Snap-on

I know some devout Americans who talk about this, that, and the other things that are supposed to be good for our country. But when they go to the store, it's "ME FIRST!". You are so selfish and greedy that saving a few pennies is all that matters. You don't care that you're supporting Communist Chinese slave labor and putting your fellow Americans out of work. All because our leaders told you it's okay. They tell you that those Communist Chinese dictators are good people, and you believe it because it helps you feel better when supporting Communist Chinese slave labor and putting your fellow countrymen out of work because you have to save a few pennies when you go to the store. That goes for misled/ignorant/greedy people in other democracies too. It might also apply more to women than men. But the ruling class, our government, or the one-way media would never let us know whether feminism is the root problem. For some strange reason, the one-way media never publishes poll results by gender.
And someday, when our government stomps on your face, it will say "It's your fault, you could have chose to not support Communist Chinese slave labor and put your fellow countrymen out of work, but you are just a greedy bitch".

I hear you. A good number of the mechanics I see with roll-ons, etc have them filled with craftsman -- which I never thought were all that cheap, either. But certainly a fraction of Snap-on.
Snap-on is one of those companies that echo'd PT Barnum long long ago, and which other companies are now starting properly grok, in The New Marketing, or as I like to say, The Modern MindFuck.
Take an old product -- a wrench, a vacuum cleaner, vit C, or now plain ole Niacin (vit B3) -- and put any goddamm spin on it you want, and you can charge up to 100 TIMES the "commodity price". Except now you call it Snap-on, Dyson Wind Technology, Anti-oxidant Ester C, and most recently, Niaspan .
Yup, Abbott labs is taking plain ole goddamm time-release niacin, and making it an Rx item at **100 x the per gram price**, and claiming all kinds of shit that had Puritan Pride made those same claims for the ole vitamin, they would be in court with the FTC and FDA for the next 10 years.
Marketers actually have a name for this type of marketing/ripoff, which slips my mind -- sumpn like hyper-marketing or sumpn -- and boyoboy, are they goddamm proud of it. As proud as Starbucks, charging $5 for a 50c cup of middling coffee -- another one of the oh-riginals in this mega mindfuck marketing scheme/scam. Except price gouging by a factor of 10 is just the beginning.
But Snap-on was one of the pioneers, who in the process did provide a little grease/kiss behind the ear quality-wise, but just a little, to noblely skilled mechanics, but who were/are obviously not economically savvy.
This mindfuck marketing is actually counted upon to deliver "economic growth" -- I kid you not. With ZERO added value. Don't bend over for the soap, at least not while yer credit card is out. And don't buy from sites that refuse to post phone numbers. Support Consumer Reports.

No brouhaha here, I never did pay the price. I could get Williams and S-K off the peg. Now about the only US manufacturer left in retail is Sears that's available locally. Not sure how getting Ace to retail Craftsman is going to help Sears, though.
I think the attraction of Snap-On is that they were doing mechanic's sets on time and they had those handy trucks that went to the shops instead of the guys having to find their own tool sources. Most of the tool distributors in the area closed at 5 and didn't have Saturday hours, so employed mechanics didn't have a chance at any other makes anyway. It was Sears, Snap-On or maybe MAC in some areas.
Stan

When I graduated from high school and started my apprenticeship in 1969 I didn't have much money. I bought a full set of Craftsman tools. A classmate bought a full set of Snappies. Before finishing our apprenticeship, over half of his "snap-off" tools had been replaced under warranty. It was 5 years before I had my first craftsman tool replaced. 42 years later I still have most of my originals.

Part of it is their service. They come to your place of work and replace any problem children, but most things just don't break. I originally got that same peace of mind from Searz until the late '70s, when they totally went to shit and I had to make broken Crapsman tool runs to Searz twice a week with bandaged frackin' hands. I no longer shop there at all, for over 30 years now. Effem.
But Snap-On and Festool are just too pricy for my tastes.
-- The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. -- Madeleine L'Engle

No brouhaha here, I never did pay the price. I could get Williams and S-K off the peg.
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My fav loose tools are the few SK combo wrenches I have -- almost artful in their contours, the plating seems like it's .060 thick....

Speaking only for myself, I typically only buy Snap-On tools when I can't find a less expensive alternative.

I have seen a lot of hand tools, an of all, I like Snap-On and Williams (which is also owned by Snap-on) the best.
They are not only high quality, but always the most pleasant to handle on a daily basis.
Of course, I never buy new. "what are those metal things in the bucket, do you know? I can take them for $10".
i

and Herbrand.

I think that snap-on will tell you it is the lifetime guarantees, as well as the quality of the materials and workmanship.

I buy snap on from the truck sometimes and pay full price - why? 1 - they have the tool I need. 2. see 1 - they don't order it, they have it. 3. they stand behind the tool. 4. the tool works. 5. see 4 - you only have to destroy one bolt or one allen cap screw to understand why you want the better tool. 6. I believe in buying quality and I don't like to have to do something twice.
Notice that there is no anti-chinese rant in the above, no complaining about the price, etc. Cheap tools have their place, so do good tools. It helps to know the difference.

I've done some pretty hefty torquing with the Pittsburgh set from HF while changing leaf spring bushings on my then 20 year old F-150.
The 22 piece sets cost less than a single combo wrench from Snap-On. I'm satisfied with the lifetime-guaranteed Pittsburgh stuff. 1/4-7/8" and 6-19mm for $23. or Plus, the highly polished chrome of Snap-On is hard as hell to work with under greasy or oily conditions. Slippery as hell.
-- The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. -- Madeleine L'Engle

They are great for aircraft, a similar one was Dixie. Minimalistic which is good for awkward and tight places. I like the old ones like Armstrong, Billings, Williums, ect. and don't have a set of anything, its so bad that I have to find every last T bolt or clamp to do a project. I was just commenting to someone using a machine that if I was one tool short I wouldn't be able to clamp his work down. People give me tools they can tell that they want to be together. Just take it easy on the cheap ones, plus those can be modified. Kinda hard hacking up a Snap on.
Is there a way to mail in a broken Snap on? I tryed once and gave up. I've got a 1/4 ratchet that slips.
Metal things, got to remember that one.
SW

blah blah blah snipped
I laugh out loud at clowns like this. If they would have to strip nekkid and examine where every piece of their clothing was made, they would violate their own sacred rules. Then, let's go to their car. Oh, it's American made, but with a lot of parts that weren't. And then there's the cheapie butane lighters, doodad mirror hangers, pens, and all that junk inside the car. Then let's move on to their house. Filled again with non-American goods.
Now beat it, you troll.
Steve

They are great for aircraft, a similar one was Dixie.
(snippage)
SW
The absolute best wrenches ever made for airline work were Bonney. Sadly out of business, and if you can find used ones, they're high.
Garrett Fulton

So, what is it that makes so good for aircraft?

Skinned knuckles.

On May 22, 11:07=A0am, "Garrett Fulton"
Bonney made nice wrenches.
Dan

So, what is it that makes so good for aircraft?
They made some combination wrenches with very thin walls on the box end. There's lot's of tight clearance locations on Boeings. Never had a wall crack on them. Their hydraulic line wrenches would never spread open no matter what torque you put on them. I guess it's a subjective thing, but I always believed them to be the best for aircraft work.
Garrett Fulton