My son was in an automotive tech program that offered special discounts with Snap-on. 3 grand to set him up for classes and most of it ended up being Bluepoint. SMDH.
As an American, I can tell you that Milwaukee bought Empire Level several years ago so that Milwaukee red square is still an Empire. Also, Eklind makes at least some of the Snap-on Hex keys. Those Milwaukee screwdrivers are excellent. Milwaukee also makes a lot of their Sawzall blades, hole saws, and step bits in the US. All very good quality items. Estwing and Channelock are also great brands and choices. We used to make a lot more but it's nice to see some of this manufacturing returning.
As a person who uses a milwaukee sawzall at work at work every day I think Milwaukee sawzall blades are junk (at least the fine tooth blades). I prefer Lenox arc blades but they are getting harder and harder to find. A lot the local electrical suppliers sell 25pks of Milwaukee blades so I end up using a lot of them. The best part about Milwaukee is, at least here in a large Canadian city, the availability is good. If you need a specific size hole saw usually the suppliers are good at carrying all the sizes.
What happened to Sears was the fault of Sears. The internet crushed Sears. Lambert parted the company out, which saved the Craftsman brand. The buyers of Craftsman moved manufacture off shore. The world changes. Lambert staved off the change, but as they say, time marches on. Those who bought Craftsman had insufficient belief in Craftsman customers. That was a shame but it created opportunity for other quality manufacturers.
Craftsman is now owned by standley black and decker. They built a brand new manufacturing plant for hand tools but close months later. Could not make them affordable
@@JimmeShelter Was Lambert the libertarian idiot who tried to run Sears like Microsoft (every department set on each others' throats to justify yearly budgets), or was that the guy before him?
You should have stocked up on those Drain Weasels. When your girls get to my daughters age, 16yrs, you'll be unclogging that bathroom drain every couple months. When I found that it was a God send. I love that product.
I use large zip ties; I make diagonal cuts into the sides to have the hairs hook onto. Stick it in the drain and twist around. Then pull out the gross stuff. Works great and costs next to nothing. Might want to wear one of those shadowfoam kit gloves when making the cuts though ^.~
@@JimmeShelteras a plumber, I can assure you that I have made my own drill mounted hair removal tools out of metal clothes hangers, but honestly, manual operation is better
These days, my favorite US made brand (most of their tools) is Tekton. It's the new Craftsman. Although, they aren't sold in many stores, you can find them online pretty easily.
The Channellock retaining clip pliers are great, except for the fact that the accessory sleeve can get lost easy. I wish they made it so you can store the extra tips in the handle or somewhere else on the tool.
I am with you on the Bondhus allen keys . certainly the best in my opinion . 35 years since I bought my first set . lost and replaced a few but worked them hard in my daily job all the while . Cheers Ade
By the time you got to #2, I was (quietly) screaming at the screen "Channel Lock!" and then you brought up number 1. Thanks for calming my frayed nerves. I'm going to have to look for those snap-ring pliers.
The Craftsman 45307 & 45308 Auto Lock Pliers were introduced in 1998. I believe at that time they were manufactured by Stanley at the old Parker Manufacturing Company in Worcester Massachusetts. In the early 2000s they stopped making them in the USA and started switching to overseas manufacturing. Of course now Craftsman is owned by Stanley/Black and Decker as a low cost budget brand.
I've broken 4 of those Estwing pry bars. I love the form factor, but because of the slot for the nail puller, the flat end is weak. Don't give it the full beans.
I bought one of those Snap On ratchet screw drivers back in 1989 when I thought I wanted to be an automotive technician. I will tell you I still own this ratchet screwdriver, I have used it so much the a lot of the texture on the plastic handle is gone and it's smooth now. I will hand that down to one of my sons. Never get rid of that. When you were talking about "circlets" I kept wondering what you were saying. I had to turn on subtitles to figure it out. Because I looked at those tools and I said those are retaining ring tools. LOL, then you mentioned how we call them different here. Makes sense now. Oh 1 minor thing it "Bass" Pro Shop, Like the fish. Not Base Pro Shop.
The bug shredder is the real deal. I do keep it at the ready. One shot at about a meter will disable a wasp. Watch out on where you use it on house flys, it WILL leave a mess.
Great job! Nice to see that even across the pond, folks are admiring U.S. made tools! I live in Virginia, and strive to buy from our own manufacturers! Thanks!
I have access I'm the usa to alot of thoes made I usa tools but I tend to buy Japan and Germany funny. Milwaukee bought out empire levels and are extremely similar since just are made in the same factory. I dare say growing up with channellock and getting my first pair of cobras I was blown away with German tools ever since. One brand you didn't experience not slways on stores is mayhew. They make fantastic pry bars punches and cold chisels. They also make some good spring tools (thought not the original springtools are the og). The dominator pry bar line is a real gem including the "screwdriver pry bar" with a 14mm tip it's quite nice. They make a 7/8ths 23ish mm thick 42-58in prybars thicker than anything I've seen available. Take a look!
Mayhew is criminally underrated. A lot of stores will have 1 or 2 things they make sort of hidden somewhere but their tools are top notch. My favorite bit sockets I've ever used are their stubby dual drive Allen/hex and torx sockets. Super stubby and can be used with a ratchet or a wrench
What a great video and I agree with you about snap on tools I think they are over hyped even though they may be good. The only American tool I owned was a estwing hammer and it was the best hammer I’ve ever used.look forward to the next video cheers 👍
The Gator Grip is basically junk, when used on standard nuts and bolts. HOWEVER, it is good for turning things like thumbscrews, eyebolts, or items like that with odd shapes.
I have a pair of Channel Lock 909 crimping pliers/cutters that I love. I saw the same 927 snap ring pliers but I went with version from Powerbuilt tools. The tips can be stored in the handle in their version. I don't know where they are made but they have worked well for me.
Actually it's more like 40 retired auto electrics now but for the last 15 it's been Milly M12, drill, screwdriver, lights and the cordless iron but the iron is rubbish. That screwdriver was great but generally agree with what you said about Snap-On, I think they're so overpriced but their ratchets and sockets are still the best.@@ShadowFoam
Just a tip from plumber: when you use your drain tool on the bathtub, take off the overflow and go down. This gives you a straight shot to the trap and downstream. Using the tool through the crossbars will give you two more 90 degree angles to pass, and if you hit hair.. good luck getting the tool removed.
As a mechanic love snap on for ratchets and such, but my Mac wrenches were 1/4 of the price and I love them, also my expert sockets were 1/8th of the price of snap ons and they do the job they have to do
I'm a Canadian electrician and I used to have all Klein hand tools, but the german brands are just so much better... especially screwdrivers, the wera and wiha screwdrivers and nutdrivers are excellent. Channel lock does however make decent pliers at cheap cheap prices, so if you're in places where theft is an issue, there is that. Also Canadian brand picquic, made in Vancouver BC is the best multi screwdriver on a utilty/cost basis. Superior by a wide margin to american and german offerings.
Channel lock being in the #1 spot make sense to me, great tools at an affordable price, imo. I'm not a fan of Eklind but some swear by them, i think it might be a quality control issue. Estwing makes some great hammers, both the Taiwan ones and the ones made in the USA.
Here in the States we have two kinds of tool buyers: overly patriotic folks that are excited by Made in the USA tools and those of us that hunt down European-branded tools like Wiha, Wera, etc.
@@ShadowFoamI’m a both kind of guy as well. It’s not only which tool I feel is better for me but also fits my hands the best. The feel of a tool in my hand is very important to me next to quality.
@@_Wai_Wai_ as someone who used tools on a daily basis as a profession I’ll admit I started out buying the much cheaper overseas tools but that didn’t last long at all when they constantly broke and couldn’t stand up to the daily use and the. I stepped up to much more professional tools that would last much much longer or I could easily get warranty replaced if need be such as Snap On, Matco, Mac, Wera, Knipex, Proto, SK, Klein and so on. I may have paid more initially but I ended up saving g money overall because I wasn’t constantly having to replace what broke or didn’t work to begin with. You’re definitely going to see a drastic reduction in the amount of cheap tools purchased from places like Temu and so on in the U.S.
If you are actually interested, the old clear-handle Craftsman screwdrivers-- and most others like them-- were formed from the same celluloid material that old movie films were made from. Tough, durable, turned sepia with age, and had a distinctive scent as they aged-- opening an old toolbox smelled like opening and old movie can.
For Screwdrivers I use Apex or Vessel one esp ones like the "Ball Grip" made in Japan, they take a beating and the finish on them is great .. I need to to find some of these Drain Weasels
I've always know "sir clips" as "c rings", "c clips", "snap rings" or "that took flight, never gonna see that again" - so I knew straight away what you were referring to. It's also somewhat sad that many of the brands I remember as a youngster are no longer USA made but encouraging that some are starting to come back. I still have many of my US made Craftsman tools and in all honesty the ones that aren't are still pretty well made.
I use CarboUSAs dual internal/external snap rings for the rare occasion when I need them. B0CW-PF1B-FQ (remove dashes) at Am-a-zon. They are the weirdest tool I have.
9:18 Cellulose acetate butyrate is one of the most common plastic materials used for handles. I recall hearing the trade name tenex or tenite at one time.
We have circlips here in the States as well. They are not the same as internal/external retaining clips. An example of what we call circlips can be found holding the 1/4" drive DeWalt impact's chuck in place. Don't remove it unless you are prepared to lose your mind.
I had no idea what you were on about when talking about “sir” clips but then you clarified for us across the pond that you meant retaining rings and then I understood. Oh and I use the Bug-A-Salt shred-er every day on flys and June bugs and it works phenomenally! Have a great one and go on and have atcha! 😂
The red-and-yellow bundle of screwdrivers is the type usually made with glass filled nylon, designed to be nonconductive and safe for working on live electricity.
I love my 100 piece Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set. All 100 pieces were made in the US. Got my kit in the 1990's. Nearly 100% of Craftsman tools were made in the US back then. I think I have one Craftsman tool from that era that's foreign made. But I will say that Snap-on tools are above and beyond anything that Craftsman ever made. I've never owned a Snap-on tool but I've used them and they're a pleasure in the hands, perfectly weighted and shaped.
What's sad to a lot of Americans is that if you walked into a store in the early 1990's, almost everything in the store was made in America. After 1992 and NAFTA and the trade agreements with China, it all started going overseas and never stopped. The people in charge don't care, but a lot of us do and know how beneficial it was when the products we bought were made here.
Maybe if you blokes would have had that Estwing Pry Bar, you might have won the war. And that Snap-On Ratcheting Screwdriver would have stopped the Germans in their tracks!
Empire Levels since 1919 have made high quality levels and squares and you will see them on every construction site the torpedo levels are mainly for Electricians and Plumbers, and levels with the veri pitch is for the Plumbers, they need to angle their water pipes...
Milwaukee is trying to up their game by doing a LOT of in house tools here in the states. I've done a lot of prototypes for them, as well as forging dies. Awesome company to deal with.
I love good multifunctional tools! I worked many years as a maintenance tech repairing automated equipment and having tools that have few parts and multi uses are a lifesaver for quickly fixing things with a normal toolbelt. There are always things that need more specialized or larger tools but it was amazing how many things I could do with my multi set! Like a flip-over set of needle nose pliers with a full set of wire cutters and a flush cut nippers on the other side, or an eight socket dog bone wrench that really worked! I still use them over 20 years later! I also love the Bug assault guns for blasting wasps and hornets, the combination of reach and blasting the wings off makes it a lot easier to deal with those pests!
I like my Lexivon Master Key set. Lifetime warranty and Grade S2 allow steel. Comes with a handle tray too! I'm not sure about the quality but I have a CableVantage 4 in 1 Snap Ring Pliers Set ... Interchangeable heads. Under $10 USD.
Craftsman was made in the US and sold in a store called Sears. Sears ran into hard times and sold off the Craftsman brand. Since then Craftsman has become what we call a ghost brand, Mostly being manufactured in Chinese factories.
No one in the states calls them "retaining rings," they're circlips or snap rings. And while the Channellock circlip pliers are nice enough, they're more for home use. I'm not spending 5 minutes swapping tips in the middle of a job, I have several pair of Matco pliers that do both internal and external by swapping the jaw position with one thumbscrew.
I have used Eklind tools. Some sets are over thirty years old. (yeah! I I'm old) and I have three different Estwing hammers. I don't remember what decade I brought them in, but I but it's at least in the two thousands. I've also got American made craftsman and channel - lock tools throughout my hand tools.
I have a stubby SnapOn ratchet screwdriver that a friend gave me & its one of my favourite tools, can’t afford other SnapOn kit but I am impressed with the quality of their tools
Another great video Jonathan, cool to see some quirky American made tools. Top pick for me would be the Milwaukee screwdrivers be cool to get my hands on some of those. Also like the look of the channelock gear and the estwing pry bay. Slippery slope with snap on tools but there is plenty of cheaper options to purchase them via eBay for example and there or some reasonable priced tools directly off the truck or even via there online uk store. I recently got a 10” striking pry bar for just under £30 straight off the snap on truck. Look forward to seeing the upcoming videos.
See if you can find a Made in Jamestown, NY, USA Crescent wrench. The Crescent wrench was invented there by a Swede. A lot of Proto Tools used to also be made in Jamestown. I think Proto moved when they were bought out by Stanley
I would love to have the channel lock circlip but I would worry about losing the tips. Definitely have to have a dedicated storage space for them in the tool kit
I have that Estwing pry bar, it’s great to have to pull apart skids & pallets then getting the nails out. Screwdrivers, I’m pretty much a Klein guy. I’ve used other brands over the years, they failed to maintain the driving edge.
I've not seen one yet but the little light on the torpedo level is great. I have trouble reading the bubble all the time. That's what happens as you get older unfortunately
I have that ChannelLock retaining ring plier, and like it, but I still have some other small retaining ring pliers, as in certain cases I can't get the ChannelLocks into grab the ring.
Craftsman used to be owned by Sears. Craftsman was great quality, made in USA and had a no questions asked warranty. Sears started to closes stores and stoped making them in USA. Lowe’s owns craftsman now, not made in USA, quality and design has gone way down, and the warranty sucks. I love all my OG craftsman tools but replace with other brands as I have to. The change is really a bummer.
Craftsman is owned by Stanley Black and Decker. When Sears sold the brand to SB&D they kept the rights to sell Craftsman tools as part of the deal. (At least until Sears evaporated.) By that time that vast majority Craftsman tools were made offshore, with some seemingly equivalent Craftsman products sold at Sears and Lowes being made in different factories in different countries. Buying Craftsman filled out SB&D's mechanics' tools offering by giving them a brand with mass-market recognition they could sell through consumer oriented retailers like Lowes, Ace Hardware and (now defunct) OSH. They serve the industrial customer with their brands Proto and Blackhawk. SB&D did try to build a US manufacturing facility for some Craftsman tools but it didn't work out.
@@thatguy6054 For me the entire point of Craftsman was the in person exchange at any Sears store. Somehow I don't think Lowes, Ace, Blains Farm and Fleet or any of the other Craftsman retailers are going to swap you out a new tool, no questions asked without a receipt. It would have made more sense for Lowes to buy them and continue the in person warranty than what SBD has done. Plus I'm mad at SBD for murdering Porter Cable. They came out with a 18 volt system and then changed to 20 Volt Max (same number of cells as 18 Volt). However the batteries were not compatible. They had just started making brushless 20 Volt tools when they bought Craftsman and that was the end of Porter Cable. They are a Tractor Supply Company only brand now. Haven't been any new tools in about 5 years.
The American bug a salt pistol is the same as the crosman vigilante pistol which I bought here in UK. It even uses the same magazines. It's all black and has more metal
All the Eklind Allen Key sets I've had have never lasted very long. Rounded off and wore out way too soon. Bondhus, Wiha and Wera I've found lasted longer and much less prone to rounding out. Don't get rid of those Proto circles pliers just yet! The Channel Lock circle pliers tips are rubbish and most people loose the small bag of tips with in a couple of months.
Big fan of proto, there's proto wrenches at my job that have been used every day since the 70's. I have some of their stuff made before they changed their name from "plomb" made around the 20's and 30's.
I have tried many different impact wrenches and I can honestly say my hilti one has never let me down only thing that lets them down is there boxes don’t think I have ever opened it the right way up 😂
Just 12 more payments and the Snap-On screwdriver is all his!
😅 that’s tickled me that!
I have 4 of them, best ratcheting screwdrivers i have ever used.
My son was in an automotive tech program that offered special discounts with Snap-on. 3 grand to set him up for classes and most of it ended up being Bluepoint. SMDH.
We call them cir-clips too.
At least it's slightly cheaper than the Linus Tech Tips ratchet driver.
Definitely should of bought an Estwing hammer those things are on a different level
Next time for sure! 👍
I’m 66. I still have the Estwing hammer I bought at 15 when I started tech school. It still has the Estwing ring too!
Yeah I have my great grandfathers from the 50’s from his old school carpenters kit and it is bulletproof with its wonderful spun leather handle
Depot dropped the Eastwing. Very sad.
Yup, love mine. Top quality product.
As an American, I can tell you that Milwaukee bought Empire Level several years ago so that Milwaukee red square is still an Empire. Also, Eklind makes at least some of the Snap-on Hex keys. Those Milwaukee screwdrivers are excellent. Milwaukee also makes a lot of their Sawzall blades, hole saws, and step bits in the US. All very good quality items. Estwing and Channelock are also great brands and choices. We used to make a lot more but it's nice to see some of this manufacturing returning.
And a fun fact, Eklind was started in 1923 by swedish immigrants Henning and Ruth Eklind.
As a person who uses a milwaukee sawzall at work at work every day I think Milwaukee sawzall blades are junk (at least the fine tooth blades). I prefer Lenox arc blades but they are getting harder and harder to find. A lot the local electrical suppliers sell 25pks of Milwaukee blades so I end up using a lot of them. The best part about Milwaukee is, at least here in a large Canadian city, the availability is good. If you need a specific size hole saw usually the suppliers are good at carrying all the sizes.
Craftsman used to be American made until Eddie Lambert got his mitts on Sears which is where they were sold ( the good ole days)
What happened to Sears was the fault of Sears. The internet crushed Sears. Lambert parted the company out, which saved the Craftsman brand. The buyers of Craftsman moved manufacture off shore. The world changes. Lambert staved off the change, but as they say, time marches on. Those who bought Craftsman had insufficient belief in Craftsman customers. That was a shame but it created opportunity for other quality manufacturers.
Yeah, it’s not like the man save the company from going bankrupt and being not a brand anymore
Craftsman is now owned by standley black and decker. They built a brand new manufacturing plant for hand tools but close months later. Could not make them affordable
Well said
@@JimmeShelter Was Lambert the libertarian idiot who tried to run Sears like Microsoft (every department set on each others' throats to justify yearly budgets), or was that the guy before him?
You should have stocked up on those Drain Weasels. When your girls get to my daughters age, 16yrs, you'll be unclogging that bathroom drain every couple months. When I found that it was a God send. I love that product.
I use large zip ties; I make diagonal cuts into the sides to have the hairs hook onto. Stick it in the drain and twist around. Then pull out the gross stuff. Works great and costs next to nothing.
Might want to wear one of those shadowfoam kit gloves when making the cuts though ^.~
Haha thanks for the advice mate
@@TheBayru Thanks for the info. Sometimes I use pipe cleaners as well. I twist two together and it works sort of but I'll have to try your method.
Real Americans need a tool like this that works on a cordless drill....
@@JimmeShelteras a plumber, I can assure you that I have made my own drill mounted hair removal tools out of metal clothes hangers, but honestly, manual operation is better
Those blue spirit levels are really cool, and the build quality of the screwdrivers... *Chefs kiss*
Couldn’t agree more mate! 👌
These days, my favorite US made brand (most of their tools) is Tekton. It's the new Craftsman. Although, they aren't sold in many stores, you can find them online pretty easily.
The Channellock retaining clip pliers are great, except for the fact that the accessory sleeve can get lost easy. I wish they made it so you can store the extra tips in the handle or somewhere else on the tool.
I am with you on the Bondhus allen keys . certainly the best in my opinion . 35 years since I bought my first set . lost and replaced a few but worked them hard in my daily job all the while . Cheers Ade
Very happy to hear that Ade, exciting to think my set will continue to last! Thanks for commenting mate!
By the time you got to #2, I was (quietly) screaming at the screen "Channel Lock!" and then you brought up number 1. Thanks for calming my frayed nerves. I'm going to have to look for those snap-ring pliers.
Still got both a metric and imperial eklind allen keys. Had them for about 15 years. Good quality tools.
Happy to hear they are still doing you the business after 15 years, I am not surprised!
The Craftsman 45307 & 45308 Auto Lock Pliers were introduced in 1998. I believe at that time they were manufactured by Stanley at the old Parker Manufacturing Company in Worcester Massachusetts. In the early 2000s they stopped making them in the USA and started switching to overseas manufacturing. Of course now Craftsman is owned by Stanley/Black and Decker as a low cost budget brand.
I have what Sears Craftsman called RoboGrips that seem very similar. I had them years. Would never consider selling them.
Same on the robogrips.
Eklind and Bondhus hex keys are indeed absolutely fantastic. I've used both quite a lot and they're always worth their price.
Klein hand tools deserved to make this list, especially their pliers or screwdrivers. Their innovative flip sockets and Knect system as well.
I am a millwright 🎉from Canada and I have many American made tools but my favorite is Klein pliers and screwdrivers they are excellent tools
I've broken 4 of those Estwing pry bars. I love the form factor, but because of the slot for the nail puller, the flat end is weak. Don't give it the full beans.
Thanks for the info! 👍
I bought one of those Snap On ratchet screw drivers back in 1989 when I thought I wanted to be an automotive technician. I will tell you I still own this ratchet screwdriver, I have used it so much the a lot of the texture on the plastic handle is gone and it's smooth now. I will hand that down to one of my sons. Never get rid of that. When you were talking about "circlets" I kept wondering what you were saying. I had to turn on subtitles to figure it out. Because I looked at those tools and I said those are retaining ring tools. LOL, then you mentioned how we call them different here. Makes sense now. Oh 1 minor thing it "Bass" Pro Shop, Like the fish. Not Base Pro Shop.
craftsman used to be made in the USA and had a lifetime warranty, now they’ve voided the warranty’s and they’re made in china
9:16 - The Craftsman's clear handles on their screwdrivers is acetate.
Loving the drain weasel 😂👌🏻👌🏻
Got'ta love tool tourism! When I visited friends in Switzerland I just had to stop in a hardware store. Picked up some great PB Swiss screwdrivers.
Very cool! Hope to have a Swiss tool shopping haul of my own soon! 👍
@@ShadowFoam that's awesome. Really interested to see what you find here! PB screwdrivers are something that's inheritance here!
I have family that works at Channellock in Meadville PA. Cool to hear about it from the UK. Thanks.
The bug shredder is the real deal. I do keep it at the ready. One shot at about a meter will disable a wasp. Watch out on where you use it on house flys, it WILL leave a mess.
Great job! Nice to see that even across the pond, folks are admiring U.S. made tools! I live in Virginia, and strive to buy from our own manufacturers! Thanks!
I have access I'm the usa to alot of thoes made I usa tools but I tend to buy Japan and Germany funny. Milwaukee bought out empire levels and are extremely similar since just are made in the same factory. I dare say growing up with channellock and getting my first pair of cobras I was blown away with German tools ever since. One brand you didn't experience not slways on stores is mayhew. They make fantastic pry bars punches and cold chisels. They also make some good spring tools (thought not the original springtools are the og). The dominator pry bar line is a real gem including the "screwdriver pry bar" with a 14mm tip it's quite nice. They make a 7/8ths 23ish mm thick 42-58in prybars thicker than anything I've seen available. Take a look!
Mayhew is criminally underrated. A lot of stores will have 1 or 2 things they make sort of hidden somewhere but their tools are top notch. My favorite bit sockets I've ever used are their stubby dual drive Allen/hex and torx sockets. Super stubby and can be used with a ratchet or a wrench
What a great video and I agree with you about snap on tools I think they are over hyped even though they may be good. The only American tool I owned was a estwing hammer and it was the best hammer I’ve ever used.look forward to the next video cheers 👍
I have a full range of Channel Lock pliers as well as several Knipex and Snap-on. My go to is still Channel Lock.
The Gator Grip is basically junk, when used on standard nuts and bolts. HOWEVER, it is good for turning things like thumbscrews, eyebolts, or items like that with odd shapes.
I like your Packout boxes way more than ours.
Really? I quite like the red packouts, I think they are much more distinctive!
@@ShadowFoam Once you go Black...
I’m the same way. Too much red.
I have a pair of Channel Lock 909 crimping pliers/cutters that I love. I saw the same 927 snap ring pliers but I went with version from Powerbuilt tools. The tips can be stored in the handle in their version. I don't know where they are made but they have worked well for me.
I have plenty of US made craftsman tools. A benefit of growing up in the 70s 😊
I have and use, both Bondhus and Elkind and love both.
Had that Snappy for about 20 years...in PINK!!!
What do you think of it?
Actually it's more like 40 retired auto electrics now but for the last 15 it's been Milly M12, drill, screwdriver, lights and the cordless iron but the iron is rubbish. That screwdriver was great but generally agree with what you said about Snap-On, I think they're so overpriced but their ratchets and sockets are still the best.@@ShadowFoam
Craftsman tools were mostly made in USA decades ago, but over the years, that changed.
The way Americans do tools just amazes me
Just a tip from plumber: when you use your drain tool on the bathtub, take off the overflow and go down. This gives you a straight shot to the trap and downstream. Using the tool through the crossbars will give you two more 90 degree angles to pass, and if you hit hair.. good luck getting the tool removed.
As a not-a-plumber but a handy diyer, let the water stand and clear the drain with a shop vac. Wet rag over the overflow and FWUMP...big ball of hair.
Empire is Milwaukee.
Eklin Allen hex are great because the steel does not twist even on the small sizes that are easy to destroy.
As a mechanic love snap on for ratchets and such, but my Mac wrenches were 1/4 of the price and I love them, also my expert sockets were 1/8th of the price of snap ons and they do the job they have to do
I received the bug-a-salt rifle for Christmas. I use it all the time for flies. Now that I know about the shredder, I'll be picking that up as well.
I'm a Canadian electrician and I used to have all Klein hand tools, but the german brands are just so much better... especially screwdrivers, the wera and wiha screwdrivers and nutdrivers are excellent. Channel lock does however make decent pliers at cheap cheap prices, so if you're in places where theft is an issue, there is that.
Also Canadian brand picquic, made in Vancouver BC is the best multi screwdriver on a utilty/cost basis. Superior by a wide margin to american and german offerings.
Excellent.. congratulations.. regards from Athens Greece..
Channel lock being in the #1 spot make sense to me, great tools at an affordable price, imo. I'm not a fan of Eklind but some swear by them, i think it might be a quality control issue. Estwing makes some great hammers, both the Taiwan ones and the ones made in the USA.
Here in the States we have two kinds of tool buyers: overly patriotic folks that are excited by Made in the USA tools and those of us that hunt down European-branded tools like Wiha, Wera, etc.
And then me, who likes both!
Did you notice the Wiha screwdriver missing from the display in the background.
@@ShadowFoamI’m a both kind of guy as well. It’s not only which tool I feel is better for me but also fits my hands the best. The feel of a tool in my hand is very important to me next to quality.
While 90% of Americans just buy things made in China, Taiwan, Korea because those are the best value for the buck.
@@_Wai_Wai_ as someone who used tools on a daily basis as a profession I’ll admit I started out buying the much cheaper overseas tools but that didn’t last long at all when they constantly broke and couldn’t stand up to the daily use and the. I stepped up to much more professional tools that would last much much longer or I could easily get warranty replaced if need be such as Snap On, Matco, Mac, Wera, Knipex, Proto, SK, Klein and so on. I may have paid more initially but I ended up saving g money overall because I wasn’t constantly having to replace what broke or didn’t work to begin with.
You’re definitely going to see a drastic reduction in the amount of cheap tools purchased from places like Temu and so on in the U.S.
How much did it cost on average per box to post mate going in a few weeks and looking at sending some tools back myself
I got those 927 and I love them...
The empire level is cool with the light
If you are actually interested, the old clear-handle Craftsman screwdrivers-- and most others like them-- were formed from the same celluloid material that old movie films were made from. Tough, durable, turned sepia with age, and had a distinctive scent as they aged-- opening an old toolbox smelled like opening and old movie can.
For Screwdrivers I use Apex or Vessel one esp ones like the "Ball Grip" made in Japan, they take a beating and the finish on them is great .. I need to to find some of these Drain Weasels
I got a question. How much did it cost you to ship all those boxes, with tools in them, back to the UK?
I've got the set of those craftsman auto pliers, they are really good.
#10 hold onto yellow handle and then turn the orange handle. Much easier
I've always know "sir clips" as "c rings", "c clips", "snap rings" or "that took flight, never gonna see that again" - so I knew straight away what you were referring to. It's also somewhat sad that many of the brands I remember as a youngster are no longer USA made but encouraging that some are starting to come back. I still have many of my US made Craftsman tools and in all honesty the ones that aren't are still pretty well made.
"Circlip" (as in circle)... in the US and that's what I've called them too.
They've always been snap ring pliers in Indiana.
I use CarboUSAs dual internal/external snap rings for the rare occasion when I need them. B0CWPF1BFQ at Amazing. They are the weirdest tool I have.
I use CarboUSAs dual internal/external snap rings for the rare occasion when I need them. B0CW-PF1B-FQ (remove dashes) at Am-a-zon. They are the weirdest tool I have.
I use CARBO-USA-Precision-Retaining-Ergonomic on amazing. They are the weirdest tool I have.
I have a USA set of Milwaukee screwdrivers, excellent quality, highly recommend, you will have them a long ,long time.
9:18 Cellulose acetate butyrate is one of the most common plastic materials used for handles. I recall hearing the trade name tenex or tenite at one time.
We have circlips here in the States as well. They are not the same as internal/external retaining clips. An example of what we call circlips can be found holding the 1/4" drive DeWalt impact's chuck in place. Don't remove it unless you are prepared to lose your mind.
I had no idea what you were on about when talking about “sir” clips but then you clarified for us across the pond that you meant retaining rings and then I understood. Oh and I use the Bug-A-Salt shred-er every day on flys and June bugs and it works phenomenally! Have a great one and go on and have atcha! 😂
The red-and-yellow bundle of screwdrivers is the type usually made with glass filled nylon, designed to be nonconductive and safe for working on live electricity.
I loved my bug blaster until it broke so much fun and worked great on flys and wasps
I love my 100 piece Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set. All 100 pieces were made in the US. Got my kit in the 1990's. Nearly 100% of Craftsman tools were made in the US back then. I think I have one Craftsman tool from that era that's foreign made. But I will say that Snap-on tools are above and beyond anything that Craftsman ever made. I've never owned a Snap-on tool but I've used them and they're a pleasure in the hands, perfectly weighted and shaped.
What's sad to a lot of Americans is that if you walked into a store in the early 1990's, almost everything in the store was made in America. After 1992 and NAFTA and the trade agreements with China, it all started going overseas and never stopped. The people in charge don't care, but a lot of us do and know how beneficial it was when the products we bought were made here.
Maybe if you blokes would have had that Estwing Pry Bar, you might have won the war.
And that Snap-On Ratcheting Screwdriver would have stopped the Germans in their tracks!
Empire Levels since 1919 have made high quality levels and squares and you will see them on every construction site the torpedo levels are mainly for Electricians and Plumbers, and levels with the veri pitch is for the Plumbers, they need to angle their water pipes...
What a great look at some thing different. USA can offer so much.
As an American, I've never heard of Empire tools. They look nice. I'll have to pp down to the shops and have a look.
I also had a gator grip and the pins bend up, round off or mash up inside
Need to get the purdy strong boxes. Empire is part of TTI and was brought to help Milwaukee measuring lines.
TTI is a Chinese owned company...absolutely will never spend a dollar on their stuff.
Milwaukee is trying to up their game by doing a LOT of in house tools here in the states. I've done a lot of prototypes for them, as well as forging dies. Awesome company to deal with.
I love good multifunctional tools! I worked many years as a maintenance tech repairing automated equipment and having tools that have few parts and multi uses are a lifesaver for quickly fixing things with a normal toolbelt. There are always things that need more specialized or larger tools but it was amazing how many things I could do with my multi set! Like a flip-over set of needle nose pliers with a full set of wire cutters and a flush cut nippers on the other side, or an eight socket dog bone wrench that really worked! I still use them over 20 years later! I also love the Bug assault guns for blasting wasps and hornets, the combination of reach and blasting the wings off makes it a lot easier to deal with those pests!
Amazing tools
I like my Lexivon Master Key set. Lifetime warranty and Grade S2 allow steel. Comes with a handle tray too! I'm not sure about the quality but I have a CableVantage 4 in 1 Snap Ring Pliers Set ... Interchangeable heads. Under $10 USD.
Where I live we call circlips, Jesus clips. Because they almost always go flying and the person dealing with them always says, “JESUS!!”
Craftsman was made in the US and sold in a store called Sears. Sears ran into hard times and sold off the Craftsman brand. Since then Craftsman has become what we call a ghost brand, Mostly being manufactured in Chinese factories.
No one in the states calls them "retaining rings," they're circlips or snap rings. And while the Channellock circlip pliers are nice enough, they're more for home use. I'm not spending 5 minutes swapping tips in the middle of a job, I have several pair of Matco pliers that do both internal and external by swapping the jaw position with one thumbscrew.
Its crazy i remember the gator grip commercial in 1999-2002 never knew when they where started
I have used Eklind tools. Some sets are over thirty years old. (yeah! I I'm old) and I have three different Estwing hammers. I don't remember what decade I brought them in, but I but it's at least in the two thousands. I've also got American made craftsman and channel - lock tools throughout my hand tools.
Kia Ora & Good Morning from North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand ...Great Video Bro…
I have a stubby SnapOn ratchet screwdriver that a friend gave me & its one of my favourite tools, can’t afford other SnapOn kit but I am impressed with the quality of their tools
Another great video Jonathan, cool to see some quirky American made tools. Top pick for me would be the Milwaukee screwdrivers be cool to get my hands on some of those. Also like the look of the channelock gear and the estwing pry bay. Slippery slope with snap on tools but there is plenty of cheaper options to purchase them via eBay for example and there or some reasonable priced tools directly off the truck or even via there online uk store. I recently got a 10” striking pry bar for just under £30 straight off the snap on truck. Look forward to seeing the upcoming videos.
See if you can find a Made in Jamestown, NY, USA Crescent wrench. The Crescent wrench was invented there by a Swede. A lot of Proto Tools used to also be made in Jamestown. I think Proto moved when they were bought out by Stanley
I would love to have the channel lock circlip but I would worry about losing the tips. Definitely have to have a dedicated storage space for them in the tool kit
I think cutting them into Shadow Foam would do the trick! 👀
I have a bug a salt rifle with a laser site on it. You definitely need those in the UK.
Would love to give that a go! Been loving the shredder 😅
I have that Estwing pry bar, it’s great to have to pull apart skids & pallets then getting the nails out. Screwdrivers, I’m pretty much a Klein guy. I’ve used other brands over the years, they failed to maintain the driving edge.
I've not seen one yet but the little light on the torpedo level is great. I have trouble reading the bubble all the time. That's what happens as you get older unfortunately
I was a truck driver in the US, I had one of those Shredders for flies in my truck. :)
I have that ChannelLock retaining ring plier, and like it, but I still have some other small retaining ring pliers, as in certain cases I can't get the ChannelLocks into grab the ring.
Craftsman used to be owned by Sears. Craftsman was great quality, made in USA and had a no questions asked warranty. Sears started to closes stores and stoped making them in USA. Lowe’s owns craftsman now, not made in USA, quality and design has gone way down, and the warranty sucks. I love all my OG craftsman tools but replace with other brands as I have to. The change is really a bummer.
Craftsman is owned by Stanley Black and Decker. When Sears sold the brand to SB&D they kept the rights to sell Craftsman tools as part of the deal. (At least until Sears evaporated.)
By that time that vast majority Craftsman tools were made offshore, with some seemingly equivalent Craftsman products sold at Sears and Lowes being made in different factories in different countries.
Buying Craftsman filled out SB&D's mechanics' tools offering by giving them a brand with mass-market recognition they could sell through consumer oriented retailers like Lowes, Ace Hardware and (now defunct) OSH. They serve the industrial customer with their brands Proto and Blackhawk.
SB&D did try to build a US manufacturing facility for some Craftsman tools but it didn't work out.
@@thatguy6054 For me the entire point of Craftsman was the in person exchange at any Sears store.
Somehow I don't think Lowes, Ace, Blains Farm and Fleet or any of the other Craftsman retailers are going to swap you out a new tool, no questions asked without a receipt.
It would have made more sense for Lowes to buy them and continue the in person warranty than what SBD has done.
Plus I'm mad at SBD for murdering Porter Cable.
They came out with a 18 volt system and then changed to 20 Volt Max (same number of cells as 18 Volt).
However the batteries were not compatible.
They had just started making brushless 20 Volt tools when they bought Craftsman and that was the end of Porter Cable.
They are a Tractor Supply Company only brand now.
Haven't been any new tools in about 5 years.
The drain weasel is useful. Btw, they say to use it once and discard, but if you're not too squeamish about cleaning it, it can be reused.
Fun video. I've used Bondus allen keys daily for thirty plus years, They didn't break or wear out.
The American bug a salt pistol is the same as the crosman vigilante pistol which I bought here in UK. It even uses the same magazines. It's all black and has more metal
To put the level perfectly out of level, you put a nut or a washer on one end.
All the Eklind Allen Key sets I've had have never lasted very long. Rounded off and wore out way too soon. Bondhus, Wiha and Wera I've found lasted longer and much less prone to rounding out. Don't get rid of those Proto circles pliers just yet! The Channel Lock circle pliers tips are rubbish and most people loose the small bag of tips with in a couple of months.
Gotta love the USA, land of freedom. So far.
Big fan of proto, there's proto wrenches at my job that have been used every day since the 70's. I have some of their stuff made before they changed their name from "plomb" made around the 20's and 30's.
I found the giant subtitles hilarious.
The old clear Craftsman screwdrivers handles are acetate.
I've bought those Channellock snap ring pliers twice. You're going to learn to hate them.
Starrett tools are great to have
The smaller level was a plumber’s level for drainage pitch.
I have tried many different impact wrenches and I can honestly say my hilti one has never let me down only thing that lets them down is there boxes don’t think I have ever opened it the right way up 😂
Awesome video. Will make sure I go tool shopping next time I’m in the US
Would definitely reccomend it! I haven’t even scratched the surface yet