Hand Tool Purchasing

[Smitty37]

We have a thread going talking about prices of materials - silver in particular - and It raised my curiosity about how price figures in when you buy hand tools like hammers, screw drivers, pliers, socket wrenches etc.

I have many of these items and when I think of it they range from very high priced to very low priced. For instance I have hammers that range from over $20.00 to less than $2.00. I have wrenches that I bought 50 years ago at top prices and others that came free with other tools.... How about you.

 

[KCW]

I was a mechanic for a number of years, so I have tools that range from dirt cheap to ridiculous.

 

[Edgar]

Being a farmer with a couple of full-sized tractors & multiple attachments, I have LOTS of tools and more hammers than I can count. I don't think I've ever spent as much as $20 on any of them though - although I do have a lot of tools that cost considerably more than that.

I inherited a couple of large sledge hammers and I had to replace the handle on one a couple of years ago. The $10 that I spent on the handle was probably 3-4 times what my dad spent on the whole thing some 70 years ago.

 

[SteveG]

I have been working at woodworking (from hobby, graduating to serious hobby, to making my living, to semi-retired) for more than 50 years. At the start, I quickly learned to avoid cheap hand tools, and thus had mostly decent quality tools along the way. If some tool was determined to not measure up, I would spend whatever was needed to get a suitable replacement. Starting cheap, then upgrading in repeated steps has always proved more expensive, especially when evaluated by the combined criteria of tool frustration and dollar cost.

 

[Smitty37]

Being a farmer with a couple of full-sized tractors & multiple attachments, I have LOTS of tools and more hammers than I can count. I don't think I've ever spent as much as $20 on any of them though - although I do have a lot of tools that cost considerably more than that.

I inherited a couple of large sledge hammers and I had to replace the handle on one a couple of years ago. The $10 that I spent on the handle was probably 3-4 times what my dad spent on the whole thing some 70 years ago.

I had wrenches and some sockets and ratchets needed to work on tractors (I have done a little part time farming myself) and I can well understand --- they sure don't give them away.

 

[jttheclockman]

That is a subjective topic. If you are like me I make or made my living using hand tools and many times specialty tools. When your life and livelyhood is on the line you do not scrimp and save pennies. I do not own cheap quality tools of any kind. I have bought tools at yard sales and flee markets for cheap prices but many times the seller did not even know what they had. My gain. This practice carried over into any hobbies i had over the years. Even my mechanics tools are of good quality. There are many people that do not even know the difference between a $20 hammer and a $2 hammer. If you swung a hammer all day long you learn very quickly. That is just the example you gave. You get what you pay for. Like I said the exception is if you walk into a deal.

Then you have the people that have good tools and they abuse them and use them for things that they should not be. That is a crime. Then you have many people that have no idea the differeance between a torx screwdriver and a philips screwdriver or even a straight blade screwdriver and that is scary and then they show up on forums asking questions how to???? Put the tools down and call for help.

 

[Smitty37]

That is a subjective topic. If you are like me I make or made my living using hand tools and many times specialty tools. When your life and livelyhood is on the line you do not scrimp and save pennies. I do not own cheap quality tools of any kind. I have bought tools at yard sales and flee markets for cheap prices but many times the seller did not even know what they had. My gain. This practice carried over into any hobbies i had over the years. Even my mechanics tools are of good quality. There are many people that do not even know the difference between a $20 hammer and a $2 hammer. If you swung a hammer all day long you learn very quickly. That is just the example you gave. You get what you pay for. Like I said the exception is if you walk into a deal.

Then you have the people that have good tools and they abuse them and use them for things that they should not be. That is a crime. Then you have many people that have no idea the differeance between a torx screwdriver and a philips screwdriver or even a straight blade screwdriver and that is scary and then they show up on forums asking questions how to???? Put the tools down and call for help.

Generally Speaking you're right...but there is a difference in buying a (hammer for instance) for me to used doing real work and one for my wife to hang a picture with once or twice a year or one in a tool set for my daughters to keep in their college dorm rooms for emergencies. Until I was well into my sixties I used a 22 0unce Plumb for almost everything == but it was a little much for driving brads.

 

[jttheclockman]

That is a subjective topic. If you are like me I make or made my living using hand tools and many times specialty tools. When your life and livelyhood is on the line you do not scrimp and save pennies. I do not own cheap quality tools of any kind. I have bought tools at yard sales and flee markets for cheap prices but many times the seller did not even know what they had. My gain. This practice carried over into any hobbies i had over the years. Even my mechanics tools are of good quality. There are many people that do not even know the difference between a $20 hammer and a $2 hammer. If you swung a hammer all day long you learn very quickly. That is just the example you gave. You get what you pay for. Like I said the exception is if you walk into a deal.

Then you have the people that have good tools and they abuse them and use them for things that they should not be. That is a crime. Then you have many people that have no idea the differeance between a torx screwdriver and a philips screwdriver or even a straight blade screwdriver and that is scary and then they show up on forums asking questions how to???? Put the tools down and call for help.

Generally Speaking you're right...but there is a difference in buying a (hammer for instance) for me to used doing real work and one for my wife to hang a picture with once or twice a year or one in a tool set for my daughters to keep in their college dorm rooms for emergencies. Until I was well into my sixties I used a 22 0unce Plumb for almost everything == but it was a little much for driving brads.

I see you love your hammers. You used it in another thread also. Yes there are specialty hammers of all kinds and no buying a hammer for the wife to hang pictures does not have to be a $20 hammer. She falls under the category drop the tools and call for help in my opinion. You hang the picture and break out that Plumb 22 ounce hammer.
I am not saying it is bad to have an inexpensive set of hand tools for that occasional job that pops up. But if you are going to those tools many times frustration will set in very quickly and it just not worth it.

Weather it is hand tools, power tools, craft tools, art and drafting tools, mechanics tools any trade tools, I believe you buy the best that you can afford and if it is your livelyhood or your life is on the line you do not cut corners and suck it up and get the best. I use all tools so I may not be the one you want answering the question. I believe you want those that pick up a tool maybe twice a year if that and to justify buying cheap tools. Heck harbor freight stock is rising and more and more stores are opening everyday because people like you. You do not see many Granger stores opening. Just my opinion.

 

[KCW]

That is a subjective topic. If you are like me I make or made my living using hand tools and many times specialty tools. When your life and livelyhood is on the line you do not scrimp and save pennies. I do not own cheap quality tools of any kind. I have bought tools at yard sales and flee markets for cheap prices but many times the seller did not even know what they had. My gain. This practice carried over into any hobbies i had over the years. Even my mechanics tools are of good quality. There are many people that do not even know the difference between a $20 hammer and a $2 hammer. If you swung a hammer all day long you learn very quickly. That is just the example you gave. You get what you pay for. Like I said the exception is if you walk into a deal.

Then you have the people that have good tools and they abuse them and use them for things that they should not be. That is a crime. Then you have many people that have no idea the differeance between a torx screwdriver and a philips screwdriver or even a straight blade screwdriver and that is scary and then they show up on forums asking questions how to???? Put the tools down and call for help.

I think you are right, it is subjective. As a mechanic, I had to decide what was cost effective for the situation. If I used the tool all of the time, I would buy from one of the top vendors, usually Snap-on. If it was a tool that I was most likely going to use once, and the job paid 2 hours, I would opt for the cheap option. There is no reason to spend huge money on a tool that will be used once, especially if you will not recoup the cost. Just my opinion.

 

[jttheclockman]

That is a subjective topic. If you are like me I make or made my living using hand tools and many times specialty tools. When your life and livelyhood is on the line you do not scrimp and save pennies. I do not own cheap quality tools of any kind. I have bought tools at yard sales and flee markets for cheap prices but many times the seller did not even know what they had. My gain. This practice carried over into any hobbies i had over the years. Even my mechanics tools are of good quality. There are many people that do not even know the difference between a $20 hammer and a $2 hammer. If you swung a hammer all day long you learn very quickly. That is just the example you gave. You get what you pay for. Like I said the exception is if you walk into a deal.

Then you have the people that have good tools and they abuse them and use them for things that they should not be. That is a crime. Then you have many people that have no idea the differeance between a torx screwdriver and a philips screwdriver or even a straight blade screwdriver and that is scary and then they show up on forums asking questions how to???? Put the tools down and call for help.

I think you are right, it is subjective. As a mechanic, I had to decide what was cost effective for the situation. If I used the tool all of the time, I would buy from one of the top vendors, usually Snap-on. If it was a tool that I was most likely going to use once, and the job paid 2 hours, I would opt for the cheap option. There is no reason to spend huge money on a tool that will be used once, especially if you will not recoup the cost. Just my opinion.

Ah Snap-on. When that truck pulled up on a job it was the ice cream truck pulling up to a kids play ground. :biggrin:

 

[KCW]

Ah Snap-on. When that truck pulled up on a job it was the ice cream truck pulling up to a kids play ground. :biggrin:

This is something we can definitely agree on

 

[plantman]

I don't think that the price of the tool has that much to do with what can be acheived with it in the hands of a skilled woodworker. In collecting antiqe tools for a long time I have aquired a number of Rabbet planes (to use as an example) Some are crude and purchased for a few dollars, some are well known makers such as Stanley and others $25- 150, Some are high qualty speculity makers planes. $125- 1,000. Others are one of a kind or famous makers planes with Ivory handle or gold or silver inlays. $2500 and up. But the funny thing is, that they all cut the same groove in a piece of wood. The price of a tool is a balanceing act. Do you want to spend $100 on a custom drill bit you may only use once, or do you want to spend $100 on a 115 piece set you will have many uses for ?? Many old, rusted, and beat up tools I have bought at auctions or rummage sales turn out to be far better iron than some of todays examples. All it takes is a little cleaning, sharpening, and maybe a new turned handel and you have a fantastic tool for life. My suggestion would be to check out the best value for the money, and what you can use this tool for. Cheap usualy is not good unless you are willing to throw it away after using it. Expensive may be overkill unless you make a living using it day after day. There is a happy middle gound there somewhere, you just have to find it. Jim S

 

[SteveG]

We are seeing opinions expressed here starting to reflect the underlying reason for ownership, plus the background of the tool owner. I have seen evidence over the years of those in the woodworking hobby who acquire tools as an end in itself, as a collector would. They frequently have or aspire to the "perfect" shop, a shop which shows evidence of a lot of time AND money being spent. These guys usually buy the more expensive choice most of the time. I am part of a different group. My tools have provided my source of income. So although my shop appears far more pragmatic than picture perfect, you will find tools there that have met the same criteria expressed by KCW, resulting in generally high quality tools, but also tools that can and have paid their way, considering initial cost. longevity, and the quality of the end product the tools will produce in my skilled hands.

 

[Smitty37]

That is a subjective topic. If you are like me I make or made my living using hand tools and many times specialty tools. When your life and livelyhood is on the line you do not scrimp and save pennies. I do not own cheap quality tools of any kind. I have bought tools at yard sales and flee markets for cheap prices but many times the seller did not even know what they had. My gain. This practice carried over into any hobbies i had over the years. Even my mechanics tools are of good quality. There are many people that do not even know the difference between a $20 hammer and a $2 hammer. If you swung a hammer all day long you learn very quickly. That is just the example you gave. You get what you pay for. Like I said the exception is if you walk into a deal.

Then you have the people that have good tools and they abuse them and use them for things that they should not be. That is a crime. Then you have many people that have no idea the differeance between a torx screwdriver and a philips screwdriver or even a straight blade screwdriver and that is scary and then they show up on forums asking questions how to???? Put the tools down and call for help.

I think you are right, it is subjective. As a mechanic, I had to decide what was cost effective for the situation. If I used the tool all of the time, I would buy from one of the top vendors, usually Snap-on. If it was a tool that I was most likely going to use once, and the job paid 2 hours, I would opt for the cheap option. There is no reason to spend huge money on a tool that will be used once, especially if you will not recoup the cost. Just my opinion.

Ah Snap-on. When that truck pulled up on a job it was the ice cream truck pulling up to a kids play ground. :biggrin:

At one time my wife worked for Snap-on--her job was to inventory the trucks when they came to the warehouse. Then they would be restocked and the driver (who I think was an independant businessman) would get charged for whatever was put on the truck. He kept the money for whatever he had sold.

 

[Smitty37]

That is a subjective topic. If you are like me I make or made my living using hand tools and many times specialty tools. When your life and livelyhood is on the line you do not scrimp and save pennies. I do not own cheap quality tools of any kind. I have bought tools at yard sales and flee markets for cheap prices but many times the seller did not even know what they had. My gain. This practice carried over into any hobbies i had over the years. Even my mechanics tools are of good quality. There are many people that do not even know the difference between a $20 hammer and a $2 hammer. If you swung a hammer all day long you learn very quickly. That is just the example you gave. You get what you pay for. Like I said the exception is if you walk into a deal.

Then you have the people that have good tools and they abuse them and use them for things that they should not be. That is a crime. Then you have many people that have no idea the differeance between a torx screwdriver and a philips screwdriver or even a straight blade screwdriver and that is scary and then they show up on forums asking questions how to???? Put the tools down and call for help.

Generally Speaking you're right...but there is a difference in buying a (hammer for instance) for me to used doing real work and one for my wife to hang a picture with once or twice a year or one in a tool set for my daughters to keep in their college dorm rooms for emergencies. Until I was well into my sixties I used a 22 0unce Plumb for almost everything == but it was a little much for driving brads.

I see you love your hammers. You used it in another thread also. Yes there are specialty hammers of all kinds and no buying a hammer for the wife to hang pictures does not have to be a $20 hammer. She falls under the category drop the tools and call for help in my opinion. You hang the picture and break out that Plumb 22 ounce hammer.
I am not saying it is bad to have an inexpensive set of hand tools for that occasional job that pops up. But if you are going to those tools many times frustration will set in very quickly and it just not worth it.

Weather it is hand tools, power tools, craft tools, art and drafting tools, mechanics tools any trade tools, I believe you buy the best that you can afford and if it is your livelyhood or your life is on the line you do not cut corners and suck it up and get the best. I use all tools so I may not be the one you want answering the question. I believe you want those that pick up a tool maybe twice a year if that and to justify buying cheap tools. Heck harbor freight stock is rising and more and more stores are opening everyday because people like you. You do not see many Granger stores opening. Just my opinion.

I could have said screw drivers....I have about 40 or so of them. Some were quite expensive and some were cheap. I have a set of about 20 really nice Craftsman guaranteed for life that I picked up at a going out of business sale for next to nothing....

 

[Smitty37]

Lots of interesting thoughts. It's a funny thing but some tools I just can't seem to learn to use. Planes being an example. My dad could use them....a couple of my brothers could....but I have never had much success. I have no idea why.

 

[plantman]

Lots of interesting thoughts. It's a funny thing but some tools I just can't seem to learn to use. Planes being an example. My dad could use them....a couple of my brothers could....but I have never had much success. I have no idea why.

Smitty; You are not giving yourself enough credit !! Almost every tool we use in woodworking today is in itself some form of plane. A sharp beveled edge used to sever wood grain, metal, or flesh. As with all tools, the mastering starts with the sharpening itself, once this is mastered working with the tool becomes much more enjoyable. I make many of my own tools because there may not be something out there that will do the task I have at hand. I can reshape or modify old tools to suite my needs for little or no cost. Jim S

 

[eberlymerle96]

Ok, so I couldn't resist, When we talk hammers where I come from, they are the Stiletto Titanium T-Bones (did I mention they run above $200?) and yes they are made to drive nails...

My take, if it is something I may use once in a great while and none of my brothers have it ;-) , I will buy a cheapo... If it is something I will use alot or depend on, find one of the best...

 

[Smitty37]

Ok, so I couldn't resist, When we talk hammers where I come from, they are the Stiletto Titanium T-Bones (did I mention they run above $200?) and yes they are made to drive nails...

My take, if it is something I may use once in a great while and none of my brothers have it ;-) , I will buy a cheapo... If it is something I will use alot or depend on, find one of the best...

Hmmmm....when I mentioned hand tool costs I had forgotten Stiletto.....to be honest I've never even seen one that I can recall although I have heard construction people talk about them.

 

[eberlymerle96]

Ok, so I couldn't resist, When we talk hammers where I come from, they are the Stiletto Titanium T-Bones (did I mention they run above $200?) and yes they are made to drive nails...

My take, if it is something I may use once in a great while and none of my brothers have it ;-) , I will buy a cheapo... If it is something I will use alot or depend on, find one of the best...

Hmmmm....when I mentioned hand tool costs I had forgotten Stiletto.....to be honest I've never even seen one that I can recall although I have heard construction people talk about them.

They are the real construction hammer... The 15oz. is the one I have used and it will hit as hard as a 28oz. steel hammer.. They are much less harder on your arm when you have hundreds of nails to drive... Did I mention they just are the coolest looking hammer available?

 

[Smitty37]

Ok, so I couldn't resist, When we talk hammers where I come from, they are the Stiletto Titanium T-Bones (did I mention they run above $200?) and yes they are made to drive nails...

My take, if it is something I may use once in a great while and none of my brothers have it ;-) , I will buy a cheapo... If it is something I will use alot or depend on, find one of the best...

Hmmmm....when I mentioned hand tool costs I had forgotten Stiletto.....to be honest I've never even seen one that I can recall although I have heard construction people talk about them.

They are the real construction hammer... The 15oz. is the one I have used and it will hit as hard as a 28oz. steel hammer.. They are much less harder on your arm when you have hundreds of nails to drive... Did I mention they just are the coolest looking hammer available?

I have read that when I looked them up to check the prices....I won't try to check the physics to test the truth of that. It's been too long but suffice to say you would have to swing that hammer a lot faster for it to do that.

 

[SteveG]

HAMMERS

Having done my share of building (for a person not in the building trades), including building my own house, I am at the point in my life that if there is any construction-type hammering to be done, I will hire someone to do it. And my feeling is that they can use what ever hammer they want to use. But if the guy shows up the first day with one of those little, girly 10 oz jobs, he is FIRED!!

 

[darrin1200]

Speaking of hammers.

I am one of those people that I does not buy the cheapest tools, but unless I can justify the use, my budget dictates the level of quality. Usually low mid level quality.

Sometimes we do come into good deals though. I was out walking in the hardware store one day and saw a beautiful hammer in the clearance bin. A 16oz Eastwing claw hammer with laminated leather grip. Almost looked like a piece of art. I picked it up to admire, figuring that I couldn't even afford the clearance price. I turned it over and there, to my wondering eyes, is a $5 sticker on it.

I quickly ran to the cashier to pay for my prize and run. She was suspicious of the price and called the manager for a price check. He said it was not possible for it to be $5. He scanned the hammer's bar code and the price came up $79.99. That he said is the price, the wrong sticker is on the hammer. I pointed out to him that the product code on the $5 sticker was the same as the hammers code. He looked at it and was forced to sell it to me for the price on the sticker. With a little regret, I then became a nice guy. Rather than running back to the clearance bin myself, I told the manager that there were 4 more hammers in the same bin. He thanked me and ran over to the get them out of the bin and fix the tags.

Now a quick story of friendship.
One of my best friends, we met at recruit school back in '85 when we joined the same branch of the army, was helping me do some renos. We were in the dirt crawlspace underneath my house, very low, only about 30" of space. He was nocking a wedge under a beam to give it a little lift. He grabbed a piece of 2x4, held it to the wedge and used it as a hammering block. Worked well, and almost had the wedge in place when the 2x4 snapped. He quickly looked around and not seeing anymore pieces of wood, he grabbed my hammer, yes the Eastwing. He laid the handle along the edge of the wedge and pulled his arm back for a last mighty swing. This is when I see what is happening. The world slows down, his "real $5" hammer, is approaching my work of art for the devastating blow. The word STOP is screaming in my mind, but the words are not leaving my lips fast enough. The hammer connects and I can literally see the spider web of cracks forming on the handle as the crushing blow lands.
He stops and looks at me with an odd expression. "What?"
I say, "Do you realize that that is an $80 hammer you are smashing?"His jaw dropped. It was very difficult not to dig a little hole off to the side of the crawl space, and leave my friend there, never to be seen again.
We came out from under the house and examined the hammer. While the hard finish over the leather was spider cracked, it was still in usable condition. He said he truly was sorry. I of course forgave him but said that he owed me big. Later that afternoon, he showed up with a case of beer and two large steaks for the bbq.
Friendship wins again. That was about 6 years ago, and I'm still using the hammer today.

 

[Rick_G]

I have a wide range of tools from cheap to very expensive. I have a number of wire cutters, crimper's and screwdrivers that were free. My wife worked as a secretary at a tool company and when an item was returned for whatever reason it went into the scrap bin. She got permission and brought me home a bunch of these "scrap" tools. That was 30 years ago and I still haven't figured out what was wrong with them. When I left the Air Force 40 years ago and turned in my toolbox a couple of the sockets were missing, I had them at home and told the tool crib guy that. He said I would have to pay for them. I asked how much and was told the sockets were 10¢ each and the ratchet was 50¢. I suggested I keep the whole set, he said ok so I got a complete set of snap on 12 point sockets from 7/32 up to 9/16 for 10¢ each.

 

[Mike Powell]

I am a tool hoarder my wife says. I cant afford Snap-on or anything like that. So Craftsman is the line I usually go with. Life time warranty no questions, and a plus is Sears give 20% military discount which brings them to HF prices.

 

[jttheclockman]

I am a tool hoarder my wife says. I cant afford Snap-on or anything like that. So Craftsman is the line I usually go with. Life time warranty no questions, and a plus is Sears give 20% military discount which brings them to HF prices.

You are the second person that mentioned Craftsman tools and their life time warranty. It definitely is not the same warranty that they originally started with. Just because it says Craftsman does not not mean full replacement with another new tool.

 

[Smitty37]

I am a tool hoarder my wife says. I cant afford Snap-on or anything like that. So Craftsman is the line I usually go with. Life time warranty no questions, and a plus is Sears give 20% military discount which brings them to HF prices.

You are the second person that mentioned Craftsman tools and their life time warranty. It definitely is not the same warranty that they originally started with. Just because it says Craftsman does not not mean full replacement with another new tool.

You are right John....over the last 10 years or so many Sears outlets started balking at honoring the lifetime warranty although Sears holdings was still saying it should be honored. The Craftsman website now has a large area regarding warranties but none they have listed is the same as the old warranty. Personally I have quite a few craftsman hand tools but have never had to use the warranty - I never had one fail.

The reason is probably because as you noted, Craftsman tools are now sold by other stores, and Sears stores now are often not company owned but are franchises. Our local sears store in primarily lawn equipment and appliances with only a smattering of hand tools. Nothing like the "candy shop" in the last company owned Sears store.

 

[jttheclockman]

Try returning a tape measure of any size and you get one replacement and no more. Try returning a ratchet wrench and you get a refurbished one. Try returning a hose or a rake and you get nothing. The list goes on. The one thing you can do is return a screwdriver but they do scrutinize it. Not the Sears of old and yes the candy depart (tools) is downsized.

 

[Smitty37]

As I said, I have never had a craftsman tool fail. I've lost them (a couple of tape measures and screwdrivers and sockets) but my rachet is probably 30 years old and works as well as the day I brought it home. The only Craftsman hand tools I've gotten lately is a tool chest and a set of screwdrivers and I've had them 8 or 9 years.

 

[SteveG]

About two years ago I received a "gift" at my home from an unknown passing motorist. A heavily abused, wooden handled ball peen hammer apparently jumped out of someone's truck and landed in my driveway. I had just started to clean it up a bit, and was unwrapping the string that had been tightly wrapped on the handle. As I removed string, the letters of the word "CRAFTSMAN" became visible. A smile crossed my face as the vision of a nice, shiny, new hammer filtered into my mind. Sure enough, the next day I walked into SEARS, and walked out with my shiny object! A word of caution with this true story: a few months later, that SEARS store closed its doors for good. No more Sears on the island of Kauai. I do not know if my gift hammer was the last straw, but it was bye-bye Sears on Kauai.:frown:

 

[Smitty37]

About two years ago I received a "gift" at my home from an unknown passing motorist. A heavily abused, wooden handled ball peen hammer apparently jumped out of someone's truck and landed in my driveway. I had just started to clean it up a bit, and was unwrapping the string that had been tightly wrapped on the handle. As I removed string, the letters of the word "CRAFTSMAN" became visible. A smile crossed my face as the vision of a nice, shiny, new hammer filtered into my mind. Sure enough, the next day I walked into SEARS, and walked out with my shiny object! A word of caution with this true story: a few months later, that SEARS store closed its doors for good. No more Sears on the island of Kauai. I do not know if my gift hammer was the last straw, but it was bye-bye Sears on Kauai.:frown:

Sears has really gone down hill from its glory days....at one time the even sold houses and cars and were just about everybody's goto catalog....Sears,Roebuck and Company, Montgomery Ward, JC Penny and Speigel - the four catalogs that every family got. All were about 3 inches thick and weighed at least 5 pounds sent to customers by mail....