[VCho455]

Hands down best pliers and side cutters are made by Knipex. They grip like crazy. As long as you can hold on they grip or they tear into the material your gripping.

https://www.knipex.com/products/pipe...#Paragraph-690

These are my go to pliers.

https://www.grainger.com/product/KNI...Plier-V-38GU42

My go to side cutters. These will last you a life time under regular use. If your cutting 3/32" or 1/8" piano wire daily then they will only last a year or so before they get dull. But no other side cutter comes even close to that life span when cutting piano wire that often. Knipex used to even re-sharpen them.

https://www.grainger.com/product/KNI...Cutting-10T992

I'm not sure these qualify as midpriced tools but to me they are worth the price even compared to Mac or Snap On.

[Shiny]

I watch too much YouTube that is good at targeting my interests. This guy does a lot of comparisons and while not exactly scientific, he at least attempts to measure stuff, sometimes creatively. Here's one comparing ratchet brands:

https://youtu.be/eMUgzCvi0L8?si=d8BkBmhqEO_jQVWz

I'll save you the stress of waiting for the exciting conclusion. He recommends Gearwrench as the best overall value.

The Snap-On was clearly the strongest, and he makes it clear what you get for the money. More importantly, he helps guide on the line between great, good enough, and total suckage.

[Shiny]

I have a few Husky screwdrivers from Home Depot? that are my go-tos. They are shaped well, fit the fasteners securely, tips aren't plated, and they are holding up really well. A great value IMO. My 1970 vintage Craftsmans are mostly useless now. I keep them just because.

I also have a Stanley 3/8" ratchet and sockets that have proven durable for many years. Another good value IMO but don't know if the still sell the same quality.

[JSchmitz]

Originally Posted by VCho455

Hands down best pliers and side cutters are made by Knipex. They grip like crazy. As long as you can hold on they grip or they tear into the material your gripping.

https://www.knipex.com/products/pipe...#Paragraph-690

These are my go to pliers.

https://www.grainger.com/product/KNI...Plier-V-38GU42

My go to side cutters. These will last you a life time under regular use. If your cutting 3/32" or 1/8" piano wire daily then they will only last a year or so before they get dull. But no other side cutter comes even close to that life span when cutting piano wire that often. Knipex used to even re-sharpen them.

https://www.grainger.com/product/KNI...Cutting-10T992

I'm not sure these qualify as midpriced tools but to me they are worth the price even compared to Mac or Snap On.

X2 on Knipex pliers! I have a set of three sizes. Very thin, strong, and bite like crazy!

I have a lot of old Craftsman and Snap-On hand tolls. I had Craftsman screwdrivers replaced under warranty many years ago. They were clearly inferior to the old stuff. One tip fractured off the first time I torqued on it hard.

Remember S-K Tools? That was good stuff back in the day. I think it might be junk now?

[darbikrash]

Another suggestion is Williams tools. They are the industrial arm of Snap On, sold to businesses generally and not mechanics, and much cheaper as they are not sold on the tool trucks. They have a mixed bag as to COO, some stuff is US made, some Taiwan. I highly recommend their wrenches which I'm told are made in the US Snap On factory and using the Snap on tooling. They are ~ 1/2 the price of Snap On, and I get them on line.

I would not recommend their ratchets and sockets, particularly the ratchets as they are not US made- the wrenches however are as near as I can tell identical to Snap On and a great buy.

For general hand tools, ratchets, sockets and such I use Tekton, another online company who makes in my opinion some really nice 90 tooth ratchets and socket sets. They claim their business model is to replace Craftsman, and they offer lifetime warranty, free shipping, and a no questions asked return policy. These are Taiwan tools, but the company is shifting production slowly to US production. Similar quality to Ikon, but less money.

For pliers, Knipex 100%.

[Sirrotica]

Crapsman is now owned by Stanley, I just bought 2 sets (metric/standard) of their extra long 6 point combination wrenches after doing a ton of research. Lowes gets $75 for each set. They also are finished in a gunmetal chrome finish, rather than a bright chrome, which I care nothing about. As long as I get the fastener off, I'm not concerned about the finish on the surface.

https://www.lowes.com/search?searchT...ation+wrenches

They have the grip serrations on the open end, as well as the box end, and of course are 6 point on the box end. Extra long beams for leverage. Just what I need for rusty automotive fasteners.

I would never consider buying crapsman, until Stanley bought them out. As a full time mechanic, I quit buying crapsman in the early 80s. I feel that's when their ship started sinking. The Sears store stuff was adequate for mundane work, until then, but then got progressively worse.

It cost me $150, and tax, for these 2 sets but having extra long, 6 point combination wrenches I feel is worth the expenditure.

The lesser grade crapsman stuff is still on my "do not buy" list though, but the Overdrive line is an entirely different tool line. 99% of crapsman stuff isn't going into my tool box.

When Walmart sold Stanley hand tools, I used to buy some stuff there, but they quit handling Stanley a few years ago. The Stanley line has good value, but is now tougher to find in stores since walmart quit handling it.

Project Farm has some good tool tests if you have the time to watch his testing, he did some testing on the Capri brand in some of his tests. It seemed like a good value, as does the Tekton brand. Tekton does actually make some of their tools in the US, but the majority are made in Taiwan. Tekton lets you take a picture of a broken tool, and e mail it to them, they then send you a new tool, a different way to handle warranty claims.

[SRR]

https://www.autozone.com/ratchets-so...iece/52378_0_0

Around Christmas time sets like these go on sale and the tools are pretty decent with a life time warranty.

[cdrookie]

My wife got me the Gearwrench 20 piece screwdriver set a couple years ago. I like them, but don't get the 20 piece set. I only use a few of them and there's a couple I couldn't even imagine ever using.

[dataway]

Yep, when I'm feeling down and want to treat myself to something .... I buy a set of Knipex pliers or a Proto polished wrench. I've never bought anything that had any moving parts from Proto ... but if you want a wrench that you just might walk out into the shop just to hold in your hand for a while .... it's Proto.

However ... in the same drawer of my cabinet are plenty of 50 year old US made Craftsman wrenches that I got in my teens ... still going strong ... don't look as nice as the Proto or Snap-On etc., but, they still work fine.

[VCho455]

Cheap tools have a use too!

[carbking]

If I were first starting out, I would spend a couple of days on ebay, looking for 20 plus year-old made in USA tool sets, either complete or incomplete. Do a spread-sheet on what is available, and buy the least expensive of the best FROM AN EBAY SELLER WITH AT LEAST 1000 FEEDBACK! If the set were complete, great; if not, purchase the missing pieces individually.

Today, after 60 years of buying tools, 98 percent of which I still own; I rarely need tools, but most of the tools I still need are not available, and I have to fabricate them.

Specialty screwdrivers for working on carburetors is a good example.

Most of what I do currently buy are specialty items for my lathes and milling machines. Slitting saws of various thicknesses are a good example.

The modern Chinese made-sockets are especially useful.............................as ammunition for a slingshot to shoot at rabbits in the garden. They are sufficiently shiny to be able to see and retrieve if you miss the rabbit!

Jon

[Mr_GTO]

One of the things I've seen on Social Media in the last few months is the comparison between Snap On wrenches and Icon (Harbor Freight). It's pretty interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...nap+on+vs+icon

[1965gp]

The Snap On / Harbor Freight comparison is what made me ask the question. I want to know what else I am missing out on!

[rolling money pits]

Didn’t that battle, so to speak, between HF and SO originate with their floor jack? Snappy got salty about being compared to the freight and they basically pimp slapped them, showing their jack was essentially identical to snap on’s?

I’ve recently started get HF stuff, mostly electric tools, haven’t really put anything to use yet so cannot opine.

They cannot be much worse than the $1K in dewalt rechargeables I amassed, only to see them smoke, bog down, and cook $100 batteries in a few short years. Switched to makita brushless and haven’t looked back.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 1965gp

Yes I was talking about new tools. Living in such a big city most yard sales have scavengers there the day before/early morning. Like most I work a lot, looking for something I can buy online or retail and be happy with wrenching 4-6 days a month.

Look into Tekton Tools. I have their SAE and metric 1/2” drive socket sets. When I was changing out the rear hub and bearing assemblies on my Forester they were indispensable, as they handled frozen bolts with ease.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 1965gp

Those wrenches look pretty good. I was going to stop by HF and check out the Ikon wrenches which are supposed to be a great value. Don’t need them as my gear wrench and old craftsman are holding up fine.

What about pliers? I love the snap on (can grab and hold anything) but again very pricey.

Channel Lock are the only pliers I purchase now; I’ve never had a pair fail in service.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by rolling money pits

Didn’t that battle, so to speak, between HF and SO originate with their floor jack? Snappy got salty about being compared to the freight and they basically pimp slapped them, showing their jack was essentially identical to snap on’s?

I’ve recently started get HF stuff, mostly electric tools, haven’t really put anything to use yet so cannot opine.

They cannot be much worse than the $1K in dewalt rechargeables I amassed, only to see them smoke, bog down, and cook $100 batteries in a few short years. Switched to makita brushless and haven’t looked back.

I have a pair of Bosch drill and impact. I wouldn’t part with! They have never let me down. When they finally wear out( I’ve owned both since 2014) I will definitely look at what HF offers. My BIL swears by HF cordless tools; he uses them in his body shop every day.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

Channel Lock are the only pliers I purchase now; I’ve never had a pair fail in service.

X2 on Channel Lock pliers. I think they are every bit as good as Snap-On. About 25% the cost. I have a pair of Snap-on linesman pliers that work great but are so tight< I can barely open and close them with one hand. I have had them 20 years and they never loosened up like I expected. Tried various lubricants. Still really tight. Maybe another 20 years?

[SRR]

...

[rolling money pits]

lol.

I have that exact snap on top box, last picture, top left.

Altho mine is in slightly better condition.