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Tool brands and buying habits

Andres26tnt

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2018
Messages
994
Their financing component is a significant portion of their business but still delivers a fraction of the revenue of their tool sales: $258m from tool sales vs $68m from financing in 4Q 2023
I don't understand why people make stuff up about Snap-on. Imo it's the only company I've seen people make ridiculous claims or something else. The numbers are there to bee seen by everyone, also they provide a lot of info on where their tools are made.
 
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SwissMetric

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2024
Messages
186
Location
Switzerland
Here in Switzerland I've never seen something like this (just from a random Youtube search):
Also prices would be MUCH higher.

Traditionally companies and professionnals established maybe before the early 90's to mid 90's typically mostly got hand tools from a few major manufacturers like P. Baumann (PB), Reishauer (for a specifc adjustable ultra heavy duty wrench), Stahlwille, Hazet, Gedore, Knipex, etc. Belzer (later Belzer Dowidat) was rather in the upper price segment and not very common.
Chinese tools were barely known though there were already some Taiwanese tools (rather a mixed bag at that time).

The overall idea was to rather invest in high quality tools and keep them a long time. I won't enter discussions about stolen tools which became an issues with Shengen (dropping boarder controls which ruined the original Swissness), nowadays many prefer cheap tools because the risk of having them stolen or abused due to uneducated workforce (mostly in some specific domains) has massively increased.

Personally I can access a basic range of tools I'd consider as high quality. I primarily try to have all sizes available with various drive geometries (Allen/INBUS, TORX, "Tamper-Proof" TORX, Ribe-CV, XZN, etc.), if possible also in long/deep versions but not really the more exotic types.
If required I can modify existing tools especially are there are always some used tools rusting in some crate.
It's often great to have access to twice the same tool at the same time. Many major tools are available duplicated (though not for imperial sizes).
I don't use exotic ratchets but like to have access to various wrench types (mostly from the same not too bad manufacturer).

Some tools are in sets, some just in toolboxes. Exclusively in robust steel boxes excepted the sets which are only available if plastic boxes. Typically also classic toolboxes similar to the Stahlwille 83/09 but cheaper still robust no-name versions. BTW the Stahlwille 13216 style I'd never use, I don't like them at all. The most robust ones I know are ex-Swiss army toolboxes used in helicopter maintenance but they're not very large nor very long, no idea who manufactured them.
 

Dakotadadv8

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Joined
May 30, 2021
Messages
1,496
DIY upgrade or add tools every year for planned projects stay with same brand of tools depending on the tools, CM, SO, Dewalt, Makita, Stihls.
 
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ecotec

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 5, 2010
Messages
5,473
I still, occasionally, buy new tools. It is not often.

At this point, I have more than enough of almost anything. Not just tools.

I will still bottom feed high end tools from garage/estate sales…
 

Semi-hole mechanic

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Joined
Feb 2, 2017
Messages
1,026
I’m just a DIYer that does most of the work on my own stuff to save money (plus I enjoy it, sometimes). I use mostly USA Craftsman, THAT I inherited a lot of from Dad, and some was bought. Dad started out with a Craftsman 1/2” drive socket set in 1948 (that I still use, even though only a handful of pieces are original) and stuck with Craftsman for most of his hand tools for most of his life. He always liked SnapOn (1/2” torque wrench was Snappy from ‘50s) but farmed and didn’t want to have to chase down a tool truck for warranty. He said if you broke a SnapOn socket on Friday evening you were done working til sometime Monday. With Craftsman you could run to Sears and be back working that evening or Saturday morning.

I do have some better ratchets than Craftsman (above mentioned Jobsmart), some Tekton sockets and some Sata wrenches (same as Gearwrench) , some Indestro DBEs, and then some one offs that I bought caused I needed a tool right then (7mm Allen socket). As. DIYer I just can’t justify spending tool ruck brand money when I’m not using them to make a living.
 

username2

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2016
Messages
970
I still, occasionally, buy new tools. It is not often.

At this point, I have more than enough of almost anything. Not just tools.
That's my take.

It helps that I simply don't see the bargains I used to. European brands on Amazon, Snap-on on eBay. It's mostly all gone now, like good deals at thrift stores.
 
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