matt chard
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Any reviews on master mechanic tools? My dad has master mechanic sockets and their great but their also 30 years old so how are the new ones quality?
master mechanic
- Thread starter matt chard
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TwoInch
Well-known member
i have some sockets are pretty much identical to danaher craftsman. i think a ujoint also.
are yours similar to craftsman?
are yours similar to craftsman?
stratman977
Well-known member
In the old days sockets and wrenches were probably made by Easco. The screwdrivers were Vermont American.
The newer stuff is the garden variety hardware store china stuff from what I have seen. Nothing special and usually over priced.
The newer stuff is the garden variety hardware store china stuff from what I have seen. Nothing special and usually over priced.
TwoInch
Well-known member
i forgot to mention that. yes the new stuff under master mechanic brand is all garbage china ****.
i was surprised when i came across the stuff i have that was USA made a decent.
OP
matt chard
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Do you think they would be alright for light use?
They'll be fine. I've got several round head fine tooth ratchets that are nice. Easco made. Post pics of yours.
Mr.Nutcase
Well-known member
their early Taiwan tools were better than the china one. you get them at truevalue
then around 2004 they went Taiwan, and china, they were usa made
then around 2004 they went Taiwan, and china, they were usa made
John in OH
Well-known member
The quality of new Master Mechanic tools can be all over the place. My wife wanted a collection of screwdrivers to keep in her kitchen junk drawer for her occasional use so I picked up a set of 8 Master Mech. screwdrivers for $10. Made in China. I've used them a time or two myself and they're actually not too bad and she's happy.
On the other hand, I also got her a set of 6 pliers (needle nose, linesman, channel lock, regular and another or two) again for about $10 for the set, and they were total junk. Tossed them out and replaced them for her with a set of Cmans.
On the other hand, I also got her a set of 6 pliers (needle nose, linesman, channel lock, regular and another or two) again for about $10 for the set, and they were total junk. Tossed them out and replaced them for her with a set of Cmans.
absolutelybillsmood
Well-known member
I have a number of 80's era master mechanic tools I got from my dad, including a circular saw...they still work fine...I've never bought any of their new stuff
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TwoInch
Well-known member
i have a 3/8s corded drill that is a master mechanic branded. also have almost the same model in a skil branding, but the skil is also a hammer drill. totally forgot about that.
jakemac
Well-known member
I used to work at a True Value for 7 years.
For a while, Skil was making the Master Mechanic drills for True Value. It changed in the mid-2000's. IDK who is making them now, but last I knew it was some no-name in China.
For handtools, the old stuff was mostly USA made, then mftrg went overseas. I don't remember when (90's maybe ?). The old stuff was fairly good. The Taiwan made was somewhat passible. The China made stuff is only good for disposables, just to get a job done. The quality of the new stuff is getting worse.
The measure of a good True Value member (it's a CO-OP, not a franchise) now is to look at what 3rd party venders they're carrying. We used to carry Enderes and other US makers (my mind is blank now). If all the store carries is Master Mechanic and Buyer's Value then walk out and drive to the next town. If they cheap out on their tool selection, they'll be cheaping out on everything else.
Toward the end of their USA supply the hand tool division of Stanley was supplying them their tools. The ratchets were kind of unique in that they were ~40 tooth round heads with the entire directional switch acting as the pressure plate for the quick release mechanism (not like the Easco RHFT with the center section a button in other words). This would of been around the time they took Black Hawk overseas (now back again apparently). No idea who makes Master Mechanic stuff now but its been imported for the better part of the last 10 years.
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mercman86
Well-known member
Jeez, I didn't think they still made those. Our local tru-value went away over 10 years ago. My dad still has a few sockets left from the late 70's and 80's laying around. All of them are Taiwan. They seem to have survived ok.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
I have two Tru-Test socket sets which even pre-date Master Mechanic brand!
Flatintoone
Well-known member
I believe Tru-test was Proto-sourced. I have some Master Mechanic USA sockets and accessories, and they seem good. I have a partial socket set with a picture of Tom Sneva's 1983 Indy winner on the label that says "Made in Taiwan", so I'd guess the change was made early to mid 80s or before. Unless they changed suppliers along the way... (I have a few USA sockets that I suspect are newer, but have no way to tell.)
First set I ever bought was Taiwan made 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 ratchet sets in their own little red tin boxes. About 1984-85. Still have and use the ratchets mainly, the sockets are 12 point. I've warranted the 1/4" ratchet twice, but I haven't seen it lately. Sad to hear it's gone to poor quality china made.
OP
matt chard
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The little red tin boxes is also what my dad has and they are pretty nice for what I have used them for
So, were these Stanley or Easco? I'm guessing Stanley, because mine is Taiwan. Looks to be one of the first Stanley offshoring stab in the back deals from the 80's.
I used my M1250 today and cannot believe how nice a well broken in 40 tooth ratchet can feel.
Funny how my internet search today returned me right back to the GJ and Skins answer!
I used my M1250 today and cannot believe how nice a well broken in 40 tooth ratchet can feel.
Funny how my internet search today returned me right back to the GJ and Skins answer!
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Coach James
Well-known member
I have a bunch of Master Mechanic sockets I got on closeout from our Tru Value ~ 10 years ago I think. Sizes ranged from 3/8 up to 1 1/8.
They were 25 cents each. The brand was ground off each one, but I could make out enough letters to se they were Master Mechanic. I'm not sure why they were sold so cheap as the store still carries Master Mechanic hand tools including sockets.
They have seen a lot of use and never had a problem with any of them.
Coach
They were 25 cents each. The brand was ground off each one, but I could make out enough letters to se they were Master Mechanic. I'm not sure why they were sold so cheap as the store still carries Master Mechanic hand tools including sockets.
They have seen a lot of use and never had a problem with any of them.
Coach
pretty sure the master mechanic brand is/was sold at my local true value hardware store. anyways when i was like 16 or so and didnt have very many tools or experience, i remember multiple times putting the jack handle on a master mechanic 3/8" ratchet for leverage. dont think that ratchet ever broke or skipped either
I worked at a small town True Value from 1988 to 1992 and was around as an auto mechanic right across the street until 1995. In 1988 I bought my first MM sockets in 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 sizes with my employee discount. They were the red tin boxes. The inside lid has the graphic with the Indy Car (CART or USAC back then) in the red / white / blue banner. They were 12 point and made in Taiwan. I still have them.
Through that four year period I added metric sockets and deep wells. They were all on clip rails, except the 1/2 drive SAE deeps. Those were also in the tin box with the Indy Car sticker. All were Taiwan, except the rail of 1/2 drive metric sockets with no CCO.
The open stock was USA made during that time. I added extensions, breaker bars, a flex head ratchet and various one off sockets that weren't in the original sets. They were all USA made. Seems like the Danaher stuff of the last decade -- same design regardless of COO, the difference was sets versus open stock. I shelled the 1/4 and 3/8 ratchets once or twice by the mid 90's. Replaced with the same design but USA COO. They were warrantied with no hassle. I found them comparable to Craftsman of the day but since they were local rather than the next town over it was better for warranty.
I also bought combination wrenches in the same time frame. There were the non polished style. Looks like today's Husky. At that time frame, the wrenches no longer had that look of the Esco design, with the long tear drop logo shape. But the OEM supplier must have transitioned away from Easco not too much earlier. The store had opened in '86 and we still had open stock MM wrenches of the Easco design. The sets and open stock were Taiwan made in the late 80's but by the mid 90's the open stock was USA made. I still have those sets all Taiwan made, except where I lost a wrench and replaced it with USA made of the same style. I never broke one, including pounding on them and doubling them up. The Taiwan wrenches said "Master Mechanic" in print but the USA made wrenches had the stylized girder "Master Mechanic" logo.
Around 90 or 91, MM came out with the "Fiber Steel" ratchet. It was a plastic encased fine tooth ratchet. Sort of a pear head design with a flatter handle. These sets were still in the red tin boxes. The lid decal changed to all red with the stylized girder log. Sets include both metric and SAE sets, six point (yeah). Taiwan made. I loved these ratchets. Great in cold weather. I still have the 3/8 set. It's complete. I lost the 1/2 drive ratchet around 1993 or 1994. I have the 1/4 set, but the ratchet got shelled in the late 90's and by that time they didn't make the ratchet any more. I got it warrantied, but it was the old round head design. USA made though. (The sad part is that ratchet was shucked for a while and the local TV store had this lone fiber steel ratchet in stock -- but by the time I took the ratchet in the lone unit was sold.)
MM screwdrivers were all USA made. In the late '80's these were red/clear handles, but by the mid 90's they were black/clear. I have a mix of both. Some of the red were warrantied and some of it was filling out sets. Very comparable to the Craftsman of today, but the handle designs were and still are different.
We also had the Enders brand. There were no sets, just open stock. I always envisioned building out sets of punches and screw drivers in Enders. But it never went on sale and the MM specials caught my dollars. The guys that knew Enders though -- they would come in and pay the price.
I have MM tool boxes. In the late 80's they were Homak. By the mid 90's they were Waterloo. Pretty interchangeable with Craftsman of the day. These boxes took a beating when I worked in the trades, but are still superior to anything home grade today.
The MM socket sets are still my "go to" I have in filled them with some 6 point USA Craftsman from the 1990's and I have full sets of 3/8 Proto (2 sets) and SK that I have picked over time. Plus sets if 1/4 and 1/2 of name brands. All USA made. But my original MM tools are still complete. They are the sets I made my living with.
Same said with my MM wrenches. I have a full rail or Proto's, USA Huskies, roughly 2 sets of mixed USA brands. I have full sets of SAE and Metric USA Craftsman gear drives (before they went overseas and the price dropped to equal gear wrench). But those 25 year old MM's are still my go to -- a mix of nostalgia and that they do the job.
Through that four year period I added metric sockets and deep wells. They were all on clip rails, except the 1/2 drive SAE deeps. Those were also in the tin box with the Indy Car sticker. All were Taiwan, except the rail of 1/2 drive metric sockets with no CCO.
The open stock was USA made during that time. I added extensions, breaker bars, a flex head ratchet and various one off sockets that weren't in the original sets. They were all USA made. Seems like the Danaher stuff of the last decade -- same design regardless of COO, the difference was sets versus open stock. I shelled the 1/4 and 3/8 ratchets once or twice by the mid 90's. Replaced with the same design but USA COO. They were warrantied with no hassle. I found them comparable to Craftsman of the day but since they were local rather than the next town over it was better for warranty.
I also bought combination wrenches in the same time frame. There were the non polished style. Looks like today's Husky. At that time frame, the wrenches no longer had that look of the Esco design, with the long tear drop logo shape. But the OEM supplier must have transitioned away from Easco not too much earlier. The store had opened in '86 and we still had open stock MM wrenches of the Easco design. The sets and open stock were Taiwan made in the late 80's but by the mid 90's the open stock was USA made. I still have those sets all Taiwan made, except where I lost a wrench and replaced it with USA made of the same style. I never broke one, including pounding on them and doubling them up. The Taiwan wrenches said "Master Mechanic" in print but the USA made wrenches had the stylized girder "Master Mechanic" logo.
Around 90 or 91, MM came out with the "Fiber Steel" ratchet. It was a plastic encased fine tooth ratchet. Sort of a pear head design with a flatter handle. These sets were still in the red tin boxes. The lid decal changed to all red with the stylized girder log. Sets include both metric and SAE sets, six point (yeah). Taiwan made. I loved these ratchets. Great in cold weather. I still have the 3/8 set. It's complete. I lost the 1/2 drive ratchet around 1993 or 1994. I have the 1/4 set, but the ratchet got shelled in the late 90's and by that time they didn't make the ratchet any more. I got it warrantied, but it was the old round head design. USA made though. (The sad part is that ratchet was shucked for a while and the local TV store had this lone fiber steel ratchet in stock -- but by the time I took the ratchet in the lone unit was sold.)
MM screwdrivers were all USA made. In the late '80's these were red/clear handles, but by the mid 90's they were black/clear. I have a mix of both. Some of the red were warrantied and some of it was filling out sets. Very comparable to the Craftsman of today, but the handle designs were and still are different.
We also had the Enders brand. There were no sets, just open stock. I always envisioned building out sets of punches and screw drivers in Enders. But it never went on sale and the MM specials caught my dollars. The guys that knew Enders though -- they would come in and pay the price.
I have MM tool boxes. In the late 80's they were Homak. By the mid 90's they were Waterloo. Pretty interchangeable with Craftsman of the day. These boxes took a beating when I worked in the trades, but are still superior to anything home grade today.
The MM socket sets are still my "go to" I have in filled them with some 6 point USA Craftsman from the 1990's and I have full sets of 3/8 Proto (2 sets) and SK that I have picked over time. Plus sets if 1/4 and 1/2 of name brands. All USA made. But my original MM tools are still complete. They are the sets I made my living with.
Same said with my MM wrenches. I have a full rail or Proto's, USA Huskies, roughly 2 sets of mixed USA brands. I have full sets of SAE and Metric USA Craftsman gear drives (before they went overseas and the price dropped to equal gear wrench). But those 25 year old MM's are still my go to -- a mix of nostalgia and that they do the job.
1foxracing
Well-known member
I worked at a True Value hardware/lumber place 1984-86. All of the Master Mechanic stuff we had was USA made and I still have some of my stuff from then.
Larryjones
Well-known member
Back in the mid 80's I bought a MM Easco half inch ratchet for a couple bucks and a few sockets for a quarter each at Big Lots.
Thanks for sharing Zeke. Your experiences with MM mirror my own. In the early 80's I lived closer to the True Value store, but by 85 I lived only a mile from Sears. I "babied " my MM ratchets in that if a hammer or cheater came into play, the Cman ratchets got it, while I saved the MM ratchets because I liked them better.
My 3/8" ratchet is pretty well broken in and smooth. I used the 1/2" today and it is much coarser. I think I was abusing the C man 1/2" so much doing things that a breaker bar should have been in play that the MM just sat!
My 3/8" ratchet is pretty well broken in and smooth. I used the 1/2" today and it is much coarser. I think I was abusing the C man 1/2" so much doing things that a breaker bar should have been in play that the MM just sat!
Larryjones
Well-known member
Finally got pictures.
