Tools for posing

[...dave]

i gotta say, i saw these at Home Depot and said, whoa...

The black was so shiny, so high-tech, so tactical... Okay, so you can't be shiny and tactical. i don't care. Heck, the sets are even legitimate 90 pieces, not a handful of double open-end wrenches and 85 screwdriver bits.

But i had my doubts. Is there any finish in the world that would hold up to my abuse? Perhaps their "professional" implies never dropping a tool or sliding it disrespecfully across a rugged concrete driveway?

But, well, tools!

So i bought a 6-degree 3/8" ratchet, because i needed one anyway. Really, honey. i know i have other socket wrenches...

Used it twice, and the head is all scratched up. The red plastic handle? Requires too much degreasing. i'm bummed, but not entirely shocked. A picture would be good. i'll have to take one when i get home.

So, sweet as they would look sitting in my toolbox, after sliding across the garage floor a few times, not so much.

Ah, well. The jewel-like shine of a polished chrome-vanadium wrench is still a thing of beauty.

...dave
:redcreep

 

[ChucksCrib]

I can't understand why 6 pt. wrenches never come in these kits. I've only had a need for 12 pt. once in removing my rotors off my 2500 Ram

 

[C_F]

I can't understand why 6 pt. wrenches never come in these kits. I've only had a need for 12 pt. once in removing my rotors off my 2500 Ram

I can see the use of 12 point wrenches over the use of 12 point sockets...with wrenches, you often need to use them in a confined space & need the extra points.
12 pt sockets on the other hand, are pretty much a rounded-off bolt waiting to happen. I rarely use them.

I think they put the 12 pt sockets in tool sets so you'll spend extra money on the 6 pt ones later...I guess.

Used it twice, and the head is all scratched up. The red plastic handle? Requires too much degreasing. i'm bummed, but not entirely shocked.

I guess that's probably why most tools are chrome...easier to hide the scratches.
Too bad the handle wasn't black plastic, that would hide grease easily.

 

[Ye Moderne Locksmitherie]

Generally Speaking, Professionals do not buy much at HD or Lowes. The quality of the building materials and tools is lacking.

The place is aimed at the apartment complex industry ( handyman type folks that make money repeating the same job every 6 months ) and public. Those who care only about initial price, not longevity or value.

Interestingly, the box stores will be the MOST expensive place, if you surveyed a cross section of the store from a 100 item list, against the professional supply houses for plumbing, electrical and other departments.

Like WalMart, they do price popular tv advertised items low, then kill you on the rest, if they even have the item at all.

So they come up with yet another tool pouch du jour, a 15 piece cordless annonymous tool kit to decorate the garage with.....but not a decent tool, tool box or quality materials in the store.

 

[tatra]

oh this should be good........................personally have no prob buying professional if they are competitive on the same item..........sometimes you get knowledgble people at box stores.......besides how many women go to the professional vendors?

 

[fourfeathers]

Generally Speaking, Professionals do not buy much at HD or Lowes. The quality of the building materials and tools is lacking.

The place is aimed at the apartment complex industry ( handyman type folks that make money repeating the same job every 6 months ) and public. Those who care only about initial price, not longevity or value.

Interestingly, the box stores will be the MOST expensive place, if you surveyed a cross section of the store from a 100 item list, against the professional supply houses for plumbing, electrical and other departments.

Like WalMart, they do price popular tv advertised items low, then kill you on the rest, if they even have the item at all.

So they come up with yet another tool pouch du jour, a 15 piece cordless annonymous tool kit to decorate the garage with.....but not a decent tool, tool box or quality materials in the store.

Honestly, I disagree with most of this statement. I do agree that most tools labeled "professional" are not, just as most "collectable" things are not!

Lowes lumber is usually not as good as Menards, but go early during the workday, and Lowe's is full of "real" tradesman, or their runners.

 

[G1K]

seriously, what's with the bumping of the old posts?

 

[Bob Paulin]

I never understood why ANY professional technician would want a black tool that would disappear into the dark bowels of a machine when dropped.

The chrome ones are hard enough to find.

 

[eschoendorff]

I am assuming that we are talking about those black-finished Husky tools from HD? Those are the same tools that MAC tools sells as Jesse James and others....


If you are in to using your tools, skip them!

As far as the big box stores go, Menards carries the Allen(Danaher) line. Think Craftsman/Craftsman Pro.

 

[OctaneMotorsports]

Yeah I've never been a big fan of black tools.

I give the OP credit for good theatrical value in his post, though

 

[speed bump]

I'm not a big fan of black chrome tools but Black Oxide is another story. Black oxide doesn't flake off like chrome and it seems to make the tool slightly grippier than with chrome.

 

[cruiser808]

I'm not a big fan of black chrome tools but Black Oxide is another story. Black oxide doesn't flake off like chrome and it seems to make the tool slightly grippier than with chrome.

100% in agreement. In certain industries and applications, black oxide is preferable to chrome.