pauleyman
DSM Wiseman
- 9,298
- 3,541
- Nov 19, 2011
-
oklahoma city,
Oklahoma
I've got a giant box of tools so now most of my purchases are for convenience or specialty. I have found in specialty items there are often (especially online) many brands that look identical so I can't tell a "quality" tool apart from another. I also know some tools are rebranded. Even basic hand tools do this so it's hard to know what's what or who is who. For instance this morning I was looking for a thread restore kit. Not helicoils or taps/dies. But for fixing mildly damaged threads, The kit has taps and dies that are not tooling but rather thin or with cuts in them designed to just straighten stuff out. Usually they come with a set of thread restoring files. On amazon at least there are a bunch of kits that look identical except for the layout on the case. How can an end user tell one tool from another? Unless it's a brand you know. I don't necessarily trust that either and I don't like overpaying if it's just a rebranded tool. Not everything is quality either. I have some Lisle stuff and the lock ring pliers are just crap. There is a proto/stanley set out there MUCH nicer and similar price point. I happened to find a set identical to the proto at an estate sale. They are older/vintage and a brand I don't recognize but seem durable and they are worn so they've seen some use.
Anyway back to the original question....who do we trust now or how do we find out who is rebranded etc? I refuse to buy severely marked up tools from the likes of snap on, matco or any of the big names if I know they didn't make it but merely bought it and stuck their name on it.
Discuss.
Anyway back to the original question....who do we trust now or how do we find out who is rebranded etc? I refuse to buy severely marked up tools from the likes of snap on, matco or any of the big names if I know they didn't make it but merely bought it and stuck their name on it.
Discuss.