Tools.maintainence of and what's your favourite brand

[Lesmore]

I'm not a carpenter, mechanic, etc....just a guy who likes to do some of his own maintenance and repairs on the house or vehicles.

I've always taken care of my tools, whether they are hand tools, portable or stationary power tools.

I avoid rough handling, I don't throw them in the trunk of a car, in a tool box, onto the floor.

As a matter of course I always wipe down my hand tools after use.

My Grandfather was a carpenter with the Canadian Pacific Railway for almost 50 years....starting in the early 1900's. When I was a kid, he taught me that a carpenter always takes care of his tools and my father reinforced that notion.

To this day it pains me to see someone not take care of their tools. I'm probably a little too finicky, I guess.

My power tools are for the most part older (25-30 years old +) Porter-Cable (portable) and my stationary tools are Delta...again a quarter of a century or older.

My hand tools are mostly the Canadian Tire Professional brand. They're also older (25- 30 years old +) and are at, IMO...at the same level of quality of say Sears Craftsman of that era.

They're good, solid tools, very good tolerances, life time guarantee...not at the Snap-On level...but pretty good and they work well for my needs.

I also have some European made (Spain and Great Britain) tools in British Whitworth measurement. I need these for my old British motorcycle...a '67 Matchless 750cc Scrambler.

What's your care and maintenance regimen of tools...and your favourite brand and why ?

 

[Big_John]

Tools aren't what they used to be. Too many are made in China now and not worth bringing home!

Myself, I always bought the Craftsman mechanics tools and tool boxes. Not Snap-On quality, but you could use depend on them and you couldn't beat the guarantee . Sears has started to import tools from China though and reports are the quality just isn't there.

For power tools, I've been buying Dewalt stuff lately. They seem to be a bit more rugged than some of the others.

Older tools are the way to go.... Garage sales and sometimes Ebay are good sources for affordable tools. I bought a SK 2 drawer tool chest at a flea market for $10 full of tools. Most were junk and hit the trash, but there were two pair of really nice snap ring pliers in one of the drawers.

 

[Tony Miller]

I'm a regular tool user here. On my person or at least nearby will be any of a variety of Leatherman Multi-tools....a Charge, a Sideclip, a Skeletool depending on whther I am in the shop or out somewhere.

My leatherwoking tools are all genuine Osborne stuff. For woodworking I have an original Swiss made Inca cabinetmakers saw, not the newer French made version. I still use the all metal DeWalt radial arm saw my mom bought for my dad as a wedding present in 1951. Many of my family's homes have been built with that saw. Been rebuilt twice but still cuts like a charm. My mechanics tools are all Craftsman brand.

Good tools make a huge difference but do not make up for a poor craftsman.

I once heard a quote that made me chuckle....."if you believe that there is a proper tool for every job, you are going to need a LOT of tools"

Tony

 

[Phog Allen]

For hand tools related to the technical trades like electricity and motor control work I really like Knipex pliers. I am still very fond of the Klein cushion grip screwdrivers and nut drivers. Nicely polished and chromed shafts, comfortable handles, and the sizes are engraved on the ends of the handles. Klein's pliers are another story. While they are still perfectly functional the fit and finish is not nearly as good as it was just a decade or so ago. Knipex easily surpasses them in build quality and finish. I am also about to give trial to some Wera(Vera in German) "screwsticks" as they call them. They enjoy a grand reputation in Europe and anyone I have seen post about them is always positive. I want some of their precision models.

I think Bondhus still makes very decent hex and torx wrenches and the like. And when it comes to adjustable wrenches(which usually make me wince when I see one pulled out for finer work) try Bahco. Those Swedes know how to throw down on adjustable wrenches. They are owned by SnapOn now and have good U.S. distribution. As for precision/electronics pliers about the best I have seen is Lindstrom's 80 series in a variety of handle materials. From the ergonomic Rx to the over sized HS handles Lindstrom makes good stuff. VERY dear though. These are usually used by technicians and jewelry makers. I am sure we will have more nice suggestions. I always learn about something in these threads.

Cheers, Todd

 

[wscottb7862]

Tools aren't what they used to be. Too many are made in China now and not worth bringing home!

Myself, I always bought the Craftsman mechanics tools and tool boxes. Not Snap-On quality, but you could use depend on them and you couldn't beat the guarantee . Sears has started to import tools from China though and reports are the quality just isn't there.

For power tools, I've been buying Dewalt stuff lately. They seem to be a bit more rugged than some of the others.

Older tools are the way to go.... Garage sales and sometimes Ebay are good sources for affordable tools. I bought a SK 2 drawer tool chest at a flea market for $10 full of tools. Most were junk and hit the trash, but there were two pair of really nice snap ring pliers in one of the drawers.

+1

 

[Big_John]

I am also about to give trial to some Wera(Vera in German) "screwsticks" as they call them. They enjoy a grand reputation in Europe and anyone I have seen post about them is always positive. I want some of their precision models.

I use those a lot at work and love them. Get a "chip lifter" from them too. It's a small pry bar that can be really handy. I've even bought them and modified them for special applications.

 

[Graybeard57]

That's funny, I was just talking about this to a woman mechanic this afternoon. I still have, use, and rely upon the same Craftsman wrenches and sockets I bought back in 1975. Lost and replaced a couple over the years, but none ever broke. Just read the above post and realized I have many of the Craftsman screwdrivers I got back then.

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

Avoid modern Craftsman, IMO. The older stuff was far better. Now, I can barely even use one of their hex keys without it stripping out on the first try. Complete crap. Bondhus makes pretty good hex keys/wrenches, whatever you wanna call them. There's a Japanese company that makes some obscure brand that simply has "EIGHT", the size and "Made in Japan" on them. By far the best I've ever used; these things NEVER strip out. I'll need to do some more research on where to find more, but they're worth seeking out.

For open ended and adjustable wrenches, Crescent or Armstrong. The latter is harder to find but worth the money.

Screwdrivers? Bahco of Spain. Stanley makes decent ones too, though, and they're cheap.

 

[Phog Allen]

I wanted to add a bit of information to my response. First though I have to agree with OldSchoolYoungin, Craftsman tools are now showing up with Made in China on them. At least according to the tool blogs and forums. I know any society is capable of making tools to any specs, so the fault of "cheap Chinese tools" lays with the specifier. However, in America and I suspect much of Europe, other than some obscure(to us) Japanese tool brands, Asian tools have come to signify cheapened junk. A bloody shame.

Now for some updated information. This is all second hand from different blogs and forums like GarageJournal. The almighty Lindstrom precision pliers are seemingly not what they once were. Many have switched from box to lap joint construction and the 80 series have evidently had production moved to Spain. Not a good sign. And before anyone thinks I am bad mouthing Spanish tools, just go look up Irega. Fine quality. It is just that Lindstrom enjoyed the end all, be all reputation in precision pliers for a long time. About the only competitor in pure quality was Schmitz of Germany. And everything I have seen about Schmitz is TOP SHELF and unchanged. Mind, these sorts of precision sized tools are pricey. Anywhere from $40 for snipe nose pliers to well over $100 for the more obscure 'oblique' cutters and the like. They are aimed at precision electronics board repair and poor quality won't cut it. If you are paying this money you better be getting the best craftsmanship. The debate between ultimate performance between box and lap joints rages on but there is no denying the beauty and quality of the Schmitz box joints. A very good American brand I was not aware of is Tronex. They are lap joint but from the internet chatter are VERY good. Working with electrical devices and control systems at times I really want a few nice precision pliers and cutters. If you think getting shave gear past the missus is tough, wait till she sees the bill for these pliers!

Cheers, Todd

 

[jumper]

I use al DeWALT for power tools and it is primarily based on the batteries, I can use the same charger and swap out batteries. I think that Milwaukee or Rigid are just as well made. The Snap-on line of hand tools seem to the best best bang for the buck for any hand tool that you will use over and over. The specialized tools are in a completely different category and I think each tool has a preferred manufacturer.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I was in an Ace Hardware today & the craftsman hand tools that I looked at were still said that they were made in the good old USA. I ude several of Craftsman C3 power tools & they work fine. The only thing I don't like about them is the standard battery & charger are garbage. I now have 2 regular li-ion batteries along with a half size battery. I have no problems with them.

 

[Mack The Knife]

When I got back into reloading, I saw all the china made modern junk, and went to a few gun shows and bought the same stuff, I was taught on, all 50s-70s gear.
I quit buying new tools in the 80s, except my Leatherman Wave, which I carry everyday.

 

[reboot]

My hand tools are of every brand you could imagine, collected over the course of about fifty years. I've come to the conclusion that I actually need three complete sets of tools - one for shop, one for the truck, and one for the house. Still working on that.

Power tools are just about the same, collected over a long time, and everything still works. Only had one Black & Decker VSR drill go bad on me.

I'm an avid gardener so I have a shop full of gardening tools. At least once a year I sharpen all the digging tools. One handy tip for your shovels and spades is to fill a large bucket with coarse sand and mix in some oil. Then put the shovels and spades in the bucket up to the handles. Keeps rust away and keeps them sharp.

 

[Phog Allen]

Mike made some great points. We were asked to provide some maintenance tips so here's mine. The usual about cleaned and oiled applies. I would also add in the admonition about not using tools for other than their intended purpose. I knowxthat sounds like Boy Scout advise but it really does apply. Everyone has their beater screwdriver but using spanners for prybars and pliers for hammers is an open invitation to disaster. Usually in the form of expensive tools irrevocably damaged. This would include the most sensitive instruments you own; your eyes. Safety glasses are the easiest to use, lowest cost, bang for your dollar tools you own. Use them.

Cheers, Todd

 

[shyrlock]

You may want to take a look at the Wiha line for electronic and smaller hand tools.
They are well designed and are made in Germany or in the USA. I really like their screwdrivers, hex and torx head tools.
I used to work on motorcycles for a living and I can say nothing beats Snap-On or Mack if you are going to turn wrenches everyday.
For power tools I like Milwaukee, DeWalt and Bosch. They do their jobs well and hold up to a lot of use.