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Used American made hand tools to avoid?
- Thread starter Natsfan
- Start date
Deskmechanic
Well-known member
Giller - I've seen more than a few sockets that appear to be really **** quality. I generally avoid them.
cburnscrx
Well-known member
I was never that impressed with Great Neck USA tools.
Often sold in drug and grocery stores, right beside light bulbs and trash bags.
I'll agree, to a point. Some of it is utter garbage, as bad as the worst HF stuff, and yet, some of it's really good. My father has a set of Great Neck sockets that have seen more use than anybody who's not a mechanic and they've held up great. The ratchet took a dump pretty quickly, but the sockets...well I'm impressed. Pick your spots as you're more likely to get junk than lucky.
Oxwall and proto.
Avoid Proto? Can you elaborate?
Yeah, I'd like to see the reasoning for that too. Proto is near the top of the list of tools I trust. That trust includes all of the older Proto subsidiaries too, like P&C, Fleet, Challenger and (Proto predecessor) Plomb.
Many brands have some things to avoid, either for quality, or feel, or age. Even some of the so-called good brands have had times in their history when quality was lacking. One good example is S-K during the years of Symington-Wayne ownership, and even during some of the Facom years when they were having financial troubles. As a result, you have to evaluate each piece on its own merits and condition, or lack thereof.
On the other hand, even some of the names already mentioned to avoid can be acceptable for certain items, or during certain eras. Older Thorsen tools can be just fine, even good. I've got a Thorsen ratchet I bought new in the 1960s that's still one of my favorites. Current Thorsen-branded stuff is mostly import **** though.
BTW, Globemaster isn't an American brand. Most Globemaster tools were made in Japan, Spain or Italy. Some of them are pretty bad, but some are not.
Oxwall was mostly cheap mail-order tools. Spiegel carried them at one time when they sold a much wider line of products than just women's clothing.
Another brand I'd avoid would be "Happy Home" which was a Woolworth's tool brand, but there again, some of them may be OK. I've got a set of Happy Home hex wrenches that have been excellent--used a lot in 40+ years, and not a failure in the set, and they're still in my road box.
If I may hijack my own thread and turn it into a flea market price rant. All day Sunday I thought I was being a cheap skate, did not buy a thing. For example I needed another 3/8 ratchet. Every booth had a Craftsman one, they all wanted $10. I could not talk anyone down. I knew they were $14 new, for used I want a better discount that that!
When I got home I check ebay and got a brand new Craftsman 3/8 ratchet for $10 free shipping!
Yeah, but that new Craftsman ratchet is probably made in China. I'd rather pay $10 for a good used USA-made ratchet than any price for one made in China, but that's just my preference and my right. Always has been; always will be.
Welcome to Arizona, where there's often no logic in used tool pricing. You just have to keep shopping, and sooner or later you will find good tools at reasonable prices. For example, a few weeks ago, I found a handful of Snap-On sockets for about a quarter each, and a 5" Wilton bullet-style vise for $50.
Yeah, but that new Craftsman ratchet is probably made in China. I'd rather pay $10 for a good used USA-made ratchet than any price for one made in China, but that's just my preference and my right. Always has been; always will be.
I agree, but the ad on Ebay said it was an American one. According to the guy at Sears (I just took in a broken ratchet and got a Chinese one!) The sets are currently still comprised of US made stuff. The guy on Ebay, I assume, has bought a bunch of sets and is parting them out.
I agree, but the ad on Ebay said it was an American one. According to the guy at Sears (I just took in a broken ratchet and got a Chinese one!) The sets are currently still comprised of US made stuff. The guy on Ebay, I assume, has bought a bunch of sets and is parting them out.