what US tool companies make low quality?

[thetreshon]

I found that unacceptable. Everyone else in the industry does basically the same thing, but for around $15-25. I can offer shirts made in Union shops here in America, printed with American sourced ink, designed and printed locally for the $25-35 range. Once you start looking into making things yourself it is really amazing how much we're being gouged.

Wow - I'm always interested in buying USA (or Canadian) made clothing as well as tools - Not sure if it's possible due to having to get rights from the companies, but wondering for at least Garage Journal members you took a poll and saw how many of us would go in on an order of a shirt with say 'Channellock' logo on it, or S-K on it...say if one cost you $35 to make, maybe 30 would cost you $25 (or whatever...)

I'd like to have a US made shirt for both those companies...I'd even take a USA made shirt that says GRAY CANADA on it! (although Gray makes a lot of crud overseas now...)

BUT - I already know that Channellock does have some options for US made shirts on their site. But anything from SK - shirts and hats - is all overseas.

 

[Gmonkee]

Why get hung up on the finish so much? Its window dressing beyond rust resistant measures.

I have high quality tools in bare steel, some are near a century old. Size fit is good and they still work right after all this time.
Shiny matched chrome is nice but hardly the first quality in a tool that makes it great. Before that bare steel was the norm and the owner simply took time to keep them lightly oiled, then black paint and the real luxury of nickel plating on the flagship line.
After WWII chroming became common as we know it now.

The mid-low end market is rife with turd grade tools with the shiniest chrome ever. I've had some made of lead alloy steel? and others of better steel that didn't fit fasteners well.

Give me fit and function first and we'll debate finish when the day's work is ended!

 

[Larch]

I agree the Lisle bits are soft as butter. I also am not impressed with the Dasco pin punches. I swear the tip will mushroom out after two hits.

 

[-Brent-]

I don't know who made the USA impact bits I recently bought but they were horrible. The only marking was USA and the size of the bit. I get that these are consumable items and expect them to wear/break but these were poorly fitting and destined to mess up the screws being removed.

Just to be sure I wasn't nuts, I brought the number 2 Phillips around to a few other screw heads and it was the same.

I should have taken a pic. All three were the same sloppy work. I brought them back and picked some other unmarked bits from a different industrial supply house. Nice snug fit and no issues.