Teng Tools

[parb]

Full disclosure. I've never held one the teng tools in my hand. I literally know nothing about them besides what i researched and posted above. I am in the market for tool storage and garage storage which is why i have been looking at a bunch of vendors.

Being born in Sweden my heart fluttered for a second when i though they may be Swedish and i would get something from the old country.... But the cynic in me thinks it may be mostly just a re-labling of stuff out of Taiwan. If they actually do any real design work in Sweden then they should make that know, especially in the export markets outside of sweden (if apple can get away with "Designed in California" so can these guys if they actually designed the parts).... This is so glossed over in how they present themselves that i think it may be more of an importer of private label stuff than a meaningful business influenced by old school northern european industrial design and know-how. I'd like to find out if possible, maybe one of my old swedish friends back there can figure it out.

Luna tools is owned by the same parent company as teng tools. The CEO of teng tools used to be the luna boss in the polish market according to his linkedin. He has an interesting name, its both swedish and polish.

 

[Margus74]

Low grade tools with high grade marketing.

They first appeared in the U.K. back in the late 80’s or early 90’s if memory serves. The old Japanese made Kamasa had built up a bit of a following here, but the firm had been sold and poor quality (real low end) Taiwanese tools had been substituted. Story put out back then was that Teng was started by the same family behind Kamasa, but that may have been bull - most of it seems to be!

Back then I seem to recall that they were pretending to be Japanese tools - lots of Japanese imagery and so on. The reality was they were Taiwanese made tools, and not top end either. Most Taiwanese makers can manage decent looking chrome but the Teng stuff was matte finish at best, dog rough at worst. Largely plastic ratchets were shite too.

Move the clock forward 25 years and they’re nowhere in the quality stakes but still plugging away at the marketing. The only places you find them are the British equivalents of Harbor Freight, but it’s still overpriced. If I visit a market or boot fair I can usually find a trader with boxes of Taiwan tools. Usually plenty of Teng included but nobody buys and I suspect it gets scrapped!

I gather they are now trying to move into the U.S. market, but now pretending to be Swedish. Sure they are - you find the name ‘Teng’ in the Stockholm phone book right between ‘Suzuki’ and ‘Yamamoto’! Suspect it’s the same old shite but perhaps with even better marketing. Can’t imagine why anyone in the U.S. who can buy U.S. made Williams at reasonable prices, not to mention makers such as Wright, would be interested!

If you really want Taiwanese you can get much better than Teng now, and probably for no more money! But wait it hasn’t got that shite matte (sorry - European style) finish...!

Japanese made Kamasa Tools? That's hilarious. Kamasa Tools is through and through Swedish brand, founded in 1968 by Zygmundt Joseph Kamasa. Bought by KG Knuttson AB (also Swedish company) in 1977. And most important thing, Kamasa tools are Made in Sweden, a country with very very long history of iron and steel industry. That said, Kamasa tools are very high quality, proof of that is their lifetime quarantee. Never seen Snap-On on this side of pond but I am pretty sure Kamasa is as good as Snap-On.

 

[mr.lemons]

^ Most of the vintage Kamasa sockets sets and wrenches I've seen are marked Japan or West Germany.

Edit. Looking through Google images I cannot find any Kamasa tools new or vintage marked 'Sweden.' Are there two different companies with the same name?

 

[dutchgray]

Japanese made Kamasa Tools? That's hilarious. Kamasa Tools is through and through Swedish brand, founded in 1968 by Zygmundt Joseph Kamasa. Bought by KG Knuttson AB (also Swedish company) in 1977. And most important thing, Kamasa tools are Made in Sweden, a country with very very long history of iron and steel industry. That said, Kamasa tools are very high quality, proof of that is their lifetime quarantee. Never seen Snap-On on this side of pond but I am pretty sure Kamasa is as good as Snap-On.

Kamasa in the United Kingdom is a entirely separate business to the rest of the world, the UK operation sources and sells its own tools and its real cheap stuff, though it is good enough for a diy to get the job done. How this came about and exactly when I don't know but it did. In the 80's they sold decent Japanese made tools here for a reasonable price and you still see lots about. I did recently pick up most of a set of imperial offset ring spanners that are West German made at a carboot sale, they are pretty nice, same as any decent German stuff from back then.

 

[mr.lemons]

Sorry I know this is a Teng tool thread but Kamasa tools (kamasatools.com) look quite interesting. Do they manufacture tools? You would think if they were made in Sweden they would mark it on their tools as it would add desirability and value. Looking at kamasatools.com I don't recognise their distinctive pliers and extensions but I think the ratchet may be from the same factory as Tone?

 

[Lasu]

Japanese tool manufacturer made socket sets for the kamasa brand. From that time there are other sets "name" from Japan that are just as good.

And W-Germany made wrenches as someone said.

 

[Tallpilot]

I noticed a couple recent YouTube videos where ‘influencers’ got a free box of Teng Tools. I stand by my original assertion. They could sell these tools for 50% less if they dropped the marketing budget.