Top Tools List, What are your favorite brands? Options

[Larmo63]

My dad used to be the west coast rep for Kennedy toolboxes, so I have had those for years. I think Channel Lock and Vise Grip quality has gone down hill lately. Are they making them offshore?

[Ed_Turbo]

My gramps gave me one of his Kennedy rolling tool carts @larmo63 . Pretty solid pieces I must say. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) I could use an upper chest to complete the cart.


-Ed

[Chi-town]

Knipex - best cutters and pliers made

[Superhawk996]

I'm in one of those moods today.

My favorite Tool is the one that I see everyday in the mirror. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

[914forme]

Knipex - best cutters and pliers made

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

S&K also in my box
Craftsmen
Gear Wrench was a go to for a while but quality took a fall.
Beyond that I have Snap-On for some stuff, only bought 5 of them the rest where given to me, my father-in-law is an old school German Tool and Die guy, he made parts for Snap-On and they gave him the prototypes.

I am constantly upgrading tools, right now I am replacing most of my pliers as I get the dollars with Knipex. I also picked up a few Vampliers, very nice so far.

I have been buying lots of old tools lately, old stuff is always so much better.

Harbor Freight is in my garage, but it is for stuff the can take my fingers off, that 12" disc sander can do that in a millisecond. BTW, I just got an old belt sander made in the 50s that will likely replace that unit. It has only been a few years since that unit help me take an absent minded moment and make me a double amputee according to my medical records.

[Beach914]

Over Mothers Day I went up north to visit my mom and to finally get going in the backyard shed to clean up my Dads tool and crap that he hoarded for the last 30 yrs. Purpose was to prepare for a garage sale and get the proceeds for my mom to buy one last whatever to remember Dad by. I took all of the tools and laid them out on the floor of their empty two car garage.
My god, never realized he had collected so many tools! A lot of everything. I called my brother and he and I went through the inventory and he and I took some tools that had special meaning to us. Next step was to have the Grandkids pick anything they wanted. I picked some wrenches and stuff that he and I used to work on our projects when we were together. We had an original splitting of our tools when I left for college.
I’ve got all the tools I need and want I could care less what brand they are.

[campbellcj]

I have a ton of the older (made in usa/lifetime warranty) craftsman stuff as well as a craftsman pro chest, and it's served me well. If I needed stuff going forward I'd look at Stahlwille for sure. I know Marco at TLG is a huge fan; seriously has a tattoo and all.

I do hit up HF for stuff like air tools I know I will only use a few times, so I have a few high quality pneumatic tools and a few cheapos.

[infraredcalvin]

I’ve had the same basic craftsman set i got when I bought my 914 over 25 years ago, the ratchets have been replaced several times, and broken sockets have been replaced. It’s still my go to set cause I know how each tool feels and how it’s going to fit. I’ve added many other pieces over the years, I got partial to craftsman pro cause they felt good in my hands and seemed to fit in some of the tighter spaces that the standard sets would not fit.

I’ve torn down and rebuilt my engine and suspension using a fully outfitted snap on garage with brand new tools. They were indeed nice, but only a few tools I really liked over the tools in my box. In my household (two very expensive girls, dogs and wife) my tool fund is the same bucket as my car and parts fund... I’d rather spend on car parts...

It’s also about simplicity. If a tool breaks, I want to replace it immediately, or if I need something new, there’s a Lowe’s within 5 min of my shop. Just a few weeks ago I took back 3 crappy craftsman ratchets and walked out with 3 new, functioning ones... it was no problem exchanging at Lowe’s with the closest model available from their stock.