ICON 11in Long Reach Needle Nose same as Matco?

[milky2k]

Just browsing for some used tools tonight and I saw these Matco long reach needle nose that reminded me of the ICON version I bought a while back. The tip is a bit short and that's what drew my attention. I compared them side by side and the tips, the pivot, and the handle shape look identical to me. I understand many Matco tools are imports now and checking Matco's website doesn't state the COO for these pliers but ICON says on the packaging they are from Taiwan. If they are coming from the same factory I am sure it won't be a surprise to anyone here but I thought I would mention it since it made me feel better when I saw Matco is charging $92 for those pliers and I got the ICON for $19.99+tax, I didn't even wait for a coupon lol. I've seen a few other video's on YT where people reveal oem or cheaper versions of ICON tools but I would still buy them HF because its just so much easier to deal with HF for warranty issues than to try a track down some fly-by-night vendor on Amazon that sold the cheaper version. Anyway, hopefully ICON clones more tools from the same vendor, I like the Matco spring loaded mini pliers and their 11" diagonal cutters.

 

[Wamsutta]

The question is: Did the Taiwan vender inform Matco that they were also going to make the same pliers for ICON?

If in fact Matco knew ahead of time, that would make them out to be some serious unscrupulous crooks to be charging that much money.

 

[mike93lx]

The question is: Did the Taiwan vender inform Matco that they were also going to make the same pliers for ICON?

If in fact Matco knew ahead of time, that would make them out to be some serious unscrupulous crooks to be charging that much money.

All Matco tools are rebrands and this would be nothing special

 

[Jtels85]

I question whether my China made MAC pliers I got off the truck awhile back are the same as Doyle.

 

[AJHD]

The question is: Did the Taiwan vender inform Matco that they were also going to make the same pliers for ICON?

If in fact Matco knew ahead of time, that would make them out to be some serious unscrupulous crooks to be charging that much money.

What? Have you ever been on a Matco truck? I already know the answer...

 

[Wamsutta]

All Matco tools are rebrands and this would be nothing special

The difference being that most of the venders Matco uses and the products they make are exclusive to Matco.

 

[mike93lx]

The difference being that most of the venders Matco uses and the products they make are exclusive to Matco.

Most? I have never really looked through their whole catalog, but there are lots of examples of their stuff being available cheaper. Maybe it's just a small subset though

 

[Callelle]

The real question is "How long until they come in purple?".

 

[Wamsutta]

Most? I have never really looked through their whole catalog, but there are lots of examples of their stuff being available cheaper. Maybe it's just a small subset though

Look at their core line of tools such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and drive tools. Have you seen anything like that out in town besides the pliers in this thread?

 

[2ndGearRubber]

The hinge is different. The profile of the "beak" looks different as well, but it's hard to tell as the ICON picture makes the pliers appear to not be laying dead flat.

 

[Fedwrench]

The difference being that most of the venders Matco uses and the products they make are exclusive to Matco.

Yes and no. Many recent Matco additions are only exclusive for like a year, then you see them being offered by other brands. The hyperstep drills bits for example.

Look at their core line of tools such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and drive tools. Have you seen anything like that out in town besides the pliers in this thread?

Yes. Some Matco screwdrivers are made by Witte. You can get the same Witte screwdrivers from KC Tool and other German tool suppliers. The Matco pocket pry bars are sourced from Lang. Lang just opened them up to the masses in orange, green, and blue handles. With the closure of the Armstrong factory, Matco no longer offers a USA made wrench set.
One also has to remember with any truck brand that you're paying for that truck to you service. Weekly payments, use the tools while you pay for them, etc. People used to say the Gearwrench long pattern combination wrenches were the same as Matco. They were similar but, not exactly the same. I think similar may be key word with the Icon long nose pliers

 

[AJHD]

Look at their core line of tools such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and drive tools. Have you seen anything like that out in town besides the pliers in this thread?

Ugh... Have you ever heard of Apex/Gearwrench? Ever heard of Lisle or OTC or Sunex or Lang or Mayhew or Knipex?

Dude, you need to look more closely at tools on the Matco truck.

Half the tools on the truck are literally just repacked into a usually grey cardboard package that says Matco on it. The other half of their tools are physically rebranded, but not exclusive and can generally be found on Amazon under their OEM or a different brand name.

I could probably count on one hand the number of exclusive tools sold by Matco in 2023.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Ugh... Have you ever heard of Apex/Gearwrench? Ever heard of Lisle or OTC or Sunex or Lang or Mayhew or Knipex?

Dude, you need to look more closely at tools on the Matco truck.

Half the tools on the truck are literally just repacked into a usually grey cardboard package that says Matco on it. The other half of their tools are physically rebranded, but not exclusive and can generally be found on Amazon under their OEM or a different brand name.

I could probably count on one hand the number of exclusive tools sold by Matco in 2023.

Eh, not sure about 1 hand, but rebrands abound.

When talking "shop equipment" type tools and things not reasonable to make in house, there's a lot of rebranding by all the trucks. Why build your own 3.6 pentastar timing kit, interchangeable screw in funnel, or AC machine?

Hand tools are probably the most unique on the Matco truck, which isn't saying a ton. That said, there are unique products, and things are available through them prior to the tool OEM selling it, often by 12+ months.

 

[Wamsutta]

Ugh... Have you ever heard of Apex/Gearwrench? Ever heard of Lisle or OTC or Sunex or Lang or Mayhew or Knipex?

Dude, you need to look more closely at tools on the Matco truck.

Half the tools on the truck are literally just repacked into a usually grey cardboard package that says Matco on it. The other half of their tools are physically rebranded, but not exclusive and can generally be found on Amazon under their OEM or a different brand name.

I could probably count on one hand the number of exclusive tools sold by Matco in 2023.

OK --- I'm pulling out all the stops now. At least MATCO has AJ Manufacturing making their ratchets exclusively. You can't get that ratchet with any other brand name besides MATCO. I hate to pull out the heavy artillery but you gave me no choice.

I insist on being right about something.

 

[ThePostman]

This guy. I've seen rebrands on every brand of truck, and I'm fortunate enough to see them all. But the only other places you'll find a Matco ratchet besides the truck, is their website, that's it for new, or, a pawn shop, eBay, craigslist, etc., and they won't be new, which isn't bad, my fixed head 3/8 I bought used, first thing I grab

 

[InjectorService]

What about the Gearwench ratchets?

 

[Vpick001]

Well, Matco sells the same Knipex cobra knockoffs that HF does (Doyle), so this wouldn’t surprise me.

 

[F-22]

By the way, the Tsunoda long reach pliers are 25$ on US Amazon, and ~18$ on Japanese Amazon. Those are made in Japan.

 

[Wamsutta]

Well, Matco sells the same Knipex cobra knockoffs that HF does (Doyle), so this wouldn’t surprise me.

You mean they're not using real Knipex Cobras no more? That's terrible.

 

[dallastide]

Not sure but I bought those Icon pliers on a whim the other day and I'm pretty impressed with them. They are rock solid with zero play and strong grip. The dip handles feel very similar to Snap On. Love my Snappy and Knipex pliers but $20 for a form factor that I won't be reaching for very often is tough to beat.

 

[Vpick001]

You mean they're not using real Knipex Cobras no more? That's terrible.

They still may sell those, too. But here is a pic of their knockoffs that are the same as the HF Doyle pliers. They’re fine Taiwanese pliers, but not at Matco prices.

I really hope some poor fella that doesn’t know better doesn’t warranty his Matco Knipex and get one of these.

 

[joel_400]

The running joke at our shop when the Matco truck shows up is "The Harbor freight truck is here" haha. So much of the stuff on there is made over seas though. But that's just the way of the world.
Joel

 

[AJHD]

OK --- I'm pulling out all the stops now. At least MATCO has AJ Manufacturing making their ratchets exclusively. You can't get that ratchet with any other brand name besides MATCO. I hate to pull out the heavy artillery but you gave me no choice.

I insist on being right about something.

It's not about right or wrong. Just the unfortunately shady reality of the tool business.

To be fair, there is at least one "exclusive" I forgot about...

The Astro Turbo Step drill bits. You can buy the HSS version from Astro (Amazon) and Matco. But you can only buy the Carbide version of the Turbo Step drill bits from Matco, unless I'm mistaken. I have a few of them.

 

[F-22]

Compared to Matco, I'd say my Toptul stuff looks much better. I wonder how their knock-off Cobra style pliers are like.

 

[bwringer]

Those pliers do the same thing, and they do have a lot in common, but they don't look identical.

That said, the price/quality of the Icon pliers is off the charts. They're high quality and a screaming deal, and you can march into any HF and grab a pair.

Their Doyle line of pinchy things and the Bremen line of locking pliers are also made in Taiwan and excellent quality at bargain prices.

 

[M635_Guy]

It's not about right or wrong. Just the unfortunately shady reality of the tool business.

It's not shady, it's just business. If Matco wanted exclusivity of the design, they have to pay the vendor for that, make it in-house or have a patent of some kind that gives them excluisive rights (assuming they don't license the patent). They might get a 6-month or year head-start with the factory, but that's something they pay for, and given their business model I doubt they're doing that - people are buying from the truck or they're not.