tonyciambrone
Well-known member
Kill this thread with fire
Icon tool reviews.
- Thread starter woody 73
- Start date
Kill this thread with fire
WittHay
Well-known member
Why?
Justin Dow gave a review of Icon sockets after using them a month. Said that the new SBD Craftsman sockets showed less wear than the Icon's
I think HF holds the record for the softest socket made in recent years with that 13/16 one in the video.
All I can say is keep up the good work Harbor Freight. Make America proud
Justin Dow gave a review of Icon sockets after using them a month. Said that the new SBD Craftsman sockets showed less wear than the Icon's
I think HF holds the record for the softest socket made in recent years with that 13/16 one in the video.
All I can say is keep up the good work Harbor Freight. Make America proud
Charlie Danger
Member
So, you've been to Keokuk, Iowa?
platypus20
Well-known member
Is Montrose close enough??
you can't kill stupidity, clear evident some one wham it hard with an impact 24x7... must have been a busy shop not that I ever used a 13/16 socket in a blue moon. clear pattern of flip flopping KOL gone wild.... Talking about faking it. Like the other comment says... Give me a hammer, I'll make a dent on a snap-on socket, even if it is capture in video, and some one will blame the HF hammer is made too hard.....
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US is #2 globally in manufacturing.
See above ∆∆∆
Charlie Danger
Member
Yep! But Montrose does have some fine beef jerky!
CGarage
Well-known member
It was out of touch to release the Icon tool boxes. I can get Lista for less.
DSLTRK
Well-known member
I have been testing the 1/4" fixed head ratchet to see if it can have less backdrag.
Unfortunately the design is defective from the start and the issue can't be mitigated with a softer spring.
Any, and I mean any softer spring rate and the pawl will jam and stick to the gear, even lubricated with light oil.
The Icon line of ratchets have been a huge disappointment.
The only ones I could recommend are the stubby 3/8" and other 3/8" fixed head steel handled ratchets.
Andres26tnt
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 11, 2018
- Messages
- 994
No need for reviews, just take HF word, ICON beats Snap-on period.
Cheapskate
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2010
- Messages
- 219
This guy bought every ICON tool they had in stock(almost $2000 worth) and gives his one month review on them.
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DSLTRK
Well-known member
WittHay
Well-known member
You know you cant buy shares in Harbor Freight no matter how much people want to promote them . It just one rich guy getting richer selling imported stuff.
Take a chrome socket and hit it with a hammer, How can you put dents into hard metal .It will eventually crack or get out of round but not dent. If you went to a shop in the 80's everybody used Craftsman chrome 3/8 drive sockets on their air impacts and ratchets
Until somebody states that Kabo makes the HF Icon sockets and they had no problems with quality control control in their factory. I believe the reviews in this thread.
To have a Taiwan factory set up a new line of sockets and for HF to sell a deep 3/8 socket set for $20 something has to give. I am sure there are multiple tool factories in Taiwan that can copy any brand of US or German sockets for a cheap price
Take a chrome socket and hit it with a hammer, How can you put dents into hard metal .It will eventually crack or get out of round but not dent. If you went to a shop in the 80's everybody used Craftsman chrome 3/8 drive sockets on their air impacts and ratchets
Until somebody states that Kabo makes the HF Icon sockets and they had no problems with quality control control in their factory. I believe the reviews in this thread.
To have a Taiwan factory set up a new line of sockets and for HF to sell a deep 3/8 socket set for $20 something has to give. I am sure there are multiple tool factories in Taiwan that can copy any brand of US or German sockets for a cheap price
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ezover
Well-known member
So that’s what a fanboy looks like. Not sure where I would land if I was in my late teens and no sears craftsman to buy. Not trying to knock something I have never used but that ratchet sound just like the craftsman raised panels I have at home- workable but junk compared to anything else.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Why does it seem like every reviewer talks about impacting on chrome? Like it's normal to grab a chrome socket and buzz some wheels off?
Unless they mean the little 1/4 chuck impact drivers, not quite the same thing as a real impact gun.
Why does it seem like every reviewer talks about impacting on chrome? Like it's normal to grab a chrome socket and buzz some wheels off?
Unless they mean the little 1/4 chuck impact drivers, not quite the same thing as a real impact gun.
Because lots of people do it...
Mikeske
Well-known member
Why does it seem like every reviewer talks about impacting on chrome? Like it's normal to grab a chrome socket and buzz some wheels off?
Unless they mean the little 1/4 chuck impact drivers, not quite the same thing as a real impact gun.
It seems to me that some folks just want to grab whatever is handy. I never did that and always used impact sockets. I looked at the chrome sockets and knew I had made a sizable investment in my tools and used the tools as they were designed. I guess some folks just do not use their investments as they should. I don’t judge what they do with their money. Maybe by using them as designed I was able to over thirty five years of use with only two broken sockets.
The Fall
Well-known member
I caught the tail end of the CMan USA period. (My dad got me a big mechanics set for Christmas in 2011 -- just in time!) And having gone through the history of Powr-Kraft and even Wizard and SK being in auto parts stores (albeit a different incarnation of SK) -- the only thing I can walk away from it is it's a shame that you can't buy a better-than-decent complete tool line from a department/auto parts store anymore, at least one domestically produced.
I think that guy spent something like $2k on Icon tools. I was kind of interested in these, just in the sense that HF was attempting to carry a respectable (imported) tool line. I wasn't going to be purchasing many (if any). But I believe the reviews here. It's not that big of a deal: I've got enough tools to last the apocalypse. The ratchet recall is proving this launch to be a boondoggle.
I think that guy spent something like $2k on Icon tools. I was kind of interested in these, just in the sense that HF was attempting to carry a respectable (imported) tool line. I wasn't going to be purchasing many (if any). But I believe the reviews here. It's not that big of a deal: I've got enough tools to last the apocalypse. The ratchet recall is proving this launch to be a boondoggle.
I’ll admit it, as much as I poked the bear here because the die hard Snap On guys are easy to rile up... I found all of my email receipts from Harbor Freight and returned over $425 worth of Icon tools I purchased. No hassle and they gave me cash back. I didn’t call for the gimmick. I was interested in this line from the start and thought they’d be as good as Carlyle and compliment my Carlyle collection nicely. I thought the line filled a void that Sears left behind years ago. Quality tools for a DIY’er such as myself. All of those bad reviews and the lack of Icon extension bars... I felt like I was stupid to even buy anything Icon and decided to return it. It is what it is.
You returned used tools for cash, no hassle?
I've only picked up a few items myself. 3/8 fixed ratchet, 1/2 breaker bar and I grabbed the snap ring pliers set just last night. I haven't seen or read any issues with any of these particular items and the ratchet is a welcomed improvement over the old RP Craftsman. I'll have to see how it holds up over time, but I've never managed to break any ratchet so it'll probably be fine for my uses. With the current 20% off coupon what I bought seemed like a good value.
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I have no interest in reviewing Icon, the in-store handling was enough to turn me off, especially the ratchets. Their sockets are a dime a dozen. Their wrenches are OK but do we really have a shortage of good Taiwan wrenches in the mkt? Their tool storage is way overpriced... So far, as far as I'm concerned, the Icon line is a disappointment. Too bad.
Why does it seem like every reviewer talks about impacting on chrome? Like it's normal to grab a chrome socket and buzz some wheels off?
Unless they mean the little 1/4 chuck impact drivers, not quite the same thing as a real impact gun.
I've been using my chrome mostly 3/8 drive Craftsman sockets with a Dewalt impact for years. Never really gave it any thought to buy impact sockets and I've maybe broken three sockets.
I recently ordered a complete set of Sunex impacts to correct my ways. Honestly, I never realized it was a safety concern. No one had ever brought it up.
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No hassle. Cleaned them up, put them back in the original retail packaging which I saved and returned them. The woman didn’t seem like she cared. She asked what was wrong and I told her the quality wasn’t there for what I paid and that comparing these tools to truck quality was nonsense. I kept the two breaker bars I had because those were obviously well used and I purchased them outside of the 90 day return policy.
Now, before anyone jumps my ****, allow me to explain. I touted Icon mainly because the Snap On fan boys got so upset over it and well... I enjoy poking the bear for my amusement. I do it daily on Facebook just to get people riled up. In regards to the Icon line, they have their flaws. Shorty after Dow’s video, I noticed some slight marring around the drive end of my 3/8’s sockets. Wasn’t that big of a deal to me but the other brands I own don’t have that problem. The ratchets ****. The 1/4” drive was gritty and difficult to turn. The 3/8” felt clunky and felt like the gear was warped or something. It would move freely and then get tight. I also wasn’t a fan of the selector switches being as bulky as they were. I had high hopes that this line would be on par with my Carlyle stuff (because I despise shopping at my local NAPA’s) but alas, they were not. Carlyle is light years better than this stuff. Sad to say. Like I said, it also bothered me that extension bars and universal joints were not available. I understand this was a small roll-out, but it could’ve been better and offered a few more items that are necessary to selling sockets and ratchets. That being said, yes... I returned them and I don’t care. Maybe I’ll try the brand again if they roll out more product and fix their quality control issues, but until then... I’ll pass.
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This. Why do people find that entertaining? To me, it makes folks look dim witted... time heavy... or... I dunno. Ya gotta piss other people off to smile? What does that say?
In any regard... Please don't do that. That's not what this joint is about.
Thanks,
Ryan
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2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
While safety is a concern, I just hate using wallowed out sockets and drive tools. They get to the point where they don't stay on ratchets/extensions properly anymore. I have a coworker whose main 1/2 extension is an old snap on chrome. It cannot be retained by anything anymore, unless you physically hold it to the drive tool. Some of his sockets are like that too; and I watch the tools fall off his impact over and over and over on the same job.
Just doesn't make sense to me.
Eventually chrome tools do become worn, especially if you're prone to hitting drive tools with the palm of your hand to break free fasteners, or repeatedly pulling in a jerking motion on seized stuff. I consider this "approved use". Hand power. About the most offensive things a tool truck driver has ever said to me was accusing me of impacting on chrome. I have a couple dedicated Kobalt sockets for low clearance application I will impact on to remove tires when aftermarket wheels have small lug nut holes.
The little 1/4 hex chuck impact drivers, I'm not too worried about using chrome on that. My m12 hex driver is rated at something like 10 ft/lbs; which I'm sure is vastly overstated like most impacting tools.
The Fall
Well-known member
You gave the line a shot. No biggie. Glad they refunded you.
do what this guy said!!!!
The Fall
Well-known member
You guys mentioned Carlyle Tools on here. I don't buy many imported tools (10% of purchases or less). Are they still respected? Is it just re-braded Gearwrench (or the factory that produces them)? Or has the quality gone down recently? Fedwrench seems to be the authority on all of this stuff.
The Justin Dow review on those Icon sockets is brutal. My Ideal-era SKs have been used heavily, and the most commonly used sizes (1/2" and 9/16") look much better than the 8mm after more than two years of the same kind of use.
The Justin Dow review on those Icon sockets is brutal. My Ideal-era SKs have been used heavily, and the most commonly used sizes (1/2" and 9/16") look much better than the 8mm after more than two years of the same kind of use.
The Fall
Well-known member
Thanks for that info on Carlyle. And I agree regarding Icon vs SK, Wright, Williams, etc. I mentioned the same thing earlier. Their price point isn't that far behind the quality USA industrial lines and SK. My sockets are all SK, Wright, Proto and Williams.
The Fall
Well-known member
I should also mention I'm glad that they are. I've never busted one. And they look good for all the breaker bars I've had on them.
Parrothead
Well-known member
I think the real question is why buy Quinn over the Pittsburgh Pro sockets. They’re the exact same sockets in the same packaging with the only difference being the stickers, handle color or a blue or red painted stripe.
The truth of the matter is, Icon hasn’t really solved the problem HF had, and that’s full sets with no skips and singles. 8-19 in a 3/8 drive isn’t going to cut it. That doesn’t even beat Tekton, yet alone Snap-on.
Nineeightyone
Well-known member
This is the biggest thing I've got a gripe with, in the realm of HF tool sets. A brief look at my post history shows that I'm generally a fan of the HF tools, but skipped sizes are the bane of my existence. I work on a fair number of different things, and don't ever want to be in a situation where I don't have the correct size of a tool to do a job.
No skips is a major selling point for me, and has often driven me to look at other brands. ICON should definitely be all-inclusive in terms of size, at the given price point.
WittHay
Well-known member
It was mainly 3/8 drive air ratchets that were used with chrome sockets. The 3/8 drive air impacts if used were not that powerful . The Snap-on chromes were saved and the Craftsman was used instead of 3/8 impact sockets back in the day. Cheap and easy to warranty. Old Snap-on air ratchet in the picture
Even with impact sockets readily available,present day mechanics like Justin Dow still seem to use the chrome in smaller sizes
Even with impact sockets readily available,present day mechanics like Justin Dow still seem to use the chrome in smaller sizes
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Stooge
Well-known member
yeah, but you really weren't, and no one is putting up $450 as a dig to some strangers on the internet. you were trying to troll people who use tools daily as a major part of their job, have infinite more real world experience than you in seeing what tools work, where to spend and where you can save, what to have confidence in, etc. so it just came off as lame, ill informed and predictable to everyone else when you thought you were 'poking the bear'.