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Rapey Snap-On Tools

Landslide said:
I bought my first pair of Knipex adjustable pliers back in the early 90’s. I own a fair amount of their products now and love everything I’ve bought of theirs. I buy what I can at swap meets or eBay when I need something or like what I see.
Click to expand...

I broke the jaws on a pair of knipex channel locks. They had every right to break though, and they put up a good fight:laughing: Welded those back up and they are still goin too.

Have not had good luck with the knipex brand snap ring pliers though. Pretty disappointed with those
 
I have a few pieces that were worth it to me:

24” 1/2 drive flex head ratchet (non-locking)
36oz dead blow ball peen
6 piece screw driver set

I’d like to upgrade my 3/8 and 1/4 ratchets

One of the shops I sell to likes this little tool a lot:

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com

Edit link dead? Part number
  • PWCS7ACFG
 
[memphis] said:
I have a few pieces that were worth it to me:

24” 1/2 drive flex head ratchet (non-locking)
36oz dead blow ball peen
6 piece screw driver set

I’d like to upgrade my 3/8 and 1/4 ratchets

One of the shops I sell to likes this little tool a lot:

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com

Edit link dead? Part number
  • PWCS7ACFG
Click to expand...
Those are the shit, I’ve only ever bought them on sale/clearance of odd colors though.
Carlyle(NAPA) has an almost identical tool.
IMG_2830.png

On monthly special for $25
 
In many cases, Snap-On shit just works better. I can't stand using sockets with a deep broach....seems the truck brands (and maybe ICON) now are the only ones with a shallow broach, so I buy Snap-On sockets mostly, except 1/4" drive stuff...any chinese shit is fine for 1/4" drive since it never really sees much torque.

line wrenches....Snap-On is simply the best, without question.

Their pliers suck, I use channelock or knipex

Their screwdrivers are OK, but I mostly use Vessel for phillips/JIS stuff and since nobody actually uses a slotted screwdriver for anything but prying on shit I just get the cheapos at Harbor Freight.
 
Lbhsbz said:
In many cases, Snap-On shit just works better. I can't stand using sockets with a deep broach....seems the truck brands (and maybe ICON) now are the only ones with a shallow broach, so I buy Snap-On sockets mostly, except 1/4" drive stuff...any chinese shit is fine for 1/4" drive since it never really sees much torque.

line wrenches....Snap-On is simply the best, without question.

Their pliers suck, I use channelock or knipex
Click to expand...
I'd agree with most of this, but SO's new locking pliers are 100% the best out there right now. They are better than USA made Vice-grips back when they were new, and were built in the old US Vice grip factory until SO bought the tooling and the rights and moved them to one of their factories.
Their needle nose are good, but Knipex is better
Lbhsbz said:
Their screwdrivers are OK, but I mostly use Vessel for phillips/JIS stuff and since nobody actually uses a slotted screwdriver for anything but prying on shit I just get the cheapos at Harbor Freight.
Click to expand...
You don't work on old enough shit to need a good slotted screwdriver, do you? Take jets out of a carb with a shitty one...:flipoff2:

You like the Vessel stuff? I'm working on a lot of Japanese stuff at work right now (with the customer on site) and I think I'd like to get some JIS screwdrivers. I've used phillips on my jap stuff for decades, but JIS just works better. What's nice for me is NAPA is a Vessel dealer so I wouldn't have to hunt for pieces.
Thanks to AvE, I've been introduced to Jap-On (Nepros). I've been tempted...Wood handles?... Striking cap?... JIS... :smokin:
1711732407046.png


BUT... They make SO look cheap:laughing:
 
IowaOffRoad said:
I'd agree with most of this, but SO's new locking pliers are 100% the best out there right now. They are better than USA made Vice-grips back when they were new, and were built in the old US Vice grip factory until SO bought the tooling and the rights and moved them to one of their factories.
Their needle nose are good, but Knipex is better

You don't work on old enough shit to need a good slotted screwdriver, do you? Take jets out of a carb with a shitty one...:flipoff2:

You like the Vessel stuff? I'm working on a lot of Japanese stuff at work right now (with the customer on site) and I think I'd like to get some JIS screwdrivers. I've used phillips on my jap stuff for decades, but JIS just works better. What's nice for me is NAPA is a Vessel dealer so I wouldn't have to hunt for pieces.
Thanks to AvE, I've been introduced to Jap-On (Nepros). I've been tempted...Wood handles?... Striking cap?... JIS... :smokin:
1711732407046.png


BUT... They make SO look cheap:laughing:
Click to expand...
Polished wood handles seem stupid on a driver
 
Snap on offers the best dead blow hammers out there imo. With that said, I found out years ago that JH Williams offers the same dead blow hammers as snap on does. Difference is, no black molded in hand grips on the handle like snap on and only comes in yellow color. Other than that they are identical but much cheaper than snap on.

www.ebay.com

JH Williams JHW-24 24 Ounce Dead Blow Hammer USA Ergomonic | eBay

Williams® USA #JHWJHW-24. Suncoast Precision Tools, Inc. is an Authorized Distributor of WILLIAMS INDUSTRIAL. Threading and Thread Repair. Work Holding. Part #JHWJHW-24. Hand Tools. Deburring Shaviv. Hole Making & Finishing Tools.
www.ebay.com
 
[memphis] said:
I have a few pieces that were worth it to me:

24” 1/2 drive flex head ratchet (non-locking)
36oz dead blow ball peen
6 piece screw driver set

I’d like to upgrade my 3/8 and 1/4 ratchets

One of the shops I sell to likes this little tool a lot:

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com

Edit link dead? Part number
  • PWCS7ACFG
Click to expand...

IowaOffRoad said:
Those are the shit, I’ve only ever bought them on sale/clearance of odd colors though.
Carlyle(NAPA) has an almost identical tool.
IMG_2830.png

On monthly special for $25
Click to expand...
I have 3 versions of those.

On from snap on, in orange in my box at home. I have the blue version from snappy( blue point) in my truck/crawler bag and the blue pair pictured from napa(carlyle). We use the shit out of that one, its great for u-joint clips. Its broken once, napa replaced it with out question.
 
IowaOffRoad said:
I'd agree with most of this, but SO's new locking pliers are 100% the best out there right now. They are better than USA made Vice-grips back when they were new, and were built in the old US Vice grip factory until SO bought the tooling and the rights and moved them to one of their factories.
Click to expand...
s-l1600.png


this one? When they came out I bought a pair to try out. LIke them so much I bought 2 more and gave them to my sons. They are my go to plier 90% of the time. The other 10% I grab my wilde version.
 
Snap on is still the best but you can get serviceable tools from Sunex, knipex, cobalt, etc. I suggest that people that can afford it get snapon ratchets, screwdrivers and combination wrenches. My Sunex impact sockets have held up as well as snapon, for example.

There are a lot of snapon specialty tools that will save time, money and fingers too.
 
xr-nut said:
I have 3 versions of those.

On from snap on, in orange in my box at home. I have the blue version from snappy( blue point) in my truck/crawler bag and the blue pair pictured from napa(carlyle). We use the shit out of that one, its great for u-joint clips. Its broken once, napa replaced it with out question.
Click to expand...
Since some of the ICON stuff comes out of the same factory as the Carlyle stuff (compare the combination wrenches and sockets) I wonder when HF will start selling them.
NAPA Carlyle (on sale) and Evercraft is as good as HF when it comes to pricing and warranty for those of us who live in the sticks, IMO. The Evercraft sockets and accessories look identical to much of the Pittsburg/PittyPro stuff from HF, and most carries the same warranty. Now, if your local store is a douche nozzle it may not apply, but all of our local stores have been very good with warranty.
xr-nut said:
s-l1600.png


this one? When they came out I bought a pair to try out. LIke them so much I bought 2 more and gave them to my sons. They are my go to plier 90% of the time. The other 10% I grab my wilde version.
Click to expand...
I love those, bought 2 more sets at the initial sale price off our truck once I discovered how good they are. But no, I'm talking about these:
1711733320313.png

Were made by Malco for SO until SO bought them out (the locking plier line, not the company). SO's locking pliers used to be built in Spain, our local guy wouldn't sell the cuz they were garbage. The Malco factory is located in the old Vice-grip factory in NE
 
xr-nut said:
I have 3 versions of those.

On from snap on, in orange in my box at home. I have the blue version from snappy( blue point) in my truck/crawler bag and the blue pair pictured from napa(carlyle). We use the shit out of that one, its great for u-joint clips. Its broken once, napa replaced it with out question.
Click to expand...

Pretty fond of these

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com
 
Last edited:
Wheelerfreak said:
What was your issue with them? I just ordered a complete set of the Knipex snap ring pliers, haven’t had to use them much in the week that I’ve had them.
Click to expand...

Was this set. Amazon.com

Didnt use them very much before the tips bent on every one of them.:shaking:

20240329_103947.jpg
 
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DMG said:
Snap on is still the best but you can get serviceable tools from Sunex, knipex, cobalt, etc. I suggest that people that can afford it get snapon ratchets, screwdrivers and combination wrenches. My Sunex impact sockets have held up as well as snapon, for example.

There are a lot of snapon specialty tools that will save time, money and fingers too.
Click to expand...
I'd agree with this, basically. If you are a dabbler, or starting out and not getting the whatever percent off for being a student, go get the best you can afford. If you are going to make it your life's work, start trading it for the best. The best isn't always tool truck, but for your most-used tools you can bet that SO or Matco (not sure I'd put MAC in that basket these days) is an easy way to get shit that lasts.

I'd still say that...
-Grey Pneumatic should be where you get impact sockets, they are 90% as good as tool truck for 1/4 the price.
-Knipex for most pliers/cutters are 90-110% tool truck at 1/3-1/2 the price.
-The Gearwrench ratcheting wrenches are good enough for the intended use at 1/4-1/8th the price (though they aren't what they used to be.
-Milwaukee/DeWalt/Makita is as good or better than the tool truck cordless stuff at 1/2-1/4 of the price.
-Lisle corp./OTC is good enough for most "specialty tools" (especially since they build many of the tool truck's specialty tools)
-None of the tool truck OBD tools are the end-all, be-all tool that will solve all your problems (no matter what the rep tells you) and Autel/Launch/others sell plenty good stuff.

I'd also say that most of the APEX or Tekton stuff is good enough to get you started in the business, and good enough for most people's hobbies.

The tool trucks may be pricey, but I also can't say that they are "overpriced" considering they are basically the only ones keeping American tool manufacturing afloat and (if your franchisee isn't a complete asshole) will allow you to own your tools forever via warranty.

Steve300xcw said:
Pretty fond of these

Amazon.com

www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
Didn't know those existed. Now I have to buy another tool:flipoff2:
 
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Landslide said:
Snap on offers the best dead blow hammers out there imo. With that said, I found out years ago that JH Williams offers the same dead blow hammers as snap on does. Difference is, no black molded in hand grips on the handle like snap on and only comes in yellow color. Other than that they are identical but much cheaper than snap on.

www.ebay.com

JH Williams JHW-24 24 Ounce Dead Blow Hammer USA Ergomonic | eBay

Williams® USA #JHWJHW-24. Suncoast Precision Tools, Inc. is an Authorized Distributor of WILLIAMS INDUSTRIAL. Threading and Thread Repair. Work Holding. Part #JHWJHW-24. Hand Tools. Deburring Shaviv. Hole Making & Finishing Tools.
www.ebay.com
Click to expand...


I just bought one of those in strap-on flavor from one of the guys at work. $20. :laughing:

PXL_20240202_010348906.jpg


Picked up a set of strap-on pry bars from the same dude for $80. He used to have a whole tool set from when he went to school for wrenching. Figured out he sucked at it and started doing tree work and sold most of his tools. I've bought a bunch of shit from him for pennies. :smokin:
 
94toytruck said:
Well that's the tool I liked on the snap-on truck and bought from Napa. I bought 2 for 35bucks or so. Snap-on was 70ish i think.
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My oldest brother has a set of those in strap-on flavor. Nice tool but I'll buy from Napa long before the tool truck since they're so comparable it's not even funny.

For my money a cheap set of auto strippers and ratcheting crimpers is my go-to for wiring stuff.
 
94toytruck said:
Well that's the tool I liked on the snap-on truck and bought from Napa. I bought 2 for 35bucks or so. Snap-on was 70ish i think.
Click to expand...
Our local driver clearanced out a bunch of discontinued colors for $25/ea. I bought 6 and gave them to all my friends who are in the hobby. That way when I'm over helping them sort out their wiring I've got nice wiring pliers to use, and it's cut down on the loose connections I've had to diagnose when they've wired accesories:laughing:
 
I bought a Snap-on fixed head plastic handle ratchet last week......it was on sale for 135. I didn't need it, I liked the color.

P/N FHLD80
 
Steve300xcw said:
Was this set. Amazon.com

Didnt use them very much before the tips bent on every one of them.:shaking:

20240329_103947.jpg
Click to expand...
some of theirs got what looks like they are needle rollers set into holes in the plier body
feels like that'd let them get a properly glass hard tip with a more durable body
 
Cowboy63b said:
I bought a Snap-on fixed head plastic handle ratchet last week......it was on sale for 135. I didn't need it, I liked the color.

P/N FHLD80
Click to expand...

I'm not a Snap-on fan boi but their ratchets are great. I have several 25 year old+ used in the trades ones I've never had a issue with.
 
Steve300xcw said:
Was this set. Amazon.com

Didnt use them very much before the tips bent on every one of them.:shaking:

20240329_103947.jpg
Click to expand...

Have you have hood luck with any? I've long since considered them to be expendable. Only one that haven't been a issue for me are my giant ones with hardened replaceable tips. Smaller ones all break or bend eventually.
 
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