Best Socket Set?

[Al Willits]

Ya don't have to politely disagree Mark, makes me suspicious ...
Although was nice you didn't flame me to cinders...hehe

Good point, but....

I'm betting the average person will be able to find a open Sears more often than tracking down your SO dealer, been there done that.

Also if you have a shop your SO dealer is much more inclined to stop by than if your a homeowner...yup, been there done that too...

Not being critial of SO, just its hard to justify the cost for most hobbiest, I made my living with hand tools so I bought the best I could, the major percentage being SO.
For those who occasionally need a hand tool, maybe something cheaper will work.
Kinda like festool huh?

Once again, personal choice.

Al...who thinks maybe we need a stir the pot icon...

[Greg Cole]

We have a small machine shop here at work and 4 guys that are gearheads (me included). We make some machine parts & overhaul some machinery here... I do all our purchasing of any & everything here. I've tried to get the Snap On guy here a few times as we've got a 6 car dealerships immediately surrounding us. He all but said we weren't worth his time either... the auto dealerships have MANY more technicians & sales for him. We wouldn't be into the specialty auto tools and much of that is where they all but have a strangle hold on that niche.
Example....I was going to buy a box and a bunch of impact sockets, wrenches etc etc etc for a "company tool set". My initial budget was $30K (after doing a little homework and putting together the I want list) & I spent much less and pieced together a more comprehensive war chest of tools than I would have gotten from the travelling tool truck. I didn't tell the Snap On guy what I was thinking-planning on buying, as I wanted to get a feel for his "style". Obviously I didn't like it....
I used the left over $ to buy comsumables for the machine shop & don't miss not having a $8500 chest versus a $1500 one.. nevermind the name on the contents of said chest. FWIW we don't use'em every day all day either...

Greg

[Jason Roehl]

I've pretty much always bought Craftsman sockets and wrenches, and I do most of my own repair work on my vehicles (it's a sickness, I know). I don't think I've ever trashed a socket or a wrench from them, only flathead screwdrivers (wanna guess how?). Anyway, if I had the money to do it over, I would get their newer laser-engraved sockets THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY READ! Not that you CAN'T read the normal ones, but they're difficult in low light or when I'm tired.

BTW, Matt, if you're going to put a breaker bar on a socket, try a 1/2" or even a 3/4" drive--a little more meat. Even better is to use an impact wrench--the sockets are softer and less likely to split (though I have stretched a couple).

One other option would be to get the Metrinch set. The sockets and wrenches have lobes that grip the flats of hex bolts and nuts, so one size covers both an SAE size and a Metric size--about 1/2 the tools. I keep that set in my work truck to save some space. They're not perfect but they have come in handy many times.

[Peter Stahl]

Good morning all. I am looking to buy a really good quality socket set for my son. I was curious what you guys deem to be the best. I only have a few criteria.
1. Must be made in USA
2. Must have lifetime warranty/guarantee
3. Must be easy to deal with in case I need to replace any of them

Any suggestions?

Check out this link. Lots of manufacturers still around. Says Craftsman hand tools are still made in USA.

Pete

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html

[John Newell]

I have a mixture of Snap-On, Mac, Craftsman and S-K from my long-ago auto-wrenching days. However, I recently had to outfit a new toolbox for a new truck and wound up buying Craftsman socket and combination wrenches in the box. I'd suggest you consider that because:

1. The quality, while not Snap-On level, is very good for the price. I gotta say, if you put breaker bars on and bust a socket, you really have nothing to complain about. (see #3 below)

2. They're frequently on sale at very good prices.

3. Although the Craftsman tools you buy today are not as good as what you bought 30 years ago, the warranty hasn't changed.

For the mix of price, quality and warranty (and the ease of getting the warranty honored), I'd think hard about Craftsman. Just don't buy anything with a cord attached to it...

[Lee Schierer]

I have to agree with the Craftsman tools. I own a pretty good set and I can count on one hand the number of sockets I've broken. I do seem to wear out Philips screw drivers and I don't use my flat screw drivers prying open cans like Jason does....... Most of my Craftsman stuff is 30-40 years old and still in fine shape and will probably go to my grandkids. For the price, they are hard to beat. Sears stores are everywhere and I've never had a hassle returning tools for replacement on the few occassions I've needed to do that.

Be sure to read the "lifetime" warranty clause for the tool closely. Most have to be returned to the manufacturer (most likely in China) if you can still find the company in 4-5 years when a tool breaks. Note whether there is an actual address for that company on the package for that tool. I doubt that Lowes or HD will hand you a new one off the shelf at any of their locations even a couple of days after you bought it.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I recommend Craftsman mechanics tools....and I'm not that big of a fan of Sears, at least for anything with a cord attached. If I was professional, I might consider something else but my wage would have to be pretty high to buy Snap-on stuff these days.

-Jeff

[Heather Thompson]

I would go with Craftsman, bought mine when I was in my early twenties (I am not your typical girl-grease and oil as opposed to nail polish) broke a number of tools, never a question when I went in for replacement. I actually modified an open end wrench with a torch to get a bolt out, brought it back to Sears and they replaced it no problem, the bend was not your typical bend.

Heather

PS Just went out to the shop and looked in the tool chest, my recently replaced tools state forged in the USA.

[David G Baker]

I have several sets of Craftsman tools, the newest is probably 30 years old. I have never had any problems with Craftsman hand tools. I buy the cheaper socket sets at garage sales and use them to press bearings, etc but save my Craftsman tools to use as they were intended.
I don't know if they still are in business, Armstrong made great tools. I worked at the Southern Pacific Railroad General Shops in Sacramento CA when I was a kid and most of my issued tools were Armstrong. The mechanics that I worked with had the same set of Armstrong tools they were issued many years prior to my working there and their tools were still in great condition.

[Greg Cole]

Jason,
That size screwdriver is purchased with the sole intention of misusing....Can't say as I buy that screwdriver for anything other than a chisel with a soft grip or for the use of "do not use as a pry bar"..... what's that all about anyway? Oh yea, I open metal containers like paint cans with it too....
Also 1/2" drive sockets of the non-impact variety can suddenly all but disappear from an impact gun in use . Poof, gone. Returning about 1/10 of a socket still gets a replacement from Sears.
Wanna see an electrician get nervous. just ask him to hand me his biggest screwdriver.... (our electrical technician at work will NOT let me near his beloved screwdrivers after giving me one once & he knew what I was going to do with it, tee hee).

Greg

[Randy Denby]

There's a truck I see around pretty often selling "Cornwell" tools. I wonder how they rate? Also remember Proto, S K , etc.....

[Keel McDonald]

Well, I appreciate all who chimed in today. I learned that the more I learn, the less I know. I've honestly never heard of some of the brand names you all have mentioned. That's one reason I like to post this type of inquiry here on the creek. It never ceases to amaze me just how much knowledge we have here in this forum. I think I'll probably just stick with Craftsman. I wish I could afford some of those other tools.

[John Newell]

I was just looking back at the OP...

3. Must be easy to deal with in case I need to replace any of them

Snap-on and Mac fail that test, unless you work in a garage or somewhere else where Snappy stops in each week. Sears, OTOH, probably gets the highest score on that particular point. Even in places where the big boxes will never go you can find a Sears...

[Chris Padilla]

Sears: Craftsman...end of thread.

[Matt Mutus]

How old is your son? Unless he's starting a new job as a professional mechanic, buying something like snap-on would be serious overkill.

I have a lot of snap-on tools and I have to say their customer service is probably the worst thing I've ever been involved with. If something happens to your rep, you are screwed. That happened at a place I worked (the driver retired) and a lot of guys who invested tens of thousands of dollars in snap-on were left hanging with no way to exchange broken tools or get new tools. No other reps in the area would come by because everyone was already outfitted, so there was no regular collection in it for them. Snap-on sells great tools, but they should sell them in a freaking store, instead of deploying greedy middle men who can't properly represent the brand because they are busy trying to scrounge enough money to afford a snap-on truck. GAH!

Whew that felt good.

Craftsman is fine.