here I have had such poor customer service from home depot that I never really bought much there as I didn't think the new husky stuff as in when home depot showed up here in the nineties was worth the trouble vs Craftsman at the time. So them cheapening the line is no surprise as it's been down hill since they got over the original tools which looked ok but even back then some of the Stanley USA branded tools were not just stamped US .

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Corporate Greed

The Apex Tool Group started making Husky tools in the SATA plant in China, People's Republic of.

The recent US made Husky stuff was rebadged Blackhawk for the most part.

you spelled "shareholder returns" wrong

 

[Renegade1LI]

The Husky stuff works well enough for jobsite use, it just should be about 20% cheaper, doesn't seem like the slave labor discount is passed on to the consumer.

 

[Badgerstate]

The Husky stuff works well enough for jobsite use, it just should be about 20% cheaper, doesn't seem like the slave labor discount is passed on to the consumer.

China and especially Taiwan isnt nearly as much, "slave labor" as some think it is.

 

[Taco Truck]

I feel like most of my posts are just talking up Husky. Hah. I do agree that their bits are pretty ****, and their adjustable wrenches are lousy. However, for Chinese tools (especially the sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers) they have held up well as newbie/community tools at our shop. Once or twice a year we’ll take the few damaged items we’ve accumulated back tot he store for warranty, and they never bat an eye, just replace the sockets (normally a bit abused) or whatever we have.

I think their biggest selling point to me is the price. Unlike Craftsman, Husky didn’t keep their Made in The USA price once they went to China. I also like that you can get singles of wrenches, sockets, etc. which is something I wish HF would do.

Personally I’ve been buying more from Tekton, as they’re slowly shifting to more USA made tools, and with decent pricing. Their new dead blows are very tempting.

We have lots of Husky stuff in the lift motor rooms at the ski resort where I work. They're not the most pleasant tools to use, but they've consistently gotten the job done. I think their biggest drawback is that so many of their set skip sizes, and the quick release button on their ratchets seem to be finicky.