El cheapo putty knives are horrible. I have found some really good US made ones at Napa in the Carlyle brand. Not too expensive and they have striking caps on the backA Hyde putty knife. Made somewhere in North America but I'm having trouble remembering which country... oh, Canada.
On a recent project, I'd noticed that two El Cheapo narrow putty knives had drifted into my life. My wide one is a Hyde that I probably got from HJE in the past ten years. And I noticed that I did not like the cheap putty knives, just based on how the handles felt in my hand! (Maybe I also grew up with Hyde, odds are good.)
New shop works on VAG cars?Needed a few things for the new shop... Picked up a MAC triple square set, also snagged a Snap On 14mm 12-point spark plug socket and A/C valve core tool.
New shop works on VAG cars?
Yes unfortunately. I've rarely worked on Euro cars in the past, they just weren't common in the shops I worked at. But I was told at the new shop we see a few every week, so I need to be prepared.
Not sure what else I'll need to buy, but I need to stock up on automotive tools in general.
I wouldn’t say all are trash by far. Labor times and accessibility to stuff are your friend though. Cam cradles, water pumps, etc. make me happy and see dollar signs.VAG builds trash, but they're good money to work on.
Stubby bit sockets, wobble extensions, you'll do pretty well on them.
CTA or the matco rebrand 1/4” triple squares you can put a wrench on are a must. Vim or Cornwell really long triple squares also fall into the must category. I was torn on stubby triple squares and I settled on 1/4” ones from CTA, 3/8” ones from blue point, the standard Matco set and the long *** ones from Cornwell. Outside of that, normal automotive tools should suffice.Yes unfortunately. I've rarely worked on Euro cars in the past, they just weren't common in the shops I worked at. But I was told at the new shop we see a few every week, so I need to be prepared.
Not sure what else I'll need to buy, but I need to stock up on automotive tools in general.
VAG builds trash, but they're good money to work on.
Stubby bit sockets, wobble extensions, you'll do pretty well on them.
CTA or the matco rebrand 1/4” triple squares you can put a wrench on are a must. Vim or Cornwell really long triple squares also fall into the must category. I was torn on stubby triple squares and I settled on 1/4” ones from CTA, 3/8” ones from blue point, the standard Matco set and the long *** ones from Cornwell. Outside of that, normal automotive tools should suffice.
Which brand is that one?
Hyde stuff is good.A Hyde putty knife. Made somewhere in North America but I'm having trouble remembering which country... oh, Canada.
Hyde stuff is good.
Putty knives are one of those tools that I can't have too many of, since it seems I'm always looking for one. Same goes for scrapers, scissors, utility knives, tape measures, triangles, and straight edges. No matter how many of them I have and how 'organized' I try to be, I'm always trying to remember where I left one. It's OK when I'm working in my shop, since I actually have a place for everything, but when I'm working in the house, or the yard, or on the old house that we've been restoring, I always manage to misplace one or more of the abovementioned tools. A while ago, I bought a package of 8 scissors, thinking that having more of them would make them easier to lay hands on, but today I spent at least 15 minutes looking for a pair. I think it's kind of like pencils and Sharpie markers...they seem to totally disappear, and then I discover 25 of them having a family reunion in a cup on my desk or on the shelf next to the washing machine where my spouse put them after removing them from my pockets.![]()
It's a Yamaha, looks like a 60s YA-6.Cool! Make / model / source???
Mike

Most certainly, when you have a clear area and or enough slack to get after it.
Me too.
It's not a Handy but looks exactly like one, more than likely China sourced.Cool! Make / model / source???
Mike
Most certainly, when you have a clear area and or enough slack to get after it.
I generally despise plumbing, especially using basin wrenches, so that Basin Buddy looks awesome!
Mike


As far as I know they are only offering two sets. Both mixed Metric/SAE.Are there Metric-only versions of the Craftsman sets?
If I ever have a car with a sunroof I'm getting the tank periscope so my co pilot can see over trucks I get stuck behindI managed to hold off on the tank periscope. That’s good, right?
Does it work decent?My new Makita dust blower. So much better the buying cans of computer air duster.
Snap on has a $300 empty bucket, I'm sureMost expensive bucket ever...