What brand tools are decent quality?

SMSW

Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,021
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
I've been putting together a tool kit for my bike and just finished reading the Tool buying tips thread here. I can get Craftsman at an Ace hardware store (looks just like Sears craftsman - down to the registered trademark), Do it best, Home Despot or Lowe's, or spend a fortune for Wright tools (hardware store) or Matco or Snap-on. The last three are not going to happen because of cost. I favor Craftsman because it is a familiar brand, but they are awfully cheap (2 to 4 $ per socket). Are they still as good as always?

So, what is good enough for an emergency tool kit? I don't want a wrench to fail when I'm pulling the front or rear wheels at the side of the road, nor do I want to spend a lot of money. I will also probably end up using these tools for routine maintenance during the winter and fill in with my Craftsman and Snap on (that are over 30 yrs old) as needed.
 
I was a professional mechanic for over ten years, a machinist for ten, and am currently doing wood pellet boiler repair. I've done all maintenance and repairs for my own vehicles since I was old enough to ride a dirt bike. I've used a few tools.

I'm not a tool snob. Even for professional use different tools require different qualities. Most of my hammers came from cheap discount stores. Some I've had for twenty years without failure. Sockets are a tossup. Craftsman are OK, I would skip most of the really cheap stuff (the ones that are made so poorly the socket sizes often can't even be read when new). They will fit poorly and will fail easily. For my personal tools I have a variety but most are very good quality, and very expensive. For the work van I have cheaper stuff because they tend to get damaged a lot, or left at job sites. Not to mention other workers grabbing the tools. Here is a list I would suggest:

Ratchets- Buy the best you can afford. For a bike emergency tool kit, Husky from Home Depot would work well. I'm not a fan of Craftsman- they failed easily back when they had a quality company manufacturing them; now that they have declined in quality, forget it.

Sockets- Hit up a Harbor Freight. Look for the colored sets (individual colors for the sockets). They are very cheap and hold up very well. I use them for boiler repair every day and they work fine. I wouldn't use them for professional mechanic work, but they will be a good addition for a tool kit. Husky from Home Depot are pretty good as well.
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-pie...c-deep-wall-color-coded-socket-set-93265.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/21-pc-38-in-drive-sae-metric-high-visibility-socket-set-67900.html

Pliers/cutters: Skip the extremely cheap stuff. Craftsman are still pretty good I think. I use Husky at work and they work well. Husky locking pliers work pretty well too. I like the real "Vise-grip" brand for heavier use.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-6-in-Long-Nose-Pliers-48058/203287743

Screw drivers- I don't skimp here. Our fasteners strip out very easily. Order a set of JIS drivers. A Husky flat blade to go with them.

Electrical- skip the cheap wire strippers/crimpers. Most are junk. Get a set of Klein from Home Depot.
http://www.homedepot.com/s/klein%20wire%20stripper?NCNI-5

For an emergency tool kit for a motorcycle look for ways to re-purpose tools. An adjustable wrench can be used as a hammer. A flat screwdriver can be used to pry with or as a pinch or chisel.

Walk around lots of tool stores and feel the tools. Use your judgement for quality. See how different brand tools feel in your hands- that will tell you a lot.
 
SMSW said:
So, what is good enough for an emergency tool kit? I don't want a wrench to fail when I'm pulling the front or rear wheels at the side of the road, nor do I want to spend a lot of money. I will also probably end up using these tools for routine maintenance during the winter and fill in with my Craftsman and Snap on (that are over 30 yrs old) as needed.
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why not just take your Snap-On and Craftsman tools on the road with you, would someone else need them while you're gone? I've used the full spectrum from Snap-On to taiwan junk, and the only ones I'd avoid are cheap torque wrenches and screwdrivers. And even that is probably unfair because the cheap torque wrenches from Harbor Freight get generally good reviews. The chances of a wrench failing on axle duty is probably 0, I wouldn't worry about it as long as you're using a box end wrench and not open-end.
 
dwalby said:
why not just take your Snap-On and Craftsman tools on the road with you, would someone else need them while you're gone?
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My good tools stay where they will be well taken care of. If you have to do a repair on the side of the road on a rainy night and you leave a wrench behind in the dirt, I'd rather it be part of a $12 set than a single $25 wrench. Plus if you use the bike much I'd rather leave the bike tool kit in the bike instead of pulling it out to use the tools. That is an easy way to forget the tools at home.
 
nhdiesel said:
My good tools stay where they will be well taken care of. If you have to do a repair on the side of the road on a rainy night and you leave a wrench behind in the dirt, I'd rather it be part of a $12 set than a single $25 wrench. Plus if you use the bike much I'd rather leave the bike tool kit in the bike instead of pulling it out to use the tools. That is an easy way to forget the tools at home.
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losing or forgetting to bring along tools has ever been a problem for me, to each his own I guess.
 
nhdiesel said:
My good tools stay where they will be well taken care of. If you have to do a repair on the side of the road on a rainy night and you leave a wrench behind in the dirt, I'd rather it be part of a $12 set than a single $25 wrench. Plus if you use the bike much I'd rather leave the bike tool kit in the bike instead of pulling it out to use the tools. That is an easy way to forget the tools at home.
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Thank you everyone, especially the tool review link. My inclination is to do as nhdiesel suggested with the expensive tools. I tend to gasp at what new Snap-on tools cost, and yes, I just might leave something behind in the grass or on a rainy night. There is also the possibility of loaning a tool to someone in need and forgetting to get it back, or getting several tools back minus one socket.

That's why I am buying cheap but serviceable tools for the bike kit - I don't want to worry about replacement cost, or even losing the whole set in the event of an accident or theft. There are two Harbor Fright (my name for them, not a typo) stores within 10 miles of where I live, as well as Hopot and Lowes. I had worried about their tools quality, but all of you have eased my concern. In years past, I've had a few sockets split or crack or an open end wrench spread wider (never a Craftsman or Snap-on or SK or Wright). After a few bad experiences with edged tools at HarborF, I would not buy them again - chisels, drills, etc.

My philosopy for tools has always been - as was pointed out in another thread - to spend top dollar for top quality the first time and reap the savings down the road as the tool gets used again and again and lasts and lasts. i too have been wrenching for most of my adult life but now I'm faced with buying tools that are good enough and inexpensive. Looks like I will let $$ select the tools this time from either Harbor, Hopots, or Lowes lines and not sweat the details.

With regard to electrical tools - I'm an electrician and use these daily. Klein tools are great. Their screwdrivers are top notch. My only choice - BUT, their prices also take my breath away. Ideal also makes some good tools, and Southwire recently put out a line of what look to be identical to Klein. In the end, availablity makes a big difference - if you cannot get it, the quality is irrelevant.
 
nhdiesel said:
I use my bike every day and I use my tools every day. Eventually one won't end up with the other.
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I just realized we may be talking about two different applications. I only bring along the good tools when I go touring, for everyday riding the stock toolkit is all I have available on the bike. Wasn't sure if the OP was asking about a permanent toolkit on the bike, or a temp kit for long rides. I may have misinterpreted his question.
 
dwalby said:
I just realized we may be talking about two different applications. I only bring along the good tools when I go touring, for everyday riding the stock toolkit is all I have available on the bike. Wasn't sure if the OP was asking about a permanent toolkit on the bike, or a temp kit for long rides. I may have misinterpreted his question.
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I try to keep the same equipment in my bike for any size trip. I don't care if I'm 2 miles away at the grocery store, if my headlight goes out at night I want a spare. If I get a flat I want to be able to plug it. Some things could still get me home before needing to be repaired, but once I put together a kit I like it to stay together and on the bike as much as possible.
 
dwalby said:
I just realized we may be talking about two different applications. I only bring along the good tools when I go touring, for everyday riding the stock toolkit is all I have available on the bike. Wasn't sure if the OP was asking about a permanent toolkit on the bike, or a temp kit for long rides. I may have misinterpreted his question.
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Most of my rides tend to be longer (touring) and/or camping. In any case, the tool kit will remain on the bike for both longer and short trips. If I start taking it off the bike, sooner or later it will be forgotten at home - the one time I need it.
 
I have a 'doctor' bag on all three of my ST1100s (Lowe's Canvas Tool Bag) -

Small Air Compressor
T-Handle plug inserter (get a good one)
T-Handle awl (get a good one)
Red tire gummy worms
Tire Glue
Crescent Brand Crescent Wrench
Cheap snips
Honda Tool Kit (original)
Test Light (good NAPA one)
Cheap pliers
Cruz Tools M14 unit (some sockets, allen wrenchs, etc.)
Leatherman (top of the line one)
Sealmate
Small Roll of Electrical Tape
Small Roll of Gaffer Tape
Length of 8 gauge wire
6 tie wraps
Extra Fuses
5 mm T-handle (which fits most of the bodyware bolts on the ST1100)

The less likely I will be using the tool in a 'tight spot', the less I spend on it. ;-)
Between the Leatherman and the Cruz Tools alone, you have a lot of options to use and they fold up nicely.
 
nhdiesel said:
My good tools stay where they will be well taken care of. If you have to do a repair on the side of the road on a rainy night and you leave a wrench behind in the dirt, I'd rather it be part of a $12 set than a single $25 wrench. Plus if you use the bike much I'd rather leave the bike tool kit in the bike instead of pulling it out to use the tools. That is an easy way to forget the tools at home.
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I was in Lowe's today. They had a sale: 10 - 1/4" sockets (6 point) for $4.95, half the regular price. These are metric with their colored band around each socket. They look good. Can they possibly be decent tools for the price? I'll use them around the house to see.
 
I read a test report recently and the Lowes stuff was ranked pretty good for the price. When I put together my on-bike toolkit I only needed a few specific sizes to do the majority of the work on the ST. So Lowes Kobalt is what I bought. They even have 6pt in all the right sizes. (8mm 6pt is uncommon these days.)
 
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