what tools have you actually broke while using?

[monster1]

What kind of hard mechanics tools have you actually broke while using? What where you working on? How were you using the tool? What brand tool was it? Not looking to start the COO war back up. Just looking for real life stories in the service bays and home garages. I'll start:

I was tightening the head bolts on a 4.3 Chevy and the 1/2" to 3/8" adapter I was using twisted apart on the first bolt. No name brand I bought at a yard sale in a kit I bought for 3 bucks.

 

[ChrisF250]

Ive broken some no name hex sockets before. On my flf80 where the ratchet meets the handle, one of the flanges is cracked.

Forgot, Also sheared the tip off my snap on instinct P2

 

[sberry]

Very few, a few sockets, mostly Craftsman while really new and pretty much out of the box. They now have all been stress tested from use so its a rare day anymore, minor concern especially considering the hundreds I own in fairly continuous use.

 

[Rogue1987]

HF 25" 1/2Dr Breaker Bar - Sheared off the drive end - had an eight foot cheater on it.

Proto 3/4dr female to 1/2 drive male adapter - Sheared off the drive end - just pulling on the ratchet. (Gearwrench 3/4 hex socket was fine)

Two Craftsman 3/4dr ratchets - sheared off the drive end.

Older Kobalt 3/4 indexing, locking ratcheting wrench (USA) ratcheting mechanism blew apart. Second time I had used it. I was sad.

HF 13mm long pattern wrench - back before I knew the difference between good tools and not so good tools, I bought a set of these wrenches. First one I used, I bent into a pretzel on a shock. I gave the rest away and moved into better tools.

Wore out one of those extending, locking indexing husky 3/8dr ratchets, as well as about 4 1/4 dr husky ratchets.
About it off the top of my head.

 

[shoturtle]

Too many husky ratchets just off the top of my head. Wish work would buy kolbolt instead, as they are about the same price and made better. And couple of chinese crescent wrench.

 

[Jlude90]

When I was building my h motor a while back I cracked the main bearing bridge and it's back when I was poor and so I went to the junkyard to get one, so laying under an accord in the gravel I got all but one free and broke 4 brand new craftsman 6 point 14mm before it rounded the bolt off and then had to use a bolt out and handled it no problem. Recently I broke a 1/2 to 3/8 kobalt adaptor with my snap on mg725 and just sheared it off trying to remove a Subaru cam puller bolt. And I just broke a snap on 1/4 wobble plus extension trying to take a Subaru ac compressor off with the intake manifold still on. And a few other random things over the years.

 

[byoungblood]

A couple of Craftsman 1/2" drive breaker bars, sheared off the drive end, no cheater.
Craftsman 1/8" slotted screwdriver, tip broke right off just trying to turn a set screw on a pulley.
Craftsman 3/8" universal, sheared one of the pins holding it together, however I was using it in conjunction with an 1/2" to 3/8" adapter and a 1/2" drive breaker bar on a rusted solid nut on an intercooler mounting bracket. I think I ended up having to cut the nut off after attacking it every way I knew how.
Stripped a tooth or three off my fair share of newer RP ratchets. Finally pushed me over the edge to buy a SO ratchet.

 

[garfunkle24]

Proto 3/4dr female to 1/2 drive male adapter - Sheared off the drive end - just pulling on the ratchet. (Gearwrench 3/4 hex socket was fine)

Two Craftsman 3/4dr ratchets - sheared off the drive end.

Mr Banner, you may not ever borrow any of my tools.

I break tools very, very rarely but when I do there's a 90% chance it's an o-ring pick. Conversely, there is a 90% chance I wasn't "picking" o-rings with it.

 

[packofqtips]

broke a few craftmans sockets, one that i can recall was trying to loosen a bolt with a 72 tooth 3/8 snap on flex head ratchet. no damage to ratchet.

stripped a few teeth inside a mac ratchet one time. broke a few adapters, messed up a few impact swivels

one of my friends broke my 1/2 snap on ratchet the first time it was used. got a replacement no problems since

 

[woody 73]

Here of lately I have broken several Stanley screwdrivers tips and I seem to have somehow bought by mistake a box of drill bits that fell apart very fast ; because my eyesight is not the best all the bits came from overseas.

Someone on the GJ talked me into the HFscrewdriver bit assortment box and they are going strong on the other hand all my Irwin screwdriver bits are failing. My williams screwdrivers are still going strong no complaints.

 

[Daves69]

Broke a Cman 14mm deep socket using a SK 3/8 dr rachet trying to get the exhaust off a Hino truck. When the rachet came off the nut it hit my front tooth breaking it at a 45 angle. I was so upset about the tooth.

 

[Jim85IROC]

Not much. I broke the drive end off a wal mart 3/8 extension, and I've broken most of my Great Neck pry bars. I've also turned my cheap pin punches into spaghetti. Aside from that, nothing in recent memory.

 

[Outlawmws]

Craftsman ignition wrench

About 4-5 years ago 1/4 drive RP ratchet assembly simply came apart (Retainer fell out and I could not get the dang thing back together...)

A 1/2" drive RP ratchet broke internally maybe 30 years ago.

I've broken several drift punches over the years

Bent a number of Craftsman Std screwdrivers that were near new about 7-8 years ago

Broke a couple of Torx "sockets" all Craftsman (The Bits)

Not that big a list, all things considered.

 

[JMcFly]

Sheared the dire end off of a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter. Craftsman brand too. Tire shop did not isntall the lugs by hand and torque with a normal torque wrench like I had specified. Damn torque sticks.

 

[adcrawfo]

All sorts of hex bit sockets, cman, hf, proto, sk, stripped the gear out on a craftsman rp (which stated me on snap on) adapters used improperly on impacts, and more pry-drivers than I can count.

Sent from my Milestone X2 using Tapatalk

 

[atomicpunk]

The biggest tool I broke was a Matco 1 1/2 impact socket 3/4 drive. I was fixing a flat on a trailer with Budd wheels and it cracked. Then there are the Craftsman screw drivers that the tips broke off over the years.
Burned up a Black and Decker 3/8 industrial drill at work drilling wood strips for wire sliders that go onto oversize loads.
The last thing I broke was a blade in a Milwaukee port-a-band saw.

 

[Zrexxer]

Broke a Mac US-made 3/8 drive deep chrome socket once, with hardly any stress at all. Was just beginning to snug up the bolt with a standard length ratchet and it sounded like a rifle crack. Split longitudinally from the hex end up about an inch. Surprised the hell out of me.

Oh and I twisted up a Snap On 5/32 hex driver like a licorice stick... but that one was my fault, it probably wasn't supposed to be on a 1/2" impact with an adapter

 

[tyndall]

Snap-on ratchets and a few sockets. Proto 3/8 extension twisted. SK/Facom palmcontrol ratchet sheared inside but they're junk anyways. Wera chiseldrivers don't last me for two screws. A few open ended wrenches have been spread, mostly Taiwan and <5/16. Channellock side cutters.

 

[oldtools]

1/4 dr 10 mm socket and extension removing brake bleed screw. No name brand. 3/8 CM ratchet (teeth shear off). CM screw remover (snap in half). A few screwdriver tip. No name brand.

 

[nahudson]

I did break the claw off of a hammer, while working on fence and trying to pull off a old hinge that would not move and it did not move, broke my hammer. It was an allied hammer in a took kit I was given. I just about fell over when it broke

 

[lilredex]

Broke off a 3/4" dr. breaker bar just beyond the handle, trying to get the wheel off on this............way back, when a Sunday was really a Sunday, and nothing was open. Nothing lately.




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[kb2tha]

I broke the chuck right off a Milwaukee, US made, 1/2" magnum electric drill. I was using a 1" spade bit drilling through a wall plate. The edge of the bit must have caught the hole just right. Totally surprised me.

 

[metaldad]

the box end on a 1 5/16 combo, when using a 1 1/4 as a cheater.
many swivel joint impact sockets.
just cracked a 3/4 deep impact 1/2 drive HF socket
many flat bladed Craftsman chisels.
numerous grinders and sawzalls.

 

[crewchief888]

the tools i used to break with regularity

matco 15/16" 1/2" dr impact wobble removing flywheel housing bolts
SO 3/4" dr breaker bar head removing head from hyd cylinders

both tools used almost daily in a heavy eq dealership

my all time best was a SO 5/8" comb wrench that i snapped the handle in half

that did take some work tho, 10-12 hard hits from an 8lb sledge hammer
and my left index finger, with the same hammer... it's been over 15 years, and that finger still wont bend more than about 45*

ive broken lots of stuff over the past 35 years, 25 of them as a "pro" tool abuser.

 

[tbobbo]

Way too much to list........tool guys avoid me, even when i owe them money. I usually have warranty tools. We have alot of rust here. My last one was my brand new snap on breaker bar........sheared the drive bit and bent the bar. No cheater by the way.

 

[Matt472]

The only ones I can think of right off hand are: a Snap on 3/8 torx 30, it broke in half, a HF pry bar on an alignment rack, and a 1/2 drive craftsman socket wrench, I believe the gears stripped in it. The torx was kind of expected, I had it on a 3/8s impact. My Snap on dealer warrantied it no problem.

 

[oldgoat]

Broke some Craftsman sockets, but other than that I broke the box end of a 1 1/16 SK Wayne wrench breaking loose a draw bar. Found a dealer and walked in and held it up and he handed me a new one and just had me sign for it.

 

[GrizzlyAdams]

Cheap hex bits and torx bits on diff plugs caliper bolts Broke the pin in a mac breaker bar once doing an alignment on a supra. A few mac ratchets stripped out doin different things. But operator abuse also played a role in that. Broke some flat head screwdriver tips mac and snap on. Broke a lot of drill bits cheap and expensive. Drill bits are the tool i usually break the most lol. Sheared a few ends off wobble extensions fighting rusted bolts in awkward positions but otherwise i usually do pretty good.

 

[Matt472]

Another one was cheap drill bits. I can't count how many I went through drilling out steel rivets replacing Volvo window regulators. I finally stepped up and bought some SO thunderbits.

 

[hammergodthor]

4-5 Craftsman RP 3/8dr. ratchets + 2/3 3/8dr. craftsman sockets (all deepwell) + 2 different 3/8dr. Craftsman universals, back in the day 10+ years ago.

Lately; a 3/4" 1/2dr. Taiwanese socket, (had it for years, but only lasted 3 1/2 lugnuts on my brand new MG725)

3/8dr. HF wobble impact extensions.

SO, MAC, Cornwell, and Proto bolt extractors. (4 bolts that were very stuck.)

2 P2 Snap On instinct handle screwdrivers

Cornwell oil filter wrench, 1/2 dr.

Cornwell 5/32 (IIRC) allen socket

Had to warranty a Coast H7 headlamp last week, because the light started flickering.

 

[skruft]

Craftsman 3/8 and 1/4 ratchets. Once I found a broken 1/2 but I have not broken those myself.
Craftsman electric die grinders - pieces of junk
Craftsman electric drills
A Craftsman claw hammer
Screw extractors
Twist drills

 

[cderalow]

Numerous craftsman screw drivers, a couple sockets, destroyed the chuck of my old makita corded drill.

Not much else.

 

[Tunger]

Many snap-on 3/8 drive impact wobble sockets, more 3/8 drive chrome sockets than I can count (nearly all snap-on). A handful of 1/2" drive impact sockets, a couple of pry bars, a couple screwdrivers. Lots of 3/8 drive torch bits, and the list goes on. I am hard on tools, but that is how I make my money so I don't feel bad about it.

 

[GoBlue]

About 5 H.F prybars prying on various things, about 20 cheap hex and torx sockets doing brakes, 2 Craftsman Rp 3/8 flex head ratchets (no cheater pipe) on caliper brackets both times, H.F tongue and groove pliers, H.F oil filter wrench, Craftsman pickle fork on ball joint, matco 88 1/4 doing something i should not have been using a 1/4 on. Most of the things i have broken have been cheap H.F ****...ill think of more

 

[Kev442]

Cman:
Ratchets, 1 1/2", 3 3/8", 2 1/4" (I probably broke the 1/2" using a pipe on it)
1 3/8" universal swivel
4 sockets, mainly 3/4 and 18mm (stuck lugnuts)
1 3/8" extension
2 1/2" to 3/8" adapters
1 3/8" to 1/4" adapter

Master Mechanic:
2 1/4" ratchets
2 sockets (pesky lugnuts again)
1 chisel

Couple HF Sockets, the thin ones that came with the $12.99 laser etched sets, just tossed them. (yes, a lugnut was involved!)

More screwdrivers and tape measures than I can remember. The main reason I avoid anything Stanley.

Several drills 3/8" and 1/2".

I have never used a chrome socket with an impact, probably the #1 cause of broken sockets.

This past year, I did not break one socket on a lugnut, but I did break 7 lugs instead. Ah, the joys of life in the rust belt!

 

[greasemonkey44]

I have broken alot of stuff; but much less since i started buying better stuff
sheared p3 bits on Asian import rotors and drums, twisted one a week ago; did a snappy screw driver that way too
a 1/4 1/4 HF socket....cracked right up the side
a cman 15/16 in 1/2 drive....cracked
noname impact 17mm 1/2 drive....mushroomed out the hex end
crescent high leverage diacs...trying to cut a small bolt
chewed up a ton of p2 cman screw drivers
bent a 1/2 combo wrench from noname
spread a ton of open ends in craftsman
snapped the tip off my 36 " prybar craftsman
more than 100 drill bits of varying sizes and nationalities
cman cable hose clamp pliers....mfers broke twice on me and the cable was too short to reuse, someday ill get around to buying a new cable; upgraded to matco
other than that i have mostly worn out tools, diacs that dont cut well anymore, screwdrivers with bent tips, picks with bent tips

 

[BigAl62]

Years ago I broke my Mac 1/2" breaker bar (sheared the square drive off). I didn't have a Mac dealer at the time, he quit Mac and went to Matco and got the same route! I asked my Matco guy who took over the Mac route and he said he didn't know, why? I told him about the breaker bar. He sais he remembered selling it to me when he was with Mac and he warrantied it! He gave me a new Matco breaker bar for a broken Mac one! Talk about going above and beyond!

 

[NastyNate]

Ive broken a few tools here and there the only specific time I remember breaking something that was extremely disappointing was my fathers Matco 9/16 open side to a combo wrench. At the time I knew nothing of quality tools past craftsman but I knew for a fact I did nothing wrong. I still look back on it today wishing I saved those damn wrenches.

 

[DanCo]

Destroyed a 25" HF 1/2 drive breaker bar twice trying to remove a bumper bolt on a Mack truck. I just too lazy to go to the other side of the shop to get my IR gun. No Chester used, first bar I sheard the square right off, second time I snapped one of the ears off at the flex. Those bars can bend pretty good.
Dan

 

[NastyNate]

Destroyed a 25" HF 1/2 drive breaker bar twice trying to remove a bumper bolt on a Mack truck. I just too lazy to go to the other side of the shop to get my IR gun. No Chester used, first bar I sheard the square right off, second time I snapped one of the ears off at the flex. Those bars can bend pretty good.
Dan

Co worker of mine said he had his HF BB 8 -12 inches off the ground and could jump up and down and that damn thing would smack the floor.