So who makes Armstrong wrenches? Those are the ones I like. - GWE

Gunner wrote:
On 26 Mar 2004 01:59:53 GMT, atespam (Halcitron)
wrote:


http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/whotools.html

Who Makes What Tools

Last update: Feb. 10, 2003
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The following excerpts were posted on one of the mailing list I subscribe to. I
though the information was worth sharing.

I've tried to contact the original authors to get their permission, but did not
get any replies to my emails. Since this information is available via one of
several archives, I feel that I can present it here. However, the authors names
have been removed from the discussions. (If they would like credit - please
contact me.)

(ED. I was informed on July 5, 2000 that Stanley has a complaint filed against
them via the Federal Trade Commission as of June 2, 1999.)

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Someone wrote [in part]:

... but I never could figure out who makes the [Craftsman] hand tools.
To which someone else replied:

I'm not the final word on tools by any means, but since I work in the business,
I've learned a little bit about it. Okay, here's more than you ever wanted to
know.

Lowes now (as of earlier this year) is selling a line of Mechanics Tools called
Kobalt which is made by Snap-On. They are good tools.

(ED: I've received 3 follow up emails; updating the information about who is
making Kobalt tools:
The first is from Bob Payne of Cornwell Tool Distributor - He indicates that
Kobalt is not made by Snap-On.
The second is from Heidi Schuck of Husky Tools with more information on Kobalt
tools not being made by Snap-On.)
The third from Dave Johnson about the new vendor for the Kobalt line of tools.)


Home Depot's Husky brand is made by Stanley Mechanics Tools, a division of the
Stanley Works. Husky are also good tools and have a good lifetime warranty
(they'll even replace your broken Craftsman with an equivalent Husky).

Until 1994 or so, Stanley also made Sears Craftsman tools. Sears Craftsman is
now made by Danaher Tools. They beat out Stanley on the contract over price.
Danaher also manufactures MatCo Tools, the third largest player in the Mobile
Automotive industry (behind MAC and Snap-On). Odds are, if you own any
Craftsman tools that are older than about five years ago, they were made by
Stanley in plants in Dallas, Texas, Witchita Falls, Texas, and Sabina, Ohio.

Stanley also owns MAC Tools and manufactures MAC tools in the same plants. Now
here's the kicker: MAC Tools, Proto Tools (a very expensive industrial brand),
Husky Tools, and, (prior to five or so years ago) Craftsman Tools are all made

from the same forgings in the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes

through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the
military, and industrial customers (including General Motors).

There are three MAJOR players in the USA mechanics tool business: Stanley,
Danaher, and Snap-On. Stanley and Danaher (almost identical in sales revenue at
about $28 billion each) are the biggest followed by Snap-On. Each of these
three manufacture and sell tools under a variety of brands (there are many
other brands that Stanley makes that I haven't even named). The quality between
these three manufacturers is roughly the same. I know its a bit of a let-down
to hear that, but its a simple fact.

There are a hand full of other minor players (Vermont American, etc) and an
endless list of Taiwanese import tool companies (some of which Stanley own as
well as Danaher to serve the lower end consumer import brands at WalMart, etc).
How do I know all of this? I work for Stanley Mechanics Tools, specifically
with the Proto Industrial brand. I personally do not think that MAC, MatCo, or
Snap-On branded tools are worth the extra markup since they use the same
forgings and manufacturing processes that make Husky and Kobalt and pre-1994
Craftsman. Where you need to pay attention are things like ratchets and torque
wrenches. There are different specifications of ratchets and you do pay for the
difference. Some mechanics require a finer, more precise ratcheting mechanism
than guys like me who just bang around in the garage on the weekends.

By the way, Metwrench is basically considered a "gimick" infomercial tool brand
that is not considered as a serious competitor to Danaher, Snap-On, or Stanley.
Then again, IBM once didn't see Microsoft as a serious force in the personal
computer business. Hmmmm....

(Two more brands that I don't know much about is Black & Decker and DeWalt.
About Sept. 2002 I received an email stating that B&D owns DeWalt. Though I
haven't confirmed this yet.)

(Halcitron Note: True. B&D owns DeWalt.)
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Then there was this discourse on FACOM brand tools:


FACOM has been around forever. French company, says "American" in the name
though I forget the whole acronym.

FACOM is Franco-Americaine de Construction d'Outillage Mecanique. French for
"French-American Mechanical Tool Manufacturing". Got points in my french class
for that.


It's now one of the largest tool conglomerates in Europe.

SK, I think, is an American company that recently has had a large part of
its stock purchased by FACOM.

FACOM owns S-K outright. You'll notice (if you look through the catalogs from
preceeding years) that the tools are becoming more and more alike. The S-K
"pro" screwdrivers are now FACOM ergotwist screwdrivers. The "tuff1" ratchets
are S-K pro ratchet handles avec FACOM innards. FACOM's ratcheting flare wrench
now has S-K stamped on the side of it. I don't like it because we could get
FACOM tools from S-K dealers for over 10 years, but now they're getting more
and more reluctant to give us FACOM stuff, they'd rather sell S-K stuff. Which
is why you get S-K catalogs instead of FACOM. If you specifically request
(demand) a FACOM catalog, you get their _american_ catalog, which is
abbreviated, along with a note to contact Griot's Garage. I've asked a French
friend to get me a French market FACOM catalog, as they have all the good stuff
that hasn't yet been absorbed into the S-K line. Ultimate Garage is a FACOM
dealer as well as Griots, and I've been told (by richard?) they've got a
catalog, dunno if it's FACOM's, but I'll order something and find out.

I was also wondering what the deal was with the S-K foundry? Presumably they
still make some stuff stateside? No? I know there are others not mentioned,
Cornwell has a foundry in Ohio, I think?

I'd kinda doubt that Williams uses the _exact_ same dies for Koalt and Snap-On.
I compared the Kobalt combo wrench to one of my Snap-Ons, and they aren't the
same. The Kobalt handle is pretty much rectangular in cross-section, and really
does hurt your hand when you pull hard. The Snap-On is more rounded. As well,
the Kobalt is visibly looser on the fastener. Maybe these are Snap-On rejects?
Can't explain the handle differences, though. The breaker bars seem to share
the same grip, though, it just seems the kobalt doesn't have those nifty
machined indentations at the base.

I know Stanley owns Mac and Blackhawk (didn't know about Husky), but the
Blackhawk stuff doesn't seem similar to the Mac stuff. These look awfully
different to be from the same dies, shape wise. So the price difference is
different steel in the better tools? Surely they can't be charging Mac prices
for better plated Blackhawk stuff?


FACOM also owns (large parts of) USAG (Italian?) and Beissbarth...

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Addendum

I received the following info from Dan Peronto a Tool Designer for Snap-on
Tools at the Kenosha Mfg Plant:

From: "Peronto, Daniel J."
To: "John T. Blair"
Subject: Hand tools
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 13:44:50 -0500


I just wanted to add my 2 cents. Well a nickle really, considering that I work
for Snap-on and we over charge for everything

I was reading on your site about 'who makes what tools'
http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/whotools.html. One part explians that the
various manufactures use 'the exact same forgings' for all the various brands
they sell. This is NOT true for Snap-on tools. Our retail brand Kobalt sold
through Lowe's stores, shares very little if any traits with our traditional
Snap-on line. They are made in the same plants, but most of the manufacturing
tooling is different. They are made by the same UNION skilled machinists useing
the same tried and true processes. The designs for these tools are completly
different. They use different material and are heat treated differently.

I hope this clears things up slightly
Dan Peronto
Tool Designer
Snap-on Tools
Kenosha Mfg Plant




caveat lector

Halcitron misc.survivalism alt.survival
"Failing to prepare.... Is preparing to fail."
NRA Member since 2002
The Law of the Land, is the weapon in your hand.

Smith & Wesson starts where the Bill of Rights stop.