nicks78camaro
Well-known member
Didn't catch that from the other thread. Wonder how they stack up against Knipex?
Some cool Tekton updates
- Thread starter Hakeem
- Start date
Didn't catch that from the other thread. Wonder how they stack up against Knipex?
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
I don't even know how many knipex snap ring pliers I have. Looks like most of the tekton snapping pliers were larger it seems like when I'm using them I'm usually taken apart. Ratchets. So smaller.
IRQVET
Well-known member
Tekton just notified me of small engine 1/4 inch prototype wrench set.
Not sure why/what makes it a prototype, and I think everything in the kit they already make?
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ The KIT is a prototype. New package.
Price point is $90.00
They will be available TOMORROW, April 2, 2025
supply limited to 50 units.
I've already called them and tried to order one, but I have to wait until tomorrow.
The case is a "soft case" - like heavy Cordura nylon with a plastic zipper all around (as opposed to a hard case.)
5/32" - 9/16" and 4mm - 14mm
Hoping I can score one, because the hard case set doesn't fit behind the seat of my Ranger.
Price point is $90.00
They will be available TOMORROW, April 2, 2025
supply limited to 50 units.
I've already called them and tried to order one, but I have to wait until tomorrow.
The case is a "soft case" - like heavy Cordura nylon with a plastic zipper all around (as opposed to a hard case.)
5/32" - 9/16" and 4mm - 14mm
Hoping I can score one, because the hard case set doesn't fit behind the seat of my Ranger.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
The prototype Part is the packaging.... Then they add the parts they already have. I like it as well from what I can see
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four.cycle
Well-known member
Tekton prototype small engine kit
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1138586108296546&set=pcb.1138589801629510 Facebook link is the only thing I have that I can post. Only 50 going to be available.
www.garagejournal.com
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ The "TORX" fastener was developed in 1967 and patented in 1971.
patent 3584667 Jun 15 1971 Bernard F. Reiland
TM 1040018 May 25 1976 Textron Inc. for "TORX" first use March 1967
How long should they be paying?
patent 3584667 Jun 15 1971 Bernard F. Reiland
TM 1040018 May 25 1976 Textron Inc. for "TORX" first use March 1967
How long should they be paying?
four.cycle
Well-known member
Yes, as long as they keep the trademark up to date. Sometimes they expire.
My guess would be that somebody got tired of paying the royalty fees and simply said "We'll call it 'Star'"
Anything that makes the numbers bigger on the bottom line is generally the correct choice in business.
But then, after I typed that and re-read it, they might be losing market share to prospective buyers who don't equate "Star" with "Torx" and might not know they're essentially the same thing. (Probably a minor factor, but still...)(Think: "XZN" / "Triple-Square" / "12-point-star" )
Yeah... I got way distracted when I started reading about the company ... I'll try to make sense of it and get it entered into the list.
"Robertson" is in there - "TORX" should be as well. Didn't Woody set up a "Phillips" page here somewhere?
My guess would be that somebody got tired of paying the royalty fees and simply said "We'll call it 'Star'"
Anything that makes the numbers bigger on the bottom line is generally the correct choice in business.
But then, after I typed that and re-read it, they might be losing market share to prospective buyers who don't equate "Star" with "Torx" and might not know they're essentially the same thing. (Probably a minor factor, but still...)(Think: "XZN" / "Triple-Square" / "12-point-star" )
Yeah... I got way distracted when I started reading about the company ... I'll try to make sense of it and get it entered into the list.
"Robertson" is in there - "TORX" should be as well. Didn't Woody set up a "Phillips" page here somewhere?
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IRQVET
Well-known member
$90 seems very over priced for what your actually getting IMHO. Only new thing about that kit is the soft case, which isn’t earth shattering.
What am I missing?
I have their 1/4 socket kit in the hard case in every vehicle I own, I believe I paid less for more . . .
What am I missing?
I have their 1/4 socket kit in the hard case in every vehicle I own, I believe I paid less for more . . .
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ You're not missing anything, @IRQVET - it is admittedly a steep price point.
I would speculate, however, that this run of 50 units might be no more than "break even" for them.
Those cases were special-ordered from somebody - and most likely it was a short production run, and Tekton possibly paid a premium for them. (Do they currently offer soft-sided cases in their product line? Did they have to go to a new vendor? Sorry, I've never perused all the way through their catalog - I only looked for specific items.)
Factor that together with their net production cost for the contents.
It may turn out to be a non-starter.
It may turn out they'll make some revisions based on feedback and reconfigure the contents/case, at which point they may produce a huge production run, bringing the price point down a bit.
All speculative, of course, but that's through my own lens.
I don't think I got any kind of "super deal" on the set at $97 (incl. tax) - but I don't think I'll feel shortchanged. I already know their sockets and drive tools are top shelf. If the bits aren't made of cheese, I'm okay with it.
I would speculate, however, that this run of 50 units might be no more than "break even" for them.
Those cases were special-ordered from somebody - and most likely it was a short production run, and Tekton possibly paid a premium for them. (Do they currently offer soft-sided cases in their product line? Did they have to go to a new vendor? Sorry, I've never perused all the way through their catalog - I only looked for specific items.)
Factor that together with their net production cost for the contents.
It may turn out to be a non-starter.
It may turn out they'll make some revisions based on feedback and reconfigure the contents/case, at which point they may produce a huge production run, bringing the price point down a bit.
All speculative, of course, but that's through my own lens.
I don't think I got any kind of "super deal" on the set at $97 (incl. tax) - but I don't think I'll feel shortchanged. I already know their sockets and drive tools are top shelf. If the bits aren't made of cheese, I'm okay with it.
IRQVET
Well-known member
I agree 100% with everything you said. What I am finding from my own personal experiences, as I was an early adopter of Tekton. I feel like they were the perfect replacement for classic Craftman tools- from a market segment perspective. I have found their tool quality pretty awesome for their price point, but not eveything I’ve gotten from them screams quality. I wrote about this else where, when I had a chrome socket fall off a 3 foot tall work bench and hit my cement garage floor. I love their ratchets and sockets, which is why I’m so heavily invested in them. But when I noticed the socket that fell on the floor sustained a chip in the chrome, I had a moement of pause. Cause I’ve done that to alot of 1980’s Craftsman, and never once did I ever sustain any chrome damage. Again- a moment of pause crossed my mind.^ You're not missing anything, @IRQVET - it is admittedly a steep price point.
I would speculate, however, that this run of 50 units might be no more than "break even" for them.
Those cases were special-ordered from somebody - and most likely it was a short production run, and Tekton possibly paid a premium for them. (Do they currently offer soft-sided cases in their product line? Did they have to go to a new vendor? Sorry, I've never perused all the way through their catalog - I only looked for specific items.)
Factor that together with their net production cost for the contents.
It may turn out to be a non-starter.
It may turn out they'll make some revisions based on feedback and reconfigure the contents/case, at which point they may produce a huge production run, bringing the price point down a bit.
All speculative, of course, but that's through my own lens.
I don't think I got any kind of "super deal" on the set at $97 (incl. tax) - but I don't think I'll feel shortchanged. I already know their sockets and drive tools are top shelf. If the bits aren't made of cheese, I'm okay with it.
Then I’m starting to see Tekton Tool Trucks, overly expensive socket sets like the one’s we’re talking about- and again, I find myself viewing Tekton differently (and not in a good way). Not saying I’m right, but this is how I’m begining to view them. I guess time will tell if they evolve into what happen to Harbor Freight, when they started moving from a somewhat budget quality option- but soon got greedy and began to leave their original customers in the dust . . .
I never came from money, I’ve never had to make a living using this stuff- so maybe I view this from a unique perspective that I felt Tekton was filling but might be begining to move away from now?
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four.cycle
Well-known member
Originally Tekton came onto the market as a low-end "MIT" (Michigan Industrial Tools) product line. Cheap. Not first-rate quality.
As they gained more market share, they started stepping up their game.
My first TEKTON purchase was several sets of pliers I bought from an ebay vendor on a close-out. Nice stuff! I'm pretty sure they were re-badged ProAmerica (which does an excellent job on some of their product line.)
Then I bought a box of TEKTON ball pein hammers - plastic handles that looked and felt more like "PLAYSKOOL" than something I'd want to use to beat on steel. I gave those away.
Then I bought a mess of "MIT" screwdrivers on another close out. Cheezie. Gave those away for "Secret Santa".
Then a set of locking pliers ("vise grip" type.) Worthless shite. I sent those to @BlakeTheCarGuy. Not sure if he kept them or tossed them out, but he was equally disappointed by the product quality.
At THAT point I was seriously waffling about the brand...
Then an ebay seller posted a SKT05301 for $50 bucks (including shipping) and I grabbed it.
Opened it up when it arrived and looked at it and thought "WOW!"
So I found another one - although I paid about $65 or $70 for the second one - and gave it to my buddy, who absolutely loves it.
From a marketing perspective, it looks to me like they're doing pretty much the same as Harbor Freight: gain market share, improve the product, gain more market share, improve the product, raise the price, gain more market share. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Maybe I'm just making that all up in my head, but it certainly appears to ME that they're jockeying themselves into that great big hole that S-K left open, and they're first in line to take it.
Harbor Freight is behind them by a decade, notwithstanding the fancy graphics on their uber-cool black ICON boxes.
And we're light years apart on what you see as "overly expensive". Good tools aren't cheap - they never were. I was selling Indestro in the 1970s, and customers would howl when you told them the price for a pair of pliers was $12 bucks. (I recently paid $40 for a similar pair of Klein linemans pliers.)
They'll never be at a price point to compete with Harbor Freight, or Duralast, or Performance, or Carlyle - they don't need to, and I'm guessing they don't want to.
Just my lousy opinion, but if I went into business again, I would ignore the "low end" (which is what we stocked and sold) and go strictly top shelf, high end, and cater to that market instead - it's far more lucrative.
Just my two cents.
As they gained more market share, they started stepping up their game.
My first TEKTON purchase was several sets of pliers I bought from an ebay vendor on a close-out. Nice stuff! I'm pretty sure they were re-badged ProAmerica (which does an excellent job on some of their product line.)
Then I bought a box of TEKTON ball pein hammers - plastic handles that looked and felt more like "PLAYSKOOL" than something I'd want to use to beat on steel. I gave those away.
Then I bought a mess of "MIT" screwdrivers on another close out. Cheezie. Gave those away for "Secret Santa".
Then a set of locking pliers ("vise grip" type.) Worthless shite. I sent those to @BlakeTheCarGuy. Not sure if he kept them or tossed them out, but he was equally disappointed by the product quality.
At THAT point I was seriously waffling about the brand...
Then an ebay seller posted a SKT05301 for $50 bucks (including shipping) and I grabbed it.
Opened it up when it arrived and looked at it and thought "WOW!"
So I found another one - although I paid about $65 or $70 for the second one - and gave it to my buddy, who absolutely loves it.
From a marketing perspective, it looks to me like they're doing pretty much the same as Harbor Freight: gain market share, improve the product, gain more market share, improve the product, raise the price, gain more market share. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Maybe I'm just making that all up in my head, but it certainly appears to ME that they're jockeying themselves into that great big hole that S-K left open, and they're first in line to take it.
Harbor Freight is behind them by a decade, notwithstanding the fancy graphics on their uber-cool black ICON boxes.
And we're light years apart on what you see as "overly expensive". Good tools aren't cheap - they never were. I was selling Indestro in the 1970s, and customers would howl when you told them the price for a pair of pliers was $12 bucks. (I recently paid $40 for a similar pair of Klein linemans pliers.)
They'll never be at a price point to compete with Harbor Freight, or Duralast, or Performance, or Carlyle - they don't need to, and I'm guessing they don't want to.
Just my lousy opinion, but if I went into business again, I would ignore the "low end" (which is what we stocked and sold) and go strictly top shelf, high end, and cater to that market instead - it's far more lucrative.
Just my two cents.
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I still have those. They are the old style Tekton ones that were just like any cheap no name ones you would buy. I bought a couple of the newer sets and they are ok but not the best either. The set you sent is in the “if someone asks to borrow” pile.
four.cycle
Well-known member
From an email I got today from Tekton:
For example, having nothing to do with tariffs, we are about to move our screwdriver program to a premium supplier in Germany that makes drivers for the tool truck market. I don't expect us to save costs moving the screwdrivers to this supplier. We are doing it because it will be a better screwdriver line overall and will free up resources to keep working on other projects, especially new USA production.
I don't like the idea of losing a domestic product from their lineup but it looks like it may upgrade their drivers. There was more in the email about new service wrenches but that was covered in another thread. It was a lot about tariff related price increases.
For example, having nothing to do with tariffs, we are about to move our screwdriver program to a premium supplier in Germany that makes drivers for the tool truck market. I don't expect us to save costs moving the screwdrivers to this supplier. We are doing it because it will be a better screwdriver line overall and will free up resources to keep working on other projects, especially new USA production.
I don't like the idea of losing a domestic product from their lineup but it looks like it may upgrade their drivers. There was more in the email about new service wrenches but that was covered in another thread. It was a lot about tariff related price increases.
Snapped-off
Well-known member
Wonder if it's Witte.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
I will be curious how this plays out. I wonder if they will make everything out just the metal portion.
cody1325
Well-known member
Just when I started standardizing on USA Tekton. I personally liked them as A: the handles were great and B: USA made and like $5 or less per driver (compared to $8-10 for Williams/Proto and $25+ for Mac/Snap-On). Hopefully, Rural King will clear them out cheap. Mac is my second-favorite handle but A: they're pricey and B: apparently French (they closed the US factory about a year prior to my first Mac purchase--thus my T20 is US, but my PH2 is French). Maybe I ought to get up with the Snap-On guy and try Instinct vs. traditional.
Guessing I should try some of the Mayhew line if I want decently priced, American-made? That being said, my area CAT dealer shows the rebranded Williams set in stock--and that upgrades what few Phillips and slotted need replacing. Hopefully, these rebrands keep a similar price.
Sort of off-topic, but given Tractor Supply is expanding the Mayhew line to pry tools, I wonder if they'll get more screwdrivers (other than the Channellock ones).
Guessing I should try some of the Mayhew line if I want decently priced, American-made? That being said, my area CAT dealer shows the rebranded Williams set in stock--and that upgrades what few Phillips and slotted need replacing. Hopefully, these rebrands keep a similar price.
Sort of off-topic, but given Tractor Supply is expanding the Mayhew line to pry tools, I wonder if they'll get more screwdrivers (other than the Channellock ones).
Semi-hole mechanic
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TSC now has a Mathew set of slotted and Phillips screwdrivers and a set of Totx drivers they are all hard handled
CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
I don’t know of another German screwdriver offered on the trucks so Witte would be a safe bet.
I like there hard handled screwdrivers too honestly. They use the same handles on picks and mini pry bars. I wonder what it means for that.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have a precision screwdriver set from them in a soft case. It's smaller than the one used in this set here, but if the same style, so I am guessing it's from the same manufacturer.
Those Mayhew drivers look decent. Not as much the same as the Tekton / SnapOn esque shape that I prefer but worth a look.
I’ve been needing a set or Torx drivers, may try those out to see…or I might wait til the inevitable Tekton close out of the current style.
I’m still very much not a fan of the idea of losing those drivers. That was the one thing they were really doing right, in my opinion.
cody1325
Well-known member
And apparently Vessel too--online only, so far. Wish they had them in stores!
I keep hearing pretty good things about Vessel here, so I will probably order a few site-to-store just to see what they're all about.
Been to 3 TSC stores lately, still haven't seen anything new, let alone anything Mayhew. Not sure when they plan to shelf these products or even ship them to the stores. Online shows nothing either when it comes to local in-store inventory.
Semi-hole mechanic
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Hohn
Well-known member
This is generally correct but it also depends on how the “billet” is formed. If there’s a lot of cold work or post-processing, a billet can have a grain size finer than a forging.I always figure a forged tool is stronger for the same thickness because the metal grains are mooshed together so you don’t need as thick a tool but I’m just a dummy who watches YouTube
The main advantage of the forging is the orientation of the grain, not just the grain size. This is why forging is still the king of the hill for metal strength.
Does this still apply to metal undergoing heat treatment? I thought heat treatment reorients the grains, as well as rendering the grain more uniform in size.
It would be cool if it was the MaxxPro Plus, with the flocking, that Matco rebrands. Those are terrific screwdrivers.
Semi-hole mechanic
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So I looked at our inventory program and it looks like only select stores in our region got them. 5 of 14 stores in our district got them. The website says that they are temporarily unavailable at our store but they are on that power panel.
Hohn
Well-known member
It does. Heat treatment is not a replacement for forging. If it was, nothing would ever be forged (it’s too expensive for tooling).
Heat treat affects microstructure, but not the same way.
CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
I will absolutely buy an entire set of Witte drivers from Tekton if my hunch is right. I absolutely love my Witte drivers but KC Tool has a limited selection and Matco isn’t super reliable at my shop, at least not yet. I’ll literally buy everything Witte that Tekton offers and dump my other screwdrivers to whomever wants them here or at work.
The Tekton will probably be 1/3 the price of the Matco, if you don’t get the Matco on a big sale.
The Matco Witte are pretty instantly dirty. They are one of the most comfortable screwdrivers, though.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
In mass production, high strength forgings are used for savings in material and machining time. Its cheaper to buy for the forging dies/presses/heater/forges than to turn lots of excess metal into chips for large volume parts
Billet rods and cranks can and do have a strength advantage over forged with if the alloys are correct and heat treatment/nitriding is done correctly. 4330 and 4340 billet cranks heat treated correctly will still have a strength advantage post heat treat to a forged crank.
Billet cranks especially are expensive as it may take a 250 lbs billet to make a 50 pound crank. All those chips made only bring scrap steel prices and also have machine time and cutting tool wear attached to them. A forged crank might have 15 lbs machined off of them?
When I was running the big mill turns in 2007/08 we were taking less than 10% of the metal weight off between forging and final journal polish as opposed to 400% with a billet.
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CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
Definitely agree on all points. I have a bunch of different Witte screwdriver handles and my favorite are the cork ones that are part of their natural line. They are a lot easier to clean over the microfiber and rubber types of Witte handles. The only negative is how limited the cork screwdriver options are.
I am really hoping Tekton has a cool scheme for their new screwdriver sets. I know red and black are their company colors so I’m expecting that will be their color options. It would be cool if they inverted the Matco colors and did black handles with red highlights or microfiber swatches. You know, something to set their screwdrivers apart.
Hohn
Well-known member
Generally not the case because the forging die will cause the grain to flow in a direction favorable to the stress loading.
In mass production, high strength forgings are used for savings in material and machining time. Its cheaper to buy for the forging dies/presses/heater/forges than to turn lots of excess metal into chips for large volume parts
Billet rods and cranks can and do have a strength advantage over forged with if the alloys are correct and heat treatment/nitriding is done correctly. 4330 and 4340 billet cranks heat treated correctly will still have a strength advantage post heat treat to a forged crank.
Process - Why Forging Is Better | C*Blade S.p.a.
C*Blade, Forging and Manufacturing produces Steam Turbine Blades and Gas Turbine Compressor Blades for Power Generation.
The cost of forging tooling is precisely why “billet” parts are often used for prototypes and custom pieces. But it’s not because forging is inferior in a metallurgical sense. It’s because it’s inferior in an economic sense. Yes, it takes a LOT of time to cut and grind something like a crankshaft from a solid log of 4340. But even those hours of machine time are still cheaper than a custom forging tool that will only be used a couple times. In order for a forging tool to be cost effective, you have to be able to run a lot of parts to amortize the tooling cost.