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Quality socket set... which one?

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Gliderman8

Gliderman8

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I want to buy a good quality socket set... what do you guys recommend?
Any good made in USA stuff still made?
Craftsman tools used to be a go to choice, but I'm not so sure today.
Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
I really hate to say this but it's true, harbor freights sockets are just as good, if not better than the Craftsmen stuff currently available (in some cases) and they are CHEAP. I keep a full set in my car/yard box and they've never given me any trouble. I've even pounded on them with air tools (and I have good air tools) without any problems. The great thing about them, if you lose one, you can just about buy a whole new set on sale for the price of one Craftsman replacement.


As far as US made, while I haven't done any research lately, I'd have to speculate that maybe only top-end guys like Mac, Snap-On and the likes would be US made. Those brands are well made but STUPID expensive. The last time I checked (5 years ago) a 1/4" Snap-On ratchet, 3" extension and 6 sockets cost $415. For $415 you could outfit yourself with a complete HF tool set including the 5 roller drawer cart.
 
I still like Craftsman. I have many from years ago and many newer versions and I see no difference in quality - but that's just me. I've had no issues with Craftsman, newer or older. Wikipedia states that "most Craftsman tools are made in China" but that statement is lacking a citation. I found this on e-how:

Rest assured, most of your Craftsman hand tools (those tools powered by hand) are made in America.
Click to expand...
A full 80 percent of the Craftsman line is produced in the United States. The exceptions are tape measures, which come from the Dominican Republic, while Craftsman shovels and rakes are often made in China or Taiwan. Close inspection of the packaging often indicates country of origin.
Click to expand...

Anyway, I have always been very happy with Craftsman.
 
Elliott, pardon me for stealing this for a second,
I need the name of the screws that arre phillips like,but not .
I need a set of those.
Now back to the socket topic
 
Top quality include the usual suspects of insanely overpriced tools. Mac, Snap-on, Matco.... And some others that can be had a bit more reasonably. I recommend SK. Excellent quality, decent price lifetime warranty. Proto are great too, but harder to find.
 
DNK said:
Elliott, pardon me for stealing this for a second,
I need the name of the screws that arre phillips like,but not .
I need a set of those.
Now back to the socket topic
Click to expand...
I think you mean posi-drive.
 
DNK said:
I need the name of the screws that arre phillips like,but not
Click to expand...

Pozidrive.

Most of my hand tools are Craftsman, and I've still seen plenty of USA-made Craftsman tools in the store, but you do need to check the packaging. Another source is Home Depot -- some of their hand tools are USA made as well.
 
I'll just say this about that. I have Craftsman hand tools, including a very nice ratchet/socket set my wife bought me for me over 30 years ago and it all still works like new. I have bought Harbor Freight stuff that stripped out or broke within a short period. That is just my personal experience. Also, in the one rare instance (several years ago) I broke a very small Craftsman open-end wrench (it was about a 1/4 as I recall). It was over 10 years old at the time and I was being pretty hard on it trying to get a frozen nut loose. I took it to Sears and came away with a new wrench, no questions asked. FOr me personally, if it;s a tool I plan to keep and know I will be using it a lot over many years, I'll pay the extra $$ and buy Craftsman. That's just me.
 
Banjo said:
. I recommend SK. Excellent quality, decent price lifetime warranty. .
Click to expand...


I could be wrong but I believe they produced stuff for Craftsman at one time. I think my last batch of Craftsman wrenches and sockets were Chinese made. I've bent the crap outta my "professional" Craftsman wrenches. I have some of the first series (the thick ones) which are o.k.
 
Basil said:
I'll just say this about that. I have Craftsman hand tools, including a very nice ratchet/socket set my wife bought me for me over 30 years ago and it all still works like new. I have bought Harbor Freight stuff that stripped out or broke within a short period. .
Click to expand...

I'm not talking about HF ratchets, rather their sockets. That's the key, 30 years ago, the new stuff strips out bad now ( regular ratchets). You can get a new wrench, but not a new ratchet when you break it. They "rebuild" whatever you bring in now. I have the new professional ones that really haven't given me any real trouble, but I usually use air tools. I once felt the way you do but their quality is really down. Their screwdrivers are dime store junk now (unless they came out with something new lately which I seriously doubt). You could break one of them picking your teeth. It's a shame too, all of their stuff my dad has from the early 60's is top notch.


+1 on S-K. ZI like their stuff but haven't looked at them lately.
 
Most of my sockets & ratchets & related stuff are SK or Snap-On that I inherited from my father. I have never broken one. What I didn't inherit, I bought used. I'd rather have really good used tools than fairly good new.
 
Thanks everyone for their input. I'll probably checkout the Craftsman or SK line. I would rather pay more for a better tool. Think I'll stay away from the HF stuff.
 
And go with six-point sockets if you can, Elliot. Some of those "fits-every-fastener" things are fine for household boxes but not so good for automotive work.

A large portion of my tools are Snap-On, MAC, or Matco. None recent. I priced a Snap-On ¼" drive U-J a year ago and about fell off the truck... $40!! I got a Craftsman instead. I try to avoid the China/India made stuff.
 
Thanks doc. Good advice.
 
DrEntropy said:
And go with six-point sockets if you can,
Click to expand...

Get both 6 and 12 point for 1/4" and 3/8 drive if you buy Craftsman. The Snap-on/Mac/Matco ARE better steel and will last longer but unless you do this for a living the cost is prohibitive. All of my 1/2 inch drive are Craftsman with the exception of a few Snap-on impact sockets and the 1'2 drive flex handle. Never have got a 1/2 in Craftsman flex handle that lasted longer than a week.

I also like my GearWrench ratcheting box wrenches. 3 double end ratcheting box wrenches covers 909% of what you need and sure cuts down on the number of tools you have move around.
 
I have a number of King Dick hand tools. They are mostly 60+ years old, and if they don't look like new, they act like it.
Appropriate for my British cars.

I also have Craftsman, Husky, Snap-on, Williams Superslim, etc., etc., collected through the years.
 
SK, Proto, Klein, Matco all in my boxes...avoid anything Chinese ...it looks good but the fit on the fastener is usually sloppy.

Torque wrenches?...only Norbar
 
Banjo said:
.... Proto are great too, but harder to find.
Click to expand...
https://www.toolup.com/proto.aspx?section=-2533-

I believe the Proto Industrial line is still all or mostly US made. The Blackhawk line, not so much.
If you have a particular tool in mind you can call their customer support number and ask.


Companies like Proto, Wright (https://www.wrighttool.com/) and Armstrong (https://www.armstrongtools.com/) make great tools but their stuff is more commonly found in industrial circles rather than automotive. So you'll find them at suppliers that cater to factories, plants, construction, etc, McMaster, MSC, Grainger and the like. (But shop around, some outfits (I'm looking at you, Grainger) charge full list price. Others discount.)


pc
 
Haven't seen Kobalt, Lowe's brand, mentioned. I've bought a few of their tools and have been impressed. Lifetime warranty on them as well.
 
You've got to shop carefully at Sears. I went to buy a new spark plug socket and I noticed that some stuff is made in U.S.A and some is "hecho en China". In this case, the individually packaged spark plug sockets were all made in America. The set of 4 was made in China. Very subtle difference in the plating and markings. Same price either way. Overall it seems like the quality of the Craftsman line is going down fast.

Craftsman ratchets are particularly poor quality IMHO.

I've noticed the opposite happening at Lowes. Some of the Kobalt line was made in USA and it was low quality. They stopped carrying that stuff, switched over to Chinese made tools and the quality went up.

Kobalt ratchets are great for the money.
 
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