Snap-on vs. Cornwell

[krusty the clown]

krusty the clown, fascinating "family tree" connection; I guess I did see a family resemblence.... "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree".. The numbering scheme is similar and the stamped markings has a similar style as well...

yes both use CW as a prefix for combination wrenches and almost all mfr's use a number relating to the size in 32'nds.

 

[Diesel-Mech]

Yep it sure is billymade.

 

[paramudduck]

Around here the Snap on guys are as rare as rain in the Sahara and when they do show are pricks.

Getting Snap on past the contact your local dealer heres the contact info can be a total pain in the ****.

Cornwell, Mac and Wright have much better corporate customer service.

Did you ever wonder why people say they bought tool boxes with drawers full of broken Snap on tools? Think about it the answer is easy.

They couldn't get them warrantied at their location.

When you pay the amounts Snap on wants for a tool. You are paying a premium for service. Unfortunately Snap on has been dropping the ball on this in a lot of locations.

If you buy off the web because the dealer is a dweeb. What do you do when the tool needs warranty? Corporate will say contact him, he will laugh at you.

Thanks Ace you've gotten me going again. You will see that the big Snap on fanbois are the ones with dealers that do what they promise. The rest of us look at our 20 to 40k of tools and wonder why we can't get what we paid for.

 

[autoace]

Around here the Snap on guys are as rare as rain in the Sahara and when they do show are pricks.

Getting Snap on past the contact your local dealer heres the contact info can be a total pain in the ****.

Cornwell, Mac and Wright have much better corporate customer service.

Did you ever wonder why people say they bought tool boxes with drawers full of broken Snap on tools? Think about it the answer is easy.

They couldn't get them warrantied at their location.

When you pay the amounts Snap on wants for a tool. You are paying a premium for service. Unfortunately Snap on has been dropping the ball on this in a lot of locations.

If you buy off the web because the dealer is a dweeb. What do you do when the tool needs warranty? Corporate will say contact him, he will laugh at you.

Thanks Ace you've gotten me going again. You will see that the big Snap on fanbois are the ones with dealers that do what they promise. The rest of us look at our 20 to 40k of tools and wonder why we can't get what we paid for.

Yeah, I e-mailed SO today for warranty help, they told me to see my dealer, I told them my dealer would not warranty them and I sent him on his way. I was told that they will only warranty tools through dealers now.Ok I said, SO can warranty the tools that are not broken, to whom ever buys them on ebay, I will have quite a windfall from the sales; since, there are so many Snap-on"ers"out there. I did this with MAC and will do this with SO. I'll go where there really is a difference.

 

[rhandwor]

I think you should call Snap On and discuss your problems. They don't want dealers treating customers this way.

 

[autoace]

I think you should call Snap On and discuss your problems. They don't want dealers treating customers this way.

I did, they must be hiring ex-MAC employees, It's ok though, I don't have to have any SO products, gonna be listing some doubles on ebay this week. I'm happy with Cornwell. If they go south, the internet will serve me. Cornwell is my last pro tool "frontier". I really like Cornwell,Wright,Wiha,Witte,and Hazet anyway. It will be fun to buy the more "rare" high quality brands. I rarely break tools anyhow, I,ll be even more careful about proper usage.

Snap-on has become like assholes anyway, everyone has one.

 

[MachineTech]

We have been through 3 Snap on dealers in the last 5 years where I work. They are awsome for the first month or two, then they get stingy and very difficult to work with. Hard to warranty anything. Although I like Snap on tools better, I have found the warranty and service our Cornwell dealer offers 100% better. He always gives us a deal. The sales papers offer bigger discounts plus he honors them months after they have expired. Most importantly though is the quality and service is there. Cornwell has been in the biz of mobil tool dealing longer than Snap, Mac, or Matco and is still family owned. My Cornwell dealer told me that when he was in dealer training classes, the actual owner of Cornwell walked through the class room and handed out his biz card to them all. He told them that if it says Cornwell, replace it and we will take care of you. If you run into problems my number is on the card and I answer my own phone. From my understanding, the snappy dealers often have problems with home central when it comes to reimbursment for warrantied tools. My cornwell dealer said he never has a problem. In my opinion, Cornwell is definatly a company that sticks to its founding principals. I have read many complaints here about snappy dealers (not the tools) and have yet to read one about crappy Cornwell dealers.

 

[Merkava_4]

This ratchet was sent to me directly from the factory.

The ratchet I sent in had the plastic handle intentionally cut off by a Dremel, along with a very dishonest note saying "the handle fell off."

I still feel guilty about it 'til this very day.

 

[CatfishXpress]

This ratchet was sent to me directly from the factory.

The ratchet I sent in had the plastic handle intentionally cut off by a Dremel, along with a very dishonest note saying "the handle fell off."

I still feel guilty about it 'til this very day.

Well you didn't really lie you just didn't tell the whole truth, the handle did fall off.........right after you cut it with the dremel.

 

[skifish]

So if you guys found good tools available from a website only. Would you buy them? I am in Spokane WA, working for TOPTUL - trying to get the word out about our tools. All the shops I go to seem interested, but there all looking for my truck full of tools to shop in. No truck - only a website. That's why this type of quality is the price it is.

I buy quality stuff of the web all the time. If I like it, and it keeps working. I keep buying. Why is this professional tool business so stuck on this big truck full of inventory??

 

[krusty the clown]

So if you guys found good tools available from a website only. Would you buy them? I am in Spokane WA, working for TOPTUL - trying to get the word out about our tools. All the shops I go to seem interested, but there all looking for my truck full of tools to shop in. No truck - only a website. That's why this type of quality is the price it is.

I buy quality stuff of the web all the time. If I like it, and it keeps working. I keep buying. Why is this professional tool business so stuck on this big truck full of inventory??

i don't care how they are sold. from a truck, from a website, from ebay or from the trunk of a car.........as long as they're made in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

 

[Diesel-Mech]

Why is this professional tool business so stuck on this big truck full of inventory??

Thats easy to answer, If you have a good dealer (which is more the norm than not in my experiences) you walk on to the truck get what you want and pay how ever much you are comfortable paying that day. Then if any issues arise you walk back on next time hes there (generally once or twice a week) and hand him the broken tool he hands you the new one and off you go. That along with the quality of the tools is why techs are willing to pay so much and why we are "stuck" on tool trucks.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Simple, if I'm in the middle of using a tool, it breaks and I need it right then, I call the dealer and they drop it off. If not, I wait a day or two until they're at work, walk on the truck, hand it to them, say "it broke" and they hand me a new one and I walk off. That's hard to do with an internet business. Plus, everybody wants to get their grubby hands on something and see how it feels before they buy it.

 

[billymade]

If you don't understand the "tool truck"; you obviously have never worked in a shop, production environment or professionally made money with your tools that tech use every day! Nothing personal but the last thing I want to do after a hard day at the shop is go to a store to buy tools or get warranty replacements at a store or online. While tools off the truck are expensive; the service, pay as you go and quality they provide is the reason the business model works... look at this article about Snapon to understand the pro tool market that they have developed : http://www.strategy-business.com/press/16635507/9598

 

[autoace]

So if you guys found good tools available from a website only. Would you buy them? I am in Spokane WA, working for TOPTUL - trying to get the word out about our tools. All the shops I go to seem interested, but there all looking for my truck full of tools to shop in. No truck - only a website. That's why this type of quality is the price it is.

I buy quality stuff of the web all the time. If I like it, and it keeps working. I keep buying. Why is this professional tool business so stuck on this big truck full of inventory??

WHY?,I'll tell you. I needed Honda ball joint adaptors for my ball jt press, and customers want there car pronto! I called my Cornwell guy and asked him if he had any? He said he had some at his house that just came in. He drove home after hour and brought me the tools at 8pm; because, he had to be 4 towns away the next morning. My customer got their car the next afternoon. Internet is useless for this; however Snap-on and MAC would have been useless also so.........The mobile truck dealers are important if they do their job right. Toptul only makes a small handful of hand tools, the spectrum of tools the pro needs would make your head spin. I'm not saying your tools are bad, but the convienience is not there. If Snap-on or MAC cannot do it in most cases, how is Toptul going to make a dent with very poor out of country inventory and no specialty tools???

 

[autoace]

Well you didn't really lie you just didn't tell the whole truth, the handle did fall off.........right after you cut it with the dremel.

You got lucky Merkava, MAC drops the ball more often than Bill Clinton dropped his trousers.

 

[Merkava_4]

I sent a 5/8" combination wrench back to Cornwell too; only it wasn't sabotaged though. I can't for the life of me remember what the defect was of the wrench I sent in, but the wrench they sent back to me was freakin' perfect.

 

[autoace]

I sent a 5/8" combination wrench back to Cornwell too; only it wasn't sabotaged though. I can't for the life of me remember what the defect was of the wrench I sent in, but the wrench they sent back to me was freakin' perfect.

I have some wavy SO wrenches, only in the past two years have I seen stuff like that. Sold off enough SO tools to pay three credit cards off already. Can't wait to replace them with Cornwell etc...

 

[paramudduck]

http://www.bluemaumau.org/6372/president_snapon_discusses_coping_with_credit_crunch

Billymade you might want to read this article as well.

 

[wrenhandtools]

Hey guys, was just reading the thread and wanted to apologize if the talk about my brand seemed a little to "sales" oriented. Frankly, it did to me and that's why I am chiming in at the moment.

As far as my inventory, I guess it is poor. But i have to start from somewhere. And I would rather start small and be open, honest, debt free and the underdog...than be overpriced and over confident in any way.

Again, please accept my apologies.

 

[Merkava_4]

Again, please accept my apologies.

Are you apologizing for what this skifish dude said?

Do you even know him?

 

[autoace]

Hey guys, was just reading the thread and wanted to apologize if the talk about my brand seemed a little to "sales" oriented. Frankly, it did to me and that's why I am chiming in at the moment.

As far as my inventory, I guess it is poor. But i have to start from somewhere. And I would rather start small and be open, honest, debt free and the underdog...than be overpriced and over confident in any way.

Again, please accept my apologies.

I was not putting down your inventory, I was explaining why the tool trucks are sucessful, Cornwell anyway. Toptul hasn't "blossomed" into the full spectrum tool co yet. They might in the future. Anyhow the basic handtools are not what is so urgent.. Scanners,Pullers,Timing belt tools,Bearing/hub presses that stuff is urgent. Most mechanics have several sets of basic stuff. I buy Hazet, and their warranty wouldn't be fast due to the USA inventory, but I have never broke one yet so....Toptul has plenty of a chance, but Snap-on,Matco,.....etc. is not their competition. Even if people buy Toptul they will need a vendor for all the "next stage" tools. Good luck

 

[nissan_crawler]

Hey guys, was just reading the thread and wanted to apologize if the talk about my brand seemed a little to "sales" oriented. Frankly, it did to me and that's why I am chiming in at the moment.

As far as my inventory, I guess it is poor. But i have to start from somewhere. And I would rather start small and be open, honest, debt free and the underdog...than be overpriced and over confident in any way.

Again, please accept my apologies.

Nothing to apologize for. On the professional side, I probably wouldn't use Toptul for the reasons I stated. On the home side...well, I hope I can save up some money for an order.

 

[Frank Elson]

"Born in Birmingham, England"

oh my god! He's a Brummie...

they eat their children ...

do us a favour and keep him guys.

 

[eschoendorff]

I have noticed that Snap-on seems to be the Bad Leroy Brown of this site. I have alot of it, and think it is good. I also think Snap-on is getting too big for it's britches, with unreliable, cocky truck vendors, also warranty duckers. Any hardline item from Cornwell is as good or whips SO from screwdrivers to sockets. So far with bend over backwards service. I see multiple SO "snap off" threads every day. Snap-on tools are as over done as Chevy Camaros are in the hot rod mags. I don't buy much from SO anymore, Cornwell,Hazet,Wiha,Wright,&Witte are all better than comparable choices. I think SO is starting to charge for name only, with quality being second, their field service is horrible, but that varies dealer to dealer. Sorry Snap-on worshipers, they are not the ONLY game in town.

These are some pretty strong words, considering the fact that you were basically a Snap On flag waver when you joined here a month ago

It sounds like you're the one who needs convincing.... I'm comfortable with my tools.

 

[autoace]

These are some pretty strong words, considering the fact that you were basically a Snap On flag waver when you joined here a month ago

It sounds like you're the one who needs convincing.... I'm comfortable with my tools.

Nowhere did I say the tools were bad, but they are worth nothing without good service, I would have even settled on poorish service. Cornwell has outdone them, products are just as good or better in some case. I'm more of a quality and USA flag waver. Goes to show you how bad dealers and pissy employees can even destroy a good customer like myself. I was shocked at the ********, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

 

[billymade]

autoace, have you tried to warranty any of your German tools? There seems to be a assumption around here that German tools don't have the same type of warranty that american tools have and if they break you are supposed to buy new ones; can you comment on this and the possibility that their philosophy of a warranty could be different then ours? I wouldn't know since I don't have much Hazet, Stahlwille but I do have some Wiha/Wera screwdrivers; Wiha promptly sent me a new precision screwdriver when one of the tips got damaged... no problem...

 

[jtrace]

I guess I have been lucky in close to 20 years of buying Snap On tools and 4 dealers later I have had nothing but good things to say about them The 3rd one I helped out on his brother in-laws dirt modified weekly in Pa, He paid my way into the track and after the races I stayed at his house and drove back to Jersey in the morning. The one I have now loaned me his barn with heat and a lift so I could rebuild my transmission in my truck,using his tools. Plus he gave me a hand. The Mac guy thats another story he told me ans my boss (at the time) he could get us Nascar tix. and way over charged us and even charged us for hospitality tents...I bought very little from him after that.


John

 

[paramudduck]

And the answer is... The people who get the service are happy and the one's who don't are not.

 

[Stanger]

And the answer is... The people who get the service are happy and the one's who don't are not.

Yep. I have to chase the truck down when something is wrong with my SO tools and I don't like that. The Cornwell just goes in the mail and I get it back in a week or so.

 

[peterbilr98]

cornwell tools are gay buy snap-on

 

[paramudduck]

Terrible isn't it Frank? Who would have thought that the president of Snap-on''s world wide sales would be a Brit?

And the top 100 dealers list has 13 from New Zealand and Australia!

 

[krusty the clown]

cornwell tools are gay buy snap-on

while i think snap on may be slightly better, cornwell is a good tool and certainly NOT gay

 

[gotmud13613]

while i think snap on may be slightly better, cornwell is a good tool and certainly NOT gay

^ I agree, I only own 2 Cornwell tools right now but the 2 I do own are very good. Both are 3/8" ratchets. The first one I got from Wrenchr a standard 3/8 with the blue handle and the second one i got from Ebay my 3/8 drive in a 1/4" flex body ratchet.

They are smooth for a coarse tooth ratchet, even better after I lubed them with the permatex.

 

[64merc]

^ I agree, I only own 2 Cornwell tools right now but the 2 I do own are very good. Both are 3/8" ratchets. The first one I got from Wrenchr a standard 3/8 with the blue handle and the second one i got from Ebay my 3/8 drive in a 1/4" flex body ratchet.

They are smooth for a coarse tooth ratchet, even better after I lubed them with the permatex.

Yup, I've got a 3/8 drive long handle and it is very smooth considering its low tooth count. I think it is very comfortable to use.

 

[speed bump]

I own SO, Cornwell, Mac, Proto Allen, Armstrong, Craftsman, Napa and a pile of other tool brands (including some Toptul stuff). The conclusion I have come to is that the brand isn't so important as getting a well made tool and depending on the tool a good company to back it.

There are also alot of tools (especially outside of mechanicdom) that your average tool dealer won't even know what it is, much less be able to get one. At that point you have to start developing other sources of tools and find out that hey there are lots of other places that will give me the same amount of service (or sometimes better) that the tool truck guy will.

 

[autoace]

cornwell tools are gay buy snap-on

I've read alot of your posts, appears that you are borderline illiterate,

 

[billymade]

Frank Elson, can you fill in a clueless Yank about what the deal is about people from Birmingham (are they that bad?) and what their reputation is?

 

[Stanger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterbilr98 View Post
cornwell tools are gay buy snap-on

I've read alot of your posts, appears that you are borderline illiterate,

I'm hoping he was being sarcastic...

 

[krusty the clown]

I'm hoping he was being sarcastic...

autoace or peterbilr98? or both?