A funny thing happened at Lowe's tonight.

I needed a wrench and thought I'd find it at Lowe's (no such luck, the only way to get it is ebay or buying a full set) and was going through the Kobalt section and someone was asking a Lowe's rep about the quality of Kobalt vs. Craftsman.

Craftsman's quality has gone to shit in the past 20 years.

I overheard the conversation and I pointed out that Kobalt is a division of Snap On and the tools are made on the same assembly line as Blue Point. The sales rep said they weren't and was arguing with me. I picked up a boxed set of sockets and was looking for the "Div. of Snap On" which I am sure I thought was there and the box was opened and the sockets came out in my hand and they said right on them, plain as day: Blue Point.

I showed them to the guys and said "there's your proof by pure accident" as someone had apparently put a set of Blue Point sockets in a Kobalt box.

He then asked me about Husky tools at Home Depot and I told him Husky is made by Mac tools. Buy a Husky box, you get Mac paperwork. Their tools are identical too.

No shit? I didn't know that

what were you looking for Jay?

I've never had a problem with any craftsman tools. I've broken like 15 screwdrivers and one socket. I have heard the same thing though. Their quality is worse and some stores won't even back their warranty anymore. I've taken a few things back with no questions asked

My dad doesn't get the Snap On thing. But give him a choice between a craftsman ratchet and a snap on. He'll go for the snap on. Now ask him if you work on cars 2-3 days a week and plan on doing that for the rest of your life, Is the 60 extra bucks for a better ratchet worth it? God damn right it is

I'm obsessed with my 80 tooth
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=81183&group_ID=20864&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

And another thing. I hate on the snap on site some tools don't say if they're Blue Point or Snap On. I ordered some tin snips and some vice grips. When I got them they were made in taiwan Blue Point. I would have bought Wiss or something better if I would have known they were made in Taiwan

Unfortunately, Mac is made in Taiwan as well these days. Stanley - which owns Mac and Husky) - is still made in the USA and Husky is using Mac's old tooling in the US.

I've broken several Mac sockets I had bought recently. I won't buy from them anymore. I will buy old USA Mac sockets as I find them.

The reason off the truck brands are so expensive is because 1: they deliver right to you and 2: legally employed mechanics can write off their tools on their taxes if they buy over $5000 in a year.

I am looking for an 11mm flex head gear wrench. I have every other size.

Yep, Mac is going to the shitter along with everyone else. My buddy has been a tech for almost 15 years and he now attempts to fix his older US made Mac tools than have it replaced with overseas garbage. Ebay and Craigslist are the best ways to get a hold of the older US made Mac and Craftsman tools that are much higher quality than the trash they both have been pushing the last few years. Looks like I'll be strictly purchasing Husky tools from now on, if I need a tool I already don't have on hand.

Well, you guys know I love and prefer old tools. The only time I'll buy a new tool is if I need something in particular right then. I will admit that I hit up CMan's sale over the weekend, bought a couple of brake tools and a serpentine belt tool on sale. I need some of those Hanson socket organizers now...

A few years back after I bought some use MAC ratchets off ebay and they said "Taiwan" on them I never even considered Mac again.

Now if only I could afford a bad ass Snap On tool box...

Me too...

I have an old Blue Point and the old Craftsman for now...

I have a nice like 5-6' stainless box that was given to my dad and he never put a tool in it so I took it over. And I have a 4? drawer with locking lid Matco box. It' nice but I wish I bought a bigger one now

Nice. I do need one of the roll carts at some point.

One of these days I'll get a bigger or another box.

I'd be happy with the like 8 or 9 drawer small snap on box. I think they're like $900 brand new though.

I think this is the one I was thinking of

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=storage&item_ID=87872&group_ID=23865&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

WTF the price almost doubled

OK that's not it, this is it

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=storage&item_ID=71459&group_ID=18012&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I've been considering this...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90320

HF is usually junk but this is actually quite well made. I looked at them not long ago and the construction is on par with Snap On and Matco. It can be had for about $275 with the 20% off coupons found online and in a lot of magazines.

Can't really beat the price