OTC 4512 Stinger 8 Piece Snap Internal / External Ring Pliers Set

[pipsters]

http://www.handsontools.com/OTC-451...Internal-External-Ring-Pliers-Set_p_2546.html

Are these made in USA? A local seller on CL wants $30 which seems like a good price but insists they are made in USA but the new price suggests otherwise, seems too cheap.

Also a good buy? I don't own any snap ring pliers, so I wanted a set, I was considering a KD Made in USA internal/external set that has removable tips or a Craftsman set with removable tips as well. Looking to spend around $20 but will go up to $30 for this set if it's worth it. Seems kinda redundant to have a bunch of pliers when just tips would work fine and take up a LOT less space.

Thoughts?

Craftsman 2 piece w/ changable tips

Not sure if these are good tips or not, I have no clue about snap rings

"Sixteen 0.038, 0.047 and 0.047 and 0.070 in. precision ground and hardened tips."

or KD tools 445 and 446 on ebay for $15 shipped

"0.039" diameter, 15 degree angle; 0.048" diameter, 15 degree angle; 0.074" diameter, 15 degree angle; 0.039" diameter, 45 degree angle; 0.047" diameter, 90 degree angle."

 

[bsaint]

Dude you don't want those. Get a set where you don't have to worry about changing bits because it ***** to keep track of them.

 

[pipsters]

I don't care about changing bits, that is fine, it's not a big deal to me.

 

[bsaint]

Its tedious tho. I have a standard big pair and a little pair from OTC I used forever and maybe once in a blue moon found a snap ring they didn't work on. I bought the kit from snapon and still only use two out of the kit.

I say +1 to the OTC kit regardless where they are made. They've held up well for me.

 

[MattT]

Are these made in USA? A local seller on CL wants $30 which seems like a good price but insists they are made in USA but the new price suggests otherwise, seems too cheap.

They look like the USA made ones everyone used to sell except the handles are slightly different compared to the older ones I have. Not sure where they're made now. The ones on CL are probably older anyways and may well be US made.

Dude you don't want those. Get a set where you don't have to worry about changing bits because it ***** to keep track of them.

Agreed. The only thing the interchangeable tip ones are OK for is a road box where space is at a premium.

 

[yo_its_ok]

stop being stingy and buy the OTC set. I purchased plenty of tools from OTC/ SPX when I worked in dealership, all were quality tools, and along the way purchased items for home. I had no idea their aluminum jack was made in Italy until I received it. I had assumed it was made in China, as it looked like it, 5 years later, still feels better than my shop jacks. Fumbling around with tips ? Left that behind in pre school.

 

[SS5150]

I have a set of those from Snap On from probably 15 yrs ago that I ended up bringing home....those tips just don't seem solid enough to me. I replaced them with a 4 piece set from Mac shortly after ( all straight tips but 4 different tip sizes, 3 plier sizes). I don't know who the OEM is of the Mac's but I've since seen that they're sold by just about everybody, and really aren't expensive. I've never broken any of them.

 

[airbuff101]

Well, The OTC shown in your Hanson link don't appear to be U.S. made....at all, I'm afraid.
I'm sure that they are merely "Snap Ring plier shaped Objects".......

The real ones that most folks have in mind were well made in U.S. by Milbar for decades. The familiar Milbar reversible snap ring pliers were private branded for Snappy, OTC,MAC, Matco, Cornwell, NAPA etc. Most offered them in Large blow molded cases of 12 pliers, 2pc sets, or 4pc. sets. Only difference in that excellent stuff was color of handles and markings. Any of them will last a couple lifetimes.
If OTC still offers the # 7123K non-Stinger branded 2pc. set with blue handles, 2 sizes (.038 & .070 tip dia.) that would suffice for the vast majority of automotive applications. Both internal and external. Tough stuff, made here.
You'd need a bit larger for FWD wheel bearing circlips, but not much else.

unbiased Rob..........

 

[pipsters]

Hi guys thanks for your feedback. I ended up blowing my budget (don't we all). I bought the Sears Craftsman pro 3 piece set, rebranded and made by A&E Tools in WI. Seemed to cover the widest range at the lowest price, while being US made. This was a long term purchase, hope I made the right decision.

http://www.aeincorporated.com/

 

[bsaint]

I cant find it on sears.com

 

[pipsters]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00947394000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

I bought from ebay though, paid $54 + shipping but I had a paypal credit from a book I sold online so I ended up paying just over $50.

 

[Cheapskate]

http://www.handsontools.com/OTC-451...Internal-External-Ring-Pliers-Set_p_2546.html

Are these made in USA? A local seller on CL wants $30 which seems like a good price but insists they are made in USA but the new price suggests otherwise, seems too cheap.

Those look identical to the set I paid less than $10 for at Harbor Freight. They flex a LOT while using them and I don't recommend them for anything more than once or twice a year home usage. I also have a set with the interchangeable tips and they **** even worse.

http://www.harborfreight.com/11-piece-snap-ring-pliers-set-92374.html

 

[pipsters]

Those look identical to the set I paid less than $10 for at Harbor Freight. They flex a LOT while using them and I don't recommend them for anything more than once or twice a year home usage. I also have a set with the interchangeable tips and they **** even worse.

http://www.harborfreight.com/11-piece-snap-ring-pliers-set-92374.html

They certainly do look identical! I emailed OTC and they told me they were imported. The 2 piece set Rob mentioned above actually was mentioned by the rep @ OTC as being US made.

 

[airbuff101]

Hi guys thanks for your feedback. I ended up blowing my budget (don't we all). I bought the Sears Craftsman pro 3 piece set, rebranded and made by A&E Tools in WI. Seemed to cover the widest range at the lowest price, while being US made. This was a long term purchase, hope I made the right decision.

http://www.aeincorporated.com/

Congrats,
You did fine.
Those are good pliers.
They were all the rage 20 years ago and Snappy had first exclusive rights to them back then as I remember.
A&E is good if you ever need a part/widget in the future.
Rob