American made hand tools?

S

seionage

Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
398
Besides Snapon/Mac/matco, are there any other american made tools anymore? I like the older craftsman, but not the current newer stuff.

I'm looking for decent hand tools (sockets, pliers, etc..) that won't break the bank.

Any suggestions on brands?

Thanks!
 
SK still made in the States? The used to make excellent socket sets and wrenches.

Klein Tools for pliars, wire strippers, etc. Available practically everywhere, even in our small-town ACE.

Crescent makes excellent tools, and the last time I checked were made in the US.

Vice Grips are imported now, but has anyone noticed a drop in quality?
 
Channel Lock still makes all their tools in PA. And they're still some of the best made.

The only thing I've really noted to be different on the new Vice Grips is the rubber pad.
 
lately the craftsman tools I've looked at are sloppy. Brand new ones. It just seems the tight tolerances aren't there anymore.
 
S K is still made in the states as is Stanley,both have decent hand tools for someone that does some of their own work.If your looking to make a living with them don't go less than Craftsman,Snap On is my preferred brand,I've still got most of my original Snap On tools that I started buying in 1975 and they've stood up to working on trucks and agricultural and construction equipment.
 
stanley is the father company to mac tools, i wont use anymore craftsman tools , craftman tools seem to fall apart under any moderate use, i hate the cost but i just buy snap on tools they are just better and last
 
I stand to be corrected, but on the "newer" Snap-On Blue Point Tools, these series are not made in the U.S.A., is that correct?
 
Craftsmans is all china know, except the rp wrenches and sockets. They are crap now for the price you pay.

Here is my usa list. Channellock, klien, armtrong(makes some matco 88 stuff) sk, wilde, throsen, and germany made, wiha, kniex, nwa, wera.
Look up harry epstein out of kansas they have alot of NOS (new old sstock) of the brands before they got sold and went to chima/tiawan/ vietnam
 
Husky tools , they have a US made line and an overseas made line. I bought a screwdriver kit about 8 months ago with like 6 screwdrivers and it was around $50 I think, the tools say "Made in the USA". So far so good.
 
Allen is another "made in USA" brand of end wrenches and sockets. Wilde is made here in Kansas. Most of the Crescent brand is imported now along with Vice Grip.
 
Proto is still around. But they are owned stanley/matco and have shipped alot of stuff overseas...
 
Danaher/apex are ruining the tool companies. Once pround americanmade companies now all china made..
 
I wish these companies would just go out of business instead of offshoring their manufacturing. Or they should re-brand themselves. Now they're just selling their branding with crap stuff underneath. The reason the brand became valuable is that the TOOLS were valuable. So it's almost false advertising. If they'd just go out of business there would be more room in the marketplace for GOOD tools because people who THOUGHT they were buying quality could ACTUALLY buy quality instead of being misdirected.

I have a new Garland mallet with replaceable rawhide leather faces that I love. :D
 
daizee said:
I wish these companies would just go out of business instead of offshoring their manufacturing. Or they should re-brand themselves. Now they're just selling their branding with crap stuff underneath. The reason the brand became valuable is that the TOOLS were valuable. So it's almost false advertising. If they'd just go out of business there would be more room in the marketplace for GOOD tools because people who THOUGHT they were buying quality could ACTUALLY buy quality instead of being misdirected.

I have a new Garland mallet with replaceable rawhide leather faces that I love. :D
Click to expand...
This is why craftsman is going to fail. When people realize they bought a $15 china ratchet then got to harbor freight and find the same tooth count for $4. They will stop buying craftsman. Why pay a premium for overpriced imports...
 
why dont you just stick with craftsman tools?
Click to expand...

A definite drop in quality. Someone told me they switched to a lower-quality manufacturer a couple of years ago, still in the US though.

I can vouch for the quality drop, based on some recent ratchet sets I've seen. Nothing like the ones I bought back in the 1990s.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top