best tool brand?

[67ChevyC10Stepside]

what do you guys suggest for a nice set of ratchets....? i like S K husky except their ratchets craftsmen ratchets aint very durable usually. i have a husky tool set and the ratchets seem almost like they didnt oil them from the factory. so i think im gonna try to take them apart and oil them.

[BrianJordan]

craftsman all the way

[Alexis]

Originally Posted by BrianJordan

craftsman all the way

Sorry there brian.



Go on ebay and do a search on snap-on tools. You save 50%+ on snap-on tools. Worth every penny. If your looking for a good set of tools at a local store check out kobalt(home depot) i hear they're a good company and craftman pro are nice tools.

[Randy70C-10]

Craftsman ratchets slip. Snap-on are the best but they're expensive.

[SanitysBane]

craftsman ratchets do slip, that what caused my banger up finger.

[gr8scott51]

Snap-on.

[Randy70C-10]

Originally Posted by SanitysBane

craftsman ratchets do slip, that what caused my banger up finger.

Yep, thanks to Craftsman I have ten of those.

[Tx Firefighter]

Snap-On, no question about it.

[LONGHAIR]

Kobalt tools are made by Snap-on. Nice stuff but they are not exactly bargain priced either.

[cableguy0]

i agree too many busted fingers and hands because a piece of sh!t cracksmen ratchet released and changed directions on a tight bolt. snap on all the way plus the cracksmen handles arent comfortable to hold

[>X<]

i am a "professional" and my FAVORITE ratchet is the teardrop ultra thin 3/8 craftsman. the ones that come in the tool kits are CRAP. you get what you pay for.

[shortymac83]

Snap on is too expensive. I've never EVER had a slipping craftsman. If they slip, send it back and get a new one, since they've got a lifetime warranty. In fact, I've only broken ONE craftsman in my life, and that was a 9/16" socket, from jumping on a ratchet handle while trying to loosen a rusted bolt. That's right, JUMPING on the ratchet, with my 170 lb self. Cracked the socket, no damage at all to the wrench.

[>X<]

it kinda depends on what you are doing too. i bet you could check the boxes of any professional (mechanic, bodyman, machinist) and they wont have JUST one brand. i may be wrong, but i bet snapon doesnt make a pinstripe eraser wheel like Astro does. I have almost all Ingersol Rand air tools, all craftsmen hand tools, S&K impact sockets, IWata paint guns, etc etc. check out the FAQ board and look for martinsr's basics of tool buying thread, it puts everything in perspective.

[67ChevyC10Stepside]

all i want to know is a ratchet brand...like i have sockets from every company under the moon....same for wrenches etc and those dont really matter too much to me i dont see much difference in the brands as long as it's not the brand that says "taiwan" on it lol. i want some ratchets that are comfortable to use have a quick ratcheting mechanism to them and are gonna last me for a good long time. my only complaint with snap on is when i break one i have to wait forever to get a replacement. what do you guys think of S and K? i like the ones rick has. how much can i expect to pay for a snap on 1/4 3/8 1/2 set versus a S K one?

[shortymac83]

SK Isn't bad. If Craftsman is Oldsmobile, SK is like cadillac, half a step up. I don't really notice a difference though. Craftsman has a nice fine action, I've never had one bind, and if you get them engaged completely, they don't slide.

[cib101abn]

My first ratchet and socket set was a Challanger, 1972, the ratchet slipped last year and I got a new one from Napa, think it was Blackhawk; no charge. Others that held up good for me were Proto, have Craftsman, S-K, Snap-on, and can't tell the difference. From now on all I buy is at the used tools at the flea market and stay with lifetime guaranteed products, just trade it in if it gives a problem and save boo-koo bucks!

[67ChevyC10Stepside]

yeah see that's my main issue.....craftsman is easiest to turn in...but between my dad and my best friends dad RIGHT now we have 3 that are toast and need turned in.

[1972C10]

The cheap style crafstman rachets with the I beam are junk .. If you ever contact the selector lever while applying torque its over it will slip and bust whatevers in the way.

MAC tools are really good as well as Matco and Snap-On The Craftsman Polished Pro Rachets Are good aswell And crafstmans makes some really nice polished wrenchs that resemble the Look of snap on as far as being skinny ..

I dont know about the fit.. I do know ive stripped bolts with 9/16 craftsman wrenchs Only to come back and remove the same bolt with a snap on wrench . Seems the fit is much tigher Has less play in them .


All depends on how much your willing to pay .. Ebay is a very good place to get snap on tools ive built several sets of wrenchs and sockets piece by piece Sometimes id even find sellers with multiple items i needed .

[68C15]

did you guys know that Craftsman hand tools are made by the same company that makes Matco hand tools? Danaher Tool Group. at least for know, who knows what Martha Stewart & Co. will do.

if your ratchet will see grime & grease or dirt I would go with Snap-on. once a year take it apart for a good cleaning with brake clean & lube with engine oil. the new snappy's have a o-ring for sealing & the larger plastic like grip is VERY comfy. I would treat their locking flex-head like the plauge though.
just an opinion from a professional truck tech who has tried the other brands with many problems & none with snap-on.

[ed455]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

Kobalt tools are made by Snap-on. Nice stuff but they are not exactly bargain priced either.

No anymore, they're not. Lowes had a falling out with Snap-on (J.H. Williams). Snap-On owned the plant where Kobalt was made but they were not spec'd by Snap-On, nor forged by Snap-on. They were very good tools, but not on par with Snap-On. Currently, Kobalt tools are made by Danaher to the same specs as the J.H. Williams manufactured pieces. The tool boxes are now made by Waterloo.

Danaher is the parent company of Matco tools. Matco is an excellent brand of tools, but again, that does not mean that Kobalt=Matco. Different plant, different specs. They're made to compete with the likes of Husky and Craftsman. Matco is made to compete with Mac and Snap-On.

Having made my living with my tools, I will say that there is no comparison between the retail consumer brand tools and the tool truck tools. It's a matter of whether the quality and functionality difference is worth the extra $$$. I find Kobalt to be superior to both Husky and Craftsman. Now that I don't make a living with my tools, I feel that they are a good compromise.

[Brainchild]

I buy a lot from the pawn shop,Snap-on,mac,matco,ect.Blue Point is a good tool as well.Plus it don't matter where you buy,they are still lifetime guarantee,swap them for new ones.

[Fred T]

Have to agree with most everything stated. I had been buying SK locally at jobbers prices, but the store got bought out. Since then I've been cruising ebay, also check the prices at www.thetoolwarehouse.net

[HarleyWrench]

Snap-On tools are very good tools, especially for someone who uses them every day and makes a living with them (I'm a Harley Mechanic). However, I see Snap-On kind of like designer jeans, expensive and not entirely necessary, especially for someone who just turns wrench as a hobby in their garage. I like Craftsman stuff because it too has a lifetime warranty (Yeah, I have to go to Sears as opposed to the snapon guy coming to me, but the price difference is worth it.), and the only Craftsman ratchet I've had give out on me was one I had a 6 foot length of cheater pipe on (a bad habit I learned growing up on a ranch), and they took that back and gave me a new one. I've never had a Craftsman ratchet let me down (with the exeption of when I was doing dumb stuff, see above), so either you guys got a bad bunch of tools, or you're not doin' it right!

I'd say craftsman as my first choice (I have Snap-On tools I got at the tech school I went to, but I won't buy any more), Stanley's are OK, but not the greatest, Husky is pretty decent. Just stay FAR AWAY from any tool that has CHINA printed on it in big letters, those are known as Snap-On from Taiwan, and not worth buying.

[PHOENIX]

I own some craftsman and husky tools. I am happy with all, no complaints about them
Well actually I wish some of the ratchets had more teeth, but they both make them, I just bought the cheaper ones (got what I paid for).
I have a Husky impact gun I am very happy with.
I did just purchase some craftsman reversible ratcheting wrenchs (1 8-pc metric & 1 8-pc sae). Should be here tomorrow .
As far as impact sockets, pry bars, etc. I have always purchased Harbor freight stuff and have never had a problem or complaint. As long as the tool doesnt have moving parts it will probably be ok from harbor freight.

[67ChevyC10Stepside]

do your husky ratchets seem like they werent oiled or something? they click real loud and dont ratchet well? mine are brand new and seem like that. also how much do those ratchet wrenches cost? i want me some of them.