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markings on snap on sockets. owners markings or something else?

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toolmuchtool

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
Messages
75
I would file a complaint, because I'm sure he misled you on purpose. I have a feeling some of those other sockets and maybe wrenches he has for sale might have the same etching on them. You would be helping others out so they don't get burned by this bum. It might make him think about being more truthful in his listing unless he do care about his rating. Good luck, I think you win the case. Please let us know how it turns out. : )
 

Adam.C

Banned
Joined
Jan 29, 2013
Messages
1,490
ok so these are not a govt. surplus then correct?

Not so fast. American Factory Workers is some sort of union or organization. Their initials would never be etched onto a tool. If you work for GM, the sockets would likely be marked GM, not UAW.

In truth we have no idea

AFW is Airforce Weather. If you do a google search for acronyms (initialisms) Airforce weather comes first for AFW. The 14th squadron is located in Asheville NC. The 25th is in Davis-Monthan (guess which state--you got it AZ).

How many orgs/individuals do you know that buy brand new SAE Snap On and have it laser etched? Car mechanics don't buy SAE and don't laser etch something like this. If they did, they would use their initials or name. I work for a big company. We use 100% Snap On tools, buy the boxes with everything in it (all shadowed- pretty cool). All the tools are laser etched with our company's initials.

I buy tools on the Snap On truck, typically on special when possible. No chance of getting them laser etched. Fundamentally, these are tools from some industrial customer. So why aren't they still with that customer? Did they fall off the back of a truck?

Judging from his completed listings and clever deceptive descriptions, I get the sense he is some sort of pawn guy perhaps. His current user name is only from Oct 2013. He's been a member since 2002. So, he could be ex military or ex USG employee. Or he may be selling items pawned.

I vote you send them back and move on.
 
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mike91lx

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Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
115
yeah looks like im all set, seller finally agreed to take them back, thanks everyone for the help
 

gtermini

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Joined
Feb 1, 2013
Messages
533
Location
Amity, OR
That seller has pretty darn good prices, but I don't want a bunch of marked up sockets in my box. :lol_hitti

Greyson
 

1950mercury

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Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
2,246
Location
metro detroit
It say in the description they may be etched....od say yoir screwed you should have tead the auction...ive been burned b4 and dont go buy pics always read the description
 
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gagreen

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Mar 22, 2013
Messages
779
Location
Colorado
That is not how the air force marks their tools. The tool would be marked with a ctk number that is much more unique than those markings that allow the tool to be returned and accounted for easier. I would say that these have a good chance of being a run off from a factory that were mislabeled and then sold off at a sale as they were marked wrong.

Nothing about these point to being stolen to me. I'd just use them, or learn a lesson and if I want a tool in new condition, buy it off the truck.
 

Marc Benjamin

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Joined
Jun 22, 2014
Messages
638
Location
Napa California
I think for the sake of being practical, the OP could have just shrugged off the laser marking situation and just called it a day. Heck, even if there was a very remote possibility that those were stolen, I say so what and who's gonna bust you anyway for a few sockets. You bought those in good faith.

I think the problem with those comes to play the day th OP tries to warranty them. Which on paper does't apply to the non original buyer but since that's not a hard rule (yet) we go out end seek out un marked stuff as much as possible.
 

thebeekeeper1

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Sep 5, 2012
Messages
1,011
Location
Illinois
The OP didn't pay "full price"--the auction says best offer accepted. The pics aren't that good, but they aren't deceptive either, given the clear admonition in the description saying the item received MAY have engravings. At least they are nice laser etching and not some vibrating pen home done job. If they are users and not museum pieces I can't imagine a reason to raise a fuss.
 
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mike91lx

Well-known member
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Jul 29, 2014
Messages
115
Like I said it wasn't a huge deal to me i just put the thread up to see what the markings were, and I was going to let it slide but what everyone said about possibly having warranty issues got me a little nervous.
 

kelpaso1

MEMBER EMERITUS
Joined
Sep 28, 2009
Messages
3,962
Location
New Brunswick
I don't see what the big deal is. If they are NEW SO sockets then just use them. That etching will wear off in a year anyway. As far as warranty i have only warrantied 2 SO sockets that I bought 30 years ago (and used professionally for 30 years). A 12 mm 3/8 drive and a 10mm 1/4 drive simply cause they wore out and didn't grip the bolt any more. I have used and abused my SO sockets with impacts and have never broken one.

As far as the loser not mentioning the engravings, well.... dishonest people all over ebay and CL.

With SO if you just email them with your worn out or broken socket they usually send you a new one and don't even require a pic or have to send it in. Just use them for the next 30 years.
 

Tejaas

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Joined
Mar 13, 2013
Messages
743
Location
TX Hill Country
The letter coding is as per DOD tool accountability and recoverability regulations in regard to third party supplier / local purchase / "government card" acquisition and ideally is a step that helps to prevent the card holder from stocking his garage up on uncle sams dime.

When the army uses a third party supplier for Class 2 items, It is a vendor requirement to be marked in this manner - otherwise they get dropped as a supplier in the DOD "SKO" program. (sets-kits-outfits). Yes, Uncle Sam has to play by different warranty rules.... Example: If an Army furnished Snap-On tool is unserviceable, the ARMY replaces the tool with like item via SKO, not snap-on.... The broken tool is then demilitarized and usually sold as scrap, exported, or sold as mixed lots via gov auctions.

Your socket was probably bulk/mixed lot purchased at a gov liquidation site... Since it is serviceable, the SKO site probably now furnishes an alternate toolkit meaning this item is classified by FEDLOG as obsolete, or "issue until depleted from inventory".

This is extremely common.

The barracks lawyers on here screaming "stolen property" should realize that these tools, being untracked (no serial number) are allowed an extreme leeway of being classified as being either a consumable item, or deemed a "field loss" at the slightest opportunity, sometimes as easily as the item was in use or not present at the time a property book inventory was being completed and therefore it was dropped from the property book.

Yep, it's a classic example of fraud waste and abuse, which the Military preaches about constantly.

Enjoy your socket!
 
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