Par X

[Seagoon]

I have just found my favourite quarter drive ratchet, which has been hiding away inside a piece of tubing for 10 years I was really lucky - I don't even know how it got in there but I heard it slide as I was throwing the tube on to the scrap pile. If I hadn't heard the noise it would have been gone forever.
It's a Par-X which I had never heard of, but I have been told that it is a cheaper brand name from Snap-On. Is there any truth in this story?
I don't really care because it is such a nice tool to hold but it would be interesting to find out.

 

[woody 73]

Yes back in the day starting in the early 1960's snap on made par- x to be a cheaper line-up to their own snap-on line of tools. At least for me I don't run across them very much in my many tool hunts, maybe one or two items every few years.

 

[Seagoon]

That probably explains why I haven't heard of them over here. Snap-On are well known and Blue Point are known but not so well, but I have never met anyone else with a ParX tool.Thanks for the info.

 

[Harrison2]

par x was like a early version of blue point, stuff comes up on ebay UK from time to time.

 

[C96]

I have a couple Par-X screwdrivers that I acquired used from back in the ‘70s. Never paid much attention to them and I just kept them as beater tools for lack of a better term. They have a translucent yellow handle and seem to be made well. I can tell you they do take a beating and are still in very useable condition. Until now, I had no idea they were part of Snap-On and most my tools are Snap-On…Lol. Shame on me for being so ignorant and abusing of these fine tools. Well, I have a whole new respect for them now. I will retrieve them from my junk tool drawer, clean them up and give them a new home where they rightfully belong, in my Snap Snap-On tool chest.

 

[Luke M]

I'm positive my boss has a few Par-X spanners maybe even a full set. I will have to have a better look on Monday as they never took my interest until now.

 

[Hyster Gareth]

I have quite a bit of Par-X which was given to me by my father. He acquired it all in the late 1970s as I recall and used to deal with a Snap On dealer in Slough Berkshire.

 

[INSP380]

Just had my SO dealer service my 1/4 Par-X . I really thought it had died. He took it apart, cleaned and lubed, told me I was good to go for another 30 years. Still have the full set in the original box, plus a few extensions. Funny, I grab this set over my SO set 9 times out of 10 and the guts are identical. I just like the Par-X !

Steve

 

[rockinacummins]

I bought a Par-X 3/8 speeder handle at the swap meet for like a dollar. And I may have at least one or two Par-X combination wrenches but they are in my spare wrench drawer. I think they look and feel really good. And even if they are "lower end" Snap On, they say USA on them. So I like em!

 

[kams1973]

I have a couple sets of ParX wrenches I've pieced together over the years. I absolutely love them.

 

[Badger 13]

I have a set of Par X wrenches in my "traveling" tool kit.

 

[bob from indiana]

I had a Par-X three drawer tool box back in the 80s. It was well built. The guy I got it from had some Par-X tools they were ok. I remember our Snap on guy having them on the truck back then.