@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I purchased Titan 60769 extended pliers sent them back immediately after opening absolutely terrible quality I have their impact adapters and recommend them and a few other things but have wrote them off the list for hand tools
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I purchased Titan 60769 extended pliers sent them back immediately after opening absolutely terrible quality I have their impact adapters and recommend them and a few other things but have wrote them off the list for hand tools that’s what you get for going cheap
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Yeah...if guys wanted more than on/off.....yes/no.....they would stick with dating .....yes/maybe/well/I don't know/ okay..no wait/ depends/ no.../never.
My biggest regret of the year are the Mac RBRT wrench sets and literally everything I've bought off the Mac Truck. When I spend tool truck money I expect far superior quality than what I can get from Harbor Freight or internet tool stores. Not the case.
I like my Braun light. After you use it for more than like 30 seconds (on whatever of the 3 modes you choose), 1 press of the power button turns it off without going through the other modes.
Strobe is the absolute worst function for a flashlight it’s such a pain there are so many nice flashlights I look at but if they have a strobe function it’s a dealbreaker no matter how much I like the light
I've never had an issue with my Icon products wrenches, sockets or ratchets any more than any other tool it's on the technician to know what's best in any given situation and the tools limitations I'm actually looking forward to the Icon locking flex head ratchetsthat were being shown at SEMA
I completely agree about knowing the tools limitations. Overall I think Icon tools are pretty good for the money when you can get them on sale. I’ve had some issues with a few of their ratchets off the shelf but with a couple tweaks they become rather great.
I love my icon wrenches anti slip. The ones you showed had me picky in the store. Had to make sure the jaws were the same and they weren’t. So actually make sure what your getting
The anti slips seem to work very well. I haven’t used them a whole he’ll of a lot but I have no complaints. At the time I didn’t even know Icon had smooth jaw wrenches. I pay attention a lot more now.
Have to agree on the flashlight. I don't have that one but I do have others that have modes. And some of them if you're in one mode for a certain amount of time few minutes or whatever. The next button click does turn it off. Where if you've just turned it on each click cycles through.
Yeah I need to try that. Honestly I only played with it a little bit and didn’t like the modes and haven’t used it since. I’m going to screw with it some more and see. Thanks for the info
Just add another button or make the presses longer for the different modes. I’m glad to hear you’re on my side. I figured I’m on an island cause about every darn light out there does it that way
Picked up a set of Tekton screwdrivers via their outlet. Non-refundable. The Philips drivers cam-out real bad on everything, so I picked up some Vessel drivers. They are WAY better. At least I only spent like $27 on the Tektons...
Icon light hold the power and it will dim the lights too. Wirght wrenches are great. Regret tool i bought probably the older icon light cause i do like the new one more. Regular wrenches i just went with tekton. Should do your extractor collection. If you have an induction machine im sure you have extractor tools 😂. Snap on 100 tooth ratchet was probably my #1 worst tool this year. So bad i returned it 😢. I was so excited for it too
I’m glad I didn’t jump on that 100 tooth ratchet. I was very close. I’ll try to get an extractor video out. Give me after the holidays and I’ll try to get actual comparisons. I do have a decent amount of different ones. I try to use a welder as much as I can. But the extractors do come out more than I would like.
Streamlight stinger 2020 are the best I've found. It's expensive. But rechargeable. Its very bright. Square so it doesn't roll, easy and simple to use much better than my $200 surefire ultra ed2
Wright tool is An absolute fucking American treasure imo a true made in America brand thru and thru being one of few privately held brand making top shelf tools domestically while fueling a small towns economy and that truly makes them one of few brands left im happy to support
You are like me when it comes to lights lol ... check out Astro 52SL and the 90SL I use the 90SL every day now lol. Flank drive has its place I have both and use them both but it's dumb to put a link like that out. Keep up the good work
I'll check out that them Astro lights. I could use a few more Christmas presents. Completely agree with having both styles of wrenches. Some of them wrenches are so aggressive they tear up the fasteners just looking at them. I feel like they're going to get even more wild in the future. Flank drive is definitely nice but man you can wreck some stuff quick.
I completely agree on the icon light. It gives you a nice blinding before you get through the 4 clicks to turn it off. At least when it’s closed it only requires two clicks to turn it off. 😂 Otherwise I love the light. Great battery life and really bright.
Anything and everything made in Taiwan 🇹🇼 ! (Tekton, JH Williams, Gearwrench, Blue Point and ICON). Whew! Musta been nice being a Union factory worker in the United States 🇺🇸 until management shut all the tool factories down and shipped all of your jobs to the Peoples Republic of China 🇨🇳.
I do feel terrible for all the people that lost their jobs. It sucks that America abandoned a lot of their manufacturing. They supposedly call it progress
If you ever worked in a large unionized factory you’d understand why companies left the US. When the inmates run the asylum, work ethic, efficiency and cost competitive products become a thing of the past.
@@1971_Chevelle_SSSo as expected the US hand tool makers ran into union labor caused inefficiencies and this all vanished overnight by closing down the factories and moving hand tool production to Taiwan. Well this makes every US made Armstrong, SK, JH Williams-Kobalt and even some US made Stanley tools extreemly valuable. Fortunatly we still have a few companies still making wrenches and sockets in US factories and now would be a good time to stock up on some of these tools.
There is Flank Drive and there is Flank Drive Plus. Flank Drive Plus leaves line marks on the fastners... So I have both because I bought the Flank Drive plus then they started leaving line marks all over my Volkswagon Pickup... so I had to rebuy all my wrenches in standard Flank Drive. Now I want a set of smooth Wright satin finish wrenches. If you want your open end wrenches to bite... try using a 1/2 SAE on a 13mm and a 13/16 on a 21 and a 15/16 on a 24mm. Then its just the oposite for 9/16 and 14mm. Use a 14mm on 9/16. We break out with the box end 98% of the time then turn the wrench over and speed turn with the open end... so we don't need the Flank Drive Plus for that! But when we do need it, because we can't break out with the box end... a Flank Drive Plus Type open end is the way to go.
Great information. I do think people need both styles of wrenches. I have a few nice cars where I don’t want the fasteners to be marred up. Also I don’t use the open end much for breaking things lose much. But when that’s the only option say with header bolts I don’t want them to slip.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench well, poop. Then I'm with you on the whole "why do I need to cycle the power button 50 million times to turn it on and off." the guy who runs South Main Auto has a couple of lights from...Astro, I think?...on his amazon page, maybe those do the things without the extra drama?
I'm both surprised and curious about the normal icon wrench. I just got some because of the ICON coupon sale and they didn't have the anti slip in stock. Can you do a more in depth review at least going over the icons alone showing how much over they are from their size and the such. I may just go in and use the Quinn coupon to get the ratcheting set if the normal icon ones really are junk.
Yeah I can try to get a video out after the holidays. The big issue I’ve found with the smooth jaws is they will open up a bit and if they can’t make 100% contact with the fastener they will slip. Flange fasteners cause issues with them when a decent amount of force is applied
There is nothing wrong with the normal icon wrenches. Ive used them on tons and never had a slip. Dont expect them to turn out rusted stripped bolts for sure but on any normal bolt or nut they work fine.
Yeah I know people love them. I have some pretty nice knipex and wiha ones and don’t see me ever using them. Also I’m a bit over the top when it comes to wiring. I’m going to do a tour of my wiring box and you’ll see. Hopefully I get it out after the holidays.
I got a Lobster adjustable wrench to replace my old classic, and it really isnt great. My Lobster Robo pliers are great but there is better adjustable out there, went back and just cleaned up my old ones. Now I got a Slonk headlamp and now I really dont need a hanging or magnetic light anymore, they use 18650 batteries too so you can swap em out fast and use nice batteries as well. The included one isnt bad at all but a Samsung, Sony VTC6 or Molicel will last way longer. And the Slonk is super bright when you need it to be or dim as you want it. Id suggest a bandanna or beanie when using it for a long time as it heats up on full power after like 30 mins.
I've been wondering about them Lobsters. Been seeing and hearing about them a lot lately. I have an old Truecraft from Japan and I don't really know why but I use it more than any other one when it comes to brass fittings. Really like the feel of it.
I love the idea of 18650 batteries. I don't know how I would like a headlamp though. I wear a hat all the time and it always seems that a hat and headlamp doesn't mix for me. I wish I would've remembered cause them Tiktok headlamps would've made the list for disappointing tools. Them are terrible in my opinion. Only thing good about them is the price and motion on and off.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Oh man Ive put this Slonk headlamp through the wringer, im in industrial water treatment and we got a heat activated soap that eats electronics nearby, and the Slonk has held up better than the super pricey "cyclops" headlamps we had been using. Now we order the Slonks on the factory dime, even the machinist are using them now and those guys wear backwards hats when I see them using it. The Slonk is just push button to turn on/off, hold after on to adjust bright and fast double click for strobe. Im impressed for how cheap it is, only the finish on the gen2 light has been fading. But that soap is mean to the point where we shower after servicing it while in operation. Id skip the lobster adjustable, and I got 2 of their pliers, the silver one and the black coated one, I noticed the occasional slip on fittings with the coated one. So I took it to the media blaster and just did the jaws, then took it to the machine shop guys and had them tool black it, no problems after that. Sorry for the book message man, but I just like to be thorough. Theres a good chance your pliers are Lobster with a different name. For my buddies birthday I got him a GreenLee 1/2 ratchet(black with the cool green handle) and cleaned it up, got it on the cheap and noticed it said Japan on it. No information on it but Im thinking it may be a ancient Koken, because it is using Protos 24 tooth design but the head is more compact and still uses proto rebuild kits.
First off I love the long replies. I learn a lot in the comments. UA-cam comments are the new forums. I was a big fan of them when they were good like ten years ago. Just checked out them Sloniks. They are cheap if I'm looking at the right one. Like 30 bucks. I'll try one out. Love the idea of blasting the jaws. Im going to steal that. I don't know how I've never though of that. I even knew a guy that did that to his screw drivers back in the day.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Yeah thats them. Cannot be beat for the price, itll use flat tops or button tops. Man I miss forums, some are still a golden source of info and testing. I swear lobster went waaay too heavy on the coating of the black pair. There are more recent vids of people complaining on the Lobster coated jaws, Im guessing thats the reason Knipex dont coat theirs. Theres another Headlamp brand like a no name that uses one white LED and one red LED for hunting, its built just like the Slonik(i kept misspelling it) and uses 18650 as well. It just dont have the spread needed for being in the large washers we are in. But we bought 3 and a coworker and his lil girl used it last month to snag a decent doe. So there must be some element of truth to the red lamp trick.
Those strippers are very good for small wires only. I'm pretty sure they recommend no larger than 14 gauge wire. You might try the Mulwark automatic strippers for larger wire. It is a sideways working automatic. Liked your video. Keep 'em coming
Good to know. I haven’t really tried them on much. Just every time I tried them they would leave a dent right at the start of the bare wire. I can’t seem to find the sweet spot where they will strip effectively and not leave the dent. I’ll check out the Mulwark. I have wiha and knipex strippers that I enjoy a lot. Their price tags are a lot higher though.
Somebody just gave me a brand new Leatherman tool and I have to say it's very very stiff. I suspect with some use it will probably ease up. I just don't think it should be that tight like that. But I'm assuming that's how they make them now.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrenchYes, that seems to be the case. It's a nice tool and they make them in the United States in Oregon. Most of the tools I buy are used, I do buy some new ones here and there but more used than new. I've been fortunate that people have given me stuff that they are getting rid of so that has supplemented the collection very nicely.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrenchOut of curiosity, is the shop your way of making a living or just a hobby? What type of trade are you in? Just curious more than anything else.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I'm in a municipal fleet in administration by trade. I used to work in the automotive aftermarket for a parts manufacturer prior to that. Everything I work on is either mine or family.
I here ya on the light modes! Olight makes a light with a memory fuction. You pick one favorite mode and it just goes direct to that mode on/of with the favorite button. Its the Arkfeld Pro I believe? Olight is an amazing light brand if you haven't tried them👍
I'm fastly finding out people hate the modes. I've always thought I was alone on this. I've heard so many good things about Olight. I seriously need to get one. The problem is I'm so content with my streamlight stylus pro that its hard to go elsewhere. But maybe it's time to look around.
@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I hear ya, Olight is the definitely the best new brand I've tried period. I used to just buy Coast/Streamlight and they're great, but that Arkfeld is titz. Just put it on the wishlist for now lol
Only tools I've got this year that up set me was the craftsman v series ratchets, I got them super 9n sale so I can't complain to much, and I knew they were kinda bad from other videos. But once you actually get them in your hands they are one of the worst ratchets to ever be marketed for "pro" use
Dude I seen them at lowes on sale for crazy cheap, gave the ol back-drag test and seen why nobody bought them. The final nail was it being non-servicable. Ill stick to my old school dinged up snappys and SK. But man those new Koken 72 tooth ratchets are where its at. This year ive mainly grabbed my Kokens first, well worth it. But if you are super budget, rebuild old Snap-On stuff cuz I have not broken a single one after a modern rebuild kit and they really take hard use.
Can never go wrong with the Snap-on ratchets. Well besides the 100 tooth ones. Great idea about rebuilding the older snap-ons to safe money. I do like my Kokens but wish they would have a bit more options when it comes to handles and sizes in the 72's. I'm sure since their popularity is going through the roof more options will emerge.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Same man, Id like to see a Snap on type handle on the Kokens as a option. But really if they offered the 72 tooth with their unique knurling I would buy it immediately. Got their 24 tooth ratchet in 3/8 and that handle is amazing, like you I just wish they would offer more handle options.
Nice. I seen they had them really cheap. Unfortunately I never got a chance to get over there. Glad to hear you got some good deals. How you liking them?
@ I like em a lot my only complain is they skip the 15mm on the wrenches. I ordered one from Mac for one set and still trying to find a 15 for the xxl flex head.
They absolutely could put bluetooth in a flashlight that you can press exactly your function desired through a phone app as well as that one button - 9 functions 😂😂😂😂
I know. To me it's all a gimmick. And people love gimmicks. The on/off lights know they're good and will sell themselves. Where the mode flashlights are lacking so they throw 675 different modes and 510 of them are different strobe sequences. I get a stobe might be nice for some guys to slow down moving parts, but come on. I might be a dumba$$ but I'm not getting lost in the wilderness all the time.
Can feel your pain on work lights,,,kind of like a tactical light,,,tactical implies duress and life or death soooo,,,,give me an on off button not options where you need to call a time out to read the effn manual……
What brand of wrench are you raving about? When you say flank drive,I assume you are talking about Snap on. My biggest disappointment this year were the icon pliers wrenches. The ones that are supposed to be quick adjust pipe wrenches. I am not impressed with them.
I was talking about the Icon anti-slips. They are alright. I call everything a flank drive. Just like a Crescent wrench. I personally like the Wright Grip 2.0's the best. I haven't heard any good things about them Icon pipe wrench pliers. I would like to get the Snap-on ones but I don't know how much I would use them.
I haven’t really dabbled in Pittsburg tools besides their old impact sockets and that free wrench set they always give out. Wrenches are meh at best but the sockets are the worst I’ve ever used.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench their impact sockets are great but then again I haven’t had issues with cheap ones I have Pittsburgh, Vevor, Sunex and Capri zero issues, Sunex and Capri and Tekton have the edge since you can buy individual sockets whenever they go missing
I think they changed/ updated their impact sockets. Mine are 15-20 years old. They were awful. Also I might have boughten a bad set. They would round bolts and nuts would constantly get stuck in them. But at the time I had no money for other ones, so I had to use them.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I’ve had mine for 7 years and they’ve been great but I’ve upgraded to Capri and Tekton since they don’t have any skips the true shocker is the cheapest of them all Vevor are my most used since they’re on the the my service truck 3/8 to 1 1/2 no skips metric is 10mm to 36mm no skips highly recommend for someone looking for tools that work and it’s not a big if lost or stolen or left somewhere easily replaceable
I put the Pittsburgh flèx head on a old crafstman 21 inch breaker bar and I won't die. I manually cranked off factory ball joints on a 23 yr old jeep with it. I was surprised by it. Also has barely any back drag. Thats the only Pittsburgh ratchet id buy
Let's try to save people some money. What tools did you guys strike out on this year?
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I purchased Titan 60769 extended pliers sent them back immediately after opening absolutely terrible quality I have their impact adapters and recommend them and a few other things but have wrote them off the list for hand tools
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I purchased Titan 60769 extended pliers sent them back immediately after opening absolutely terrible quality I have their impact adapters and recommend them and a few other things but have wrote them off the list for hand tools that’s what you get for going cheap
So true about the toggling through the flashlights . I have an on and off on my palm sized snap on
Maybe more companies will come around and just have a button for on and off. I doubt it but a guy can wish.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Yeah...if guys wanted more than on/off.....yes/no.....they would stick with dating .....yes/maybe/well/I don't know/ okay..no wait/ depends/ no.../never.
My biggest regret of the year are the Mac RBRT wrench sets and literally everything I've bought off the Mac Truck. When I spend tool truck money I expect far superior quality than what I can get from Harbor Freight or internet tool stores. Not the case.
I couldn’t agree more with the tool truck statement.
You are correct. A flashlight should be ON or OFF I hate cycling though all the other functions just to turn it off. Great video
Thank you. Hopefully the manufactures change their minds with all these modes and come up with a better idea to toggle through them
I like my Braun light. After you use it for more than like 30 seconds (on whatever of the 3 modes you choose), 1 press of the power button turns it off without going through the other modes.
Good to know. The icon might do it too. I’ve never left it on very long. I’ll have to check that out. Appreciate the info
There are way Better Strippers out there....yes sir there is
I have set of strippers just like that, but matco branded, 25 years ago, I think they are the cats meow
SnowVision have you ever came across the ones made in Miami Oklahoma? Very sub par when it comes to strippers
I had these Italians ones for like six months but I only used them for a second
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench yes didn't crimp the way I like
I thought ya'll were gonna be talking about different kinds of strippers here
Strobe is the absolute worst function for a flashlight it’s such a pain there are so many nice flashlights I look at but if they have a strobe function it’s a dealbreaker no matter how much I like the light
Couldn't agree more. Man the strobe drives me nuts
I hate strobe . It needs to stop
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench you literally have to go out of your way to find one that doesn’t strobe
I've never had an issue with my Icon products wrenches, sockets or ratchets any more than any other tool it's on the technician to know what's best in any given situation and the tools limitations I'm actually looking forward to the Icon locking flex head ratchetsthat were being shown at SEMA
I completely agree about knowing the tools limitations. Overall I think Icon tools are pretty good for the money when you can get them on sale. I’ve had some issues with a few of their ratchets off the shelf but with a couple tweaks they become rather great.
I love my icon wrenches anti slip. The ones you showed had me picky in the store. Had to make sure the jaws were the same and they weren’t. So actually make sure what your getting
The anti slips seem to work very well. I haven’t used them a whole he’ll of a lot but I have no complaints. At the time I didn’t even know Icon had smooth jaw wrenches. I pay attention a lot more now.
The icon light is garbage battery doesn’t last long and I feel your pain with the light and the socket fitting on the bolts you are absolutely right.
I haven’t even used it enough to test the battery. Basically flicked it through the settings and said nope.
Have to agree on the flashlight. I don't have that one but I do have others that have modes. And some of them if you're in one mode for a certain amount of time few minutes or whatever. The next button click does turn it off. Where if you've just turned it on each click cycles through.
Yeah I need to try that. Honestly I only played with it a little bit and didn’t like the modes and haven’t used it since. I’m going to screw with it some more and see. Thanks for the info
even the 200$ Streamlight does the same thing ..
I know it makes no sense to me but people must like it
I'm with you on those damm modes...
Just add another button or make the presses longer for the different modes. I’m glad to hear you’re on my side. I figured I’m on an island cause about every darn light out there does it that way
Picked up a set of Tekton screwdrivers via their outlet. Non-refundable. The Philips drivers cam-out real bad on everything, so I picked up some Vessel drivers. They are WAY better. At least I only spent like $27 on the Tektons...
I really like the vessel set I have. Too bad the Tektons were junk.
Icon light hold the power and it will dim the lights too. Wirght wrenches are great. Regret tool i bought probably the older icon light cause i do like the new one more. Regular wrenches i just went with tekton. Should do your extractor collection. If you have an induction machine im sure you have extractor tools 😂.
Snap on 100 tooth ratchet was probably my #1 worst tool this year. So bad i returned it 😢. I was so excited for it too
I’m glad I didn’t jump on that 100 tooth ratchet. I was very close. I’ll try to get an extractor video out. Give me after the holidays and I’ll try to get actual comparisons. I do have a decent amount of different ones. I try to use a welder as much as I can. But the extractors do come out more than I would like.
Streamlight stinger 2020 are the best I've found. It's expensive. But rechargeable. Its very bright. Square so it doesn't roll, easy and simple to use much better than my $200 surefire ultra ed2
Stingers are pretty great. I haven’t much luck with surefire. Pretty expensive and just not worth it. And man did mine get hot.
Wright wrenches are the right choice.
You know it. I think I’ve had them for 4 years or so and my only complaint is the finish. But I’m just being nit picky.
They are the bomb! I hope more people find Wright in the near future.
Wright tool is An absolute fucking American treasure imo a true made in America brand thru and thru being one of few privately held brand making top shelf tools domestically while fueling a small towns economy and that truly makes them one of few brands left im happy to support
@@Jeff-rk8hq Amen!!!!!
Grey Pneumatic impact sockets for the win.
If I ever need a new set I’m getting the grey’s. I have so many Sunex impact sockets that I shouldn’t ever need a new set but who knows
You are like me when it comes to lights lol ... check out Astro 52SL and the 90SL I use the 90SL every day now lol. Flank drive has its place I have both and use them both but it's dumb to put a link like that out. Keep up the good work
I'll check out that them Astro lights. I could use a few more Christmas presents. Completely agree with having both styles of wrenches. Some of them wrenches are so aggressive they tear up the fasteners just looking at them. I feel like they're going to get even more wild in the future. Flank drive is definitely nice but man you can wreck some stuff quick.
Good video
I say I've wasted money on quite a few harbor freight tools that I planned on upgrading. Don't get me wrong, they sell good tool as well.
Thanks. They do make some good tools. Especially if you’re on a budget
I completely agree on the icon light. It gives you a nice blinding before you get through the 4 clicks to turn it off. At least when it’s closed it only requires two clicks to turn it off. 😂
Otherwise I love the light. Great battery life and really bright.
It is bright. I haven’t used it enough to test the battery life.
Anything and everything made in Taiwan 🇹🇼 ! (Tekton, JH Williams, Gearwrench, Blue Point and ICON). Whew!
Musta been nice being a Union factory worker in the United States 🇺🇸 until management shut all the tool factories down and shipped all of your jobs to the Peoples Republic of China 🇨🇳.
I do feel terrible for all the people that lost their jobs. It sucks that America abandoned a lot of their manufacturing. They supposedly call it progress
If you ever worked in a large unionized factory you’d understand why companies left the US. When the inmates run the asylum, work ethic, efficiency and cost competitive products become a thing of the past.
@@1971_Chevelle_SSSo as expected the US hand tool makers ran into union labor caused inefficiencies and this all vanished overnight by closing down the factories and moving hand tool production to Taiwan.
Well this makes every US made Armstrong, SK, JH Williams-Kobalt and even some US made Stanley tools extreemly valuable.
Fortunatly we still have a few companies still making wrenches and sockets in US factories and now would be a good time to stock up on some of these tools.
There is Flank Drive and there is Flank Drive Plus.
Flank Drive Plus leaves line marks on the fastners... So I have both because I bought the Flank Drive plus then they started leaving line marks all over my Volkswagon Pickup... so I had to rebuy all my wrenches in standard Flank Drive.
Now I want a set of smooth Wright satin finish wrenches.
If you want your open end wrenches to bite... try using a 1/2 SAE on a 13mm and a 13/16 on a 21 and a 15/16 on a 24mm.
Then its just the oposite for 9/16 and 14mm. Use a 14mm on 9/16.
We break out with the box end 98% of the time then turn the wrench over and speed turn with the open end... so we don't need the Flank Drive Plus for that!
But when we do need it, because we can't break out with the box end... a Flank Drive Plus Type open end is the way to go.
Great information. I do think people need both styles of wrenches. I have a few nice cars where I don’t want the fasteners to be marred up. Also I don’t use the open end much for breaking things lose much. But when that’s the only option say with header bolts I don’t want them to slip.
some lights will power off if you hold the button for 10 seconds. Have you tried that?
I know holding the power button on the Icon adjust the brightness. I’ll try a longer press on it though
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench well, now i"m going to have to go out and buy one to test. *thanks*.
I played with it more. All it does is change the brightness.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench well, poop. Then I'm with you on the whole "why do I need to cycle the power button 50 million times to turn it on and off." the guy who runs South Main Auto has a couple of lights from...Astro, I think?...on his amazon page, maybe those do the things without the extra drama?
Yeah the astros are on off. I’m going to get some ordered
I'm both surprised and curious about the normal icon wrench. I just got some because of the ICON coupon sale and they didn't have the anti slip in stock. Can you do a more in depth review at least going over the icons alone showing how much over they are from their size and the such. I may just go in and use the Quinn coupon to get the ratcheting set if the normal icon ones really are junk.
Yeah I can try to get a video out after the holidays. The big issue I’ve found with the smooth jaws is they will open up a bit and if they can’t make 100% contact with the fastener they will slip. Flange fasteners cause issues with them when a decent amount of force is applied
There is nothing wrong with the normal icon wrenches. Ive used them on tons and never had a slip. Dont expect them to turn out rusted stripped bolts for sure but on any normal bolt or nut they work fine.
Try the Felo brand wire strippers all the techs at Volkswagen use them and they work amazingly.
I’ll check them out. I have two that I like. One’s a wiha and the other is a knipex
The VCLINK strippers work good for m..I hear you about the light..I just keep using my Streamlight Stinger..kinda the same thing really ..😅
Yeah I know people love them. I have some pretty nice knipex and wiha ones and don’t see me ever using them. Also I’m a bit over the top when it comes to wiring. I’m going to do a tour of my wiring box and you’ll see. Hopefully I get it out after the holidays.
I got a Lobster adjustable wrench to replace my old classic, and it really isnt great. My Lobster Robo pliers are great but there is better adjustable out there, went back and just cleaned up my old ones. Now I got a Slonk headlamp and now I really dont need a hanging or magnetic light anymore, they use 18650 batteries too so you can swap em out fast and use nice batteries as well. The included one isnt bad at all but a Samsung, Sony VTC6 or Molicel will last way longer. And the Slonk is super bright when you need it to be or dim as you want it. Id suggest a bandanna or beanie when using it for a long time as it heats up on full power after like 30 mins.
I've been wondering about them Lobsters. Been seeing and hearing about them a lot lately. I have an old Truecraft from Japan and I don't really know why but I use it more than any other one when it comes to brass fittings. Really like the feel of it.
I love the idea of 18650 batteries. I don't know how I would like a headlamp though. I wear a hat all the time and it always seems that a hat and headlamp doesn't mix for me. I wish I would've remembered cause them Tiktok headlamps would've made the list for disappointing tools. Them are terrible in my opinion. Only thing good about them is the price and motion on and off.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Oh man Ive put this Slonk headlamp through the wringer, im in industrial water treatment and we got a heat activated soap that eats electronics nearby, and the Slonk has held up better than the super pricey "cyclops" headlamps we had been using. Now we order the Slonks on the factory dime, even the machinist are using them now and those guys wear backwards hats when I see them using it. The Slonk is just push button to turn on/off, hold after on to adjust bright and fast double click for strobe.
Im impressed for how cheap it is, only the finish on the gen2 light has been fading. But that soap is mean to the point where we shower after servicing it while in operation.
Id skip the lobster adjustable, and I got 2 of their pliers, the silver one and the black coated one, I noticed the occasional slip on fittings with the coated one. So I took it to the media blaster and just did the jaws, then took it to the machine shop guys and had them tool black it, no problems after that. Sorry for the book message man, but I just like to be thorough.
Theres a good chance your pliers are Lobster with a different name. For my buddies birthday I got him a GreenLee 1/2 ratchet(black with the cool green handle) and cleaned it up, got it on the cheap and noticed it said Japan on it. No information on it but Im thinking it may be a ancient Koken, because it is using Protos 24 tooth design but the head is more compact and still uses proto rebuild kits.
First off I love the long replies. I learn a lot in the comments. UA-cam comments are the new forums. I was a big fan of them when they were good like ten years ago. Just checked out them Sloniks. They are cheap if I'm looking at the right one. Like 30 bucks. I'll try one out.
Love the idea of blasting the jaws. Im going to steal that. I don't know how I've never though of that. I even knew a guy that did that to his screw drivers back in the day.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Yeah thats them. Cannot be beat for the price, itll use flat tops or button tops. Man I miss forums, some are still a golden source of info and testing.
I swear lobster went waaay too heavy on the coating of the black pair. There are more recent vids of people complaining on the Lobster coated jaws, Im guessing thats the reason Knipex dont coat theirs.
Theres another Headlamp brand like a no name that uses one white LED and one red LED for hunting, its built just like the Slonik(i kept misspelling it) and uses 18650 as well. It just dont have the spread needed for being in the large washers we are in. But we bought 3 and a coworker and his lil girl used it last month to snag a decent doe. So there must be some element of truth to the red lamp trick.
I bought the same magnet and not a fan of it either
I was banking on the Mayhew name. I was definitely wrong.
Those strippers are very good for small wires only.
I'm pretty sure they recommend no larger than 14 gauge wire.
You might try the Mulwark automatic strippers for larger wire. It is a sideways working automatic. Liked your video. Keep 'em coming
Good to know. I haven’t really tried them on much. Just every time I tried them they would leave a dent right at the start of the bare wire. I can’t seem to find the sweet spot where they will strip effectively and not leave the dent. I’ll check out the Mulwark. I have wiha and knipex strippers that I enjoy a lot. Their price tags are a lot higher though.
Somebody just gave me a brand new Leatherman tool and I have to say it's very very stiff. I suspect with some use it will probably ease up. I just don't think it should be that tight like that. But I'm assuming that's how they make them now.
I have the Leatherman surge. Love the thing. Use it daily and haven’t had too many issues. If I remember right they are kind of stiff new.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrenchYes, that seems to be the case. It's a nice tool and they make them in the United States in Oregon. Most of the tools I buy are used, I do buy some new ones here and there but more used than new. I've been fortunate that people have given me stuff that they are getting rid of so that has supplemented the collection very nicely.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrenchOut of curiosity, is the shop your way of making a living or just a hobby? What type of trade are you in? Just curious more than anything else.
98% hobby. I do side work here and there but mostly just my own stuff. I’m a weld inspector by trade.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I'm in a municipal fleet in administration by trade. I used to work in the automotive aftermarket for a parts manufacturer prior to that. Everything I work on is either mine or family.
I just use a corded treble light. The ICOn light looks like a club.
I'm the guy with the pen light in his mouth 98 percent of the time. I have been using them puck/ cyclope lights more and more though.
Corded light with led bulb
I here ya on the light modes! Olight makes a light with a memory fuction. You pick one favorite mode and it just goes direct to that mode on/of with the favorite button. Its the Arkfeld Pro I believe? Olight is an amazing light brand if you haven't tried them👍
I'm fastly finding out people hate the modes. I've always thought I was alone on this. I've heard so many good things about Olight. I seriously need to get one. The problem is I'm so content with my streamlight stylus pro that its hard to go elsewhere. But maybe it's time to look around.
@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I hear ya, Olight is the definitely the best new brand I've tried period. I used to just buy Coast/Streamlight and they're great, but that Arkfeld is titz. Just put it on the wishlist for now lol
Only tools I've got this year that up set me was the craftsman v series ratchets, I got them super 9n sale so I can't complain to much, and I knew they were kinda bad from other videos. But once you actually get them in your hands they are one of the worst ratchets to ever be marketed for "pro" use
Dude I seen them at lowes on sale for crazy cheap, gave the ol back-drag test and seen why nobody bought them. The final nail was it being non-servicable. Ill stick to my old school dinged up snappys and SK. But man those new Koken 72 tooth ratchets are where its at. This year ive mainly grabbed my Kokens first, well worth it. But if you are super budget, rebuild old Snap-On stuff cuz I have not broken a single one after a modern rebuild kit and they really take hard use.
I seen them sales and never made it to town to check them out. I guess I'm lucky I didn't waste my money and time.
Can never go wrong with the Snap-on ratchets. Well besides the 100 tooth ones. Great idea about rebuilding the older snap-ons to safe money. I do like my Kokens but wish they would have a bit more options when it comes to handles and sizes in the 72's. I'm sure since their popularity is going through the roof more options will emerge.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench Same man, Id like to see a Snap on type handle on the Kokens as a option. But really if they offered the 72 tooth with their unique knurling I would buy it immediately. Got their 24 tooth ratchet in 3/8 and that handle is amazing, like you I just wish they would offer more handle options.
Oh for sure. I'm more than willing to get the knurled ones. I just think that foam thing is a bit weird but it's growing on me.
I actually save a crap ton of money on tools this year. I loaded up all the craftsman v-series stuff when Lowe’s put it on sale.
Nice. I seen they had them really cheap. Unfortunately I never got a chance to get over there. Glad to hear you got some good deals. How you liking them?
@ I like em a lot my only complain is they skip the 15mm on the wrenches. I ordered one from Mac for one set and still trying to find a 15 for the xxl flex head.
They absolutely could put bluetooth in a flashlight that you can press exactly your function desired through a phone app as well as that one button - 9 functions 😂😂😂😂
If they had Bluetooth they would still make you go through 9 functions
@ oof 😅
I used to tell my kids “ I’ve terminated people who complained less than you” they thought it was funny. I was serious 😶🌫️
👍 Thanks for watching
Flank drive is a Snap- On design .
Yeah I just call them all flank drive. Just like a crescent wrench. I see me doing this has caused confusion.
What total BS is that flashlights with just on/off are more expensive than ones with all the stupid strobes and SOS modes
I know. To me it's all a gimmick. And people love gimmicks. The on/off lights know they're good and will sell themselves. Where the mode flashlights are lacking so they throw 675 different modes and 510 of them are different strobe sequences. I get a stobe might be nice for some guys to slow down moving parts, but come on. I might be a dumba$$ but I'm not getting lost in the wilderness all the time.
Can feel your pain on work lights,,,kind of like a tactical light,,,tactical implies duress and life or death soooo,,,,give me an on off button not options where you need to call a time out to read the effn manual……
That ain't no $hit. Weapon lights with modes have to be the dumbest thing ever.
Headlamps with 100 modes piss me off 😂
It just makes no sense. I don't get why they do it besides its another gimmick to put on the packaging.
Now heres a guy.... That knows tools
😂 The only thing I know is I'm pretty opinionated.
Thank you for the video have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year!
Merry Christmas CP
What brand of wrench are you raving about? When you say flank drive,I assume you are talking about Snap on. My biggest disappointment this year were the icon pliers wrenches. The ones that are supposed to be quick adjust pipe wrenches. I am not impressed with them.
I was talking about the Icon anti-slips. They are alright. I call everything a flank drive. Just like a Crescent wrench. I personally like the Wright Grip 2.0's the best. I haven't heard any good things about them Icon pipe wrench pliers. I would like to get the Snap-on ones but I don't know how much I would use them.
I dont understand the hate of tekton for moving from taiwan to china, I think it may be the political climate,just my .02
To me it’s mainly a quality issue. I’ve seen several companies move manufacturing to China and the quality suffers tremendously.
My biggest tool regret of 2024... starting my Harbor Freight journey with Pittsburgh tools I'd ultimately replace with Icon
I haven’t really dabbled in Pittsburg tools besides their old impact sockets and that free wrench set they always give out. Wrenches are meh at best but the sockets are the worst I’ve ever used.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench their impact sockets are great but then again I haven’t had issues with cheap ones I have Pittsburgh, Vevor, Sunex and Capri zero issues, Sunex and Capri and Tekton have the edge since you can buy individual sockets whenever they go missing
I think they changed/ updated their impact sockets. Mine are 15-20 years old. They were awful. Also I might have boughten a bad set. They would round bolts and nuts would constantly get stuck in them. But at the time I had no money for other ones, so I had to use them.
@@TwoTurtlesAndAWrench I’ve had mine for 7 years and they’ve been great but I’ve upgraded to Capri and Tekton since they don’t have any skips the true shocker is the cheapest of them all Vevor are my most used since they’re on the the my service truck 3/8 to 1 1/2 no skips metric is 10mm to 36mm no skips highly recommend for someone looking for tools that work and it’s not a big if lost or stolen or left somewhere easily replaceable
I put the Pittsburgh flèx head on a old crafstman 21 inch breaker bar and I won't die. I manually cranked off factory ball joints on a 23 yr old jeep with it. I was surprised by it. Also has barely any back drag. Thats the only Pittsburgh ratchet id buy
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so all of your regrets are derived from your laziness.. wild.
You bet