I truly and finally give up. If you were a professional mechanic I would understand your obsession with Snap On tools. If you were a chef I would understand it with All Clad pots and pans, although you do at least use the pots and pans on a regular basis.

I use the tools every day too. And, as with the pots, I pay nowhere, nowhere, near the listed price.

In fact I can honestly say that so far I have not spent more on these tools than I would have for new Craftsman stuff.

Of course, it would probably be in bad taste for me to question the function of jewelry...

Ask the girls what they would like for me to collect! LOL Of course I guess you can include your stuff in your estate to pass down to your kids and grandkids.

I use a lot of tools too.
When your car is mostly aluminum then the lighter stuff would do; but on cast-iron, I use the heavy duty tools.
Ask my Dad. He now works on light macinery (mowers, tillers, etc.), but used to work on the big stuff (cranes, front-end bucket loaders, etc).
He now has tools for each.

This article looks like I wrote it! I've got Craftsman tools I've had for years. My favorite wrenches were my old Crescent (made in the USA0) combination wrenches. Problem was when I bought them, I couldn't afford a large enough set to fill my needs today. I'm doing as you........buying used Snap-Ons! They are wonderful. Even if the finish is peeling, they are wonderful! Enjoyed your web page!

Snap-On tools are the way to go. I certainly agree with the whole 'lighter, better made' assessment. I've worked in jobs where tools would've been my life and I wouldn't have gotten anything but Snap-On. Craftsman tools are fine for light around the house work, but anything serious deserves serious tools.

You all need to realize one thing. Craftsman and Matco are made by Danaher Co. Mac and Stanley are made in the same plant by Stanley. Why are you willing to pay more money for Matco or Mac when you can get the same thing in a retail outlet??? Never... Never will you see one of my Snap-on tools rebranded! And if every self proclaimed "quality mechanic" did a little research.... you'd see that Snap-on is not that much more expensive than Mac or Matco. If you notice... they both shorten their tool sets to compete with our prices. Their 1/4" drive chrome socket set goes up to 14mm. Ours goes to 15mm. Wonder if that's why we're a couple bucks more??? Ya think? Get past the smoke and mirrors. And thank you to all that appreciate our quality tools.

I can say this. I am a Merchant Marine Engineer. Tools are my livelyhood, and second nature. We don't work much on small engines IE V8's & such. Everything we do is measured in the thousands of horsepower. In addition to engines (generators) we have crains, winches, booms, everything. Having said this, I can also say that I have used just about every tool out there on the market. I don't care if it's a snap on, craftsman, proto, SK, or some crappy chinese made tool we picked up in a foriegn port, because we didn't have access to American steel. I've used em all, and broke em too. Fortunately we don't have to buy our tools, they are provided to us. But having seen just about every brand get broken, bent, split, or stripped. I use craftsman for my own tinkering (at home). Because like I said "I've broke em all". And if I'm gonna break a wrench, I wanna hop in my truck (when I'm home) and take it back to sears, not try to track down the snap-on man. I have nothing against snap-on (except the price), but I cant bring myself to spending that kinda money on a tool that I know I will prolly break eventually. Just my 2 optomistic cents.

"Never... Never will you see one of my Snap-on tools rebranded!" - Shawn Salvato Snaponshawn1@aol.com

Go to Lowes and take a look at the Kobalt tools....

I run a big auto shop for my area.I also have 2 planes and work on them for a hobby.I Love snap on.Have 2 boxes 1 in my auto shop and 1 in my 60 by 80 hangar.I have a big krl series bottom and top at the garage and just a krl bottom at the hangar.I paid 3500 12 years ago for my box set at the garage,it is now $14.800.Snap on is ridiculous in price.I am glad i got them,and buy replacements if broken.I buy very little snap on off the truck,i buy mostly off ebay.Some of ebay snap on is new.I Was gun ho,but now in my mid 40's i woud think twice about spending all that money.The way snap on,mac,and matco get most new mechanics is they finance.Snap on is killer,but you pay for it.It has been kinda a hobby for me over the years,and will hand them down to my boy.

I have been really intrested in becoming a snap-on or matco dealer for the last 6 months, I am a higher end race car mechanic and i buy lots of tools, there for there are certian tools i will buy over other tools. it would be great if i could get some feed back on how these tool guys do money wise? Is it really hard the first year? and last but not least if someone gave you a 500$ gift card to either of the two tool trucks what one would you buy from???

a few facts
1: Snap-On is the best, guaranteed, their tools are made from higher grade steel, made to tighter tolerances and they carry more patents than Craftsman does tools...
2: Snap-On steel comes in a climate controlled trailer from Pa., coated in soap and is hand checked before tools are made from it, higher grade carbon steels mean higher grade tools.
3: Snap-On is the only company that makes their own tools, they own the name, the factories, etc
ever look at the back of a Mac truck? (A division of stanley) WOOHOO you're buying walmart grade tools at Snap-On prices (their tools seem to be less money because their sets dont add up)
4: "There is a Difference", and thats for sure, I was a auto technician for 3.5 years, doing front end work and accident damage work on suspensions, electrical etc, my box and tools were nothing but the best, take a look at Matco tools and KD tools, they dont just look similar as coincidence, they are the SAME tools just rebranded or relabeled.

If you are really serious about owning the best, and getting the job done right the first time and faster, Get It Done, with Snap-On Tools.

You get what you pay for.

I've been in the automotive repair business for over seven years now. I own some of everything: craftsman, SK, mac, snap-on/blue point, matco, proto, IR and even cheap crap that i can bend, chop up, weld on and generally abuse. i have stuff in my tool box that my great grandfather purchased from sears 60 years ago. i have proprietary drive M60 snap-on socket tools dating back to WWII.

there is a reason snap-on tools are more expensive: they are in many ways the best you can buy. excellent quality, excellent performance, and you definitely pay for it.

HOWEVER

any tool, whether you buy it off a truck or in a sears store or a walmart or whatever, can serve some purpose, as long as you use it correctly. the chrome 1/4 and 3/8 sockets i use on a daily basis are craftsman. i dont round off nuts and bolts, i dont strip or break threads, because i know how to use tools correctly. ive worked with guys that were constantly tearing thing up, and most of the time it was because they were too lazy to switch sockets. hmm, i wonder why a 14mm socket rounds off a 13mm nut? part of knowing how to use tools is knowing their capabilities and limitations. if a fastener is not budging with an end wrench, maybe its time to try the long 3/8 ratchet and socket, when that doesn't work out, grab the 1/2 stuff.

and saying that mac tools are comprable to stanley or matco to KD is like saying that driving a mercury tracer is comprable to ford gt. i guarantee you stanley brand doesnt sell a wrench comprable to the mac knuckle savers(which are far better than snap-on in comfort and performance). the stanley brand tool box will not be of equal quality to my macsimizer.

i like my snap-on ratches as much as my craftsman thinwalls as much as my mac wrenches as much as my SK impact sockets as much as my drawer full of frankenstein modified wrenches.

oh yeah

when you buy tools off ebay you are supporting criminals, those who steal tools, and those who fence them, usually some seedy pawn shop. why would someone who paid $70 for a ratchet have no problem selling that same ratchet in "like new" condition for 20 bucks. there are, of course, legitimate people out there but working in this industry makes you appreciate how dependent we are on our tools to be there. the idea of some junkie ripping off not only my investment, but my livelyhood, really irks me.

Snap-on tools are normally distibuted through trucks to places of business where the tools are used. When you are making money with tools, having the best tools pay off. They are the best, not being able to afford them or justify buying them does not change this. If you cant justify it, buy cheaper tools. Sears is open alot, but cannot ever find one that is open till midnight. Warranties are cool, luckily with Snap-on, you dont have to worry about Sears being open. Their tools last.

Hi,

I love tools. I like the history of tools and like to be knowledgeable about them. Many tools were made identically the same for long periods of time.

How to date tools is always problematic: how do you know when a Craftsman wrench was made? I could use help here... any ideas?
phil

I must say that if anyone tries to compare qualities it is not even close. Mercedes or a Geo Metro? I have been an ASE mechanic for a while and can attest to a huge difference in the brands. Matco, Snap-on and Craftsman are all I will buy. For your normal sockets and wrenches use Craftsman(Professional).

As far as tool storage(Tool Box) Matco is the best..look at any other out there and compare. Why spend thousands on a tool box, as a professional it is not a tool box but a SAFE. Thats right a safe, protecting anywhere from 10 to 70 thousand dollars.

Same with diagnostic and air tools, Brands matter. otherwise Autozone would fix everyone's problems. Can a Wal-Mart(sucks)impact remove a stubborn bolt everytime. I know my Ingersoll-rand titanium would. I cant afford to be down on tools, the right brand the right time will last forever, if I broke the tool it was probably not the right tool for the right time

I see this thread was started quite some time ago but it does have more recent posts so I figured I would add my two cents here.
I work on mostly classic cars (50's, 60's 70's) and what I do is COMPLETELY strip them down. Every last nut and bolt comes off. I either sell the parts on eBay or if the car is not that deteriorated or depending what the car is; I will put them together and sell them. In any case, I am sure you can tell that I use an extensive amount of tools for this work. I find the Craftsman tools to be good but the Snap-On stuff is definitely better. They both have a lifetime warranty and although I do not have that many Snap-On tools (a 3/8 inch wrench with a long handle, screwdrivers, picks, some sockets and some wrenches) I use the ones I have much more than the Craftsman ones. I have had to turn in so many Craftsman ratchets that I actually own around three of each. The reason for this is that they start slipping so often or lock up that I keep extras on hand so that I do not have to constantly stop what I am doing to run to the store and exchange the ratchet(s) to continue what I am doing. I have had the Snap-On ratchet for over a year and have yet to have a problem with it. I find on newer vehicles, the Craftsman stuff is fine. On the cars I normally work on which can be anywhere from 30 to 50 years old with nuts and bolts that have been sitting on the car just as long with a lot of rust and grime, the Snap-On stuff just performs better without breaking or stripping the nuts and bolts. I also notice the phillips screwdrivers last much longer as well and also do a much better job of not stripping the screw heads on these cars.
I have recently tried some tools from Kobalt as well. These seem to be holding up very well so far but I have only started buying them a few months ago so time will tell. I own three ratchets from Kobalt and so far have not had the problems I have had with the Craftsman ones yet.
Do not get me wrong; I am not saying Craftsman makes junk either. I use there sockets and wrenches extensively and do not find them to strip bolts any more than my Snap-On, Mac or S-K ones. The Snap-On wrenches do seem to fit tighter on the bolts though.
Overall; I would suggest for someone just starting to buy tools, to start off buying the Craftsman stuff. If you notice that you are having a problem with any tool in particular that you use often then upgrade to a Snap-On, Mac, Matco or S-K.
Well, there are my experiences and suggestions but just remember that numerous people will have a different opinion on which tools are best. I think a lot of it comes down to how people use them as well. Some people when confronted with stubborn, rusty old bolts like the ones I deal with might stop and heat up the bolts a lot more than I do which would give less abuse to the tool being used. Being that I do not have the time to do this with all of the stubborn bolts on the cars I take apart I tend to spray them all with lubricant and gorilla them loose with my tools only heating the most stubborn.

Just a few facts here, I am not a auto mechanic but a retired jet engine mechanic for the Air force.I now work on my 66 GTO and other classic cars.
1.Craftsman,MATCO, Snap-on,EASCO and Master mechanic hand tools are all made from O-1 tool steel hardened and tempered.In the 80's the US Air force contracted with snap-on for Aviation tools,as far as aviation goes Snap-on is the leader.However when one of our sockets rounded out from use the snap-on dealer would not replace it, we had to break them in a vise to get a new one.when a snap-on dealer replaces a tool it comes out of his own pocket.If you are Joe blow mechanic and have a broken socket you bought on E-bay how happy is that snap-on dealer going to be when you flag him down in front of your house?The kid working for Sears with 7 earings in his head doesn't give me any *%## when I want a new tool. But Snap-on tools are like better right,wrong the wrenches are so shiny they are slippery, and made so thin we had to wrap rags around the wrenches because they cut into our hands. One day some of the guys in the jet engine shop had an argument about which tool is better so we had a contest, new craftsman socket VS new Snap-on , guess what the craftsman was tighter. Craftsman tools are cheaper because they are not driving them around in a truck that gets 6 miles to the gallon.If I find Snap-on a the flea market I will buy them but for new I will always buy Craftsman.

When a Snap-on Dealer replaces a broken tool, IT DOES NOT COME OUT OF HIS POCKET. Snap-on stands behind the product and credits the Dealer when the tool is returned to the corporation. The Corporation even pays the shipping charges for a Dealer to return broken tools. As a Snap-on Franchised Dealer, I ASK EVERY CUSTOMER if they have any "Brokens" for me to replace for them. I know that I will be reimbersed by Snap-on for providing this service to our customers. I'm not going to go into the "Pros & Con's" of brand vs brand, I think everyone really knows deep-down what the preferred brand is... Snap-on!

I work on Light Rail Cars for a living. After starting out as an auto tech, I had several different brands of American made tools. Overall, I have been very pleased with products made by Snap-on, SK, Mac and Matco. Craftsman has been a mixed bag. I found that Craftsman ratchet's including their professional series to be nothing more then knuckle busters. As far as Wrenches and sockets are concerned, For the money,I like the fit and finish of SK handtools. Though when it comes to ratchets Snap-on is my only choice (except for fine geared applications, I like the SK/Facom fine toothed ratchets). As far as tool storage is concerned, the only boxes that hold up long term where I work are Snap-on KRL series boxes!

I have worked with various types of hand tools for a long time, and just thought I would throw in my 2 cents.

I have a box full of Snap-On, Matco, Mac, Cornwell, and S-K tools. So as you might notice - I am not particularly brand loyal. What I don't have I have likely used at some point.

So my take

Snap-On, Matco, and MAC are all excellent quality tools. Snap-On is probably at the head of the pack in most cases overall. However you really won't go wrong with any of them. Snap-On ratchets are hard to beat. However the new Matco's come pretty darn close. Sockets - all are good - but to be honest I like SK sockets as well as anything out there. For screwdrivers - the MAC Macsimizers are real hard to beat. Pliers I tend to prefer Matco - or German brands such as Knipex. Wrenches - I do have a notable preference for Snap-On - not sure why. They just feel right to me. For ancillary tools such as bushing tools, tap and die sets and so forth - not much difference can I tell. Same for pneumatic tools - most of them are rebranded IR tools anyway. Good pneumatics when they are available would be maybe Dynabrade - much better in my opinion.

For Cornwell - I'm not such a big fan. They have the name - but to me - their quality is not on par with Snap-On / Matco / MAC.

There are also Industrial tools from these same companies that may not have quite the finish as their branded counterparts - but can offer excellent service at a lower cost. For MAC - it would be Proto. For Snap-On - JH Williams. And for Matco - Armstrong. These are all excellent tools in their own right, especially if you do not need bright shiny chrome on everything. Again all come with a lifetime warranty.

One of the very BEST kept secrets out there in my opinion is Wright tools. These tools are excellent in every way. They have tools that would compete at the Snap-on/Mac/Matco level - and industrial tools to compete at the Williams/Proto/Armstrong level. They are a much smaller independent company - not one of the big 3 tool makers (Snap-On, Danaher, Stanley) - but their product is extremely nice.

For European tools - Stahlwille is king. They are a direct comparison to Snap-On - as being the king of the hill in European tools. Hazet and Facom makes some very good tools also, if you want to find something to add to the mix to compare to Matco and MAC. You have specialty makers also - Knipex for pliers - Wiha for screwdrivers - and so forth. But these are your big boys. Beta can be good but hard to find state side also. Other decent brands more closely on a level with Armstrong / JH Williams / Proto would be Gedore or Matador for example.

I tend not to buy the store level brands such as Husky (Stanley Tools / Mac / Proto), NAPA/Kobalt (Danaher / Matco / Armstrong), or even Craftsman for that matter (which has been made by both Stanley and Danaher at different points in time). The reason why is - these tools are made by big companies - true. But they do not use the same forgings - or even the same designs - and the fit and finish is not on par with their top end tools. This is just reality. However for someone getting started - they are not all bad. They do have a lifetime warranty - and local replacement at a store without too much hassle. And they do tend to be much better than the China specials. So for people starting out - they are a good option maybe. Of these 3 - I like the Kobalt brand the best - just personally - mainly because some of their tools tend to be in my opinion a bit higher quality than the others, and at the same or lower cost.

However for almost the same money - you can buy S-K tools - which are a complete level above these in quality - especially after the management team bought out the company from Facom and began private manufacturing. I have seen large leaps in quality since then, and honestly - much of what they produce is easily comparable to Mac and Matco right now overall. Not too crazy about their rachets - but other than that - they make outstanding items. If you haven't checked out the new S-K tool line - you really owe it to yourself to take a look. As a side note - I have started seeing S-K tool TRUCKS here in the Phoenix area - directly competing against Snap-On / Mac / Matco trucks (never seen Cornwell in Phoenix). That being the case - they seem to be trying to position themselves as the next maker of extreme quality tools.

Another one to consider is the Craftsman PROFESSIONAL line. This is very different from the normal Craftsmans. These tools - are impressive. Rumor has it they are actually made by Snap-On - but I can not find anyone who knows or will say for sure. More likely they are made by Danaher at their Matco or Armstrong facilities - since Danaher Professional Tools Division has a contract with Craftsman Industrial Sales to represent and sell these items to their business customers. At the very least - take a look at these. A Craftsman Professional wrench laying directly beside my Snap-Ons are almost identical except for the name. The quality - finish - and so forth are very comperable. These are not your normal rough Craftsman products. If you like premium tools - these are definately worth considering at their prices.

By the way - my box is a MAC Tools MACSIMIZER - which I will put up against any Snap-On or Matco box out there. It is a top of the line box - and the price reflects it. However most of the folks selling uber expensive boxes have them manufactured in whole or in part from Waterloo - so this should not be surprising that at comparative levels there is really not that much difference between a Snap-On / MAC / Matco - at various quality levels and price points. Find the layout and configuration you need or want - the quality is good in all. Bear in mind however that they tend to offer 2 grades of boxes. A (cheap!) box at around $3500 - and an expensive (YIKES!) box at around $7000. There IS a large quality difference between these. So for example you can not compare a Snap-On KRL to a MAC Tech 1000..... Just not apples to apples. Equally you can't compare a MACSIMIZER to a Snap-On KRA. Just two different levels of merchandise.

Anyway - I tried to catch most of the questions above. I hope this might be helpful to someone out there.

All the best.

My son was using my 40 year old Craftsman 3/8 ratchet handle when the bearings fell out of it. He returned to our local Sears and the gave hi a reconditioned, beat up, scared handle that is in worse condition than the broken handle. This is not the first incident I have had with Sears on there tool Guarantee. Last year I was given infer red thermometer for Christmas, it lasted one day, I was given a replacement, and that lasted two days. I went back to the store and requested my money back. The price of the thermometer had changed so they gave only the new price back to me SHORT $2.75. I no longer buy tools at Sears. Sears does not stand behind ther product.

The best tools are old tools: old Proto, Plomb, Armstrong, Williams, etc.

No one has that kind of steel today. Their tools may look slick and flashy but, the steel is inferior.

Give me an old Williams SuperRatchet, a Lectrolyte box wrench, a Plomb breaker bar and I'll put them up against any Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Craftsman, whatever.

You were correct on a number of things as I was enjoying your post. The few things that may need correction is that MAC is owned by Stanley and not USA made, nor is Matco which is owned by Danaher (also produced craftsman tools). Both are outsourced to other countries and QC'd elsewhere. Snap On is the only tool company in the sates made in the states, forgive the blue-point line which is made anywhere in the world but priced comparibaley with mid-tier lines. Also list price to list price Snap On is cheaper than the other two. Where there is a price discrepency there is also a quantity difference, i.e. 10mm-19mm vs 8mm-21mm.

I once bought only Snap-On. Over 40 years I tens of thousands ($) of Snap-On tools.

I had two bad experiences with Snap-On dealers where they refused to replace under warranty. Long and short of it: I no longer buy Snap-On.

I once bought only Snap-On. Over 40 years I have purchased tens of thousands ($) of Snap-On tools.

I had two bad experiences with Snap-On dealers where they refused to replace under warranty. Long and short of it: I no longer buy Snap-On.

I once bought only Snap-On. Over 40 years I have purchased tens of thousands ($) of Snap-On tools.

I had two bad experiences with Snap-On dealers where they refused to replace under warranty. Long and short of it: I no longer buy Snap-On.

Danaher has a tool factory in Northwest Arkansas that makes wrenches for various companies. Craftsman, Matco, etc.

Danaher has a tool factory in Northwest Arkansas that makes wrenches for various companies. Craftsman, Matco, etc.

I run a fuel and electric shop for the goverment and have for the past 10 years. We use nothing but Snap on tools, about 6 months ago we perchased 10 - 1/4" die grinders and 10 - 1/4" drive socket sets. Five of the ratchets locked up and all 10 die grinders went down and our dealer said that the goverment gets no warranty (according to him its a new policy recently put into effect) anybody heard of this so called new policy?