They were one of the most significant holdouts over the past decade or so, but they won't learn from their mistake. They could have learned from vise-grip, who could have learned from dremel, who could have learned from Stanley. Sears (Craftsman) could have learned from any or all of them, as could Husky and Kobalt.
They'll all just go the same way, only to lose the race to the bottom to Harbor Freight.
As a tool user, I'll admit to buying from Harbor Freight for the things that are intended to be used up. You can't beat their deals on "rotating tool (compare with Dremel!)" heads which are designed to get used up anyway. But their tools that are supposed to last? The hammers loosen after the first few hits. Your options then are to take them in for the lifetime warranty replacement, or hammer another shim in the top. Their other "lasting" tools aren't that great either. Although they do have the big
Some HF tools are fantastic, though they are few. Some are total garbage; surprisingly, they are few. Some require modification before use, which supposedly notably includes their machine tools which have rough edges and the like. No self-respecting machinist would let anything like that out the door, but no self-respecting machinist was involved in their manufacture.
What actually is great, though, are most of their hand tools. The wrenches, socket wrenches and so on are every bit as good as Craftman ever w
"The wrenches, socket wrenches and so on are every bit as good as Craftman ever was, if not better — I am a vintage tool aficionado, so I do actually have basis for comparison."
Bullshit. My right thumb, sliced cleanly and deeply by a spalled ball bearing begs to differ.
I learned my lesson - my hand, made in the USA. Your hand, your choice. I'm done with cheap Chinese tools.
Well my experience is that I can break any tool and I am more interest in their failure modes. Having used some cheap sockets that were bought for a one off job only to have them shatter instead of snap was a put off. The ones that shattered had huge grains almost like those found in cast iron while the ones that snap/crack have much smaller grains. This seems to indicate that the alloying, casting, forging, cooling, or heat treatment just isn't up to snuff on some of the really cheap tools. Sadly I have no
This seems to indicate that the alloying, casting, forging, cooling, or heat treatment just isn't up to snuff on some of the really cheap tools.
So actually the whole "buying USA" is a complete load of shite, it had nothing to do with the fact it was made in the USA and everything to do with the fact it was a cheap tool. As for Snap-On and Mac Tools they stopped doing their lifetime guarantees some years ago.
Crescent won't learn (Score:5, Insightful)
They'll all just go the same way, only to lose the race to the bottom to Harbor Freight.
Re: (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:5, Interesting)
Some HF tools are fantastic, though they are few. Some are total garbage; surprisingly, they are few. Some require modification before use, which supposedly notably includes their machine tools which have rough edges and the like. No self-respecting machinist would let anything like that out the door, but no self-respecting machinist was involved in their manufacture.
What actually is great, though, are most of their hand tools. The wrenches, socket wrenches and so on are every bit as good as Craftman ever w
Re: (Score:0)
"The wrenches, socket wrenches and so on are every bit as good as Craftman ever was, if not better — I am a vintage tool aficionado, so I do actually have basis for comparison."
Bullshit. My right thumb, sliced cleanly and deeply by a spalled ball bearing begs to differ.
I learned my lesson - my hand, made in the USA. Your hand, your choice. I'm done with cheap Chinese tools.
Re: (Score:2)
Bullshit. My right thumb, sliced cleanly and deeply by a spalled ball bearing begs to differ.
Your thumb is pretty cocky, mine usually doesn't say shit.
I learned my lesson - my hand, made in the USA. Your hand, your choice. I'm done with cheap Chinese tools.
Having had American hand tools break, I don't know what property of physics you think they possess that Chinese tools are missing.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
This seems to indicate that the alloying, casting, forging, cooling, or heat treatment just isn't up to snuff on some of the really cheap tools.
So actually the whole "buying USA" is a complete load of shite, it had nothing to do with the fact it was made in the USA and everything to do with the fact it was a cheap tool. As for Snap-On and Mac Tools they stopped doing their lifetime guarantees some years ago.
Re:Crescent won't learn (Score:2)