# Favorite Hand Tool Brand



## jte1130

Looking to expand my toolbox of basic tools. Was wondering what the hand tool brand of choice is for everyone out there. Carftsman? Stanley? Store brand such as Husky or Kobalt? or something else?


----------



## Rehabber

I like Snap-On, Expensive, but you can't beat the quality. Yea I'm a quality tool whore.


----------



## wfischer

For me it's Craftsman, hands down. My dad and his dad both use them exclusively... some of grandpa's hand tools are over 60 years old and they're just as good as the day he bought them.

Store brands are okay for the wife's toolbox, but not for mine. I've actually snapped the tip off a store brand flat head screwdriver trying to open a paint can. You get what you pay for, I guess.


----------



## 47_47

When I was an auto tech, my basic hand tools were mainly Mac, specialty and test tools Snap On and air tools IR. There is a difference between the specialized tool manufactures and the others (Craftsman...) as far as feel, durability and cost. For home use, I would probably go with Craftsman for price and warrantee.


----------



## End Grain

I no longer patronize Craftsman or Sears for that matter but their tools were always a good value, at least until they became the stepchild of Blue Light Specials everywhere.

Snap-On tools are excellent but cost-prohibitive for tradespeople unless you're a vehicle technician who uses the same types of tools on a daily basis or who requires a lot of specialty wrenches, sockets, accessories, etc.

Stanley from the UK still offers well made tools. Not so good overall for Stanley of CT, China and Mexico, particularly their retail line of screwdrivers. But, their latest Super HD twin pack (Phillips, straight) of large screwdrivers have a metal core and metal end that beg for smacking with a hammer. Stanley carpenter's saws are a good value and the teeth last a long time, especially on their sharktooth line. Stanley anti-vibe and graphite hammers are decent but IMO there are better hammers for the same money or even less. Their wood chisels are a good value too.

Buck Bros. wood chisels and backsaws are pretty decent.

Cooper (Plumb, Lufkin, Crescent, Nicholson, etc.) tools are by and large very good, even the ones made outside the USA. Carpenter's hammers, folding rules and tape measures, adjustable wrenches, Hi-tension hacksaws, bowsaws, woodchuck chisels, rasps and files. 

Irwin has some very good tools including a multi-bit screwdriver, twist and spade drill bits, vise grips and specialty pliers. Their plastic clamps are only so-so.

Channellock makes excellent pliers, decent diagonal cuttters, very good linesman's pliers, good slip joint pliers, etc.

Klein hand tools are among the very best, especially for electrical work. Surprisingly, Greenlee's line of imported electrical hand tools at HD are much less $$ than Klein, yet are made well and perform well.

Husky and Workforce (both HD) are strictly hit or miss. The Husky sockets and screwdrivers are better than those of Workforce but still won't stand up to daily rigorous use by tradespeople.

Empire along with Johnson still makes the best and most affordable aluminum and plastic levels in the general trades class. Fuller hand tools by Johnson are still decent but hard to find.

Ridgid plumbing tools are still well made. In direct contrast, HD's Brasscraft line of plumbing tools across from Ridgid's are not that well made. Although not offering as many models or as much alleged "HP" as Shop Vac does, Ridgid consumer and general trade wet/dry vacuums are, IMO, superior to Shop Vac's, dollar for dollar and pound for pound.

Estwing hammers are IMO among the best, with the wrapped leather handles even better than the formed grips. Ditto for the wood-handle line of Vaughan hammers that offers excellent framing and ball peen hammers as well.

Surprisingly, ACE Hardware's brand of hand tools is pretty decent but you have to look closely at the price difference between their imported version and a popular brand name. Their 1/4" drive sockets and box/open end wrenches are a very good value for occasional use.

Then there are those hand tools that are bought because of one specific job or project and end up sitting around for years collecting dust. Sometimes, depending upon the size of the job or project or the punishment the tool might get in the process, the bulk China-made versions of more expensive branded ones can be a good and economical alternative. I've got a few of them myself and I'm happy to say that they have handled the wear and tear I've dished out and stood the test of time.


----------



## MrRSBM

End Grain Besides being in the same business, I think our tool boxes are a close match. I have almost every brand you have listed exsept "Mac", But in that place I have SK. My most favorite set of ratches and sockets has to be a set bought from Wally World "Wal-Mart" under the name "Populor Mechanics". It was a 150+ set with sae, metric, tork, and alen, deep & shallow, 1/4" & 3/8. Bought it on a clearance sell after Christmas one year. I use then on my Panasonic 12 volt impact driver daily. Driver puts out 1062 inches lbs of tork, and after 4 or 5 years, they don't show excesive ware.


----------



## jte1130

Thanks for the recommendations.

EndGrain, thank you for that very detailed list. I think I now have a guide for each and every tool I would need to buy.

Thanks again.


----------



## electrician man

*electrician man*

Hi End Grain I liked what you said about the tools you mentioned.
I am curently taking a home study course in electric. I have been
looking for some new tools for my tool box. I have some channellock pliers that I use and want to add some screwdrivers and nut drivers to the list.
I liked what you said about Greenlee tools and their price.
Thanks a lot. 




Electrician man:thumbup:


----------



## PaliBob

I don't have a favorite brand. There are some graeat tools to be found from all over. For Electrical tools my new favorite is the wire stripper from *KNIPEX*

Here's a closer look:
http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=182&L=1http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=783&L=1&grpID=5&ukat=abiso01
.


----------



## abbyjhon

Thanks for info.......



-----------------
Testing Equipment, Screws


----------



## canadaclub

There are mutation problems with some of the best tools. Estwing and Klein for example, if you're not very careful they grow legs!:furious:


----------



## Leah Frances

PaliBob said:


> I don't have a favorite brand. There are some graeat tools to be found from all over. For Electrical tools my new favorite is the wire stripper from *KNIPEX*
> 
> Here's a closer look:
> http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=182&L=1http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=783&L=1&grpID=5&ukat=abiso01
> .


:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Love the ALL the knipex pliers. 

For hand tools I pick 'made in the USA' over just about anything.


----------



## PaliBob

*Knipex Fav*

The old 2009 Knipex Link for a Wire Stripper is kaput.
here is the UPDATE
.


----------



## Leah Frances

PaliBob said:


> The old 2009 Knipex Link for a Wire Stripper is kaput.
> here is the UPDATE
> .


OOOOOO. I don't have one of those ! Better let the Husband know. He gets me tools instead of flowers. :thumbup:


----------



## PaliBob

This type of Stripper excels at reaching into a crowded box but because it needs to be adjusted for different gauge wire it is not so useful if there are many tasked wire size changes. Most useful for me on 14 or 12 awg.


----------



## hyunelan2

Ratchets, sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers = Craftsman. Klein makes nice screwdrivers too. Crescent for adjustable wrenches and channel locks. For hammers, nothing beats Estwing.


----------



## Marqed97

I started with Craftsman for screwdrivers and basic sockets/ratchets, mostly for 3/8" and 1/2" stuff, but I prefer SnapOn for the 1/4" stuff. The ratchets are way better on the small stuff. Otherwise I mix up Mac, Matco, IR, whatever I feel is best for a certain application. Sears is 30 miles from me, while Matco and SnapOn tool trucks stop at work once a week. I guess the convenience is really the key sometimes. SnapOn really does make some great specialty test equipment though.


----------



## rusty baker

In my trade, it's Roberts, then Crain.


----------



## Giles

When buying a tool, the most important thing for me is where it is manufactured. Now, I never buy tools from Communist China:thumbsup:
The last Chinese made tool I bought, a few years ago, was a 1" PVC cutter. It broke on the third of fourth use. I went back and paid almost double for an American brand and I have used it MANY times with NO problems.


----------



## hyunelan2

I say that not everything made in China is a piece of crap. However, if it is a piece of crap, it was most likely made in China.


----------



## Leah Frances

hyunelan2 said:


> I say that not everything made in China is a piece of crap. However, if it is a piece of crap, it was most likely made in China.


There is a time and place for pieces of crap from China. I've got a few hammers I use for things other than hammering nails.


----------



## Doc Holliday

I can not stand the fact that Fieldpiece hvac tools are made in Taiwan and I have quite a wide variey of Fieldpiece tools. Just bought a new Fieldpiece manometer last week.

Drills and such it's Makita, always. I don't care where they're made, they are the absolute best I have ever used. DeWalt I find bulky and imbalanced, Craftsman simply is not what they once were and are at the Black and Decker level if not below which is, well, K-mart at best.

Linemans must be Klein. They have great screwdrivers and nutdrivers and such but my Husky's seem to work just as well.

I like Ford trucks as tools as well.


----------



## itguy08

Doc Holliday said:


> Drills and such it's Makita, always. I don't care where they're made, they are the absolute best I have ever used. DeWalt I find bulky and imbalanced, Craftsman simply is not what they once were and are at the Black and Decker level if not below which is, well, K-mart at best.


I've had good luck with my Craftsman stuff. Hand tools are great for my use and I really, really like the many C3 cordless tools I've got. Probably not as heavy duty as some but for my use around the house and in our remodel projects they have held their own.



> I like Ford trucks as tools as well.


That I can 100% agree with.


----------



## Doc Holliday

itguy08 said:


> I've had good luck with my Craftsman stuff. Hand tools are great for my use and I really, really like the many C3 cordless tools I've got. Probably not as heavy duty as some but for my use around the house and in our remodel projects they have held their own.
> 
> 
> 
> That I can 100% agree with.


Crafstman hand tools I like, if you mean wrenches and the likes. I've always liked them.

The power tools by Craftsman is what I meant. I bought a new Craftsman 18 volt cordless tool set and I found out the hard way that are not meant for actual job sites.


----------



## Leah Frances

SnapOn makes some great torque wrenches.


----------



## Doc Holliday

Never owned Snap On, might give them a try soon enough.

Husky seems to be moving in the right direction, very affordable and tough tools. Me likey the ratcheting wrenches. Probably going to purchase some of these before I try Snap On. 










And then these, also Husky.


----------



## Mort

Mark me up as a Craftsman guy. We use mostly Snap On at work, but I just can't see paying 8 times more for slightly better quality. Maybe Craftsman tools aren't as good as they were "in the good ol' days," but they're still mostly made in America, and that counts for something in my book. So I've been slowly replacing all the Chinese tools I foolishly purchased in my youth for those.

I also have their 19.2 volt cordless tools (screwdriver, impact driver, 5 1/2 saw, etc.) that I got for really cheap, but if the batteries are as bad as everybody says, I'll garage sale them and get DeWalt.

As far as pneumatic tools go, we use Ingersoll Rand at work, which are pretty good. We are probably the heaviest duty users you can get (tire/brake/alignment shop), and sometimes they have to be rebuilt. Aircat makes some pretty heavy duty impact guns which I think I may have to purchase for home use.


----------



## Colorblend

PaliBob said:


> This type of Stripper excels at reaching into a crowded box but because it needs to be adjusted for different gauge wire it is not so useful if there are many tasked wire size changes. Most useful for me on 14 or 12 awg.


This stripper is quite a nice little tool actually, it is not good when you need to constantly adjust it for different cable dimensions, but when you are working with the same cables over and over it is quite ergonomic since you simply pull the insulation straight off. It is something that you just like or you don't I guess.

However, the ones you get nowadays are often a bit too sturdy and the cutting surfaces are not perfectly centered towards each other. My dad has an older one that breathes age and quality....

As for other hand tools I don't have much of a preference, I am not a craftsman either. But I swear by my Bahco socket set...








The metal is thicker than more expensive ones but it is a sturdy and handy little set that is more than worth its price. I like older Bahco tools but I have lost confidence in them a little after coming a cross a few newly manufactured tools that carry their brand that did not at all feel solid but still were pricey. 


If I made plenty of money I would probably go for an arsenal of Snap-on tools, just laying hands on those is enough to make any job fun.....


----------



## OurHouse

I had actually come here today to ask about tools. Power tools are my bigger concern, though I still have a few additions to the hand tool category required. I did just get myself a set of Kobalt pliers over the weekend that seem good enough for the moment, and since they were a free gift, with a massive organizational tool box, I'm not sweating it for now :laughing:

I have a Makita 18v drill that I love, and am exploring what else I need and how urgently I need it. I know I can borrow tools from a tool lending library, but the stuff I am going to use most often, I just want to get my own rather than spend the gas and wait my turn for someone to return it, etc. I know I like DeWalts, Makitas and Milwaukees. Any words on Ryobi? Craftsman, I'm skeptical because I have heard it is going down hill. Let's not even speak of Black & Decker :laughing:. I think my most urgent purchase at the moment is going to be a multi tool (ala Dremel Multi Max) but there seem to be so many available when I search online and I don't know which is the best deal package because I'm not sure which accessories I'm going to want most over time, except of course the flush cutter blade to handle some woodworking issues that are pretty urgent IMHO. Any recommendations on a multi-tool set? 

The upcoming projects that are soooon include ripping out the subfloor and replacing it in the tiny 1/2 bath, and possibly taking up asbestos tiles. For the subfloor tear out, what's going to make it easiest? I'm thinking I need a circular saw for that... probably also a nailer? What's my most versatile option for a nailer? Something I can reinstall subfloor with and frame up a bench for my mud room, and sister my joists where they are less frequent than current code, etc.


----------



## user1007

I second estwing for hammers. I have a long steel framing hammer that has been with me for decades now. 

I have Craftsman screwdrives, sockets and things and have since given me as a gift in my late teens. Sadly Sears no longer rebuilds the ratchet type I have but will give a newer type to honor the lifetime warranty.

I have a mixed assortment of electrical tools, romex and wire strippers and so forth. 

I gave pipe wrenches to a plumber when moving years back because I did not want to deal with the weight. Big mistake. 

Of course ChannelLok products in several sizes and configurations. 

I really need the limited edition hand plane from Bridge City Tools? Just kidding but it is an awesome looking thing---and only $859! I do have several of their Japanese saws that come in more handy than you might think and am intrigued at the way you can adapt them for joinery. 










http://www.bridgecitytools.com

I actually have hand saws, chisels, planes and things that passed from my grandfather to my Dad and on to me. Like most, I have shifted to power tool use more than I wish at times. The thrill of cutting a bull nose edge with a plane or whatever is different from the experience of whining high pitched router. 

I have listed what I have in that regard in another post.

You know, garage and estate sales are great places to pick up some nice old, quality hand tools. You might have to clean them up a bit but you cannot buy new equivalents of some of them easily. Look especially for pliers and things. The Chinese cast crap at box stores fractures in your hand almost instantly.


----------



## operagost

Craftsman, if only because I've only gotten one bad hand tool from them (a rake with a fibreglass handle... well of COURSE that's crap) and even if it breaks, you won't have much trouble finding a Sears or Kmart to swap it out.*

* I'd only had the stupid fibreglass rake for a few weeks, so I exchanged it for a wooden-handled one that was actually cheaper!


----------



## Marty1Mc

For Automotive tools, craftsman. I have some snap-on as well, just very expensive. 

Torque wrench - snap-on

Air tools - Ingersoll Rand

Drills - Makita

Also, can't forget my Dremel, pretty handy little tool...


----------



## Broughton

Craftsman, except for a while I bought kobalt cause I'm a Jimmy Johnson fan.

I have a stiletto framing hammer that's the bee's knees.

Bosch and hilti for as much as I can.

Miller for welding.

iPhone to keep my brain in.


----------



## toolaholic

Broughton said:


> Craftsman, except for a while I bought kobalt cause I'm a Jimmy Johnson fan.
> 
> I have a stiletto framing hammer that's the bee's knees.
> 
> Bosch and hilti for as much as I can.
> 
> Miller for welding.
> 
> iPhone to keep my brain in.


I like the older USA made Kobalt! I got a USA 1/2 drive rachet/socket set and a USA 1/2 drive torque wrench on clearance at Lowes! I don't care for the new stock Kobalt! I also love Bosch escpially their 1224 bulldog rotary and 1617 fixed base/ plunge router kit! Their 1132vsr right angle drill rocks!


----------

