I covet my neighbor's....

[victor252]

We have threads like "Tools of Japan" or "Tools of the Old World" where we can show off our more exotic acquisitions. But these tools are expensive and sometimes hard to get.

Do our non-American members also find it difficult to find a set of Snap On flare wrenches or SK's new 90 tooth wrench? What about Wright wrenches or Harbor Freight's surprisingly cheap stuff?

 

[ChevyEFI]

I think some vise grip equivalents in the Tools Of Japan thread had me a little grumbly when someone in Europe posted about them . . . But I couldn't find a U.S.-shipping vendor for the product.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

When I was in Costa Rica, it was like everything shifted.

Hecho en Nicaragua was where we view Chi Com tools. mostly worse than the worst of Harbor Freight, but you cold get it anywhere.

China or Mexico tools were pretty good, like our old craftsman.

Low end US was about like Snap On.

I didn't see any late model high end stuff, but I did see some heavy machinery fom the 40s working hard.

 

[Dave455]

Here in the U.K. Snap On is no problem and the trucks are, if anything, better stocked than some I've been on in the U.S. Prices are mega high unfortunately, although the 'specials' can be really good.

There's some S.K. around, but no Wright, which is a shame as British tastes in tools are far more along U.S. lines than European, so some U.S. tools cheaper than Snap On would be well received! We have Mac too, but the Mac truck has more other **** than Mac!

No trouble getting cheap **** here, there's Taiwanese everywhere, the problem is avoiding it! We also have a lot of what some people refer to as 'mid price' Taiwanese such as Teng, but I'd consider it 'high price' for what it is, and I have no idea how they survive as I can get better tools for much less!

Best value here are the German makes. You have to remember that with Germany using the euro, their goods are much cheaper than they would be if they had a strong Deutschmark. Stahlwille and Gedore are big and well known here, but I can just as easily get Elora, Saltus or any of the other European stuff such as Facom, Sam, Beta, USAG or whatever you like! My favourite British dealer stocks PB Swiss and Stahlwille which is a great combo!

Choice of tools all seems to come down to what you are into. There are probably more folks here into 'Classic British' cars, bikes, trucks etc than everything else put together and most of them want 'classic British' tools to go with them, which is sadly forcing up the prices of good condition Britool to sometimes stupid levels. Many now go with newer British tools such as King ****.

The guys into Japanese stuff generally have Japanese tools such as KoKen (which is awesome value here - about a third the cost of Snap On) or KTC, wheras if I find someone into VW's I usually expect to see a wall of Hazet, and so it continues!

 

[Stooge]

Here in the U.K. Snap On is no problem and the trucks are, if anything, better stocked than some I've been on in the U.S. Prices are mega high unfortunately, although the 'specials' can be really good...snip

A few years ago, I was kind of shifting what I was working on and sold off some of higher end extras/ snap on stuff I had, on ebay as I was doing less mechanic/maintenance, and more resto stuff. A lot of it ended up going to Australia and some to the UK. Between correspondence of setting up shipping and stuff, when the question of why they were buying new'ish tools that were readily available, it was basically that even with shipping across the globe, they were still saving more than enough to make it worth it versus buying it local.

I wish Hazet was more locally available here in the states, I have a few pieces from them but would like to add more and when it comes to having to have something like sockets and a ratchet shipped from Jens, I just talk myself out of it

 

[victor252]

Here in the U.K. Snap On is no problem and the trucks are, if anything, better stocked than some I've been on in the U.S. Prices are mega high unfortunately, although the 'specials' can be really good.

There's some S.K. around, but no Wright, which is a shame as British tastes in tools are far more along U.S. lines than European, so some U.S. tools cheaper than Snap On would be well received! We have Mac too, but the Mac truck has more other **** than Mac!

No trouble getting cheap **** here, there's Taiwanese everywhere, the problem is avoiding it! We also have a lot of what some people refer to as 'mid price' Taiwanese such as Teng, but I'd consider it 'high price' for what it is, and I have no idea how they survive as I can get better tools for much less!

Best value here are the German makes. You have to remember that with Germany using the euro, their goods are much cheaper than they would be if they had a strong Deutschmark. Stahlwille and Gedore are big and well known here, but I can just as easily get Elora, Saltus or any of the other European stuff such as Facom, Sam, Beta, USAG or whatever you like! My favourite British dealer stocks PB Swiss and Stahlwille which is a great combo!


The guys into Japanese stuff generally have Japanese tools such as KoKen (which is awesome value here - about a third the cost of Snap On) or KTC, wheras if I find someone into VW's I usually expect to see a wall of Hazet, and so it continues!

I guess Wright and SK don't have the distribution channels for the UK. I wonder if it's the same on the Continent since that's a bigger market. I have not a seen an SK metric only set yet so my guess is that they don't have much presence in the rest of Europe either.

I'm surprised you called the Taiwanese stuff ****. I just got a Taiwan made ratchet via NAPA's Carlyle brand that I'm pretty happy with. KABO seems to make that ratchet and the long pattern wrenches that NAPA Channellok and Milwaukee are all selling now.

I haven't even seen Euro made wrenches with teeth on them.

 

[Al Borland]

BEER!
My Neighbor is always drinking BEER!
I covet his endless supply of BEER!
(My god! I'm turning into Homer Simpson!)

 

[Strouty]

Wife?

 

[Dave455]

A few years ago, I was kind of shifting what I was working on and sold off some of higher end extras/ snap on stuff I had, on ebay as I was doing less mechanic/maintenance, and more resto stuff. A lot of it ended up going to Australia and some to the UK. Between correspondence of setting up shipping and stuff, when the question of why they were buying new'ish tools that were readily available, it was basically that even with shipping across the globe, they were still saving more than enough to make it worth it versus buying it local.

I wish Hazet was more locally available here in the states, I have a few pieces from them but would like to add more and when it comes to having to have something like sockets and a ratchet shipped from Jens, I just talk myself out of it

Yeah, they obviously don't want prices going up and down with the fluctuations in the exchange rate so they just peg them allowing for the worst case!

I find the different European manufacturers seem to have their strengths in different areas. I just love, for example, Stahlwille's sockets and accessories. Superbly strong, durable finish and sleek flowing lines! I have to say, that compared to a Snap On Dusl 80 a Hazet ratchet is nothing special, but some of their other tools, their hex and torx bits for example, are about the toughest out there!

 

[Dave455]

I guess Wright and SK don't have the distribution channels for the UK. I wonder if it's the same on the Continent since that's a bigger market. I have not a seen an SK metric only set yet so my guess is that they don't have much presence in the rest of Europe either.

I'm surprised you called the Taiwanese stuff ****. I just got a Taiwan made ratchet via NAPA's Carlyle brand that I'm pretty happy with. KABO seems to make that ratchet and the long pattern wrenches that NAPA Channellok and Milwaukee are all selling now.

I haven't even seen Euro made wrenches with teeth on them.

I think SK have some distribution. I have a 1/4 drive set that I bought here for example (which is metric only now I think about it) but I don't think Wright do. Real shame as I think their tools would be popular, but the whole exchange rate thing works against them at the moment. Never seen either in Europe.

I describe as I find. The Taiwanese have been sending essentially the same low quality tools to the U.K. for at least 3 decades, under more brand names than I care to think. None of what I see would I be (or more correctly was I) remotely happy with. Once in a while you see some slightly differently styled Taiwanese tools, but it's usually just fancy handles and fanciful advertising! Sometimes if I go to a market or boot sale I find a guy with boxes of this stuff that doesn't sell. Most ends up melted or dumped which sounds like **** to me!

We don't have Carlyle brand here, or Tekton, or any of their ilk. You must remember that these brands have been created purely to serve the U.S. market and I don't think they are exported elsewhere. It has been said that the Taiwanese can produce decent tools. I believe this, based on some of their firearm components that I've seen, but the only decent Taiwanese tools I've seen here is some of the Facom, which is priced on a par with the German!!

 

[victor252]

I think some vise grip equivalents in the Tools Of Japan thread had me a little grumbly when someone in Europe posted about them . . . But I couldn't find a U.S.-shipping vendor for the product.

If you mean the Vamplier Vise Grips, it looks like you can order them of Amazon and have them shipped for around $60 for a pair.

Check the tools of Japan thread if you haven't already. Post 2470

 

[ChevyEFI]

Thanks Victor. I should have said it was the two pair from 3peaks, mentioned several posts prior to the vamps.

I don't see them on Amazon.jp.

 

[Mecha]

I always wanted Facom stuff, which always seems to come in and out of the US. Wiha used to be scarcish other than electrical but can order kind of easy. I'd really like more availability of the Vessel stuff from Japan.

 

[Dave455]

I always wanted Facom stuff, which always seems to come in and out of the US. Wiha used to be scarcish other than electrical but can order kind of easy. I'd really like more availability of the Vessel stuff from Japan.

Yes, Facom have always made decent stuff, but their speciality has always been unique tools, often for limited access situations. Mind you, if you've ever worked on a French vehicle you know why you need this stuff!

Sadly, some of the more specialised items are being dropped, and they are attempting to replace others with cheaper 'alternatives'. The originals are often still available though, but remember that some of the 'original' Facom (such as the 'Palm control' ratchets) was always made in Italy rather than France anyway!

Quite like the Wiha too. It's a 'mid price' manufacturer here but very good value. Worth hunting down the original square acetate handled drivers which I find perfect for electrical work.

Vessel are not bad either, though for some reason availability has always been a bit 'hit and miss' here. Don't think you can beat their classic 'Crystaline' (?) drivers for general use!