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the BROKEN tools thread

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jlh92

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Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Messages
627
Location
Columbia, Missouri
Numerous Craftsman RP ratchets 3/8 and 1/4, warrantied every time
Craftsman 3/8 torque wrench, handle started spinning on it's own, warrantied
MAC phillips stubby screwdriver, borrowed from a local salvage yard and shattered the tip (they weren't happy)
Tried to cut a screw head off with some little wire cutters and snapped the tip right off

I really haven't broken that many tools so far.
 

Fugio

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Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Messages
460
Tools that have a warranty gets swapped, non-warranty hits the trash

No pics

This.

The only broken tool I have is a 1/4" drive 10mm deep socket. It sat in my tool box for about 15 years because I could never find a Mac tool vendor to swap it out for me.

Finally got tired of looking at it and made it into a black powder miniature cannon. SO not broken any more. Just re-purposed!
 

rapid robert

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Joined
Oct 24, 2014
Messages
156
Location
Upstate NY
How did that happen? I've abused the snot out of those exact same wrenches including double wrenching for leverage, hitting with hammers, etc. and never a failure like that.

I agree... I have beat the heck out of mine...that is crazy...
 
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wafrederick

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Jul 3, 2010
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6,045
Location
Holton,Mi
13mm Matco chrome shallow socket last month.Used it on a wheelbearing retaining bolt in a Chevy Uplander that was very tight.Had it on a 24 inch Snap On flex headed ratchet hearing a "snap".I thought I broke the bolt and did not,broke the socket.
 

defektes

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Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
547
Location
Arizona
Lets see:

13mm 12 point USA Craftsman 3/8 being abused on a breaker bar with a 1/2 to 3/8 reducer and a 4 foot pipe bender. I was too lazy to get my 1/2 out, and I broke it.

Snap On P2 tip, various flat tips of different manufacture, stripped my fair share of USA Cman ratcheting wrenches, 1/2 Husky USA 18'' breaker bar that has been abused for years broke on the end of a 5 foot cheater broke the pin and bent the head, bent a Proto 3/8 box end on a seized bolt, broke a Snap On 7/8 open end on a seized bolt, broken Proto, US Cm 1/2 to 3/8 reducers, snapped the pin on my Snap on 1/2 Univ adapter, broke a 3/8 SK Hex socket on a 1/2 IR impact (abuse,) broken multiple CM USA Torx bits at work, guts from a co workers Wright 3/4 drive ratchet went all over the place when I was using it as a hammer.

All of the above except the CM Torx bits were abuse.
Loaner tools from the community box at work:

About every single HF hex/torx bit I pick up, stripped multiple ratchets, broke about 5 pry bars, broke the box end of a 3/4, and a 1 1/8 open end broke on me from the loaner box.

All these except the 3/4 were NOT abuse.
 

NorCalWrenchin

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Joined
Apr 4, 2014
Messages
867
Location
Healdsburg, CA
Stripped out the gears in the 90 angle part of HF die grinder.. I used it alot, and didn't oil s often as I should, but it lasted about a year...

Snapped a 15/16 John Deere branded wrench in the alignment pit the other day without a cheater.

Kept bending HF ball joint c-frames until I got a BJP1
 

wyo george

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Joined
Jul 24, 2014
Messages
933
Location
Wyoming, USA


Matco and Mac breaker bars that I've broken without a cheater bar. Believe it or not, in both instances I grabbed my ancient SK (pictured to the right), slipped a breaker bar on it to make up for it being shorter and then finished the job. It makes no sense with the SK being visibly less beefy, but for whatever reason it has proven to be stronger than those two 24" bars.
 

Alamedasam

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Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
152
Location
La Selva Beach,Ca.(Santa Cruz).
I broke this supposed high quality trying to remove a tie rod end. The damn thing snapped! I ended up using my great-grandfathers 100 plus year old pipe wrench. Did a terrific job, & did not break!
 

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Alamedasam

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Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
152
Location
La Selva Beach,Ca.(Santa Cruz).
Here are both my old time pipe wrenches. They were my great- grandfathers. Notice the welded spot on the top wrench. Looks like someone broke it long ago & welded it. They are both well over 100 years old!
 

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