Pratt Reed

[Flivver250]

Just ordered a pick set. I have never heard of this US company before. When I get them I'll give a report card on them. I still have a 35 year old SO set, but everyone can use two sets.

 

[Askme42]

Just ordered a pick set. I have never heard of this US company before. When I get them I'll give a report card on them. I still have a 35 year old SO set, but everyone can use two sets.

The craftsman screwdrivers everyone recognizes. They make those and virtually any other usa made screwdriver with that handle. Been around a long time.

 

[mmack66]

The craftsman screwdrivers everyone recognizes. They make those and virtually any other usa made screwdriver with that handle. Been around a long time.

Western Forge makes/made the Craftsman screwdrivers.

 

[alan camby]

Western Forge makes/made the Craftsman screwdrivers.

If the craftsman screwdriver has a PR on the handle it is Pratt reed.

Rural king sells PR

 

[SMKS]

Just ordered a pick set. I have never heard of this US company before. When I get them I'll give a report card on them. I still have a 35 year old SO set, but everyone can use two sets.

Good choice. They're a real bargain. I have them branded Pratt Read and branded Masterforce from Menards.

The craftsman screwdrivers everyone recognizes. They make those and virtually any other usa made screwdriver with that handle. Been around a long time.

Western Forge makes/made the Craftsman screwdrivers.

Well, you're both sort of correct.

At one time or another Pratt-Read and WF made Craftsman screwdrivers. It was easy to tell, because the ones made by PR had a little "PR" on them and the ones made by WF had a little "WF" on them.

In my area, you'd see 99% WF Craftsman drivers and almost never a PR driver.

It's not totally clear to me how PR is living under the Ideal umbrella. Ideal now owns both Western Forge and Pratt-Read and the PR facility on the east coast shut down several years ago.

EDIT - here's more info. Ideal bought the PR assets and moved the machinery into one of their other facilities. PR still exists, sort of, under the Ideal umbrella:
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/Workers-hope-for-aid-in-closing-537957.php

"We bought only the assets of PR," Roberta McQuade, an Ideal Industries spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. "We never operated the Shelton facility. We took the equipment and integrated it into our existing operations. . . . We are making the PR line of screwdrivers today out of our existing facilities."

 

[Askme42]

ahhh menards that's where I see all the Pratt reed. Not craftsman. My bad.

 

[Tellingthem]

I have the stubby set and the extra long set. I like them both just fine and in fact I like their handles a bit more than the western forge craftsman ones.

 

[jakemac]

Pratt-Read, like Western Forge, rebranded their tools for several other labels.

Here are several that I found in my toolchest (from the top) :

Pratt-Read
Klein
Stanley
Master Mechanic (True Value)
Pratt-Read

(It's about time someone posted a picture )

 

[jeffmoss26]

I am pretty sure Klein made/makes their own screwdrivers.

 

[bob15]

I am pretty sure Klein made/makes their own screwdrivers.

Maybe they don't make all their screwdrivers were in-house:

http://ewweb.com/business/ideal-industries-acquires-pratt-read-bolster-hand-tool-lines

 

[McFarmer]

The Pratt-Reed picks are good, the screwdrivers I've not been impressed with. I have two sets of the black hard handles, nothing special.

 

[alan camby]

I am pretty sure Klein made/makes their own screwdrivers.

I think Klein bought Vaco. There is probably some Vaco technology in Klein screwdrivers.
The plain yellow (no rubber grip) on the klein screwdriver page are labeled Vaco. Does not really indicate it of the site but I am pretty sure that if you ordered one it would say Vaco on the screwdriver.

Edit
"1986 Klein acquired Vaco Products Company, of Jonesville, MI, a major manufacturer of screwdrivers, nut drivers, hex-key wrenches, electrical terminals and connectors, plus other related equipment. This acquisition expanded Klein's market coverage and added new lines of tools and supplies to the company's product line."

from here
http://www.kleintools.com/content/history

 

[alan camby]

Klein does not indicate it, but all these will be labeled Vaco if you order them.

http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/screwdrivers-nut-drivers-accessories/plastic-handle-screwdrivers

http://www.kleintools.com/catalog/screwdrivers-nut-drivers-accessories/plastic-handle-nut-drivers

 

[alan camby]

The Pratt-Reed picks are good, the screwdrivers I've not been impressed with. I have two sets of the black hard handles, nothing special.

In my Experience, Pratt-Read has several different levels of quality in their Pratt-Read labeled drivers. Some of them are extremely cheap in cost and quality. Rural king has a bucket of $1.50 each, #2 Phillips Pratt-read, drivers that are not much better then a Chinese driver from the flee market.
Some of their drivers are very nice.

 

[Tellingthem]

Here are my sets (the ones on top and the stubby set bottom right). I got some more of the MasterForce ones in another box. They are still pretty new but so far I'm happy with them.

 

[stonesfan68]

FWIW, I have the pick set that the OP posted about. I broke one of the picks (not abuse) and sent customer service an e-mail with a part number and a request for warranty. I received a reply requesting my shipping address and about a week later a new pick showed up. I didn't send them a receipt, or a photo of the broken tool.

I'd say that's outstanding service for a $10 pick set!

 

[bonneyman]

Pratt-Reade also made a ratcheting ball driver just like the EASYDRIVER. Don't know how long Sears carried it, but my example is still going strong since buying it in 2005.

 

[upgrading]

 

[jeffmoss26]

I think Klein bought Vaco. There is probably some Vaco technology in Klein screwdrivers.
The plain yellow (no rubber grip) on the klein screwdriver page are labeled Vaco. Does not really indicate it of the site but I am pretty sure that if you ordered one it would say Vaco on the screwdriver.

Edit
"1986 Klein acquired Vaco Products Company, of Jonesville, MI, a major manufacturer of screwdrivers, nut drivers, hex-key wrenches, electrical terminals and connectors, plus other related equipment. This acquisition expanded Klein's market coverage and added new lines of tools and supplies to the company's product line."

from here
http://www.kleintools.com/content/history

Correct. I was confused/never heard that Pratt-Read made anything for Klein until today.

 

[Flivver250]

I was a Snap-On snob for too many years and ignored other brands. Times have changed and discovery of other companies is like finding little gold mines. I am a Wright tool junky now.

 

[oak_park]

Pratt Reed is also making Channellocks new USA made screwdrivers.

 

[rick carpenter]

So what's the reputation of Pratt-Read screwdrivers these days under Ideal? McFarmer wasn't impressed with his, and Alan Camby said some were good but I don't know which ones they have/had/used to give these opinions. I can't seem to find a P-R catalog online anywhere.

I have two clear acetate handle Master Mechanic screwdrivers (1/4 x 6, #2 x 6) from McCoys that I'm pretty sure are P-R. They look just like the new Channellocks. Seems like Channellock wouldn't want to **** around with their new line of P-R made screwdrivers. Stuey and some commenters at ToolGuyd seemed positive about these CLs when they first came out.

 

[Jawn]

Good choice on the picks. I've had a set for a few years now, real happy with 'em.

 

[justme-]

I have a set of Pr rubber handles drivers and love them. Had them over 12 years - had never heard of them and thought they were junk brand when I first saw them in my store (back when I managed a tool store) . Other manager told me about them and suggested I grab a set - so I did. I use them all the time - hanging up next to my work bench and before that they were my "upstairs" drivers so I don't have to go down to the basement for a tool constantly.

Can't say about the hard handled versions or Ideal era, but I surely would get a set of picks unless proven junk.

 

[pauls_workshop]

I have just a couple Menard's MasterForce Pratt Read screwdrivers now and I like them quite a bit for the money. I think of these as a significant upgrade over the old Craftsman acetate handle WF or PR back in the day. I might go so far as say these are the best bargain in US made screwdrivers today. Now you can get better drivers, but more money to do it. - Paul