Tools harder to find

[gearhead61189]

Is it just me or is it harder and harder to find tools in stores that aren’t husky or craftsman. I used to be able to walk in to an auto parts tire and pick up some Proto, Blackhawk, SK, gearwrench. Now 12 years later I walk in and everything is bare or there is some new brand I’ve never heard of. Is online shopping starting to kill the tool selection in auto parts stores? I’m just tired of paying tool truck prices for tools that I don’t use daily. Now I have become a fan of Carlyle tools at Napa but it’s like pulling teeth getting a tool from my local stores cause all are in rural areas and they don’t stock many tools like they used to. I’ve been told bigger Napa’s carry more but how am I supposed to know what is a bigger Napa store. Also their warranty kind of worries me, they say you have to have the receipt for the tool for warranty. Sorry for the long rant, I just really wanted to see what all you guys do for a Saturday afternoon tool run.

 

[gearhead61189]

Value buyers killed the tool aisles. They do not care about COO.

I can still find Wright and Proto at industrial tool stores... but they close early on Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, you find what you can.

Which industrial tool stores do you have around?

 

[gatlibs]

I think that AutoZone or one of the other parts stores can order the SK line.

 

[bobcatdan]

I have a few options to buy Wright and Proto locally, but these supply houses don't stock much beyond what is regularly ordered by their accounts. They can get anything, but has to be ordered. Generally Zoro for example can beat the price and have it here faster.

 

[BarryWells]

I buy Proto from Zoro. Period. If they don't have it--- they will real fast. Prices are "OK" but I like the company overall. I don't give a damn about $4-6$ . That to me is stupid

 

[gearhead61189]

If they do not actually have it in the store, what is the point?

Everything is much cheaper online. Stores are for retail therapy, impulse purchases, and things you need right away.

The internet is slowly killing retail. When Amazon can build pick up stations at Whole Foods... in theory, we should be able to order things online and pick them up in a couple hours there. For less than most stores will be able to sell at.

I agree amazon is killing retail. COO is a big thing to me but lately the only way to get USA made tools from anywhere is online or tool truck. My biggest hate of buying tools online is warranty. Having to ship it back to the company it takes almost a month and sometimes I need that tool right away and not having the ability to jump in the car and get it swapped is tough. I did get lucky and find two places that will warranty SK tools but it takes almost as long as me sending it out personally.

 

[measuredtwice]

Seems like all this happened more than 10 years ago.

As people chat online about how the local stores are empty or closed, they are interrupted by the postman at the door with their Amazon Prime packages.

As people chat online about the made in China tool that costs $2 less than the one made in the USA, they wonder what happened to USA manufacturing. Sure the made in China tool is made with mystery steel and recycled waste in the rubber handles, but it's $2 cheaper!

 

[Indexmill]

OP, are you really surprised and just realizing this? The inability to find Made in USA tools started decades ago. Many USA companies are long gone. The few that remain struggle and sell to the industrial and aerospace sectors. Snap On is another whole story. This is all old dope now.

 

[AS556]

I buy most of my tools from Amazon. You have to be selective to get your desired COO.

 

[ItsNemo]

I agree amazon is killing retail. COO is a big thing to me but lately the only way to get USA made tools from anywhere is online or tool truck. My biggest hate of buying tools online is warranty. Having to ship it back to the company it takes almost a month and sometimes I need that tool right away and not having the ability to jump in the car and get it swapped is tough. I did get lucky and find two places that will warranty SK tools but it takes almost as long as me sending it out personally.

Don't abuse your tools and you won't need the warranty...I very rarely have a tool actually fail when using correctly, maybe a couple times in the last 10 years.


Also, I will never understand people caring about where a tool is made...where it's made doesn't dictate how it's made, a good tool is a good tool.

 

[techieman33]

The other end of this problem is that there are just a few companies controlling most of the tool market. I think SBD controls probably 75% if not more of the entire tool selection at Lowes after the big Craftsman roll out. When they have those big market shares they can force whatever they want onto the shelves, and keep anything else off of them if they want.

 

[seagull369]

What hasn't helped either is some of these independent (or quasi-independent) part stores just don't want to be bothered replacing the tools they sell that are warrantied. I went to replace an SK lifetime warranty breaker bar at a parts store near me and guy at the counter said they only sell the stuff, not deal with any warranty issues. Went to another place further up and they had me wait 2 weeks for the tool rep to come to do the replacing- even though they had the same tool right on the shelf. When you get hassled like that, I don't think it's a surprise the old standby brands are starting to fade away. Most of the hand tools I have these days are a mix of HF, Husky, Duralast, Kobalt, Craftsman, Ridgid, Irwin, GearWrench (and maybe Autocraft if I'm desperate). Most are lifetimed and almost always replaced without question from the corresponding store they're sold in. If you pick and choose carefully from each brand, you can get yourself a pretty decent setup.

 

[Real_PhillBert]

I buy Proto from Zoro. Period. If they don't have it--- they will real fast. Prices are "OK" but I like the company overall. I don't give a damn about $4-6$ . That to me is stupid

I'm in this boat too for the most part. If Proto doesn't have it, I'll buy Snap-on, but either way I have to order it.

I don't know of any local brick and mortar stores that have high quality hand tools.

 

[BarryWells]

I think that AutoZone or one of the other parts stores can order the SK line.

So can anyone else with a computer, card/paypal and a telephone and likely cheaper. There's no point in having anyone "special order" anything. It's 2019

 

[HaroRider]

At least you can still find good tools on line. You can barely find any decent non china car parts any more without going to the dealer. Even if you willing to pay.

 

[Nick Danger]

I guess I don't understand the situation. If it's Saturday afternoon and I need a tool RIGHT AWAY, I'll buy whatever is on the shelf. I don't care that it's Craftsman or Husky or unbranded if it gets my car back together in time for Monday morning.

If I don't need a tool right away, I'll wait the two weeks for delivery.

 

[gearhead61189]

I guess I don't understand the situation. If it's Saturday afternoon and I need a tool RIGHT AWAY, I'll buy whatever is on the shelf. I don't care that it's Craftsman or Husky or unbranded if it gets my car back together in time for Monday morning.

If I don't need a tool right away, I'll wait the two weeks for delivery.

Honestly it was more of me just saying when you have free time and go start filling in your tool needs list. Not specifically a Saturday afternoon.