New Spanners for engine rebuilds

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

My recent purchases of English and USA made products are no better than the crap that comes from China, with a higher price tag.

Germany hasn’t once let me down in the tool department. Picked up some Stahl Willie spanners (awaiting for the imperial set to arrive). They are phenomenal. Light weight, high quality, thin heads and just feel right in the hand.

 

[SimonHS]

Watch out for Hazet spanners and tools on the second-hand market. Great quality but expensive

I've not had problems with Snap-on, Mac, Facom and older Britool. Much new Britool stuff is lower quality, as you say.

 

[JustPlainJeff]

I'm curious to know which USA made wrenches you didn't like. Because other than tool truck tools, not many of them are made in the USA anymore.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I'm curious to know which USA made wrenches you didn't like. Because other than tool truck tools, not many of them are made in the USA anymore.

As in title - not USA made wrenches, USA made products. Last 3 USA products I brought were a Lisle brand stethoscope that was about the same quakity a made in China kids stethoscope play toy, Bondhus Allen keys which have started to wear and round under very little use and a motion pro leak down tester which didn’t work and was such low quality yet cost $350 aussi dollars.. not impressed. Not only bashing USA though, my home country of UK is just as junk! I brought an expensive set of punches and they were as dull as a butter knives.

 

[Dennisthemenace]

My recent purchases of English and USA made products are no better than the crap that comes from China, with a higher price tag.

Germany hasn’t once let me down in the tool department. Picked up some Stahl Willie spanners (awaiting for the imperial set to arrive). They are phenomenal. Light weight, high quality, thin heads and just feel right in the hand.

View attachment 929290

I'm glad I still have my Aussie made Sidchrome sockets, shifters and ringies from my apprenticeship in the 70s. They'll see me and my son and grandson out. You cannot buy decent hand tools in Oz now

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I'm glad I still have my Aussie made Sidchrome sockets, shifters and ringies from my apprenticeship in the 70s. They'll see me and my son and grandson out. You cannot buy decent hand tools in Oz now

I have heard those exact words echoed by @trains on here, I’m continually keeping an eye out for some old sidchrome tools!

 

[Jasonrkba]

I always buy Proto when I can afford it. If its good enough for NASA it should be good enough for me.

 

[lostone]

Mac and Blue Point are made in Taiwan. I own a set of the Mac's and they are great. I also have some Blue Points and no issues with them.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

I'm glad I still have my Aussie made Sidchrome sockets, shifters and ringies from my apprenticeship in the 70s. They'll see me and my son and grandson out. You cannot buy decent hand tools in Oz now

Next you will be telling us you have a Warren & Brown 1/2"torque wrench as well! ( I have two of them!)
Old Siddens stuff is good- but like anything old, they are only as good as they have been looked after- plenty of worn out and or damaged Sidchrome out there.
Those old sockets had real chrome plating on them though- when it starts chipping and delaminating, it does not flake off- just leaves a razor sharp edge that will cut finger tips off.

Anywhere in the World, you will always pick the Ocker in a crowd of tradies- "mate, throw us a shifter!" is Australian for " excuse me, could you please pass me that adjustable spanner?"

 

[Stihl99]

I agree 100% many tool companies have went to pot and nothing but junk.
My tools consist of Snap-On, armstrong, klien, old original craftsman, proto, cresent and channel lock brands for USA.
German in my tool box whia, hazet, knipex, stahl, wera, nws.

 

[Woodslasher]

Next you will be telling us you have a Warren & Brown 1/2"torque wrench as well! ( I have two of them!)
Old Siddens stuff is good- but like anything old, they are only as good as they have been looked after- plenty of worn out and or damaged Sidchrome out there.
Those old sockets had real chrome plating on them though- when it starts chipping and delaminating, it does not flake off- just leaves a razor sharp edge that will cut finger tips off.

Anywhere in the World, you will always pick the Ocker in a crowd of tradies- "mate, throw us a shifter!" is Australian for " excuse me, could you please pass me that adjustable spanner?"

And "adjustable spanner" is British for "crescent wrench"

 

[pioneerguy600]

Have heard a Crescent wrench called a, tumb wrench , also.

 

[Woodslasher]

Have heard a Crescent wrench called a, tumb wrench , also.

Probably due to thumb-slide versions like this guy:

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

And "adjustable spanner" is British for "crescent wrench"

I have heard/read folk in the good old US of A refer to the nut butchering devices as "adjustable spanners" maybe they are the polite educated East Coasters?
Often referred to as Crescent spanner here- but we all know that is just because they were THE brand to be had when we all grew up- nowadays I prefer the Gedore and Irega ones myself.
But the Aussies own the "na cobber, the bloody shifter!" which no doubt is the shortened version of "shifting jaw spanner", convicts were never good at putting entire sentences together- apart from the ones they were serving!

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Mac and Blue Point are made in Taiwan. I own a set of the Mac's and they are great. I also have some Blue Points and no issues with them.

There is some very good, very high quality tooling comes out of Taiwan, guess if you have not experienced enough of the World you can group it all under on Communist flag, take the average and call it all crap. But those that know, know.

 

[Dennisthemenace]

Next you will be telling us you have a Warren & Brown 1/2"torque wrench as well! ( I have two of them!)
Old Siddens stuff is good- but like anything old, they are only as good as they have been looked after- plenty of worn out and or damaged Sidchrome out there.
Those old sockets had real chrome plating on them though- when it starts chipping and delaminating, it does not flake off- just leaves a razor sharp edge that will cut finger tips off.

Anywhere in the World, you will always pick the Ocker in a crowd of tradies- "mate, throw us a shifter!" is Australian for " excuse me, could you please pass me that adjustable spanner?"

The chrome can't get chipped, they are all in a velvet lined box on a shelf, just for looking at, much like my 084's lol

 

[HarleyT]

Guys always like to whip out their tools and brag on them.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Probably due to thumb-slide versions like this guy:

No, they were like the one I posted above, adjust the knurled nut with the thumb.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I havn`t needed to buy a wrench since the mid 80`s as I bought all mine during the late 60`s on to the mid 70`s, good ole NA made stuff that lasts many lifetimes, pass them on when I am gone. Today`s offerings are not near quality wise as I watch the young fellers buy new tools that just don`t cut it unless bought off the trucks, Mac or Snap On, we lost the Herbrand dealers, their stuff was top notch as well. Armstrong makes good gear but very pricey through the supply houses..

 

[lostone]

I havn`t needed to buy a wrench since the mid 80`s as I bought all mine during the late 60`s on to the mid 70`s, good ole NA made stuff that lasts many lifetimes, pass them on when I am gone. Today`s offerings are not near quality wise as I watch the young fellers buy new tools that just don`t cut it unless bought off the trucks, Mac or Snap On, we lost the Herbrand dealers, their stuff was top notch as well. Armstrong makes good gear but very pricey through the supply houses..

Armstrong makes excellent stuff and I have a few of them as well I have Snap On, Proto, Mac, Matco, Blue Point, Armstrong, Black Hawk etc the list goes on, when I can find them at a decent price I get them. I have several sets of URREA as well and in the past they have been fantastic, they where owned by Proto/Black hawk but when Proto got bought out Urrea didn't get picked up in the sale and they went their own way and are now made in Mexico, up until the last set that I bought they where great but I had to send the last set back because the quality just wasn't there, hopefully it was just a one time thing.